Nature Biotechnology, Published online: 23 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41587-026-03107-2
Intravital imaging is improved by applying deep learning to wave-optics modeling.
STAT+: Can Erasca be biotech’s next big thing? We’ll see
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I wore my Tottenham Hotspur hoodie while shopping at Market Basket last Sunday. One fellow shopper laughed at me. He must have been an Arsenal fan. But another guy commiserated.
If none of this means anything to you, I’m sorry. My favorite soccer team is circling the drain and I feel sad.
The promise of a better pan-RAS inhibitor
Erasca has been described as the poor man’s Revolution Medicines. Impoverished doesn’t exactly fit, not with Erasca’s market value nearing $7 billion on the promise of a better pan-RAS inhibitor for pancreatic cancer. But RevMed’s value now tops $30 billion, so you can see why biotech investors are motivated to find the next big thing.
Whether Erasca is worthy of that description will become clearer in May when the company reports initial results from an early stage study of its drug, called ERAS-0015.
“RevMed has been a real pioneer in this space,” Erasca co-founder and CEO Jonathan Lim told me when we spoke on Tuesday. “What a day it was last week seeing their data with 13.2 months of median overall survival. It’s great for patients with pancreatic cancer.”
Brain Astrocytes Form Far-Reaching Connections in Mice
A study in mice headed by NYU Langone Health researchers has found that cells long thought to play a secondary role in brain function build their own far-reaching connections. These pathways appear to connect distant regions in ways that had not been mapped before.
Experts usually describe the brain as a network of nerve cells (neurons) that send each other signals to pass along information. These neurons are maintained by another kind of brain cell, the star-shaped astrocyte, which ferries in nutrients and carries away waste.
The newly reported study, headed by Melissa Cooper, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, revealed that, like neurons, astrocytes form organized webs, which enable them to communicate with other specific astrocytes across the brain rather than only sending local, generalized signals. In some cases, the pathways were found to link areas that were not already joined together by neurons.
“For more than a century, neuroscientists have thought of neurons as the main actors in the brain,” said Cooper. “Yet our findings suggest that astrocytes, which are usually viewed as merely support cells, are also running their own widespread signaling pathway, adding another layer to how brain regions stay connected.” The team suggests that while their study was carried out in mice, not humans, the findings form the basis for future studies investigating how astrocyte networks might link with injury, disease, or aging and to learning and memory.”
Cooper is first and co-corresponding author of the team’s published work in Nature, titled “Astrocytes connect specific brain regions through plastic networks,” in which the researchers stated, “Astrocyte networks can directly link brain regions that are not connected by neurons, suggesting that previously unassociated brain regions communicate with one another through gap junction-coupled astrocytes.”
“Neuronal axons have traditionally been considered to be the primary mediators of functional connectivity among brain regions,” the authors wrote, and the role of communication mediated by astrocytes has been largely underappreciated. “This communication occurs through gap junctions—membrane channels that connect the cytoplasm of neighboring cells, enabling them to redistribute resources and share biochemical signals,” the team continued. “Studies using mice lacking astrocyte gap junctions have shown that these gap junctions are necessary for memory formation, synaptic plasticity, coordination of neuronal signaling, and closing the visual and motor critical periods.”
In earlier work, Cooper reported that in a mouse model of the visual neurodegenerative disease glaucoma, astrocytes can redistribute resources from astrocytes around healthy neurons to damaged neurons. Yet the team had no way to see whether this kind of support-cell network extended across the entire brain.
Cooper said the newly reported study is the first to map active, brain-wide communication networks built by astrocytes and to show that these pathways are highly specific. The research relied on a custom-built tracing tool that let the team follow the cells’ connections in far greater detail than had been possible using past methods. “Despite the importance of astrocyte gap junctional networks, studying them has been challenging,” the investigators noted. “Current methods such as slice electrophysiology disrupt network connectivity and introduce artefacts due to tissue damage.”
For their study, the researchers used a harmless virus to deliver “network tracers” into astrocytes in selected brain regions of lab mice. These tracers tagged small molecules as the molecules passed through the gap junctions linking one astrocyte to another, allowing the team to see which cells were part of the same signaling pathway.
The scientists then made the mice’s brains transparent and used a specialized microscope to capture three-dimensional images of every tagged astrocyte. By doing this across hundreds of mice, they could map astrocyte webs across brain areas. “These networks selectively connect specific regions, rather than diffusing indiscriminately, and vary in size and organization,” they reported. “We observe local networks that are confined to single brain regions and long-range networks that robustly interconnect multiple regions across hemispheres, often exhibiting patterns distinct from known neuronal networks.”
![A 3D network of interconnected astrocytes imaged inside a whole, transparent mouse brain. Each astrocyte's color shows its distance from the viewer; closer astrocytes are blue, while more distant astrocytes are red. [Cooper et al. Astrocytes connect specific brain regions through plastic networks. Nature. 2026. doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10426-6.]](https://www.genengnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Low-Res_Cover-Image-224x300.jpg)
The tracing tool and brain-clearing method were designed to be relatively low-cost and easy to reproduce so that other labs could use them to study the networks in many brain diseases.
In another part of the study, the team assessed mice that were genetically engineered with astrocytes that lacked gap junctions. The communication networks largely disappeared, suggesting that the pathways are active and depend on these physical bridges.
“By challenging our understanding of how the brain communicates over long distances, our results may offer fresh insight into how it develops, ages, and behaves in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases,” said study co-senior author Shane A. Liddelow, PhD, an associate professor in the neuroscience and ophthalmology departments at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Another key finding was that astrocyte networks are dynamic. When the team trimmed whiskers on one side of the mice’s faces—“this manipulation is known to induce robust structural remodeling in neurons,” the team noted—a pathway from the region that processes whisker touch got smaller and reconnected to different astrocyte partners.
“The fact that astrocyte networks shrink and reroute after a loss of sensory signals suggests they may be shaped by experience,” said study co-senior author Moses V. Chao, PhD, a professor in the cell biology, neuroscience, and psychiatry departments at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “It also raises the possibility that each of us has a somewhat unique pattern of connections molded by what our brains have learned and lived through.”
The authors plan to investigate which molecules move through the networks and to apply their tracing tool to models of brain disorders. They also hope to examine how these webs change during development and aging, said Chao.
Liddelow emphasized that while gap junctions and astrocytes exist in humans, it remains unknown whether the networks link the same regions in the same way as in mice. Nevertheless, in their paper, the team concluded that their findings “… establish foundation for future exploration of how astrocyte network structure and function are shaped by injury, disease, development, aging and experience-dependent processes such as learning and memory.”
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STAT+: At AACR, talk of Chinese biotech, oncology’s comms issue, and more
You’re reading the web version of STAT’s popup newsletter, AACR in 30 seconds, your guide to what’s happening at the American Association of Cancer Researchers’ annual meeting.
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Overcoming resistance and RevMed’s next drug?
In case you missed it, Revolution Medicines’ sessions yesterday were jam-packed with conference attendees. While most of the media coverage focused on the daraxonrasib in frontline pancreatic cancer data, the company also revealed some activity in a new compound, RM-055. CEO Mark Goldsmith described it as being part of a new class of “catalytic inhibitors,” since it can slice off a phosphate from GTP-RAS, or the “on” form of RAS, and turn the protein off.
This generated a lot of interest because one of the main ways that cancer develops resistance to RAS inhibitors is by amplifying mutant RAS, basically flooding the cell with the oncoprotein and overwhelming the inhibitor. RM-055, with its catalytic ability to turn multiple mutant RAS proteins off, may be the next step in the arms race against RAS-addicted cancer.
Andelyn Partners with S. Korea-Based ENCell to Accelerate Global Delivery of Gene Therapies
Andelyn Biosciences and ENCell, both CDMOs, signed a collaboration agreement to create a strategic manufacturing bridge between the United States and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions to accelerate the global delivery of gene therapies.
The partnership leverages both companies’ GMP manufacturing facilities, technical expertise, and regional networks to fast-track the development, manufacturing, and global expansion of client programs, according to officials at both organizations.
This partnership is designed to enable a streamlined “dual hemisphere” workflow. By providing a direct route between U.S. and APAC manufacturing hubs, the collaboration could help remove a number of the regulatory and logistical complexities of international expansion.
Most importantly, facilitating in-country manufacturing for in-country clinical trials ensures regional supply chains can meet the specific needs of local patient populations, greatly reducing lead times and accelerating the path to commercialization, pointed out Wade Macedone, CEO at Andelyn.
“Our partnership with ENCell is a powerful step forward in Andelyn’s mission to help bring life-saving therapies to patients worldwide,” he said. By joining forces with such a respected leader in South Korea, we are not just expanding our global footprint; we are leveraging our unique strengths to deliver a truly seamless international manufacturing network.”
“This partnership with Andelyn represents a significant step in expanding the global CGT ecosystem,” added Jong Wook Chang, PhD, CEO of ENCell. “By combining Andelyn’s expertise in viral vector development and cGMP manufacturing with ENCell’s clinical and manufacturing capabilities across APAC, we are establishing a seamless manufacturing platform connecting the United States and Asia-Pacific.
“Together, we will enable more efficient development and scalable production of gene therapies, supporting our clients from early-stage development through global clinical trials and commercialization.”
The post Andelyn Partners with S. Korea-Based ENCell to Accelerate Global Delivery of Gene Therapies appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Viral Contamination Still a Challenge for CGT Industry
Raw material testing will remain the foundation of cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector quality control strategies for the foreseeable future, according to new analysis, which shows the industry still lacks suitable virus detection and inactivation methods.
Biopharmaceutical raw materials—the culture media ingredients, the reagents, and even the production cell lines themselves—are the biggest source of viral contamination in drug manufacturing.
To mitigate the risks, the protein drug industry has developed downstream virus detection, inactivation, and removal strategies to make sure products do not pose an infection risk.
For CGT firms, ensuring products are virus safe is more of a challenge, says Yoshiaki Maruyama, PhD, from the office of cellular and tissue-based products at Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA).
“Viral contamination of CGT products may arise from virus-contaminated raw materials or ancillary materials of human or animal origin or from the inadvertent introduction of viruses during the manufacturing process.
“Appropriate raw material controls and robust quality control parameters must be established and maintained throughout the manufacturing process to effectively manage the risk of viral contamination,” he tells GEN.
Inactivation and removal challenges
The big problem is that cell and gene therapies are too sensitive to survive current viral inactivation methods, most of which were developed with protein therapeutics in mind.
Maruyama says, “Most conventional virus inactivation or removal processes inevitably result in cell damage or loss in cell therapy and tissue-engineered products or adversely affect viral vectors in gene therapy products.”
As a result, CGT sector quality control efforts have focused on screening raw materials and finished products, according to Maruyama, who looked at current regulations and common approaches in a recent study.
“In the CGT sector, viral safety is achieved by implementing a comprehensive viral testing program. The use of inactivation and removal processes is challenging for CGT products and raw materials, so quality control strategies relying on screening are generally used,” he says.
Technological solutions?
In future, technologies may play a greater role, according to Maruyama, who says, “
“NGS technologies are expected to be applicable to the detection of adventitious viruses in human or animal cells. NGS offers a powerful, unbiased approach for detecting known and unknown viral contaminants,” they write.
However, as the authors point out, further development will be required as NGS systems detect nucleic acids rather than viable, infectious virus particles.
“Currently, there are no globally accepted NGS-based procedures or validated analytical methods that have reached a consensus on their use as substitutes for conventional viral tests. Therefore, the use of NGS as an alternative to conventional viral tests, including reducing the use of experimental animals, requires further evaluation depending on the specific test to be replaced,” they write.
And in the future, artificial intelligence (AI) systems may also play a role.
“This is largely speculative, and there are currently no concrete examples, but AI-based tools have been applied to manufacturing control for deviation prediction and similar approaches might also be useful for controlling viral contamination risks in CGT products and raw materials,” he says.
The post Viral Contamination Still a Challenge for CGT Industry appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
AI Wizard Adapts Processes in a Self-Driving Lab
German researchers who run a self-driving laboratory have created an agentic AI wizard to help their students rapidly design and implement new processes.
The wizard, which uses N8N software, can guide a student through establishing experiments without the need for coding, allowing them to quickly set up a new process.
According to Matthias Franzreb, PhD, a professor and departmental leader in bioengineering and biosystems at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, developing wizards could help any autonomous laboratory where the experimental setup needs to change fast.
“Each of our bachelor’s and master’s students has their own type of experiment and, in the beginning, going into Python scripting, it used to take two months to have the whole thing programmed,” he says.
By contrast, he says, the AI agent can help the student develop a new process within one or two days. It has so far been used to develop around six processes, he says, for a slightly larger number of students, as the same template can be used more than once.
Bioprocessing, like many other areas of human endeavor, is experiencing disruptive change with the growing use of digital tools at both the laboratory and commercial scale, Franzreb explained in a talk at Bioprocessing Summit Europe.
Among these changes is the difference between classical labs, which have automated equipment, such as liquid handling stations, but where scientists must design and set up their own experiments, and self-driving labs. In the latter, he explains, machine learning uses a first set of experiments to autonomously decide what experiments should be next.
In his talk, Franzreb also showed how a wizard could be used for designing a chromatography experiment. An experiment was set up to determine batch parameters at a small-scale in 96-well plates. From this, the software used a chromatography simulation to find the optimal conditions for the experiment and then ran it in a real chromatography system to validate the results.
According to Franzreb, the next step for the self-driving laboratory will be working with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and other research partners to develop ontological capabilities for the wizards so they can extract context for the experiments from Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or the academic literature.
“I think this is simple in principle,” he explains. “But at the moment we don’t have it, and it will be a challenge to roll out.”
The post AI Wizard Adapts Processes in a Self-Driving Lab appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Monitoring Mammalian and Microbial Bioprocesses in Real Time
At the 2026 BiOS conference in San Francisco, researchers presented a biosensing platform aimed at improving how living cells and tissues are monitored during drug bioprocessing. Known as TissueSense, the system provides continuous, real-time insight into cellular behavior without disrupting the biological environment.
In biopharmaceutical manufacturing, maintaining consistent cell health and productivity is essential. Yet many monitoring approaches still rely on intermittent sampling or endpoint measurements, offering only partial visibility into dynamic biological processes. TissueSense addresses this limitation by enabling continuous, in situ observation—capturing changes as they unfold.
The platform combines resonator-based photonic sensing with phase contrast microscopy, allowing simultaneous detection of biochemical activity and structural changes in cells. This dual approach provides a more complete picture of how cells respond to process conditions, such as nutrient shifts or environmental stress, which directly impact production outcomes.
A defining feature of the system is its label-free operation. Conventional biosensing methods often require fluorescent markers or reagents that might alter cell behavior or limit long-term monitoring. By removing these constraints, TissueSense supports extended observation of living systems in conditions closer to their natural state, an advantage for prolonged bioprocesses.
Data from the platform are analyzed using machine learning to simultaneously quantify up to 18 biomarkers, linking molecular outputs—such as secreted proteins—to tissue structure and function. This multiplexed capability is particularly relevant in drug manufacturing, where small variations in cellular activity can influence yield, quality, and reproducibility.
While TissueSense focuses on mammalian tissue models, parallel advances in microbial systems highlight a broader shift toward continuous, high-resolution monitoring across bioprocessing platforms. In yeast-based systems, for example, researchers have developed microbead-based cultivation methods that enable high-throughput, label-free screening of millions of individual mutants in extremely small volumes. These approaches can enrich desirable traits, such as resistance to metabolic inhibitors, by thousands-fold, supporting strain optimization for industrial bioproduction.
Similarly, in bacterial bioreactors, automated flow cytometry techniques now allow real-time tracking of population dynamics and physiological states. By combining DNA staining with indicators of active replication, these systems provide continuous insight into growth rates and cell cycle behavior, helping optimize feed strategies and overall process performance.
Together, these developments point toward a more integrated future for bioprocess monitoring—one that spans mammalian, yeast, and bacterial systems. Continuous, non-destructive sensing technologies are enabling researchers and manufacturers to move beyond static measurements toward dynamic control of biological production.
The post Monitoring Mammalian and Microbial Bioprocesses in Real Time appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Overcoming the VLP Purification Bottleneck
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a popular platform for biomanufacturers because of their good biosafety profile, immunogenicity, and ease of engineering, although downstream purification remains bottlenecked.
“Successful purification of VLPs cannot rely on any single unit operation, but instead requires integrated, product-specific process design guided by the critical quality attributes of the target particle,” Jingchao Zhang, PhD, Chengdu University of Technology, and Chen Chen, Tianjin University, point out in a recent review. The complex processes needed to generate VLPs result in multiple routes to success, and they are each vulnerable to environmental and process-induced stress, they note.
One option to mitigate such stress is buffer optimization. When developing buffers, they advise evaluating pH, ionic strength, ion species, excipients “such as nonionic surfactants,” and stabilizers that “improve thermal and freeze-thaw robustness.” Start by identifying conditions that most often cause the target molecule to fail, they advise. “This stress-informed characterization is particularly valuable because the stability of VLPs cannot usually be inferred from a single condition alone and may depend on both particle type and solution context,” they write.
Another option is “gentle chromatography.” By that, Zhang and Chen mean macroporous (100 nm or greater pore sizes) chromatography media that support process scaleup by improving binding capacity, increasing mass transfer rates and recovery, and are gentler on VLPs than the narrow (less than 30 nm) agarose media that often are used. Emerging options include non-woven structures and medium-to-large pore hydrogel microspheres, both of which have achieved success, respectively, with adeno-associated viruses and exosomes. “Overall, the chromatographic strategy for VLP purification should be framed as a balance between separation performance and particle preservation,” they conclude.
Process analytical technology is also increasingly valuable as technologies emerge to enable real-time monitoring, analysis, and control, they add.
Managing product heterogeneity is another challenge, as VLP downstream purification must address process- and product-related impurities. Typically, this is a multi-step endeavor “including clarification, ultrafiltration/diafiltration, chromatography, and, where appropriate, disassembly/reassembly-based purification,” Zhang and Chen report.
So far, there haven’t been many viral clearance studies for VLPs, they say. Part of the challenge is the many different expression systems used, such as E. coli, Chinese hamster ovary cells, and insect baculovirus expression vector systems.
In comparing the major downstream viral clearance strategies mentioned in the literature, Zhang and Chen report:
- Solvent/Detergent (TritonX-100) treatment has some environmental concerns and mainly inactivates enveloped viruses.
- Anion-exchange chromatography shows robust viral clearance only if the isoelectric points of the virus and VLPs differ.
- Ion-exchange chromatography is constrained in high-salt or complex sample matrices.
- Cation-exchange chromatography is highly effective in specific conditions.
- Virus filtration is gentle and clears enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, but large VLPs may be larger than the filter pore size.
Looking forward, Zhang and Chen predict near-term VLP purification advances will include: responsive materials and media that enable precise control; AI and machine learning that predicts structure-performance relationships to accelerate materials screening; greater process intelligence; continuous processing; increased use of quality-by-design principles; parallel development in regulatory science; and clearer regulatory standards.
The post Overcoming the VLP Purification Bottleneck appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
The Download: introducing the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
Introducing: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now
What actually matters in AI right now? It’s getting harder to tell amid the constant launches, hype, and warnings. To cut through the noise, MIT Technology Review’s reporters and editors have distilled years of analysis into a new essential guide: the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now.
The list builds on our annual 10 Breakthrough Technologies, but takes a wider view of the ideas, topics, and research shaping AI, spotlighting the trends and breakthroughs shaping the world.
We’ll be unpacking one item from the list each day here in The Download, explaining what it means and why it matters. Read the full rundown now—and stay tuned for the days ahead.
MIT Technology Review Narrated: desalination plants in the Middle East are increasingly vulnerable
As the conflict in Iran has escalated, a crucial resource is under fire: the desalinization technology that supplies water in the region.
President Donald Trump recently threatened to destroy “possibly all desalinization plants” in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened. The impact on farming, industry, and—crucially—drinking in the Middle East could be severe. Find out why.
—Casey Crownhart
This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 An unauthorized group has reportedly accessed Anthropic’s Mythos
Users in a private online forum may have gained access. (Bloomberg $)
+ Anthropic said the model was too dangerous for a full release. (Axios)
+ Mozilla used it to find 271 security vulnerabilities in Firefox. (Wired $)
2 Meta will track workers’ clicks and keystrokes for AI training
Tracking software is being installed on workers’ computers.(Reuters $)
+ Employees are up in arms about the program. (Business Insider)
+ LLMs could supercharge mass surveillance in the US. (MIT Technology Review)
3 ChatGPT allegedly advised the Florida State shooter
About when and where to strike, and which ammunition to use. (Washington Post $)
+ Florida’s attorney general is probing ChatGPT’s role in the shooting. (Ars Technica)
+ Does AI cause delusions or just amplify them? (MIT Technology Review)
4 SpaceX has secured the option to buy AI startup Cursor for $60 billion
Or pay $10 billion for the work they’re doing together. (The Verge)
+ SpaceX made the deal as it prepares to go public. (NYT $)
+ Musk’s endgame for the company may be a land grab in space. (The Atlantic $)
5 The Pentagon wants $54 billion for drones
That would rank among the top 10 military budgets for entire nations. (Ars Technica)
+ Shoplifters could soon be chased down by drones. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Apple’s new chief hardware officer signals a sprint to build in-house chips
Apple silicon lead Johny Srouji has been promoted to the role. (CNBC)
7 China’s government is tightening its grip on AI firms that try to leave
It’s doing all it can to stop firms like Manus sending talent and research overseas. (Washington Post $)
8 The FBI is probing the deaths of scientists tied to sensitive research
Including a nuclear physicist and MIT professor shot outside his home. (CNN)
9 The US is accelerating research into psychedelic medical treatment
Including the mysterious ibogaine. (Nature)
+ But psychedelics are (still) falling short in clinical trials. (MIT Technology Review)
10 The first retail boutique run by an AI agent has opened—and it’s chaos
The San Francisco shop is reassuringly mismanaged. (NYT $)
Quote of the day
“I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to ‘kiss my ass’.”
—Donald Trump pays a classy tribute to Tim Cook on Truth Social.
One More Thing
JOHN F. MALTA
This researcher wants to replace your brain, little by little
A US agency pursuing moonshot health breakthroughs has hired a researcher advocating an extremely radical plan for defeating death. His idea? Replace your body parts. All of them. Even your brain.
Jean Hébert, a program manager at the US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), believes we can beat aging by adding youthful tissue to people’s brains. Read the full story on his futuristic plan to extend human life.
—Antonio Regalado
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ A Lego set was sent to the edge of space—and survived.
+ Go behind the scenes with Werner Herzog as he guides a new generation of filmmakers.
+ This video about enshittification perfectly captures the frustration of the degrading internet.
+ NASA’s latest deep-space capture offers a rare view of planetary systems in their absolute infancy.