Neurobiology

Light-activated small molecule could transform eye infection treatment
Contact lenses raise the risk of infectious keratitis, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. A biotech company is commercializing a light-activated therapy using a ROS-generating molecule to rapidly kill microbes in the cornea to preserve vision.

The molecular orchestra of memory
Calcium, calmodulin and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II form a molecular axis that turns fleeting neural activity into lasting memories. New research shows how memories are stabilized, and possibly even protected or repaired.

Lipid signatures for a rare neurological disorder
Researchers find distinct lipid patterns linked to a rare autoimmune neurological disorder, offering hope for effective targeted therapies for patients.

Catching tau in the act
Using a new proximity-labeling approach, researchers reveal how tangles of the brain-associated protein tau may disrupt RNA biology long before neurons die.

Uncovering the mechanisms of a glycosylation disorder
Mutations in OGT, an enzyme that adds sugars to proteins, cause a rare neurological disorder. Using proteomics, researchers reveal how OGT interactions with TET proteins may trigger epigenetic changes and early neural defects.

The data that did not fit
Brent Stockwell’s perseverance and work on the small molecule erastin led to the identification of ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death with implications for cancer, neurodegeneration and infection.

Key regulator of cholesterol protects against Alzheimer’s disease
A new study identifies oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 6 as a central controller of brain cholesterol balance, with protective effects against Alzheimer’s-related neurodegeneration.

From humble beginnings to unlocking lysosomal secrets
Monther Abu–Remaileh will receive the ASBMB’s 2026 Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7-10 in Washington, D.C.

Exploring the link between lipids and longevity
Meng Wang will present her work on metabolism and aging at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7-10, just outside of Washington, D.C.