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Getting Closer to Single Molecules

A story in the New York Times reports on a new technique to image viruses. Developed by IBM scientists and published in PNAS, magnetic resonance force microscopy, or M.R.F.M., is similar to MRI but offers 100 million times better resolution. The technique uses an "ultrasmall cantilever arm as a platform for specimens that are then moved in and out of proximity to a tiny magnet" and could be used by structural biologists to study the structure and interaction of proteins. "You have thousands of proteins in your body that have no known structure, because there's no technique to determine their structure," says Dan Rugar, manager of nanoscale studies at IBM Almaden Research Center and leader of the team that developed the new device, in a story in Technology Review.

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.