Mitraphylline is part of a small and unusual family of plant chemicals known as spirooxindole alkaloids. These molecules are defined by their distinctive twisted ring shapes, which help give them powerful biological effects, including anti tumor and anti inflammatory activity.

For years, scientists knew these compounds were valuable but had little understanding of how plants actually assembled them at the molecular level.

Solving a Long Standing Biological Mystery

Progress came in 2023, when a research team led by Dr. Thu-Thuy Dang in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science identified the first known plant enzyme capable of creating the signature spiro shape found in these molecules.

Building on that discovery, doctoral student Tuan-Anh Nguyen led new work to pinpoint two key enzymes involved in making mitraphylline — one enzyme that arranges the molecule into the correct three dimensional structure, and another that twists it into its final form.

“This is similar to finding the missing links in an assembly line,” says Dr. Dang, UBC Okanagan Principal’s Research Chair in Natural Products Biotechnology. “It answers a long-standing question about how nature builds these complex molecules and gives us a new way to replicate that process.”

Why Mitraphylline Is So Hard to Obtain

Many promising natural compounds exist only in extremely small quantities within plants, making them expensive or impractical to produce using traditional laboratory methods. Mitraphylline is a prime example. It appears only in trace amounts in tropical trees such as Mitragyna (kratom) and Uncaria (cat’s claw), both of which belong to the coffee plant family.

By identifying the enzymes that construct and shape mitraphylline, scientists now have a clear guide for recreating this process in more sustainable and scalable ways.

Toward Greener Drug Production

“With this discovery, we have a green chemistry approach to accessing compounds with enormous pharmaceutical value,” says Nguyen. “This is a result of UBC Okanagan’s research environment, where students and faculty work closely to solve problems with global reach.”

Nguyen also emphasized the personal impact of the work. “Being part of the team that uncovered the enzymes behind spirooxindole compounds has been amazing,” he says. “UBC Okanagan’s mentorship and support made this possible, and I’m excited to keep growing as a researcher here in Canada.”

Global Collaboration and Future Directions

The project was a collaborative effort between Dr. Dang’s laboratory at UBC Okanagan and Dr. Satya Nadakuduti’s team at the University of Florida.

Funding came from several sources, including Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Alliance International Collaboration program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Program. Additional support was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

“We are proud of this discovery coming from UBC Okanagan. Plants are fantastic natural chemists,” Dr. Dang says. “Our next steps will focus on adapting their molecular tools to create a wider range of therapeutic compounds.”

A new study published in Nature reports the most precise direct search so far for sterile neutrinos. The work comes from the KATRIN collaboration, which analyzed radioactive decays of tritium to look for subtle signs of an additional neutrino type.

The KATRIN (Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino) experiment was originally designed to measure the mass of neutrinos. It does this by carefully tracking the energies of electrons released during the β-decay of tritium. When tritium decays, the neutrino carries away some energy, which slightly alters the energy pattern of the emitted electrons. If a sterile neutrino were sometimes produced instead, it would leave a recognizable distortion, or “kink,” in that pattern.

Located at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, KATRIN stretches more than 70 meters in length. Its setup includes a powerful windowless gaseous tritium source, a high-resolution spectrometer that precisely measures electron energies, and a detector that records the particles. Since beginning operations in 2019, the experiment has collected tritium β-decay data with unmatched precision, specifically searching for the tiny deviations expected from a sterile neutrino.

What the Data Reveal About Sterile Neutrinos

In the new Nature paper, the team reports the most sensitive tritium β-decay search for sterile neutrinos to date. Between 2019 and 2021, KATRIN recorded about 36 million electrons over 259 days of data taking. These measurements were compared with detailed models of β-decay and achieved accuracy better than one percent. The analysis found no evidence of a sterile neutrino.

This result rules out a broad range of possibilities that had been suggested by earlier anomalies. Those anomalies included unexpected deficits seen in reactor-neutrino experiments and gallium-source measurements, both of which had hinted at a fourth neutrino. The findings also completely contradict the Neutrino-4 experiment, which had claimed evidence for such a particle.

KATRIN’s exceptionally low background means that nearly all detected electrons originate from tritium decay, allowing for a very clean measurement of the energy spectrum. Unlike oscillation experiments, which observe how neutrinos change identity after traveling some distance, KATRIN examines the energy distribution at the moment the neutrino is created. Because these methods probe different aspects of neutrino behavior, they complement each other and together provide strong evidence against the sterile neutrino hypothesis.

How KATRIN Complements Other Experiments

“Our new result is fully complementary to reactor experiments such as STEREO,” explains Thierry Lasserre (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik) in Heidelberg, who led the analysis. “While reactor experiments are most sensitive to sterile-active mass splittings below a few eV², KATRIN explores the range from a few to several hundred eV². Together, the two approaches now consistently rule out light sterile neutrinos that would noticeably mix with the known neutrino types.”

Looking Ahead to More Data and New Detectors

KATRIN will continue collecting data through 2025, which will further improve its sensitivity and allow even stricter tests for light sterile neutrinos. “By the completion of data taking in 2025, KATRIN will have recorded more than 220 million electrons in the region of interest, increasing the statistics by over a factor of six,” says KATRIN co-spokesperson Kathrin Valerius (KIT). “This will allow us to push the boundaries of precision and probe mixing angles below the present limits.”

An upgrade is planned for 2026, when the TRISTAN detector will be added to the experiment. TRISTAN will record the full tritium β-decay spectrum with unprecedented statistics. By bypassing the main spectrometer and measuring electron energies directly TRISTAN will be able to investigate much heavier sterile neutrinos. “This next-generation setup will open a new window into the keV-mass range, where sterile neutrinos might even form the Universe’s dark matter,” says co-spokesperson Susanne Mertens (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik).

An International Scientific Effort

The KATRIN Collaboration brings together scientists from more than 20 institutions across 7 countries, reflecting the global effort behind one of the most precise neutrino experiments ever built.

Published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the research found that vitamin C levels in the skin closely mirror levels in the blood (plasma). Increasing intake through vitamin C rich foods was shown to raise both blood and skin concentrations.

Eating Vitamin C Raises Skin Levels and Thickness

The study followed 24 healthy adults in Aotearoa New Zealand and Germany. Participants who raised their plasma vitamin C levels by eating two vitamin C rich SunGoldTM kiwifruit each day showed a clear increase in vitamin C within their skin. This increase was associated with thicker skin (collagen production) and greater renewal of the outer skin layer.

Lead author Professor Margreet Vissers from Mātai Hāora — Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine within the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine described the results as striking.

The strength of the association between skin thickness and vitamin C intake is “compelling,” she explained.

Vitamin C Moves From Blood to Skin

According to Professor Vissers, the relationship between blood vitamin C and skin vitamin C stood out compared to other organs.

“We were surprised by the tight correlation between plasma vitamin C levels and those in the skin — this was much more marked than in any other organ we have investigated,” she says.

The research team also found that vitamin C circulating in the bloodstream reaches every layer of the skin and supports healthier skin function.

“We are the first to demonstrate that vitamin C in the blood circulation penetrates all layers of the skin and is associated with improved skin function. I am very proud of my team and excited about what the data is telling us.”

Why Diet Matters More Than Creams

Professor Vissers says the findings reinforce the idea that skin health begins internally, with nutrients delivered naturally through the bloodstream.

Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, which is why it is commonly added to skincare products. However, vitamin C dissolves easily in water and does not absorb well through the outer skin barrier. The study showed that skin cells are highly efficient at absorbing vitamin C from the blood, with uptake into the outer epidermal layer appearing to be a priority.

How the Study Was Conducted

The research was funded by New Zealand company Zespri International along with a University of Otago Research Grant and included two phases. The first phase examined the relationship between plasma and skin vitamin C levels using healthy skin tissue from patients undergoing elective surgical procedures at Te Whatu Ora Canterbury (with support from the Otago campus’s He Taonga Tapu — Canterbury Cancer Society Tissue Bank).

The second phase involved a controlled dietary intervention carried out in Christchurch and Germany. Each location included 12 healthy participants.

Eight Weeks of Dietary Change

Participants were asked to eat two Kiwi Gold kiwifruit daily for eight weeks. This provided the equivalent of 250 micrograms of vitamin C.

“All were instructed to consume two Kiwi Gold kiwifruit daily — the equivalent of 250 micrograms of vitamin C — for eight weeks. We then collected skin samples before and after the intervention, with separate analyses allowing us to look at the skin basal layers in Christchurch and the outer dermal skin layer and skin function tests in Germany,” Professor Vissers explains.

German participants were recruited and tested by the SGS Institute Fresenius in Hamburg, which has the technical capability to collect samples from the outer dermal skin layer (the blister “roof”). The institute evaluated skin regeneration using ultrasound measurements of skin thickness, elasticity UV protection and epidermal cell renewal to assess overall skin function.

Clear Gains in Collagen and Skin Renewal

One of the most significant findings was a measurable rise in skin thickness among participants, indicating increased collagen production along with faster regeneration of epidermal cells.

“The other really substantial finding showed a significant increase in the participants’ skin thickness levels, reflecting collagen production and an upsurge in the regeneration of their epidermal cells, in other words skin renewal,” Professor Vissers says.

Other Vitamin C Foods Likely Offer Similar Benefits

SunGold kiwifruit was selected for the study because of its consistently high vitamin C content. However, the researchers expect similar benefits from other vitamin C rich foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables such as citrus, berries, capsicums and broccoli.

“We suggest that increasing your dietary vitamin C intake will result in effective vitamin C uptake into all compartments of the skin,” Professor Vissers says.

Daily Intake Is Key

Maintaining steady vitamin C levels in the blood is essential, since the body does not store the vitamin long term. Professor Vissers notes that healthy individuals can reach optimal plasma levels with about 250mg of vitamin C per day.

“The important thing is to keep your plasma levels optimal, which we know can be easily achieved in a healthy person with a vitamin C intake of around 250mg per day. The body however does not store the vitamin, so we recommend 5+ a day, every day, with one of those five being a high vitamin C food, as a good habit to cultivate.”

In earlier work published in 2024, the team showed that only the top and bottom surfaces of PtBi₂ become superconducting, meaning electrons can pair up and flow without resistance. Their latest results reveal something even more surprising. The way these electrons pair is unlike any known superconductor. Even more intriguing, the edges surrounding these superconducting surfaces naturally host elusive Majorana particles, which are considered promising building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum bits (qubits) in future quantum computers.

How PtBi₂ Becomes a Topological Superconductor

The unusual behavior of PtBi₂ can be understood by breaking it into three key steps.

To begin with, certain electrons are confined strictly to the top and bottom surfaces of the crystal. This happens because of a topological property of PtBi₂ that arises from how electrons interact with the material’s orderly atomic structure. Topological properties are remarkably stable. They do not change unless the symmetry of the entire material is altered, either by reshaping the crystal itself or by applying an electromagnetic field.

What makes PtBi₂ especially striking is that the electrons bound to the top surface are always matched by corresponding electrons on the bottom surface, regardless of how thick the crystal is. If the crystal were sliced in half, the newly exposed surfaces would immediately develop the same surface-bound electrons.

A Superconducting Surface With a Normal Interior

The second step occurs at low temperatures. The electrons confined to the surfaces begin to pair up, allowing them to move without resistance. Meanwhile, electrons inside the bulk of the material do not join this pairing and continue to behave like ordinary electrons.

This creates an unusual structure that researchers describe as a natural superconductor sandwich. The outer surfaces conduct electricity perfectly, while the interior remains a normal metal. Because the superconductivity comes from topologically protected surface electrons, PtBi₂ qualifies as a topological superconductor.

Only a small number of materials are believed to host intrinsic topological superconductivity. So far, none of those candidates has been backed by consistently strong experimental evidence. PtBi₂ now stands out as one of the most convincing examples yet.

A Never-Before-Seen Pattern of Electron Pairing

The final piece of the puzzle comes from exceptionally high-resolution measurements performed in Dr. Sergey Borisenko’s lab at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW Dresden). These experiments showed that not all surface electrons participate equally in superconductivity.

Electrons moving in six specific, evenly spaced directions on the surface refuse to pair up at all. This unusual pattern reflects the three-fold rotational symmetry of how atoms are arranged on the surface of PtBi₂.

In conventional superconductors, electrons pair regardless of the direction in which they travel. Some unconventional superconductors, including the well-known cuprates that operate at relatively high temperatures, show directional pairing with four-fold symmetry. PtBi₂ is the first known superconductor where pairing is restricted in a six-fold symmetric pattern.

“We have never seen this before. Not only is PtBi₂ a topological superconductor, but the electron pairing that drives this superconductivity is different from all other superconductors we know of,” says Borisenko. “We don’t yet understand how this pairing comes about.”

Crystal Edges That Trap Majorana Particles

The study also confirms that PtBi₂ provides a new and practical route to producing Majorana particles, which have long been sought in condensed matter physics.

“Our computations demonstrate that the topological superconductivity in PtBi₂ automatically creates Majorana particles that are trapped along the edges of the material. In practice, we could artificially make step edges in the crystal, to create as many Majoranas as we want,” explains Prof. Jeroen van den Brink, Director of the IFW Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics and principal investigator of the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat.

Majorana particles come in pairs that together behave like a single electron, but individually act in fundamentally different ways. This idea of effectively splitting an electron is central to topological quantum computing, an approach designed to create qubits that are far more resistant to noise and errors.

Controlling Majoranas for Future Quantum Devices

With PtBi₂‘s unusual superconductivity and edge-bound Majorana particles now identified, researchers are turning their attention to controlling these effects. One strategy involves thinning the material, which would alter the non-superconducting interior. This could transform it from a conducting metal into an insulator, preventing ordinary electrons from interfering with the Majoranas used as qubits.

Another approach involves applying a magnetic field. By shifting the energy levels of the electrons, a magnetic field could potentially move Majorana particles from the edges of the crystal to its corners. These capabilities would represent important steps toward using PtBi₂ as a platform for future quantum technologies.

Just as important as its size is how the device is made. Instead of relying on custom-built laboratory equipment, the researchers used scalable manufacturing methods similar to those that produce the processors found in computers, smartphones, vehicles, and household appliances — essentially any technology powered by electricity (even toasters). This approach makes the device far more practical to produce in large numbers.

A Tiny Device Built for Real-World Scale

The research was led by Jake Freedman, an incoming PhD student in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, alongside Matt Eichenfield, professor and Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair in Quantum Engineering. The team also collaborated with scientists from Sandia National Laboratories, including co-senior author Nils Otterstrom. Together, they created a device that combines small size, high performance, and low cost, making it suitable for mass production.

At the heart of the technology are microwave-frequency vibrations that oscillate billions of times per second. These vibrations allow the chip to manipulate laser light with remarkable precision.

By directly controlling the phase of a laser beam, the device can generate new laser frequencies that are both stable and efficient. This level of control is a key requirement not only for quantum computing, but also for emerging fields such as quantum sensing and quantum networking.

Why Quantum Computers Need Ultra-Precise Lasers

Some of the most promising quantum computing designs use trapped ions or trapped neutral atoms to store information. In these systems, each atom acts as a qubit. Researchers interact with these atoms by directing carefully tuned laser beams at them, effectively giving instructions that allow calculations to take place. For this to work, each laser must be adjusted with extreme precision, sometimes to within billionths of a percent.

“Creating new copies of a laser with very exact differences in frequency is one of the most important tools for working with atom- and ion-based quantum computers,” Freedman said. “But to do that at scale, you need technology that can efficiently generate those new frequencies.”

Currently, these precise frequency shifts are produced using large, table-top devices that require substantial microwave power. While effective for small experiments, these systems are impractical for the massive number of optical channels needed in future quantum computers.

“You’re not going to build a quantum computer with 100,000 bulk electro-optic modulators sitting in a warehouse full of optical tables,” Eichenfield said. “You need some much more scalable ways to manufacture them that don’t have to be hand-assembled and with long optical paths. While you’re at it, if you can make them all fit on a few small microchips and produce 100 times less heat, you’re much more likely to make it work.”

Lower Power Use, Less Heat, More Qubits

The new device generates laser frequency shifts through efficient phase modulation while using about 80 times less microwave power than many existing commercial modulators. Lower power consumption means less heat, which allows more channels to be packed closely together, even onto a single chip.

Taken together, these advantages transform the chip into a scalable system capable of coordinating the precise interactions atoms need to perform quantum calculations.

Built With the Same Technology as Modern Microchips

One of the project’s most important achievements is that the device was manufactured entirely in a fabrication facility, or fab, the same type of environment used to produce advanced microelectronics.

“CMOS fabrication is the most scalable technology humans have ever invented,” Eichenfield said.

“Every microelectronic chip in every cell phone or computer has billions of essentially identical transistors on it. So, by using CMOS fabrication, in the future, we can produce thousands or even millions of identical versions of our photonic devices, which is exactly what quantum computing will need.”

According to Otterstorm, the team took modulator technologies that were once bulky, expensive, and power intensive and redesigned them to be smaller, more efficient, and easier to integrate.

“We’re helping to push optics into its own ‘transistor revolution,’ moving away from the optical equivalent of vacuum tubes and towards scalable integrated photonic technologies,” Otterstorm said.

Toward Fully Integrated Quantum Photonic Chips

The researchers are now working on fully integrated photonic circuits that combine frequency generation, filtering, and pulse shaping on a single chip. This effort moves the field closer to a complete, operational quantum photonic platform.

Next, the team plans to partner with quantum computing companies to test these chips inside advanced trapped-ion and trapped-neutral-atom quantum computers.

“This device is one of the final pieces of the puzzle,” Freedman said. “We’re getting close to a truly scalable photonic platform capable of controlling very large numbers of qubits.”

The project received support from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Quantum Systems Accelerator program, a National Quantum Initiative Science Research Center.

As these hot spots grow, they increase the likelihood that exceptionally intense tropical cyclones, sometimes described as Category ‘6’ storms, could make landfall near heavily populated coastlines.

“The hot spot regions have expanded,” said I-I Lin, a chair professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at the National Taiwan University.

Lin shared the research during an oral presentation focused on tropical cyclones at AGU’s 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Why Scientists Are Calling for a New Storm Category

Lin has studied the most extreme hurricanes and typhoons for more than ten years. Her work intensified after Typhoon Haiyan — also known as Super Typhoon Yolanda — struck the Philippines at peak strength in November 2013, killing thousands of people. In 2014, Lin and her colleagues published research in the AGU journal Geophysical Research Letters arguing that storms of this magnitude warrant a new classification, Category 6.

Under their proposal, Category 6 tropical cyclones would include storms with wind speeds exceeding 160 knots. Until now, any storm stronger than 137 knots has been grouped into Category 5, which most weather agencies still consider the highest level. Lin noted that most hurricane categories span a range of about 20 knots, making a separate Category 6 more consistent with how storms are classified. Category 4, for example, includes winds between 114-137 knots.

The Strongest Storms on Record

Several well-known storms would fall into this proposed Category 6. Hurricane Wilma in 2005 remains the most intense hurricane ever measured in the Atlantic basin. Typhoon Haiyan also meets the criteria, as does Typhoon Hagibis, which hit Tokyo in 2019. Hagibis caused enormous damage from rain and wind, Lin said, even though the storm had weakened somewhat before reaching the city.

Another standout example is Hurricane Patricia, which developed in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico’s coast. Patricia holds the record as the strongest tropical cyclone ever observed, with winds reaching up to 185 knots — powerful enough to qualify as a Category 7 storm, if such a category existed, Lin said. “Patricia was the king of the world,” she added.

Burgeoning ocean hotspots feed big storms

To understand how often these extreme storms occur, Lin and her team reviewed records of major tropical cyclones from roughly the past 40 years. Their analysis shows that storms exceeding 160 knots are appearing more frequently. Between 1982 and 2011, eight such storms were recorded. From 2013 to 2023, that number rose to 10.

In total, 18 Category ‘6’ storms have occurred over the past four decades, with more than half forming in just the most recent decade.

Where the Most Dangerous Storms Are Forming

Lin’s ongoing research, which she discussed at the American Geophysical Union’s 2025 Annual Meeting, shows that nearly all Category ‘6’ tropical cyclones develop within specific ocean hot spots. The largest of these lies in the Western Pacific, east of the Philippines and Borneo. Another major hot spot stretches across parts of the North Atlantic near and east of Cuba, Hispaniola and Florida.

The study also found that these hot spots are expanding. In the North Atlantic, the region has spread eastward beyond the northern coast of South America and westward into much of the Gulf. The Western Pacific hot spot has also increased in size.

Why Deep Ocean Heat Makes Storms Stronger

The defining feature of these hot spots is not just warm surface water, but unusually deep layers of heat beneath the surface. In many parts of the ocean, strong storms stir up cooler water from below, which can weaken the storm. In hot spot regions, however, warm water extends so deep that storms do not cool as easily.

Even so, Lin emphasized that warm ocean conditions alone do not guarantee the formation of a Category ‘6’ storm. Atmospheric conditions must also align. “The hot spots are a necessary but not sufficient condition,” she said.

Climate Change Plays a Major Role

The researchers examined what is driving the expansion of these deep warm-water regions and found that both natural temperature cycles and long-term warming contribute. However, their analysis suggests that human-caused climate change is responsible for roughly 60-70% of the growth of these hot spots. This expansion, in turn, increases the likelihood of Category ‘6’ tropical cyclones.

Lin said that formally recognizing Category ‘6’ storms could help governments and communities better prepare for future impacts, especially in regions where these extreme systems are becoming more common. “We really think there is a need just to provide the public with more important information,” Lin said.

Cosmic filaments are the biggest known structures in the Universe. They are enormous thread like networks of galaxies and dark matter that create the framework of the cosmic web. These filaments also act as pathways that funnel matter and angular momentum into galaxies. Nearby filaments where many galaxies spin in the same direction, and where the entire structure itself appears to rotate, are especially valuable for studying how galaxies acquired their spin and gas. They also offer a way to test ideas about how rotation develops across tens of millions of light years.

A Razor Thin Line of Gas Rich Galaxies

In this study, researchers identified 14 nearby galaxies rich in hydrogen gas arranged in a narrow, elongated line measuring about 5.5 million light years in length and roughly 117,000 light years across. This thin structure lies within a much larger cosmic filament that stretches about 50 million light years and contains more than 280 additional galaxies. Many of the galaxies in the thin strand appear to be rotating in the same direction as the filament itself, far more often than would be expected if their orientations were random. This finding challenges existing models and suggests that large scale cosmic structures may shape galaxy rotation more strongly or over longer periods than previously believed.

The team also found that galaxies on opposite sides of the filament’s central spine are moving in opposite directions. This pattern indicates that the entire filament is rotating as a single structure. By applying models of filament dynamics, the researchers estimated a rotation speed of about 110 km/s and calculated that the dense central region of the filament has a radius of approximately 50 kiloparsecs (about 163,000 light years).

Galaxies Like Teacups on a Spinning Ride

Co lead author Dr. Lyla Jung (Department of Physics, University of Oxford) explained why the discovery stands out: “What makes this structure exceptional is not just its size, but the combination of spin alignment and rotational motion. You can liken it to the teacups ride at a theme park. Each galaxy is like a spinning teacup, but the whole platform- the cosmic filament -is rotating too. This dual motion gives us rare insight into how galaxies gain their spin from the larger structures they live in.”

The filament appears to be relatively young and largely undisturbed. Its abundance of gas rich galaxies and its low internal motion, described as a so called “dynamically cold” state, suggest it is still in an early stage of development. Because hydrogen is the key ingredient for forming new stars, galaxies with large hydrogen reserves are actively collecting or holding onto the fuel needed for star formation. Studying these systems offers a valuable view into early or ongoing phases of galaxy evolution.

Tracing Gas Flows Through the Cosmic Web

Hydrogen rich galaxies also serve as effective tracers of how gas moves along cosmic filaments. Atomic hydrogen is easily influenced by motion, making it especially useful for revealing how gas flows through filaments and into galaxies. These observations help scientists understand how angular momentum moves through the cosmic web and shapes galaxy structure, rotation, and star formation.

The discovery may also help refine models of intrinsic galaxy alignments, which can interfere with measurements in upcoming weak lensing surveys. These include missions such as the European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft and observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

Co lead author Dr. Madalina Tudorache (Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge / Department of Physics, University of Oxford) said: “This filament is a fossil record of cosmic flows. It helps us piece together how galaxies acquire their spin and grow over time.”

Combining Powerful Telescopes and Surveys

The research team used data from South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope, one of the most powerful radio observatories in the world, made up of 64 interconnected dishes. The spinning filament was identified through a deep sky survey known as MIGHTEE, led by Professor of Astrophysics Matt Jarvis (Department of Physics, University of Oxford). The radio data were combined with optical observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), revealing a cosmic filament that shows both coordinated galaxy spin and large scale rotation.

Professor Jarvis said: “This really demonstrates the power of combining data from different observatories to obtain greater insights into how large structures and galaxies form in the Universe. Such studies can only be achieved by large groups with diverse skillsets, and in this case, it was really made possible by winning an ERC Advanced Grant/UKIR Frontiers Research Grant, which funded the co-lead authors.”

The study also included researchers from University of Cambridge, University of the Western Cape, Rhodes University, South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Hertfordshire, University of Bristol, University of Edinburgh, and University of Cape Town.

• For more than a century, Alzheimer’s disease has been widely viewed as permanent and untreatable once it begins. As a result, most research has focused on preventing the disease or slowing its progression rather than attempting to reverse it.
• By studying multiple mouse models of Alzheimer’s alongside human Alzheimer’s brain tissue, researchers identified a critical biological problem at the center of the disease. They found that the brain’s inability to maintain healthy levels of a vital cellular energy molecule called NAD+ plays a major role in driving Alzheimer’s.
• In animal models, maintaining normal brain NAD+ levels prevented Alzheimer’s from developing. Even more striking, restoring NAD+ balance after the disease was already advanced allowed the brain to repair damage and fully restore cognitive function.
• These results suggest that treatments aimed at restoring the brain’s energy balance could potentially move Alzheimer’s therapy beyond slowing decline and toward meaningful recovery.
• The findings also open the door to further research, including the exploration of complementary strategies and carefully designed clinical trials to determine whether these results can translate to patients.

A Longstanding View of Alzheimer’s Is Being Questioned

For more than 100 years, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been widely viewed as a condition that cannot be undone. Because of this belief, most scientific efforts have focused on preventing the disease or slowing its progression, rather than attempting to restore lost brain function. Even after decades of research and billions of dollars in investment, no drug trial for Alzheimer’s has ever been designed with the goal of reversing the disease and recovering cognitive abilities.

That long-held assumption is now being challenged by researchers from University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Their work set out to answer a bold question: can brains already damaged by advanced Alzheimer’s recover?

New Study Targets Brain Energy Failure

The research was led by Kalyani Chaubey, PhD, of the Pieper Laboratory and published on December 22 in Cell Reports Medicine. By examining both human Alzheimer’s brain tissue and multiple preclinical mouse models, the team identified a key biological failure at the center of the disease. They found that the brain’s inability to maintain normal levels of a critical cellular energy molecule called NAD+ plays a major role in driving Alzheimer’s. Importantly, maintaining proper NAD+ balance was shown to not only prevent the disease but also reverse it in experimental models.

NAD+ levels naturally decline throughout the body, including the brain, as people age. When NAD+ drops too low, cells lose the ability to carry out essential processes needed for normal function and survival. The researchers discovered that this decline is far more severe in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. The same pattern was seen in mouse models of the disease.

How Alzheimer’s Was Modeled in the Lab

Although Alzheimer’s occurs only in humans, scientists study it using specially engineered mice that carry genetic mutations known to cause the disease in people. In this study, researchers used two such models. One group of mice carried multiple human mutations affecting amyloid processing, while the other carried a human mutation in the tau protein.

Amyloid and tau abnormalities are among the earliest and most significant features of Alzheimer’s. In both mouse models, these mutations led to widespread brain damage that closely mirrors the human disease. This included breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, damage to nerve fibers, chronic inflammation, reduced formation of new neurons in the hippocampus, weakened communication between brain cells, and extensive oxidative damage. The mice also developed severe memory and cognitive problems similar to those seen in people with Alzheimer’s.

Testing Whether Alzheimer’s Damage Could Be Reversed

After confirming that NAD+ levels dropped sharply in both human and mouse Alzheimer’s brains, the team explored two possibilities. They tested whether maintaining NAD+ balance before symptoms appeared could prevent Alzheimer’s, and whether restoring that balance after the disease had already progressed could reverse it.

This approach built on the group’s earlier work published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences USA, which showed that restoring NAD+ balance led to both structural and functional recovery after severe, long-lasting traumatic brain injury. In the current study, the researchers used a well-characterized pharmacologic compound called P7C3-A20, developed in the Pieper laboratory, to restore NAD+ balance.

Full Cognitive Recovery Observed in Advanced Disease

The results were striking. Preserving NAD+ balance protected mice from developing Alzheimer’s, but even more surprising was what happened when treatment began after the disease was already advanced. In those cases, restoring NAD+ balance allowed the brain to repair the major pathological damage caused by the genetic mutations.

Both mouse models showed complete recovery of cognitive function. This recovery was also reflected in blood tests, which showed normalized levels of phosphorylated tau 217, a recently approved clinical biomarker used to diagnose Alzheimer’s in people. These findings provided strong evidence of disease reversal and highlighted a potential biomarker for future human trials.

Researchers Express Cautious Optimism

“We were very excited and encouraged by our results,” said Andrew A. Pieper, MD, PhD, senior author of the study and Director of the Brain Health Medicines Center, Harrington Discovery Institute at UH. “Restoring the brain’s energy balance achieved pathological and functional recovery in both lines of mice with advanced Alzheimer’s. Seeing this effect in two very different animal models, each driven by different genetic causes, strengthens the idea that restoring the brain’s NAD+ balance might help patients recover from Alzheimer’s.”

Dr. Pieper also holds the Morley-Mather Chair in Neuropsychiatry at UH and the CWRU Rebecca E. Barchas, MD, DLFAPA, University Professorship in Translational Psychiatry. He serves as Psychiatrist and Investigator in the Louis Stokes VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).

A Shift in How Alzheimer’s Is Viewed

The findings suggest a fundamental change in how Alzheimer’s could be approached in the future. “The key takeaway is a message of hope — the effects of Alzheimer’s disease may not be inevitably permanent,” said Dr. Pieper. “The damaged brain can, under some conditions, repair itself and regain function.”

Dr. Chaubey added, “Through our study, we demonstrated one drug-based way to accomplish this in animal models, and also identified candidate proteins in the human AD brain that may relate to the ability to reverse AD.”

Why This Approach Differs From Supplements

Dr. Pieper cautioned against confusing this strategy with over the counter NAD+-precursors. He noted that such supplements have been shown in animal studies to raise NAD+ to dangerously high levels that promote cancer The method used in this research relies instead on P7C3-A20, a pharmacologic agent that helps cells maintain healthy NAD+ balance during extreme stress, without pushing levels beyond their normal range.

“This is important when considering patient care, and clinicians should consider the possibility that therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring brain energy balance might offer a path to disease recovery,” said Dr. Pieper.

Next Steps Toward Human Trials

The research also opens the door to additional studies and eventual testing in people. The technology is currently being commercialized by Glengary Brain Health, a Cleveland-based company co-founded by Dr. Pieper.

“This new therapeutic approach to recovery needs to be moved into carefully designed human clinical trials to determine whether the efficacy seen in animal models translates to human patients,” Dr. Pieper explained. “Additional next steps for the laboratory research include pinpointing which aspects of brain energy balance are most important for recovery, identifying and evaluating complementary approaches to Alzheimer’s reversal, and investigating whether this recovery approach is also effective in other forms of chronic, age-related neurodegenerative disease.”