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Researchers found sex differences in the activity of genes in cortical neurons (pictured) and other brain cells.Credit: David Scharf/Science Photo Library

Brain-gene activity differs between sexes

Researchers have uncovered more than one hundred genes that consistently differ in their expression between male and female brains. Most of the genes they identified are not located on sex chromosomes, but many of them are regulated by sex hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone. The work could help to explain why the risk of developing some brain conditions, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s, differs between males and females. “Understanding sex differences in disease susceptibility could lead to better treatments to benefit everyone,” says neuroscientist Jessica Tollkuhn.

Nature | 5 min read

Reference: Science paper

Enzyme throws out DNA-synthesis rulebook

A newly discovered bacterial enzyme can synthesize DNA without the need for a template strand. The enzyme, Drt3b, instead uses the amino acid sequence in its own active site to mimic a reference strand of RNA. “This is a fundamentally new way that life produces DNA,” says biochemist and study co-author Alex Gao. The enzyme, which forms part of a bacterial immune-defence system, could be used as a research tool if scientists can tweak its structure to produce bespoke DNA strands, the team says.

Science | 5 min read

Reference: Science paper

Quantum prize for cancer-drug developers

A US$2 million Quantum for Bio (Q4Bio) Prize has been awarded to a team developing light-sensitive cancer drugs. The team — including researchers from software firm Algorithmiq — scooped the prize for demonstrating a potential use of quantum computers in health care. On a nascent quantum computer, they demonstrated the use of algorithms that, when run on more-capable quantum systems in the future, could glean more information about drug-photon interactions than would be possible using classical simulations, says quantum physicist and Algorithimiq chief exec Sabrina Maniscalco. Notably, no team took home Q4Bio’s US$5 million grand prize.

Nature | 5 min read

Question of the week

Would you support the use of a database that would mandate that research institutions report instances of misconduct?

Last week, we read an editorial in Science that proposed the creation of a US-national database of people found guilty of misconduct — both academic and personal — that research institutions could access before hiring people. Such a repository, the editorial argues, could stop guilty parties from moving to new universities without making them aware of previous wrongdoings. We asked you: would you support the use of a misconduct tracker? The majority of respondents said yes, but only if the contents were inaccessible to the public.

Many readers were supportive of the idea, but argued that the concept needs ironing out. They said that ‘misconduct’ is a broad term and not all infractions can be tarred with the same brush. Before a database like this can be used, “‘academic misconduct’ needs to be defined very clearly, unambiguously, and consistently”, wrote physicist André Strydom.

Others suggested that academic and personal misconduct should be treated as separate issues and raised security concerns over such information being collated in one place.

Features & opinion

Is it possible to do a nine-to-five PhD?

Nature’s 2025 global PhD survey found that 50% of respondents, who were self-selecting, identified a culture of long work hours at their university. So, is it possible to do a doctorate in a standard (in some places) 40-hour work week — or even less? Nature found 13 past and current PhDs who are making it happen to share their top tips.

Nature | 13 min read

Futures: science fiction from Nature

A woman follows the call of nostalgia in Homelessness of the heart, a tyrant reflects on the cost of almighty power in Ozymandias undead and a robot experiences a moment of surprising empathy at an office party in New year, old me.

Nature | 6 min read, Nature | 6 min read & Nature | 8 min read

Off-label cancer drugs don’t often work

The results of an almost decade-long trial have shown that ‘off-label’ cancer therapies — those that are used for tumours other than the ones they’re approved for, often as a last resort — aren't very effective in most cases. There were some positive results, says oncologist and study co-author Emile Voest: around 7% of people in the study responded well to an off-label treatment, some of whom can be considered ‘cured’. But it’s “humbling to see that 93% of the patients did not benefit that much” yet many still experienced side effects, he says. “We have an obligation to really sh

Daily briefing: Is a nine-to-five PhD possible?