Posted on

AI builds super-charged proteins

Scientists at the University of Illinois have made it possible to command a computer to enhance a protein and a robot does all the work — no PhD needed. This new system mixes artificial intelligence with lab automation.

In a recent study, published in Nature Communications, researchers showed off a robotic setup that takes a protein’s fundamental makeup, experiments with hundreds of tiny tweaks and finds the best-performing version without any human stepping in to decide what to try next. The result is enzymes that work significantly better than before.

The team succeeded in boosting one plant enzyme’s ability to pick the right chemical by 90 times and made it 16 times faster at completing its job. They also upgraded a bacterial enzyme to work 26 times better at a pH level important for animal feed, potentially helping farmers and food producers.

The ease of the platform’s use is highly notable as it was trained to predict useful changes and could easily be operated by a layperson with simple, plain English commands. The testing, planning and analysis are all taken care of inside a modular robotic lab.

This could accelerate methods of creating better medicines, greener chemicals and more efficient industrial processes as protein design can be as simple as giving a computer a task.

More like this: The AI will see you now

Posted on

Immune cell sabotage

Antibiotic resistance, a specific type of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a growing global health concern. This occurs when bacteria develop resistance to the antibiotics created to kill them.

As antibiotic resistance grows, viruses called bacteriophages that are used to attack bacteria are making their mark as a new method of fighting infections.

The problem is alveolar macrophages, immune cells in the lungs, clean up these viruses before they can do their job.

A group of researchers in Paris, France recently discovered that in mice with complicated lung infections in which the macrophages were active, the phages were gone quickly and the infections remained. But in the mice without the immune cells, the phages were able to completely wipe out the bacteria.

This demonstrates that though microphages help to fight infection, they can also sabotage phage therapy by eliminating helpful viruses.

The paper, published in Nature Communications, says strategies are needed to work around these immune cells in order for phage treatments to succeed against drug-resistant lung infections.

More like this: There’s a new kind of neighborhood watch, and it’s the bees knees

Posted on

Off the cuff

The bulky blood pressure cuff that inflates and squeezes the bicep to within an inch of combustion is something many patients are familiar with, but it may be time to say good-bye to such discomforts. Scientists at Boston University, Boston Medical Center and Meta have come up with a plan to do just that, using a high-speed speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS).

By observing how tiny blood vessels make light (shone on the wrist and finger) dance in speckle patterns and amalgamating this information with the usual pulse sensor technology (photoplethysmography or PPG), they collect data about the flexibility and resistance of blood vessels — the two big players in blood pressure.

The results of the combined information are loaded into a personalized AI model, and in testing, blood pressure errors were reduced by more than 30 percent compared to the PPG on its own. The readings also stayed accurate weeks later — a major win for consistent monitoring.

This means we may soon have a more comfortable, continuous and precise means of keeping tabs on our heart health.

The paper, published in Biomedical Optics Express, notes that although this is a step forward, larger studies are needed before this enters mainstream use.

More like this: Trust your gut?

Posted on

200 times bitten, still not shy

Before the chickenpox vaccine existed, there were “chickenpox parties”— gatherings where parents deliberately exposed their children to an infected child so they could catch the disease and develop lifelong immunity.

Similarly, autodidact herpetologist and snake collector Tim Friede has made it his sole task to build immunity to venomous snake bites by consistently exposing himself to small doses of venom from over a dozen of the world’s deadliest snakes. Unlike chickenpox, however, the stakes are much higher as the bites he endures could easily be fatal.

He began by dosing himself with diluted doses of venom and continued this practice for over 20 years, self-administering over 700 doses and escalating the potency over time. This resulted in the ability to survive bites of cobras, taipans (considered to be the most venomous snake in the world), black mambas, rattlers and more. Friede has been bitten over 200 times.

His initial goal as a snake expert was to develop his own immunity, should he ever be bitten but after realizing his ultimate level of immunity, that goal evolved to help scientists use his blood to produce antivenom.

IMAGE: Shutterstock

His antics have landed him in some precarious situations, especially in the beginning when he was bitten by two cobras and ended up in a coma. But still he persevered.
“It just became a lifestyle, and I just kept pushing and pushing and pushing as hard as I could push – for the people who are 8,000 miles away from me who die from snake bite.” Friede told the BBC.

An estimated 5.4 million people sustain snake bites annually of which 80,000 to 140,000 are fatal. As many as three times this number endure life-altering disabilities including bleeding disorders, kidney failure and amputation. However, these statistics from the World Health Organization are believed to be significantly underestimated.

In many countries, snake bite statistics are under-reported.

This means that a universal anti-venom is more required than the world realizes.

In 2017, Friede put himself out there to the science community to be tested, resulting in a collaboration with Jacob Glanville, a computational and systems immunologist and entrepreneur.

“I’m really proud that I can do something in life for humanity.”

– Tim Friede, May 25, 2025 Quote of the Day – The New York Times

Centivax, founded in 2019, where Friede is director of herpetology (an area of zoology studying amphibians and reptiles), is a biotechnology company focused on the development of vaccines.

The development of a universal antivenom is complex, however, as the toxins differ between species and the antivenom needs to closely match the venom.

Because of this, researchers at Centivax and the Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States, have been working to target the parts of a toxin common across entire toxin classes.

Scouring Friede’s blood for resistant defenses against 19 Elapids (a family of highly venomous snakes, including the most venomous snake on the planet), they found two powerful antibodies that work against two kinds of nerve poisons. Then they then topped it off with a drug that targets a third for a resulting antivenom mix.

In the lab, mice survived fatal doses from 13 of the 19 Elapids and had partial defense against the other six.

The research, published in Cell continues as the team aims to strengthen the antivenom to include the entire slithery species and ultimately move the work forward for others.

More like this: Looking to nature for better drugs

Posted on

Frying mastery: The science
of crafting the perfect french fry

The potato: simple, plain, grown in the earth, a side dish to many mains. But also the fundamental element of one of the world’s most treasured comfort foods — the french fry. However, not all potatoes are created equal when it comes to perfecting the fry.

The perfect fry, for the purpose of this science lesson, equals crispy and golden on the outside and soft (but cooked) on the inside. But this end game can be achieved only with the perfect beginning. Quality potato selection is imperative to making the perfect fry.

The most popular potato for french fries in the United States, home of fast food, is the russet — the primary potato used by McDonald’s. Most commonly used is the Russet Burbank, but McDonald’s also uses several varieties of russet for its fries.

If you can’t locate these in your local supermarket, you’ll want to find a potato that is high in starch but low in moisture. The starch achieves caramelization, resulting in a crispy exterior, and low moisture ensures you won’t be left disappointed with soggy fries. But remember, the higher the starch content, the darker the fries are likely to be.

The Russet Burbank is also popular due to its nutritional value.

This apple of the earth is loaded with vitamins C and B6 and is high in antioxidants. And if you’re looking for protein, fiber and iron, the peel-on fry is the way to go.

Now that you’ve acquired the perfect potato, it’s time to select the perfect oil.

There are factors to consider when choosing the right oil for cooking french fries. The correct oil can affect the texture and the flavor of your finished product.

Thermometer manufacturer ThermoWorks recommends oil that has no flavor as it can transfer to your food. The oil’s ability to take the heat also contributes to flavor.

Smoke point is how the oil behaves when exposed to high temperatures. If the oil has a low smoke point, it will burn at high temperatures and transfer the burnt flavor to your fries. So choose an oil that has a higher smoke point.

Oils with higher smoke points are those that are refined (processed) like avocado oil, canola oil and peanut oil. While avocado oil has the highest smoke point at about 510 degrees Fahrenheit, it seems peanut oil is the winner of the oil contest with its lower saturated fat levels, richness in vitamin D and smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also the chosen oil of U.S. restaurant giant Chick Fil A

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash

Now that the shopping is done, it’s time to prep and get cooking.

To soak or not to soak?

It really depends on whether you like your fries dark or golden. Soaking your cut fries for 1-2 hours will reduce the amount of sugars on the outside, allowing for golden crispiness, but not soaking will result in more caramelization and leave your fries much darker. It can also result in burning. The blanching process can also reduce the amount of nutrients remaining. And the thicker they are, the longer you’ll have to cook them.

Your preference for french fry thickness will determine the length of time on the cook as it also dictates the time it takes for the heat to reach the center of the fry.

The fry: once or twice? And what is the point?

The double fry seems to be a popular method of achieving a thicker, crispier and more stable outer layer with a soft inside. The first fry is at lower heat (325 degrees Fahrenheit) and the second fry is done at a higher heat (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Potatoes have two types of water molecules, those that are bound tightly to the potato and those that are loosely bound. During the first fry, the hot oil evaporates the loosely bound molecules and mobilizes the starch to form an outer covering, protecting the fry from drying out. The second fry is to achieve the golden, crunchy goodness.

Now that you’ve achieved a french fry work of art, the final stroke is the topping of your choice and celebrating National French Fry Day the way it was intended.

The french fry market in 2021 was valued at U.S.$16.2 billion globally and is expected to grow to U.S.$22.9 billion by 2029.