The Protein Allergens, Toxins and Bioinformatics (PATB) Committee is seeking partners to help launch a new project to advance methods for the assessment of gluten-like peptide sequences that could trigger Celiac disease (CD).

The proposed pilot study will test the potential of microbial derived peptides to mimic gluten peptides using organoid models.

A team led by Dr. Elisha Krieg of the Institute of Biofunctional Polymer Materials at Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research in Dresden, Germany, has developed a dynamic DNA-crosslinked matrix (called DyNAtrix) by combining classical synthetic polymers with programmable DNA crosslinkers. The new development is of high relevance for in vitro cell culture materials for biological research, according to the current press release.

An international team of researchers involving the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) believes that the time has come for a change of direction in chemicals testing. In the scientific journal "Environment International", the scientists call for setting the course and changing regulations for test procedures: "Not if, but how and when!" is the motto.

In a study of six different mental disorders and a thousand brain regions, a team of researchers from Monash University in Australia has uncovered heterogeneous, person-specific differences between individuals within each disorder. This may be one reason why therapies such as non-invasive brain stimulation to treat depression are effective in only one-third of patients.