Probing the proteome at cellular scale Rapid technological advances are allowing researchers to identify thousands of proteins in individual cells, revealing the hidden mechanisms underlying development and disease. By Michael Eisenstein

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02805-w?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=38d7039c4f-nature-briefing-daily-20260907&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50432164 Probing the proteome at cellular scale Cells that seem identical can have very different fates, thanks to the proteins they contain. But most analyses of single cells focus on the transcriptome to explore gene expression in the cell. Now a technique that many protein biologists thought was the stuff of science fiction has arrived with a bang: single-cell proteomics, which profiles thousands of proteins in individual cells. For example, in tumour cells, “single-cell proteomics may help us understand why patients have different outcomes due to tumour evolution, immune responses and cell differentiation — all driven by cellular heterogeneity”, says mass spectrometrist Yu-Ju Chen.

Revealed: inside the US military’s plan to tap huge sums from the NIH An agreement paves the way for hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of projects to be transferred from the NIH’s institute for infectious diseases to the Department of Defense. By Max Kozlov

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02799-5?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=38d7039c4f-nature-briefing-daily-20260907&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50432164 NIH strikes deal with Dept of Defense The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has signed an agreement with the US Department of Defense to redirect research projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars from its institute for infectious diseases to military biodefence programmes. The 10-year agreement would establish a pathway to move funding out of the NIH “on a project-by-project basis”, said an agency spokesperson in a statement. But some researchers worry that shifting biomedical research to the military threatens the transparency and clinical translation that define NIH-funded work.

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https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/ NIH Websites Are Changing NIH is moving the launch of its new website to the fall to ensure the best possible experience for everyone who relies on our websites for health information, research, funding opportunities, and other resources.

Two children died from gene therapies in China: where the field goes next Strengthened laws should help to ensure future deaths are quickly disclosed to the public, but China’s reputation for such research is at risk. By Rachel Fieldhouse

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02497-2?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=4875bf78c7-nature-briefing-daily-20260908&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50432164 Gene-therapy deaths put spotlight on trials The deaths of two children in separate gene-editing trials in China raise questions about oversight and could have a profound effect on the country’s biomedical industry, say researchers, ethicists and legal scholars. The two trials involved breaches of ethics and lacked transparency, and the deaths — one of which was only revealed after an investigation by Science and Retraction Watch — will probably prompt the introduction of stronger regulations for gene-therapy trials, researchers say. But a balance must be struck, says legal scholar Hank Greely. “We can’t make ethics so tight that no research can ever possibly be done,” he says. Both trials fast-tracked as investigator-initiated trials (IITs). These enable researchers in China to test therapies quickly without supervision from the country’s drug regulator, and are widely considered to be a driving force behind China’s rising competitiveness in biomedicine. News of the deaths comes only months after the government introduced stricter rules for IITs of new biomedical technologies, which mandate that only certain hospitals may host such trials and which grant regulatory agencies the power to suspend or terminate trials if there are technical or ethical concerns. China’s fast-track clinical trials are in the spotlight after child deaths A new government policy seeks to balance innovation and safety. By Xiaoying You https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02407-6?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=4875bf78c7-nature-briefing-daily-20260908&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50432164

Immune cells cross blood-brain barrier during human aging

Immune cells cross blood-brain barrier during human aging At a Glance Researchers found that some of the brain’s immune cells are replaced by immune cells from bone marrow as people age. The findings suggest that scientists might one day be able to use immune cells born outside the brain to deliver therapies for brain disorders. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/immune-cells-cross-blood-brain-barrier-during-human-aging

Scientists identify new role for tau protein in brain diseases

Scientists identify new role for tau protein in brain diseases At a Glance A study suggests that abnormal tau proteins involved in certain neurodegenerative diseases interact with mitochondria to drive a process called reverse electron transport. Inhibiting this process may represent a new therapeutic strategy for brain diseases linked to abnormal tau. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/scientists-identify-new-role-tau-protein-brain-diseases

Endometriosis may increase type 2 diabetes risk

Endometriosis may increase type 2 diabetes risk At a Glance Researchers found that some women with endometriosis may have increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study suggests premenopausal women with endometriosis but without obesity may benefit from earlier metabolic screening. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/endometriosis-may-increase-type-2-diabetes-risk