Molly Campbell

Fungi aficionados have reason to rejoice, as two new species of Psilocybe mushrooms – best known for their psychoactive properties – have been discovered in South Africa.Approximately 40 species of Psilocybe have been described to date. The two new species, Psilocybe ingeli (P. ingeli) and Psilocybe maluti (P. maluti), were discovered in 2023 and 2021 respectively. Their identification – documented in the journal – raises the number of known indigenous Psilocybe species in Africa to six.Citizen…

Psychedelics research in older populations Psychedelics research is in the spotlight right now. An increasing number of clinical trials evaluating psychedelics are entering , and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s upcoming decision on whether to approve MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is . According to a 2020 report, the psychedelics drug market is to reach a staggering $10.75 billion by 2027.Despite the field’s resurgence, there are few clinical studies…

The breakdown of biological material by microbes is an integral process to life onEarth. While some genetic studies have probed the microbial communities thatdecompose , surprisingly, we know very little about the decomposition of vertebrates such as humans.That was until a recent by scientists from Colorado State University (CSU) identified a network of microbes that appear to “universally” drive the decomposition of animal flesh, regardless of environmental variables.The research team, led by…

have shown promise for the treatment of psychiatric conditions, with studies demonstrating the therapeutic of drugs derived from substances such as , and .Recently, a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel on whether current data shows that a New Drug Application (NDA) for MDMA-assisted therapy from Lykos Therapeutics is effective for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Australia’s drug regulator has already given its for doctors to use both MDMA and psilocybin…

Precision psychiatry – urgent unmet needDepression 3.8% of the world’s population. Approximately 30% of those diagnosed with depression have a form that is treatment-resistant, meaning that psychological and/or pharmacological interventions have proven unsuccessful in alleviating depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, such symptoms can lead to other comorbidities and, in some cases, suicide.Depression treatment is an area of urgent unmet clinical need, but it’s one fraught with challenges. There a…

Brain organoids, sometimes nicknamed “mini brains”, enable scientists to explore the function of neurons in healthy and diseased states outside of the human brain.Derived from stem cells, brain organoids can be coaxed to develop complex neural networks that mimic different stages of human development, including the formation of the nervous system in utero.Scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) are the first to create brain cortical organoids (BCOs) from young children with i…

Brain organoids, sometimes nicknamed “mini brains”, enable scientists to explore the function of neurons in healthy and diseased states outside of the human brain.Derived from stem cells, brain organoids can be coaxed to develop complex neural networks that mimic different stages of human development, including the formation of the nervous system in utero.Scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) are the first to create brain cortical organoids (BCOs) from young children with i…

At this year’s conference, Thermo Fisher Scientific a variety of new mass spectrometry (MS) and chromatography instruments, in addition to software solutions, which support customers in unlocking deeper analytical insights while improving productivity and accelerating translational research. , president of the chromatography and MS division at Thermo Fisher, joined the Technology Networks team for an interview to discuss the new instrument launches and the wider landscape of translational omic…

At this year’s conference, Thermo Fisher Scientific a variety of new mass spectrometry (MS) and chromatography instruments, in addition to software solutions, which support customers in unlocking deeper analytical insights while improving productivity and accelerating translational research. , president of the chromatography and MS division at Thermo Fisher, joined the Technology Networks team for an interview to discuss the new instrument launches and the wider landscape of translational omic…

The emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing tools created new opportunities for enhancing plant and crop traits in agricultural biotechnology research. Now, multiplex genome-editing (MGE) technologies, which allow for simultaneous modification of several genetic sites in a single genome in the same experiment, are promising to further transform the field. Here, we discuss the latest research advancements in research applying multiplexed CRISPR-Cas9 editing in plants, including novel approaches…