This hybrid device integrates a microfluidic chip for sample preparation and an optofluidic chip for optical detection of individual molecules of viral RNA. A team led by researchers at UC Santa Cruz has developed chip-based technology for reliable detection of Ebola virus and other viral pathogens. The system uses direct optical detection of viral molecules and can be integrated into a simple, portable instrument for use in field situations where rapid, accurate detection of Ebola infections is needed to control outbreaks.

A group of researchers, led by Prof. MATOZAKI Takashi and Associate Prof. MURATA Yoji at the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine Division of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, were the first to demonstrate the role of stomach cancer-associated protein tyrosine phosphatase (SAP)-1 in the pathogenesis and prevention of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel disorders. Their findings, published online ahead of print on July 20, 2015, by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, are expected to accelerate the development of targeted therapies for inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.

The ultra-stable properties of the proteins that allow deep-diving whales to remain active while holding their breath for up to two hours could help Rice University biochemist John Olson and his colleagues finish a 20-year quest to create lifesaving synthetic blood for human trauma patients.