Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · 6d

Higher education is being reshaped by powerful forces — from AI to mental health to decolonization. Six scholars offer fresh ideas for how universities can truly evolve.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Universities must move with the times: how six scholars tackle AI, mental health and more

Societies are evolving, and so must higher education. Researchers describe initiatives that can help to create stimulating and nurturing environments fit for today’s learning landscape.

www.nature.com

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Sep 2

Can I join please?

1 1

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Sep 2

The rise in applications indicates a “huge increase in the amount and cost of work for academics completing these applications”. “[Researchers] must be spending less time either teaching or doing research, and spending more time on writing these grants”.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The grant lottery: award rates at UK national funding agency fall below 20%

Application volume is outpacing available funding, intensifying competition and worsening pressure on the peer-review system. But those who win grants are now getting more.

www.nature.com

1

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Aug 1

1 AUG

1

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · May 15

P-hacking

Removing outliers, using alternative statistical methods and running extra experiments are some methods that could be used to change the P-value. Be careful not to fall in this trap! Stay sceptical! Null results are a normal part of science.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

P hacking — Five ways it could happen to you

Some data practices can lead to statistically dubious findings. Here’s how to avoid them.

www.nature.com

4 7

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

RyanLab_TCD @ryanlab.bsky.social · Apr 30

It was fantastic to have @labliston.bsky.social give a talk at the @mrc-mbu.bsky.social on building a positive research culture. Valuable for all investigators/group leaders regardless of career stage, check out the resources below:
listonlab.uk/careers/

Translational Immunology - Careers

Becoming a Scientist

listonlab.uk

4 3

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Apr 30

The temptation to create beautify images can be a slippery slope.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The do’s and don’ts of scientific image editing

Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.

www.nature.com

1 3

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

NextGenSeek @nextgenseek.bsky.social · Apr 23

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Highly sensitive method captures rare RNAs in blood to search for disease

A method for examining RNAs in blood samples offers a clinical tool to detect and monitor cancer and to assess immune responses to vaccination.

www.nature.com

1 2

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Apr 17

Stem cells were initially touted as a cure-all, but aside from a few anecdotal studies, this has not been proven true. Is it finally going to happen?

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Japan’s big bet on stem-cell therapies might soon pay off with medical breakthroughs

Induced pluripotent stem cells are being tested to treat blindness, paralysis, Parkinson’s disease and more. Approvals might be around the corner.

www.nature.com

2

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

EMBO Molecular Medicine @embomolmed.org · Apr 11

Clinically translatable mitochondrial #GeneTherapy in muscle using tandem mtZFN architecture.
By P. Nash, @mitogene.bsky.social & colleagues @mrc-mbu.bsky.social

🗞️ doi.org/10.1038/s443...

Read also related N&V by A. Ghifari & M. Ott 👉 doi.org/10.1038/s443...

6 7

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Apr 9

Congratulations, Pavel!

Proud to have been involved in this project.

Michal Minczuk @mitogene.bsky.social · Apr 9

Huge congrats to Pavel Nash on publishing his PhD work! 🎉 We showcase a safer mtDNA gene therapy using a novel mtZFN architecture compatible with a single AAV. Thanks to the entire team! @mrc-mbu.bsky.social
@mbu-postdocs.bsky.social #MitochondrialDisease #mtDNA
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

Clinically translatable mitochondrial gene therapy in muscle using tandem mtZFN architecture | EMBO Molecular Medicine

imageimageEfficient mitochondrial gene therapy is achieved with a novel tandem zinc finger nuclease (mtZFN) architecture delivered via adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, significantly reducing mutation loads in muscle tissue and rescuing ...

www.embopress.org

2

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Apr 9

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health?

Researchers are studying why the energy factories are moving between cells and whether the process can be harnessed to treat cancer and other diseases.

www.nature.com

1 3

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 28

Reposting since it's been a while since I posted this, and new MBU members might have joined.

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Nov 18

I thought connecting current and past members of MBU Mitochondrial Biology Unit Cambridge would be useful.

Please note that this is a work in progress and that more people will be added.
🔄 Anyone missing? Additions welcome!

go.bsky.app/9ATZngh

1

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 27

Mitochondria differ in type and density in different parts of the brain. For example, the evolutionarily oldest brain regions have a lower density of mitochondria than newer regions.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

First map of human brain mitochondria is ‘groundbreaking’ achievement

Hundreds of cubes of human brain tissue help scientists to chart the energy-making capabilities of various brain regions.

www.nature.com

1 5

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 25

Shared first authorship, but who gets to be first? According to this study, there is no disadvantage to sharing credit.

Weakness of the study: The test name was a gender-neutral European name. Can someone please repeat this study with female/non-European names?

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Does sharing first authorship on a paper carry a penalty? What the research says

Study dispels myth that order of names in a paper’s author list dictates perception of success.

www.nature.com

2 3

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

Christian Frezza @frezzalab.bsky.social · Mar 21

In-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

In-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain

Mitochondria regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through oxidative phosphorylation. This process is carried out by five membrane-bound complexes collectively known as the respiratory chain, workin...

www.science.org

13 33

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 21

“These findings will need to be confirmed in vivo.“

Animal research can be extremely valuable, but isn't it time to encourage novel alternative non-animal models if they are available? Shouldn't funders encourage research to establish such alternative models more?

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

How ‘animal methods bias’ is affecting research careers

Some early-career researchers report feeling pressure to use animal models to meet journal and grant requirements, even in disciplines and projects that don’t require them.

www.nature.com

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 19

It is often said that the first responsibility of any government is the safety and protection of its people. Vaccines save lives, and casting doubt on their safety could have dangerous and far-reaching consequences.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Vaccines save lives. Leaders must champion them

Attacks on vaccines and the cancellation of research into what causes vaccine hesitancy puts people in harm’s way.

www.nature.com

4

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

Science Magazine @science.org · Mar 16

Can internet use become addictive?

A #SciencePerspective discusses the addictive potential of the #internet and how it can be best conceptualized and evaluated. scim.ag/3R5Npv1 #BrainAwarenessWeek

Neural pathways in addiction: The hypothesized main neural circuits in human addictive behaviors are shown. The “feels better” path includes positive and negative reinforcement experiences and involves the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens), and the dorsal striatum in later stages. The “must do” path includes primarily compulsive behaviors, involving the dorsal striatum (putamen and caudate nucleus). The “stop now” self-control process mainly involves the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

1 24 100

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

Alexey Amunts @amunts.bsky.social · Mar 15

Conference alert: Machines acting on DNA and RNA
Madrid, May 28-30
Abstract deadline: April 24
Organised by @cniostopcancer.bsky.social. Come to share your research with experts in the molecular mechanisms of DNA & RNA machines. See the list of speakers below.
Please repost.

1 15 19

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

The EMBO Journal @embojournal.org · Mar 3

Thought that only purine nucleotides could inhibit mitochondrial thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue? Edmund Kunji and coworkers @mitocarriers.bsky.social @mrc-mbu.bsky.social show that pyrimidines bind and inhibit UCP1 in similar manner
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

6 7

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 13

Today is World Kidney Day. Are you sure your kidneys are OK? Do the quick test in the link and read about the risks.

www.worldkidneyday.org/2025-campaign/

2025 campaign - World Kidney Day 2025

World Kidney Day – 13 March 2025 Are Your Kidneys OK?Detect early, protectkidney health Are Your Kidneys OK? Take this quiz! Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health Chronic kidney dis...

www.worldkidneyday.org

Lindsey Van Haute @lindseyvanhaute.bsky.social · Mar 12

Alcohol raises the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including breast, liver, and esophageal cancer. Yet, many drinkers remain unaware.

Is there truly a “safe” amount of alcohol? Would a cancer warning label be helpful?

htps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00729-5

Alcohol and cancer risk: what you need to know

Experts weigh in on the risks of moderate drinking — and how people should assess them.

www.nature.com

1 1

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

Science Magazine @science.org · Mar 10

"I had spent half my life working toward my dream of being a scientist. It had given me a sense of purpose. But now it dawned on me that, for the sake of my health, I was going to have to let that dream go."

This week's #ScienceWorkingLife. scim.ag/4bCwyth

An illustration of a man pushing away a black mass. Hedline is: Science used to be my safe space. But when I spiraled into depression, I quit my Ph.D.

4 9 78

Reposted by Lindsey Van Haute

www.MitoWorld.org @mitoworld.bsky.social · Mar 10

New research from Dr Craig Thompson reveals that mitochondria do more than generate energy - they form specialized subpopulations under stress, playing a key role in cancer cell survival.

Will this discovery could reshape our understanding of metabolism and disease treatment?

MitoCast: Craig Thompson

YouTube video by MitochondriaWorld™

www.youtube.com

7 12