For the first time ever, scientists from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Pune uncover the process of transport of fats in the body.

Responsible for 1.5 to 5 million deaths per year, around the world, Diabetes mellitus is a very serious disease. India is considered the diabetes capital of the world with as many as 50 million people suffering from type 2 diabetes. This World Diabetes Day, the Research Matters team caught up with Dr. Milind Watve, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune and an expert in the field, to find out about the new insights into how better to treat the disease.  

An important aspect in the life of social animals is to gather information from others in their group. Young members of the group also learn how to forage, feed, evade predators and attract mating partners from older members. Scientists from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata explore how Zebra fish, that live in shoals of 20 individuals in the wild, learn informations from their partners in a laboratory environment.

Our nervous system is one of the most complex systems in our body. It consists of billions of nerve cells that work in tandem and processes billions and billions of calculations per second. But how are these neurons formed in our body and what controls them? In a recent study, scientists have discovered a molecule that they claim controls the mechanism in which nerve cells are formed. This study may help uncover some of the key aspects that can treat neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s.

Escherichia coli, a poster boy for microbiology research and the notorious bacteria that causes stomach infections, might soon be an unusual source of inspiration for us, humans, for learning how to handle stress! A new study by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER)  Pune, has revealed, for the first time, that E. coli cells become more sturdy and fit when exposed to unpredictably fluctuating environments containing high levels of salts or chemicals, or having extreme pH values.  Led by Prof. Sutirth Dey, the study aims to investigate the evolution of fitness and the costs incurred by the bacteria in this process.