The range of CRISPR tools for genome editing can extend beyond nature-inspired designs thanks to proteins designed using artificial intelligence. A new study by Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna’s team, published in Science, describes the design of synthetic RNA-guided nucleases, with sequences substantially different from those found in nature, which match or exceed the activity of their natural counterparts whilst offering novel properties.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common form of pancreatic cancer, is an aggressive tumor that is often diagnosed at advanced stages. Some people are at high risk of developing it due to a hereditary predisposition (10% of cases) or an injury. A new Phase 1 clinical trial has tested, in high-risk patients, a vaccine targeting several mutations in the KRAS gene responsible for more than 90% of these tumors. The vaccine has been shown to be safe and has stimulated specific immune responses, detectable in the blood up to two years later, in 90% of the study participants. The study is published in Cancer Discovery.

International entertainment events have a very high carbon footprint. The majority of this stems from emissions caused by spectators’ travel, which account for 82 per cent of the emissions from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 97 per cent of those from Coldplay’s 2024 European tour, according to a study published in Communications Sustainability which analyses the environmental impact of both mega-events. The researchers propose that organisers should bear part of the carbon costs by rewarding fans with discounts for choosing more environmentally friendly modes of transport to attend the events.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease whose cause was a mystery for a long time, but recent studies have strengthened its link to the Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of mononucleosis, or the kissing disease. The challenge now is to define the exact mechanisms involved, which would help in developing therapies. An international team has identified certain components of the virus that tend to trigger a response in patients, which helps explain the effectiveness of some current treatments and could be helpful in developing vaccines and/or antiviral drugs against the disease. The study is published in Science Translational Medicine.  

Un equipo internacional en el que participa Roderic Guigó, del Centro de Regulación Genómica de Barcelona, ha elaborado el mapa más detallado hasta la fecha de los enhancers, o potenciadores, regiones del ADN que controlan los genes humanos y que funcionan como reguladores de intensidad. En el trabajo, desarrollado por el consorcio ENCODE, se han trazado más de 92 millones de posibles interacciones entre estos reguladores y los genes sobre los que actúan en distintas células y tejidos. Esta información puede ser importante para comprender las enfermedades, ya que buena parte de las variantes genéticas que se han asociado a trastornos comunes no se encuentran dentro de los propios genes, sino en regiones reguladoras. El estudio se publica en Nature.

Concentrations of desert dust rose steadily across much of Europe between 2012 and 2021, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. This was despite the fact that particulate matter pollution from emissions had fallen as a result of regulations. The trend could be linked to changes in atmospheric circulation and desertification in North Africa. Some of the largest increases were recorded in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, where levels are more than double those in the north of the continent. The authors warn that dust pollution could have an increasing impact on air quality and public health.

A study involving a small group of people, published in the European Heart Journal, has measured the levels of plastic in the blood supplying the heart in 61 patients with myocardial infarction, chronic ischaemic heart disease or normal coronary arteries. According to the data, microplastics and nanoplastics were detected in 84 per cent of patients who had suffered a heart attack, compared with 40 per cent of patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease and 32 per cent of those with normal coronary arteries. Those exposed to higher levels of air pollution and smokers were more likely to have microplastics in their blood.

A team led by a Spanish researcher has identified, near the centre of the Milky Way, a type of sugar composed of four carbon atoms, known as erythrulose, which on Earth is found in raspberries and self-tanning products. This would suggest that complex and biologically relevant molecules can form in space. Ribose and glucose had previously been discovered in samples from meteorites and asteroids, but until now no sugar had been directly detected in the interstellar medium. The finding is published in Nature Astronomy.

A new study reveals that the proportion of adults with dementia has risen significantly in Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico over the last two decades, rising from one in ten older adults to almost one in six; a trend that runs counter to that seen in the US and other wealthy countries. Rates remained stable in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The authors urge investment in prevention, dementia screening and care infrastructure. The study is published in JAMA Neurology.