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It is almost impossible for an injured heart to fully mend itself. Within minutes of being deprived of oxygen – as happens during a heart attack when arteries to the heart are blocked – the heart’s muscle cells start to die. Sanjay Sinha wants to mend these hearts so that they work again. 

̽»¨Ö±²¥first analysis of how proteins are arranged in a cell has been published today in Science, revealing that a large portion of human proteins can be found in more than one location in a given cell. 

A common insect larva that eats beeswax has been found to break down chemical bonds in the plastic used for packaging and shopping bags at uniquely high speeds. Scientists say the discovery could lead to a biotechnological approach to the polyethylene waste that chokes ocean ecosystems and landfill sites.

Scientists have determined the first 3D structures of intact mammalian genomes from individual cells, showing how the DNA from all the chromosomes intricately folds to fit together inside the cell nuclei.

Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today in the journal Nature Communications. ̽»¨Ö±²¥study, led by a father and son team at the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge, solves a long-standing mystery of how key sugars in cells bind to form strong, indigestible materials.

Researchers from across the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ have been recognised for the impact of their work on society, and engagement with research in the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Impact Awards and Public Engagement with Research Awards.

In the search for low emission plant-based fuels, new research may help avoid having to choose between growing crops for food or fuel.

Almost all of our genes may be influenced by the food we eat, according to new research published in the journal Nature Microbiology. ̽»¨Ö±²¥study, carried out in yeast – which can be used to model some of the body’s fundamental processes – shows that while the activity of our genes influences our metabolism, the opposite is also true and the nutrients available to cells influence our genes.

A collaboration between the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge and MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, has led researchers to identify a potentially significant new application for a well-known human enzyme, which may have implications for treating respiratory diseases such as asthma.

Baker’s yeast cells living together in communities help feed each other, but leave incomers from the same species to die from starvation, according to new research from the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge.