Thursday, July 31st, 2025

Good Morning! 🌞

It’s July 31—can you believe it?
The final page of the July calendar is here, and whether you spent the month hustling, resting, or just winging it, today’s your chance to end on a high note. August is lining up with fresh plans, new goals, and who knows what surprises. But before we sprint ahead, let’s give July the send-off it deserves!

Health Sciences

Science Strikes Back

After more than a decade of research, scientists at Johns Hopkins have uncovered a novel tumor-suppressive mechanism that could unlock new treatment paths for some of the most difficult-to-treat cancers. Published in Cell Chemical Biology on June 18, 2025, the NIH- and NCI-backed study reveals that disrupting ribosome biogenesis—a long-known hallmark of cancer—can suppress tumor growth by targeting the enzyme RNA Polymerase 1 (Pol 1), which drives rRNA transcription. “Ribosome biogenesis has long been known as a hallmark of cancer,” said lead researcher Marikki Laiho, M.D., Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology at Johns Hopkins. The findings demonstrate that Pol 1 inhibition rewires protein splicing, triggering a stress response that slows cancer cell proliferation.

The team, building on earlier work that identified Pol 1 as a key therapeutic target, tested more than 300 cancer cell lines using small-molecule inhibitors like BMH-21 and the newer BOB-42. They found that tumors with specific mutations—particularly mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd), commonly seen in colorectal, stomach, and uterine cancers—were highly vulnerable to these drugs. “These findings highlight a promising new path for targeting cancers, especially for patients with mismatch repair-deficient cancers that are resistant to existing therapies,” said Wenjun Fan, Ph.D., the study’s first author. In preclinical models, tumor growth dropped by up to 77% in both melanoma and colorectal cancer samples.

The research also opens up potential synergies with immunotherapy. The data suggest that altering RNA splicing may affect how the immune system identifies tumors, enhancing the effectiveness of immune-based treatments when combined with Pol 1 inhibitors. “This is an entirely new conceptual framework for understanding how rRNA synthesis influences cancer cell behavior,” said Dr. Laiho. Her team found that the ribosomal protein RPL22, traditionally viewed as a structural component, also acts as a key regulator of RNA splicing. “Targeting this pathway could not only suppress tumor growth but also modulate tumor antigenicity and enhance responsiveness to immunotherapies.”

Culture

An Immersive Bubble Artwork

A striking new art installation is set to transform St Helier this summer, thanks to Jersey charity ArtHouse Jersey. Titled Bubbletecture, the temporary public artwork features a “dazzling arrangement of 8m high iridescent spheres” and will be on display at the International Finance Centre (IFC2) on the Esplanade from 28 August to 14 September. Open to all and free of charge, the installation promises to turn the space into a “glowing, playful wonderland,” according to organizers.

Created by Sydney-based artist duo Atelier Sisu, Bubbletecture is designed to interact with its environment. During the day, the towering spheres will reflect sunlight and scatter rainbow patterns across the ground. A custom ambient soundtrack will accompany the experience, while lighting effects will run daily from 09:30 to 21:30 BST. In addition to the visual spectacle, ArtHouse Jersey will host free cultural and wellbeing events every weekend throughout the installation's run.

The project is a collaboration between ArtHouse Jersey and the Jersey Development Company, with sponsorship from Butterfield. “Bubbletecture is about wonder, joy and togetherness,” said ArtHouse Jersey director Tom Dingle. “It’s a piece that anyone and everyone can enjoy – no explanations needed.” Lee Henry, CEO of the Jersey Development Company, emphasized the installation’s broader significance: “It brings a creative energy to the heart of town and invites islanders to re-engage with a familiar area in a fresh and imaginative way. This project – albeit temporary – reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful placemaking and the integration of culture within Jersey’s evolving urban landscape.”

Environment

Aging: Humans VS Lemurs

A new study on lemurs could reshape how scientists understand aging—especially the kind driven by chronic, low-grade inflammation, known as inflammaging. This steady rise in inflammation as we age is linked to a host of age-related diseases, including heart problems, cancer, and diabetes. But what if it's not a biological inevitability?

Elaine Guevara, a biological anthropologist, studied two species of lemurs—ring-tailed and sifaka—to determine whether they showed the same signs of inflammaging seen in humans. Surprisingly, they didn’t. Her team found no clear age-related increase in inflammation or oxidative stress in either species. In one case, inflammation actually decreased with age. That unexpected result suggests that inflammaging may not be universal among primates—and possibly not even among all humans.

The findings raise important questions: Is age-related inflammation a product of biology or of modern environments? And if it’s not hardwired, can it be prevented? Guevara’s team plans to extend their research into wild lemur populations to see how aging differs outside of captivity. It’s an early but hopeful step toward better understanding how to age with fewer diseases and more vitality. As the study hints, growing older doesn’t necessarily mean growing sicker—at least not for lemurs, and perhaps not for us either.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️

"I'm white but not snow,
I pour but don’t flow.
From cows I may come,
In cereal, I'm yum.
What am I?"

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:

"I’m never shy of stormy skies,
I open wide but have no eyes.
Though I may turn with wind's wild dance,
In rain or shine, I take my stance.
Held above, yet not too proud—
What am I, beneath the cloud?" — umbrella, Chris Hostetler got this correct first! 🌞 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to[email protected]or reply to email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.