The latest Business updates from the science industry


Microscopy & Microtechniques by Gwyneth Astles Bioengineered blood vessels shed light on trypanosome tactics


Microscopy meets molecular parasitology in a study [1] that redefines how we investigate deadly livestock infections. Using advanced bioengineering, scientists have built the first realistic 3D microvessel models of cow brain and heart tissue - revealing how Trypanosoma congolense, the parasite behind animal African trypanosomiasis, clings to blood vessel walls and dodges immune attack.


Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, and EMBL Barcelona have created tissue- mimicking microenvironments that go far beyond fl at cell cultures. These new 3D models replicate the fl ow dynamics and physical structure of real bovine vessels, enabling researchers to observe parasite behaviour in unprecedented detail.


What they found upends textbook assumptions. The team demonstrated that parasite ‘sequestration’ - its ability to anchor to blood vessels - is controlled by fl ow conditions and a key signalling pathway, allowing the parasite to grow and persist in the host. Yet surprisingly, this process isn’t needed for transmission to the tsetse


door to testing therapies that block sequestration and could help save millions in agricultural losses.”


With the brain especially vulnerable, T. congolense build-up can trigger stroke-like symptoms and fatal outcomes in cattle. These models will help decode how the parasite spreads, survives and damages tissue - while offering a platform to trial sequestration inhibitors that could transform treatment.


A 3D model of a bovine blood vessel. Credit: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine


fl y, suggesting the parasite’s disease-causing strategies are more complex than previously thought.


The implications are wide-reaching. “For the fi rst time, we can study host-parasite interactions under conditions that mimic real life, not just plastic dishes,” said Dr Aitor Casas-Sanchez. “This opens the


Inspired by similar advances in malaria research, this fusion of microengineering and microscopy offers a powerful route to tackling trypanosomiasis. As Dr Casas-Sanchez puts it: “We’re not just building models - we’re building hope for livestock and communities affected by this devastating disease.”


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1. Bioengineered 3D microvessels and complementary animal models reveal mechanisms of Trypanosoma congolense sequestration published in Communications Biology


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Light beam captures Alzheimer’s-linked proteins for new disease insights


Researchers at Nottingham Trent University are pioneering a groundbreaking study that uses high concentrations of light to examine the fast structural changes in single proteins linked to Alzheimer’s, offering new insights into the disease’s progression.


This first-of-its-kind research aims to deepen understanding of the neurodegenerative process, which begins as much as 20 years before symptoms appear. By studying these early- stage changes, the team hopes to pave the way for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.


Led by Dr Cuifeng Ying from the university’s Advanced Optics and Photonics group, the research is supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences. Dr Ying’s technique isolates and monitors the behaviour of single proteins in their natural environment without altering them, a crucial step forward in understanding how these proteins contribute to disease.


Proteins that aggregate abnormally in the brain are known to be a key factor in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. However, current technologies cannot track the motions and behaviour of these individual proteins without modifying them, which can hinder insights into their true functions.


The team’s novel technique overcomes this limitation by using a high concentration of light transmitted through an engineered nanostructure. This creates enough force to ‘grasp’ and hold a single protein, which is far thinner than a strand of hair, within a fl uid without damaging it. By analysing how the light scatters, researchers can gather real-time data on how the protein behaves.


The study will use proteins extracted from fruit fl ies, which share a signifi cant portion of their genes with humans, to examine how these proteins change over different stages of the disease. The researchers will also explore how the proteins respond to various drug treatments.


With nearly 1 million people in the UK affected by dementia, a key symptom of late-stage Alzheimer’s, the research is vital. Alzheimer’s currently costs the UK nearly £35 billion annually, a fi gure projected to rise with the aging population.


“Innovative approaches are urgently needed to understand the triggers of these diseases, enabling earlier disease detection and treatment,” said Dr Ying. “By studying single proteins in their natural state, we can observe how they behave over time, providing critical insights into the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and helping drive the development of earlier diagnoses and therapies.”


The research is funded through the Academy of Medical Sciences’ Springboard programme, in partnership with the Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Wellcome, and the British Heart Foundation. UK Science Minister Lord Vallance emphasised the importance of such research in addressing major health challenges and supporting early-career researchers.


Through this work, the team hopes to reduce the number of people affected by neurodegenerative diseases and alleviate associated healthcare costs.


Dr Cuifeng Ying. Credit: Nottingham Trent University


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The scientifi c programme for mmc2025 - incorporating EMAG 2025 - is now complete, following the addition of 25 late-breaking abstracts showcasing new advances in microscopy.


The late-breaking session, designed to highlight cutting-edge developments too recent for the main abstract deadline, will take place on Tuesday 1 July from 10:30am to 12:30pm. It will be chaired by Gail McConnell (University of Strathclyde) and Myfanwy Adams (John Innes Centre).


In total, more than 400 talks and posters have been accepted for this year’s event, making mmc2025 one of the most content-packed editions to date. The fi nalised programme includes full session details, speaker times and locations, along with listings for the free- to-attend commercial workshops running in the exhibition hall.


With mmc2025 just weeks away, delegates are encouraged to explore the schedule and start planning their time at Manchester Central.


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Scientific programme confirmed for mmc2025


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