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  • Google’s next big Android update can force dark mode and icon themes

    Google’s next big Android update can force dark mode and icon themes

    Google has started rolling out its latest batch of Android 16 features to beta testers, including expanded support for dark mode and themed app icons. The QPR2 beta 1 was announced yesterday alongside Google launching the Pixel 10 series, and is expected to get a full public release sometime in December, according to Google’s release timeline.

    The beta includes a new dark theme option that will “intelligently invert the UI of apps that appear light despite users having selected the dark theme” when enabled, according to Google’s announcement, forcibly making apps that don’t natively support the feature to appear darker. Google says this is “largely intended as an accessibility feature” for users with low vision or photosensitivity, and will also automatically darken app splash screens and adjust status bar colors to match the darker theming.

    Another feature will allow users to forcibly apply themed icon colors to apps that don’t natively support them. Android’s icon theming currently only works if app developers have provided a monochrome version of their app icon that can be adjusted, which is annoying for users who want to apply a consistent aesthetic across their entire home page. Auto-themed app icons spare developers from adding this capability manually, removing the hassle for users to customize their phone’s theme.

    A new “Parental Controls” option is being added to Android Settings to make it easier to manage built-in controls and Google Family Link. The on-device controls are pin-protected, and allow parents to set screen time limits, downtime schedules, block apps, and filter out mature content from search engines.

    There are also a bunch of improvements that make migrating data between Android and iOS devices more secure and reliable, expand support for annotating and editing PDF documents, integrate Personal Audio Sharing for Bluetooth LE devices directly into the system’s output switcher, and more. You can check out the full feature list on the Android developers’ blog.

    The QPR2 beta 1 update should automatically be available for Pixel users who are enrolled in the Android beta program. Anyone else will have to wait for the official release later this year to play around with the new Android features.

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  • AbbVie Announces Positive Topline Results from Second Phase 3 UP-AA Trial Evaluating Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for Alopecia Areata

    AbbVie Announces Positive Topline Results from Second Phase 3 UP-AA Trial Evaluating Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for Alopecia Areata

    AbbVie Announces Positive Topline Results from Second Phase 3 UP-AA Trial Evaluating Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for Alopecia Areata

    • In the second replicate study (Study 1) of the pivotal Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program, upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) achieved the primary endpoint, demonstrating that 45.2% and 55.0% of patients with severe alopecia areata treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 80% or more scalp hair coverage at week 24 as defined by the severity of alopecia tool (SALT) score ≤ 201
    • Key secondary endpoints, including improvements in eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the percentage of subjects with 90% or more scalp coverage (SALT ≤ 10) and complete scalp hair coverage (SALT=0) at week 24, were also met 1
    • The safety profile in alopecia areata was generally consistent with that in approved indications, and no new safety signals were identified in this study1
    • These results are consistent with the topline results from the first parallel replicate study (Study 2) of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program

    NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced positive topline results from the second of two pivotal studies of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program evaluating the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib (RINVOQ®; 15 mg and 30 mg, once daily) in adult and adolescent patients with severe alopecia areata (AA) with a mean baseline SALT score of 84.0 (approximately 16% scalp hair coverage).1

    In Study 1, both doses of upadacitinib achieved the primary endpoint, with 45.2% and 55.0% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reaching 80% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT score ≤ 20) at week 24, compared to 1.5% of patients receiving placebo (p<0.001).1 These results are consistent with the topline results previously announced from the first parallel replicate study (Study 2) of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program.

    “These positive results strengthen the growing body of evidence supporting the potential of upadacitinib to improve the lives of people with AA,” said Kori Wallace, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, global head of immunology clinical development, AbbVie. “We are very encouraged by the improvements in both scalp and non-scalp hair regrowth observed with both doses of upadacitinib and look forward to submitting these data to regulatory bodies, bringing us one step closer to delivering upadacitinib to those living with this complex immune-mediated disease.”

    35.2% and 45.8% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 90% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT ≤ 10), compared to 0.7% of patients receiving placebo at week 24 (p<0.001).1 Additional key secondary endpoints that were met included percentage of subjects with improvements in eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the percentage of subjects with complete scalp hair coverage (SALT=0) with both doses of upadacitinib at week 24.1

    “People living with AA often face considerable uncertainty related to both the severity and duration of hair loss, despite current treatment options,” said Arash Mostaghimi, M.D., M.P.A., M.P.H., associate professor of dermatology and vice chair of clinical trials and innovation, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. “These encouraging results are consistent with and reinforce the outcomes observed in the first pivotal trial. Together, these findings underscore the potential of upadacitinib to provide meaningful hair regrowth, offering hope for those enduring the psychosocial burden associated with this disease.”

    The safety profile of both doses of upadacitinib in the 24-week, placebo-controlled period (Period A) was generally consistent with that observed in approved indications.1 Treatment-emergent serious adverse events occurred in 1.9% and 1.8% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and 0.7% in the placebo group.1 Discontinuations due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 1.1% and 1.5% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and none in the placebo group.1 The most common TEAEs observed were upper respiratory tract infection, acne, blood creatine phosphokinase increased and nasopharyngitis.1 Serious infections were reported infrequently with one in the placebo group and one in the upadacitinib 30 mg group, and none in the upadacitinib 15 mg group group.1 There were no adjudicated MACE, adjudicated venous thromboembolic events or deaths reported.1 One malignancy (breast cancer) was reported in the upadacitinib 15 mg group.1

    Use of upadacitinib in AA is not approved and its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by regulatory authorities.

    About UP-AA Clinical Trial 

    UP-AA M23-716 was conducted as a single protocol that includes two replicate pivotal studies (Study 1 and Study 2) with randomization, investigative sites, data collection, analysis and reporting independent for each study. The Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies evaluate efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in adult and adolescent subjects with severe alopecia areata. In Study 1 and Study 2 Period A, participants are randomized to one of three groups to receive upadacitinib 15 mg, upadacitinib 30 mg or placebo for 24 weeks. In Study 1 and Study 2 Period B, participants originally randomized to upadacitinib dose groups in Period A will continue their same treatment in Period B for 28 weeks. Participants originally randomized to placebo in Period A will either remain on placebo in Period B, or be randomized in one of two groups, based off of their SALT score at week 24. In total, Study 1 and Study 2 Periods A and B span 52 weeks. Participants who complete Study 1 or Study 2, can join Study 3 and may be re-randomized to receive 1 of 2 doses of upadacitinib for up to 108 weeks. The two trials randomized 1,399 participants with severe AA ages 12 to 64 across 248 sites worldwide. More information on this trial can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06012240).

    About RINVOQ

    Discovered and developed by AbbVie scientists, RINVOQ is a JAK inhibitor that is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. In human leukocyte cellular assays, RINVOQ inhibited cytokine-induced STAT phosphorylation mediated by JAK1 and JAK1/JAK3 more potently than JAK2/JAK2 mediated STAT phosphorylation.2 The relevance of inhibition of specific JAK enzymes to therapeutic effectiveness and safety is not currently known.

    Upadacitinib (RINVOQ) is being studied in Phase 3 clinical trials for alopecia areata, hidradenitis suppurativa, Takayasu arteritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and vitiligo.3,4,5,6,7

    RINVOQ (upadacitinib) U.S. Uses and Important Safety Information1

    RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

    • Adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation when a TNF blocker medicine has been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA).
    • Adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Adults with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease (CD) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

    It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children with ankylosing spondylitis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease.

    • Adults and children 12 years of age and older with moderate to severe eczema (atopic dermatitis [AD]) that did not respond to previous treatment and their eczema is not well controlled with other pills or injections, including biologic medicines, or the use of other pills or injections is not recommended.

    It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age with atopic dermatitis.

    It is not known if RINVOQ LQ is safe and effective in children with atopic dermatitis.

    RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

    • Children 2 years of age and older with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
    • Children 2 to less than 18 years of age with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

    It is not known if RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.  

    IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ (upadacitinib)

    What is the most important information I should know about RINVOQ<*>?

    RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

    • Serious infections. RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious infections have happened while taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your HCP tells you it is okay. If you get a serious infection, your HCP may stop your treatment until your infection is controlled. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).
    • Increased risk of death in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor.
    • Cancer and immune system problems. RINVOQ may increase your risk of certain cancers. Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen. Current or past smokers are at higher risk of certain cancers, including lymphoma and lung cancer. Follow your HCP’s advice about having your skin checked for skin cancer during treatment with RINVOQ. Limit the amount of time you spend in sunlight. Wear protective clothing when you are in the sun and use sunscreen.
    • Increased risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor, especially if you are a current or past smoker.
    • Blood clots. Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries can happen with RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death. Blood clots in the veins of the legs and lungs have happened more often in people who are 50 years and older and with at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor.
    • Allergic reactions. Symptoms such as rash (hives), trouble breathing, feeling faint or dizzy, or swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat, that may mean you are having an allergic reaction have been seen in people taking RINVOQ. Some of these reactions were serious. If any of these symptoms occur during treatment with RINVOQ, stop taking RINVOQ and get emergency medical help right away.
    • Tears in the stomach or intestines. This happens most often in people who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids. Get medical help right away if you get stomach-area pain, fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting.
    • Changes in certain laboratory tests. Your HCP should do blood tests before you start taking RINVOQ and while you take it. Your HCP may stop your RINVOQ treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.

    Do not take RINVOQ if you are allergic to upadacitinib or any of the ingredients in RINVOQ. See the Medication Guide or Consumer Brief Summary for a complete list of ingredients.

    What should I tell my HCP BEFORE starting RINVOQ?
    Tell your HCP if you:

    • Are being treated for an infection, have an infection that won’t go away or keeps coming back, or have symptoms of an infection, such as:

    ̶    Fever, sweating, or chills

    ̶    Shortness of breath

    ̶    Warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body

    ̶    Muscle aches

    ̶    Feeling tired

    ̶    Blood in phlegm

    ̶    Diarrhea or stomach pain

     

    ̶    Cough

    ̶    Weight loss

    ̶    Burning when urinating or urinating more often than normal

    • Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.
    • Are a current or past smoker.
    • Have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or stroke.
    • Have or have had any type of cancer, hepatitis B or C, shingles (herpes zoster), blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs, diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), or ulcers in your stomach or intestines.
    • Have other medical conditions, including liver problems, low blood cell counts, diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system.
    • Live, have lived, or have traveled to parts of the country, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest, that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections. If you are unsure if you’ve been to these types of areas, ask your HCP.
    • Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take RINVOQ should not receive live vaccines.
    • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on animal studies, RINVOQ may harm your unborn baby. Your HCP will check whether or not you are pregnant before you start RINVOQ. You should use effective birth control (contraception) to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with RINVOQ and for 4 weeks after your last dose.
    • There is a pregnancy surveillance program for RINVOQ. The purpose of the program is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you become pregnant while taking RINVOQ, you are encouraged to report the pregnancy by calling 1-800-633-9110.
    • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. RINVOQ may pass into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with RINVOQ and for 6 days after your last dose.

    Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. RINVOQ and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

    Especially tell your HCP if you take:

    • Medicines for fungal or bacterial infections
    • Rifampicin or phenytoin
    • Medicines that affect your immune system

    If you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines, ask your HCP or pharmacist.

    What should I avoid while taking RINVOQ?
    Avoid food or drink containing grapefruit during treatment with RINVOQ as it may increase the risk of side effects.

    What should I do or tell my HCP AFTER starting RINVOQ?

    • Tell your HCP right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. RINVOQ can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.
    • Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking RINVOQ, including:

    –  Discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back
    –  Severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw
    –  Pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
    –  Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
    –  Breaking out in a cold sweat
    –  Nausea or vomiting
    –  Feeling lightheaded
    –  Weakness in one part or on one side of your body
    –  Slurred speech

    • Tell your HCP right away if you have any signs or symptoms of blood clots during treatment with RINVOQ, including:

    ̶    Swelling

    ̶    Pain or tenderness in one or both legs

    ̶    Sudden unexplained chest or upper back pain

    ̶    Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Tell your HCP right away if you have a fever or stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.

    What are other possible side effects of RINVOQ?
    Common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), shingles (herpes zoster), herpes simplex virus infections (including cold sores), bronchitis, nausea, cough, fever, acne, headache, swelling of the feet and hands (peripheral edema), increased blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, allergic reactions, inflammation of hair follicles, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, increased weight, flu, tiredness, lower number of certain types of white blood cells (neutropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia), muscle pain, flu-like illness, rash, increased blood cholesterol levels, increased liver enzyme levels, pneumonia, low number of red blood cells (anemia), and infection of the stomach and intestine (gastroenteritis).

    A separation or tear to the lining of the back part of the eye (retinal detachment) has happened in people with atopic dermatitis treated with RINVOQ. Call your HCP right away if you have any sudden changes in your vision during treatment with RINVOQ.

    Some people taking RINVOQ may see medicine residue (a whole tablet or tablet pieces) in their stool. If this happens, call your HCP.

    These are not all the possible side effects of RINVOQ.

    How should I take RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ?
    RINVOQ is taken once a day with or without food. Do not split, crush, or chew the tablet. Take RINVOQ exactly as your HCP tells you to use it. RINVOQ is available in 15 mg, 30 mg, and 45 mg extended-release tablets. RINVOQ LQ is taken twice a day with or without food. RINVOQ LQ is available in a 1 mg/mL oral solution. RINVOQ LQ is not the same as RINVOQ tablets. Do not switch between RINVOQ LQ and RINVOQ tablets unless the change has been made by your HCP.

    <*>Unless otherwise stated, “RINVOQ” in the IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION refers to RINVOQ and RINVOQ LQ. 

    This is the most important information to know about RINVOQ. For more information, talk to your HCP.

    You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

    If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/PatientAccessSupport to learn more. 

    Please click here for the Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

    Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

    About AbbVie

    AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, neuroscience and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project” and similar expressions and uses of future or conditional verbs, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry, the impact of global macroeconomic factors, such as economic downturns or uncertainty, international conflict, trade disputes and tariffs, and other uncertainties and risks associated with global business operations. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie’s operations is set forth in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of AbbVie’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other documents that AbbVie subsequently files with the Securities and Exchange Commission that update, supplement or supersede such information. AbbVie undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines, to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

    Media:

    Lindsay Cangemi

    lindsay.cangemi@abbvie.com

    Investors:

    Liz Shea

    liz.shea@abbvie.com

    1 AbbVie. Data on file ABVRRTI81580.
    2 RINVOQ [Package Insert]. North Chicago, IL: AbbVie Inc.; 2025.
    3 A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Participants with Takaysu Arteritis (TAK) (SELECT-TAK). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04161898. Accessed January 15, 2025.
    4 Program to Assess Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity of Oral Upadacitinib in Adult Participants With Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SELECT-SLE). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05843643. Accessed January 15, 2025.
    5 A Study to Assess Change in Disease Activity and Adverse Events of Oral Upadacitinib in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Moderate to Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa Who Have Failed Anti-TNF Therapy (Step-Up HS). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05889182. Accessed January 15, 2025.
    6 A Study To Assess Adverse Events and Effectiveness of Upadacitinib Oral Tablets in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Vitiligo (Viti-Up). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06118411. Accessed January 15, 2025.
    7 A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Upadacitinib Tablets in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Severe Alopecia Areata (Up-AA). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06012240. Accessed January 15, 2025.

    SOURCE AbbVie


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  • Jannik Sinner’s pursuit of rare triple major season – ATP Tour

    1. Jannik Sinner’s pursuit of rare triple major season  ATP Tour
    2. Jannik Sinner on His Game-Day Mindset: ‘Before You Win, You Have to Lose’  The Wall Street Journal
    3. Darren Cahill Reveals Biggest Reason to be Proud of Jannik Sinner’s Coach  MSN
    4. Cahill reinforces the great key of Sinner: “He is a competitive animal”  Punto de Break
    5. Jannik Sinner Shares How He Pulled off Huge Turnaround After Unaccomplished Phase of His Career  Yardbarker

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  • Frank Caprio, ‘nicest judge in the world’, dies aged 88

    Frank Caprio, ‘nicest judge in the world’, dies aged 88




    (Web Desk) – Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island judge who became a global symbol of compassion through his courtroom series Caught in Providence, has died aged 88.

    His family announced that he “passed away peacefully” after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.


    For nearly four decades on the bench, Caprio blended humour and empathy with the law, earning him the affectionate title of “the nicest judge in the world”. Clips of his rulings have been viewed more than a billion times across social media platforms.

    Who was Frank Caprio?

    Caprio served as chief judge of the municipal court of Providence, Rhode Island, from 1985 until his retirement in 2023. His televised proceedings on Caught in Providence showcased his unconventional style – often inviting children to help decide minor cases, forgiving fines when defendants were in hardship, and addressing larger issues such as unequal access to justice. The show was nominated for multiple Daytime Emmys and cemented his reputation as a jurist who tempered justice with humanity.

    Born to a working-class family in Providence, Caprio rose from humble beginnings. His career spanned teaching, law, politics, and broadcasting, yet it was his courtroom kindness that resonated most with audiences worldwide.

    What made him special?

    Caprio’s fame was not built on strict rulings but on understanding people’s stories. In viral moments, he dismissed fines for struggling defendants, paid out of his own fund to help citizens, and reminded viewers that justice could be compassionate. His courtroom was described as “a place where people and cases are met with kindness and compassion”.

    His relatability extended beyond the United States. In 2019, he became a household name in Pakistan after excusing parking tickets for a Pakistani student, Ahmad Salman, and later inviting him to his family’s dinner table.

    He also shared a message on Pakistan’s Independence Day, in which he praised the country’s spirit of unity, faith, and discipline.

     

    How is he remembered?

    Judge Caprio’s passing was confirmed in a heartfelt statement by his family, recalling his “warmth, humour, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people”. Tributes poured in from state leaders, colleagues, and millions of fans across the world who had been inspired by his viral clips.

    He is survived by his wife, Joyce Caprio, five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His son, David, said the love and prayers from people worldwide helped his father outlive his cancer diagnosis by more than a year.


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  • Designed by AI: the future of antibody drugs

    Designed by AI: the future of antibody drugs

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform the way antibody drugs are designed — and not just by improving or refining existing processes, but designing antibodies from the ground up. 

    The hope is that AI can bring significant benefits for patients. It could design cancer drugs that don’t carry harsh side effects, create drugs for conditions that were previously thought ‘undruggable’ and cut years off the pharmaceutical pipeline, meaning patients can access drugs significantly faster. 

    Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a powerful class of drug, able to selectively bind to drug targets. An estimated 20% of all new drug approvals now fall into the category, including well-known blockbuster drugs such as adalimumab to treat autoimmune diseases and trastuzumab for breast cancer​1​. 

    However, it has not been possible to create antibodies for all targets using current methods, which are laborious and do not always yield results. 

    Debbie Law, chief scientific officer of Xaira Therapeutics, a start-up founded in California in 2023, is convinced we’re at a turning point for drug design. She says AI is going to “fundamentally change” how we design new antibody drugs.

    Designing drugs from scratch

    Xaira is one of a few start-ups with a platform capable of de novo antibody design. This is a ‘from scratch’ design process that can discover an antibody that not only binds to a biological protein target, but crucially also has the right physical and chemical properties to be developed as a drug.

    Traditionally, antibody drugs are designed in one of two ways. The first — the hybridoma method — uses the immune system of an animal, usually a mouse, to produce antibodies that are then engineered to be better tolerated by the human immune system. The second generates billions of different synthetic antibodies: laboratory-created proteins that mimic the function of natural antibodies. These are filtered down through multiple high-throughput tests to find those that bind to the target, which are developed further to improve their drug-like properties. 

    “At the end of it, you typically only get a few antibodies that satisfy those criteria,” says Surge Biswas, co-founder and chief executive at AI antibody design start-up Nabla Bio. “And you don’t really have a lot of control over where the antibody is binding on the target — you’re just throwing darts at a dart board and hoping you get a bull’s eye.”

    The figure below shows a timeline of the progress being made by the pharmaceutical industry using generative AI​2–7​.

    Designed to reduce side effects

    Companies such as LabGenius, Nabla and Xaira are also using AI to optimise their offering. London-based LabGenius is using generative AI, which creates new content based on patterns from existing data, to create complex multi-specific antibodies for cancer therapies, with fewer side effects. Multi-specifics are antibodies engineered to bind to two or more different targets. 

    Such antibodies are typically designed in sequence: first, finding the parts that bind to the targets and concentrating on linking them together to form a molecule that has the other properties needed to make a drug. 

    The challenge is by optimising for one thing, you can then find yourself de-optimising for another

    James Field, chief executive of LabGenius

    “The challenge with that approach is by optimising for one thing, you can then find yourself de-optimising for another,” says James Field, chief executive of LabGenius. Its platform can rapidly co-optimise for all desired properties through a combination of automated high-throughput experimentation and AI. Field explains that this opens up the design space to a myriad of different variants.

    LabGenius has been using its platform to design T-cell engager antibodies that target solid tumours and mark them for T-cells to destroy. The problem with such immunotherapies is their inability to target and kill cancer cells selectively, without causing off-target toxicity to healthy cells. Even with targeted antibodies, off-target effects can cause serious side effects, including neurological issues (e.g. confusion and seizures), infections, and cytopenias (e.g. low blood cell counts). 

    The AI platform suggests a variety of molecules within a broad design space that are experimentally tested, creating an iterative closed loop cycle of generative AI and automated lab experiments until they have the best antibody candidate to take forward — typically after four cycles, with each cycle taking six weeks. 

    “We go all the way from having a computational design to having a molecule that’s been fully characterised across functional and developability assays,” explains Field.

    LabGenius has demonstrated that its platform can produce highly selective T-cell engagers and expect to have an investigational new drug (IND) filed in 2026. Field says designing molecules as complex as these T-cell engagers “would be impossible [without machine learning]… these are such rare molecules that you would never have found them unless you deployed these methods”. 

    South Korean AI pioneer Galux is also using its generative AI engine to create cancer therapeutics that minimise off-target effects. The company has successfully generated an antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor protein, found on the surface of some cancer cells. They used a de novo approach to design the molecule to bind only to mutated estimated glomerular filtration rate — or EGFR — which is found exclusively on cancer cells and would therefore minimise off-target effects in cancer immunotherapies. The mutated protein is different by only one amino acid, which illustrates the level of selectivity their AI designs can achieve.

    Drugging the undruggable 

    The other high hope for AI designed antibodies is to tackle currently ‘hard to drug’ targets. These include cross-membrane proteins such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels, which are involved in cell-signalling and make up about 60% of drug targets​8​. They are not soluble, which makes it difficult to use high-throughput in vitro testing to find antibodies able to target them. AI design can bypass this stage and even go one step further, creating antibodies with properties that go beyond our own immune systems.

    We will be able to make molecules that, for example, recognise very small ‘real estate’ on a protein

    Debbie Law, chief scientific officer of Xaira Therapeutics

    “We will be able to make molecules that, for example, recognise very small ‘real estate’ on a protein,” says Law. 

    Absci has demonstrated in its collaboration with researchers at California Institute of Technology, by designing an antibody that targets the “caldera” region of the HIV virus, which is conserved across HIV strains, so it could lead to a multi-variant vaccine. This is an area where traditional approaches have previously failed. “It was in a very deep crevice and the natural immune system couldn’t generate the antibodies that could bind to this particular region,” says Sean McClain, founder and chief executive of Absci. 

    The company eventually achieved this using AI: preliminary screening shows binding to multiple HIV sub-types via the region previously considered out of reach​9​. 

    Nabla has so far successfully designed antibodies against eight targets, including the first binders of any kind to engage with two cancer-linked membrane-bound targets, claudin-4 (CLDN4) and CXCR7​10​. 

    “You can generate your antibody to bind a specific epitope, or even a specific side chain, or eventually down to a specific atom on the target that you want to bind,” says Biswas. 

    Speeding up the pharmaceutical pipeline

    Other companies are focusing on how generative AI can improve the drug-like properties of some current antibody drugs. 

    Founded in 2018, Generate:Biomedicines has the longest pipeline of all the generative AI antibody design companies. The Massachusetts-based organisation has three ongoing phase I trials, two of which are investigating an antibody, GB0895, to treat severe asthma and COPD. It has based its design on the existing antibody drug, tezepelumab, which is administered monthly. “We have generated a monoclonal antibody with such high affinity and half-life extension that we can actually give this potentially every six months,” says Dinesh De Alwis, the company’s head of clinical drug development.

    It’s not just finding an antibody that binds to a target that will speed up discovery, says McClain. “What these [AI] models are great at is being able to look at this whole entire space, and then hone in on the sequences that are going to give us the drug-like attributes that we ultimately want.” That means they can design for developability, low immunogenicity, high stability and ease of manufacture, in a fraction of the time — so patients can ultimately access these drugs sooner.

    The company currently has its first drug in a clinical trial. ABS-101 treats inflammatory bowel disease by targeting the immune-regulating receptor TL1A. McClain says getting this far in only two years, rather than the industry average of five and a half, shows the boost generative AI can provide. 

    The real benefits to both speed of development and the type of targets that can be tackled will come with de novo design — a novel antibody drug in one shot, without the need for multiple rounds of optimisation. In 2023, this became controversial when Absci was criticised for its claim to have designed an antibody targeting (HER2) de novo. However, similarities to the existing breast cancer antibody drug trastuzumab suggested they had not started from scratch. “The dominant thinking about what de novo means is you should be able to just take the target and then, without using information from any known antibodies, can you design a new antibody from scratch?” asks Biswas. “Otherwise, it almost feels like cheating.”

    McClain says Absci is proud of its work, which included a completely novel design of one of the most highly variable regions of the antibody. In the following two and a half years, the company has progressed to “being able to de novo design antibodies from scratch with challenging targets, where there are no known binders”, he says, and these antibodies will still need some optimisation to make sure they have fully achieved the desired target product profile. 

    This industry is very early stage, but also very fast moving with a lot of tech giants investing a lot

    Chaok Seok, chief executive of Galux

    Although its de novo capabilities are improving, Xaira Therapeutics is also using what it calls co-evolution or the ‘lab in the loop’ method. This combines machine learning design with experimental data generation, which feeds more data into the model. “As they evolve and get better, you will need to do less and less iteration,” says Law. 

    Nabla is also not yet able to just push a button and have an antibody ready for clinical trials, according to Biswas. They still need one or two additional rounds of optimisation. “But the hit rate of antibodies that satisfy all of those key therapeutic criteria is just way higher,” he adds. The latest tests show that out of 100 antibodies the model designs, 1 to 10 will hit the target, which is “orders of magnitude higher than conventional approaches”. 

    Chaok Seok, chief executive of Galux, says the company is more bullish about its approach — the company can already produce accurate de novo antibodies in one shot and has successfully generated antibodies for six different targets this way​11​. 

    Designing the future

    The promise of one-shot de novo design may well still be in the future for the complex antibodies that LabGenius designs, Field anticipates. “If you even try to model the structures of these complex multi-specifics, often, you get something that looks like meatballs and spaghetti,” he jokes. 

    Biswas agrees it’s not a trivial challenge, but says Nabla has already tackled multi-specifics.

    Some companies also have their eyes on the longer-term goal of using generative AI to model biology itself, to better predict how an antibody will translate in the clinic. Xaira has huge ambitions in what it calls ‘biology AI’, explains Law. In June 2025, it released a pre-print with single cell RNA sequencing data from 8 million cells of different types with different genes turned on or off, to start to better understand the networks that regulate cells​12​. This is the first step to creating a virtual cell to hunt for new targets as well as test antibody design. “These are not new ideas — it’s just that now we’re getting to the stage that the implementation is in sight,” says Law.

    In the shorter term, could generative AI methods start to replace the current mature antibody design technologies developed over the past 30 to 40 years? Seok thinks that, in some cases, this could happen within as little as five years. She sees a lot of enthusiasm in the field. “This industry is very early stage, but also very fast moving with a lot of tech giants investing a lot,” says Seok.

    While no AI-designed antibody has yet reached regulatory approval, these pioneering companies are convinced their technologies can provide drugs with fewer side effects as well as new treatments — all at an accelerated pace. 

    Seok continues: “Personally, I can’t wait to see where we can go and the difference we can make to patients through AI. It’s an exciting time to be in this area, in part because things that we almost dreamed about are becoming reality.”  

    1. 1.

      Castelli MS, McGonigle P, Hornby PJ. The pharmacology and therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies. Pharmacology Res & Perspec. 2019;7(6). doi:10.1002/prp2.535

    10. 10.

      Biswas S. De novo design of epitope-specific antibodies against soluble and multipass membrane proteins with high specificity, developability, and function. Published online January 22, 2025. doi:10.1101/2025.01.21.633066

    11. 11.

      Bang Y, Cho K, Gu J, et al. Precise, Specific, and Sensitive De Novo Antibody Design Across Multiple Cases. Published online March 13, 2025. doi:10.1101/2025.03.09.642274

    12. 12.

      Huang AC, Hsieh THS, Zhu J, et al. X-Atlas/Orion: Genome-wide Perturb-seq Datasets via a Scalable Fix-Cryopreserve Platform for Training Dose-Dependent Biological Foundation Models. Published online June 16, 2025. doi:10.1101/2025.06.11.659105

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  • Rare “red sprite” lightning photographed in SW China’s Xizang-Xinhua

    TIANJIN, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Blink, and it’s gone — Chinese photographers on Thursday accidentally captured a rare red lightning phenomenon known as “red sprites” while shooting the night sky near Mount Kangrinboqe, a sacred site for followers of Hinduism and Buddhism located at an elevation of 6,656 meters in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.

    The photographers were from China StarVision Alliance, which is a platform for nearly 1,000 Chinese astronomy photographers and businesses related to night-sky tourism. During a thunderstorm in the early hours of Thursday, they recorded vivid red bursts resembling fireworks or glowing jellyfish.

    Red sprites are unusual upward discharges of electricity that originate from thunderstorms. Unlike common cloud-to-ground or intracloud lightning, red sprites occur when intense charge releases disturb the electric field in the upper atmosphere, leading to a glowing red display above a thunderstorm.

    One such rare sight lit up the skies over Xizang’s Shannan City between May 31 and June 1, and was captured by Chinese astronomy photographer Dong Shuchang, who then posted slow-motion footage of the phenomenon online. ■

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  • Amaury Cordeel on his 2025 Helmet

    Amaury Cordeel on his 2025 Helmet

    Amaury Cordeel’s helmet certainly catches the eye, a design like no other on the Formula 2 grid, and that is just how the Rodin Motorsport driver wants it to be.

    Recently, we caught up with him to discuss his 2025 look, and how it came to be, as well as what we can expect maybe at some point this season.

    “It’s actually a design I did last year for the last two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, together with an artist, whose logo is on the top, from Belgium, and he did the design for the helmet.

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    “I think it was a great idea because he is a friend of mine that was an artist and I wanted to do something new with the helmet and it just popped out, so I did something nice with him.

    “But because of the last moment change to drive this season, I am just using the helmet from the last two rounds from last year, because I really like it.

    Cordeel’s helmet was designed a good friend of his and it helps him standout

    “He asked me what has to be on it and I just said to him ‘go crazy on it’. For me there is nothing that has to be on it, because before I had my logo on it but then it’s not art anymore. So I just wanted him to go crazy on it.

    “The wonderful thing is I have a duplicate version of it at home that is painted by the artist themselves.

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    “This is designed by the artist but not painted, because it has to be homologated by the FIA, but I have one at home that is painted by hand.

    “I don’t know if I have a favourite part of the helmet. I would say I like that it’s all split into different parts and the designs on it is really nice.

    “I think I first saw it before the designer saw it because I got it from the painter and then I sent the photos to him.

    Cordeel says he is working on a new helmet with someone else
    Cordeel says he is working on a new helmet with someone else

    “Going forward, what I do will depend on if I do it with him or without him. I am currently working on one that will not be with him but maybe in the future we can do something together again. But it will be something else again.

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    “I won’t reveal the new helmet yet, it will be something completely different which I like to do. Before I had the mosaic, and I like to do a lot of different things with a lot of different designs.

    “I think it’s boring to always have the same design and the same patterns in your helmet. So that’s why I asked an artist to do it, but now I am also working on something myself that is completely different to other helmets. That’s what I like!”

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  • The promise of international criminal law

    The promise of international criminal law

    The ICC has also been heavily criticised for promising too much and delivering too little.

    Modern international criminal law was born after the Second World War, when the Allied powers sat in judgment over the crimes of the Nazis in the trials at Nuremberg. Justice Robert Jackson remarked in his opening speech at the tribunal, “that four great nations, flushed with victory and stung with injury, stayed the hand of vengeance, and voluntarily submitted their captive enemies to the judgment of the law is one of the most significant tributes that power has ever paid to reason”. The promise of international criminal justice was set from that point and it was set rather high; not only was it to deter future violators and morally denounce such conduct, it was also to create lasting peace and promote national reconciliation.

    The question of whether criminal accountability can achieve those aims is now laid at the feet of the International Criminal Court. In particular, its critics argue that it must ensure that it is not only those on the losing side of the war who get prosecuted, others take issue with the aims themselves, that the notion that peace cannot exist without justice is itself false, as ‘[t]he offer to a terrible dictator—go away and live out your life in an obscure village— cannot be persuasively offered, as it may be trumped by an [International Criminal Court] prosecution. If mediators can only say that he’s a dead man either way, he will probably prefer to die in his boots than expire in a pin-striped suit at The Hague.’ If the prospect of prosecution means that ‘terrible dictators’ are more likely to cling to power, then the pursuit of justice may itself trump peace.

    Victors’ Justice?

    Former ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda notes that the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials after World War II laid the bricks for a global system based on the international rule of law. The long arc of justice that started in Nuremberg, she says, then continued towards Rome (where the treaty to establish the ICC was formulated). However, many argue that the trials of German and Japanese leaders by the Allied powers were themselves a form of victors’ justice, and that that arc too continues to today.

    After World War I

    Traditionally international law was addressed to states and while there were some instances of individual violators being punished (such as the Von Hagenbach trial of 1474 and the French-Siamese Arbitral Tribunal in 1893-4) and there was some domestic law punishing violations of the laws of war (such as the Lieber Code 1863), by and large individuals were outside the purview of the law (apart from arguably pirates in the 17th century). There was a renewed emphasis on individual responsibility following World War I where the Treaty of Versailles included four articles providing for the punishment of those who had violated the laws of war.

    Raymond Poincaré, the French President, announced to the victors at Versailles that “[h]umanity can place confidence in you, because you are not among those who have outraged the rights of humanity.’ At the same time, the Belgians, French and British (all included in ‘humanity’) were responsible for three centuries of ‘sometimes violent, certainly racially-inflected, Empire’. Still, no trials were ever held under the Treaty of Versailles and while the agreement sought to prosecute the Kaiser of Germany, he had fled to the Netherlands and his surrender was not requested.

    After World War II

    Post-World War II, however, individual responsibility for the Axis powers was preferred by the United States and France over the summary executions favoured by the British and the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials were held. The judges at Nuremberg noted that “[c]rimes against international law are committed by men, not by abstract entities, and only by punishing individuals who commit such crimes can the provisions of international law be enforced”. Articles 1 and 6 of the London Charter establishing the Nuremberg trial noted that any person committing an act in violation of international law is criminally punishable. Ultimately, twenty-two leading Nazis were tried for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace; twelve were sentenced to death, seven received jail terms and three were acquitted.

    There were several criticisms of the trials. Detractors called them ‘high-tech lynching’ because it was only the victors trying the vanquished in what was essentially a pre-determined proceeding, in that the leading Nazis were almost certain to be found guilty. Moreover, it was argued, particularly by the Indian Justice Radhabinod Pal in the Tokyo Trials, that “the tribunal was a sham employment of legal process for the satisfaction of a thirst for revenge.” He argued that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the worst crimes committed during the war, comparable with the Holocaust, and yet there were no prosecutions for those crimes. However, the Nuremberg trial was hailed as a victory of reason over vengeance, and modern international criminal law was born.

    Other International Criminal Tribunals

    Since Nuremberg, there have been tribunals established by the United Nations’ Security Council under its mandate to maintain international peace and security. These were the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The ICTY’s conviction of Duško Tadić made him the first non-Nazi to be tried before an international criminal court in Europe since 1946, and he was one of the first non-Nazis to be tried anywhere for crimes against humanity. Both of these tribunals have, however, been criticised. The ICTR did not prosecute individuals who were connected with the then-government of Rwanda and the ICTY was noted for having viewed ethnic groups in terms of victims and perpetrators rather than focusing on individuals and their conduct. Moreover, United States’ President Bush tied the handing over of former Serbian President Milošević to aid for Yugoslavia, furthering accusations of political bias.

    The International Criminal Court

    In 1998, the Rome Statute created the only extant and permanent international criminal court to be established under a multilateral treaty. The ICC came into being on July 1, 2002 and state parties accept the jurisdiction of the Court for the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression. The ICC has also been heavily criticised for promising too much and delivering too little. In the fifteen years after it was established, it had cost between 80 to 140 million Euros, with 300 staff, and had only brought ten cases, securing five convictions with one overturned on appeal. If its success was judged on the number of convictions secured it may be asked whether it is worth it given the enormous resources poured into the institution. Though it is also arguable that the mere fact of acquittals may indicate that the process is fair, particularly given the high burden of proof for such crimes.

    Others argue in favour of other means of justice apart from criminal accountability. In particular they point to South Africa after the fall of apartheid, where prosecutions were generally not held. Instead of adversarial proceedings, there was a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in which the evidence of what had occurred during apartheid was recorded for the public record. Instead of determining guilt, victims wanted what had happened to their loved ones to be publicised. In doing so, they endeavoured to educate generations to come and preserve the historical record of the crimes that had occurred, rather than holding criminal trials.

    Today, for the first time, the ICC is looking into a situation, and issuing arrest warrants for the head of state, of an ally of the West. It is its chance to show that international criminal justice is not simply a case of victors’ vengeance. The crimes conducted by the leaders of Israel after October 7, 2023 also give the court the chance to prove that the path to peace is through justice.

    This article by Ayesha Malik was produced with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the Legally Speaking podcast series. The views expressed are the author’s own.

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  • Du Preez thrilled about first Test start in seven years

    Du Preez thrilled about first Test start in seven years

    Du Preez, whose last Test start was against England in June 2018 in Johannesburg, warned that the second Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test at the DHL Stadium would be another epic battle.

    The 30-year-old loose forward will start at the back of the scrum in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi in a loose trio with flankers Marco van Staden and Franco Mostert, and after the Boks’ 38-22 defeat against the Wallabies at Ellis Park last week, he said the key for him was to be as prepared as possible going into the match.

    “This will be my first Test start in seven years, and I’d like to do my best for the team and help get us on the front foot and hopefully, we can do a good job on Saturday” said Du Preez, who was in action earlier this year against the Barbarians.

    “I’ve been thinking quite a bit after the last week’s result. There’s a lot of pressure on us, and on me after not starting in seven years. But I’ve tried not to think about the outside noise too much and just get my preparation right in the week.”

    Du Preez may have had to wait patiently for his chance to play in the last few years, but he said the lure of the Springbok jersey always remained in the back of his mind.

    “Your mind is a powerful thing – there were times that I thought I should give up hope, but I would never be able to do that,” said Du Preez.

    “Yes, it took some time to start again, but then again, I can never take it for granted. When you get a shot, you must take it.

    “I did a lot of prep and worked hard, and so much has changed. I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to get a run on Saturday and to represent my country again.”

    Giving his thoughts on what they expected from the Wallabies this week, Du Preez said: “We are expecting much of the same from them. We must give credit to the Aussies, they did well last week. Their turnover attack cut us up a little, so we’ve been working hard on our defence and breakdowns this week.

    “Fraser McReight might be a very good fetcher, but for us, it’s about our urgency to get to the breakdown, and we’ve focused on that this week. We need to get there before the breakdown is formed.”

    The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

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  • First protein-based quantum bit could change biological research

    First protein-based quantum bit could change biological research

    Researchers have fused two incompatible fields, quantum technology and biology. 

    In an interesting development, the team at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) has created a protein-based quantum bit (qubit). 

    The group successfully turned a “protein from a living cell” into a functional qubit, the fundamental unit of information for quantum computing.

    This protein qubit could work as an incredibly sensitive quantum sensor, even in a living cell’s warm, noisy environment. This is a sharp contrast to the freezing conditions that quantum technology usually needs.

    The advance could help transform biological research by offering a new way to see the inner workings of life at its most basic level, something never before possible.

    “Rather than taking a conventional quantum sensor and trying to camouflage it to enter a biological system, we wanted to explore the idea of using a biological system itself and developing it into a qubit,” said David Awschalom, co-principal investigator of the project.

    “Harnessing nature to create powerful families of quantum sensors—that’s the new direction here,” added Awschalom, also director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE).

    Overcoming previous limitations

    Interestingly, the new study bridges the gap between quantum technology and biology.

    Scientists have long believed that the chemistry of life and the quantum world were separate. Quantum effects required a controlled, frigid environment, while biology was considered warm and messy.

    It was believed that quantum phenomena like “coherence” couldn’t survive in a living cell. However, recent discoveries have overturned this idea. Scientists are now finding coherent quantum processes everywhere in nature.

    This new development adds to it, suggesting that the protein qubit can be a quantum sensor even within the complex environment of a living cell.

    Moreover, the protein qubit overcomes the limitations of previous tools.

    Previously, tools like fluorescence microscopy and fluorescent proteins were used to observe cells, but these methods only provided a superficial view.

    In this new work, enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) was converted into a quantum bit. The EYFP protein is commonly used in biology as a fluorescent tag.

    Scientists can now directly measure quantum properties inside living cells by turning proteins into quantum sensors.

    Quantum Insider explained that the research confirms that the protein qubit exhibits quantum behavior, demonstrating measurable spin coherence and optically detected magnetic resonance within the complex, noisy cellular environment.

    The team could initialize, manipulate with microwaves, and read out the qubit’s state using light.

    Moreover, the protein qubit works not just in pure samples, but also inside living cells, which means it could be used to create quantum sensors.

    A new window into life

    The new protein qubits aren’t as sensitive as today’s best quantum sensors, which are often made from diamonds. However, their true power comes from being genetically encoded directly into living cells.

    This unique capability promises a future where experts can observe biological processes, such as protein folding and the early stages of disease, at the most fundamental level.

    Interestingly, this innovation could drive a forward quantum-enabled nanoscale MRI, providing an unprecedented look at the atomic structure of cells.

    “We’re entering an era where the boundary between quantum physics and biology begins to dissolve. That’s where the transformative science will happen,” said Benjamin Soloway, PhD candidate.

    What’s more? It also opens new frontiers for the field of quantum technology itself, as it introduces a “radically different approach to designing quantum materials,” according to co-principal investigator Peter Maurer.

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