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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 4 CITY VIEWS July 25, 2025 NYU Scientists, Led By Indian American, Reveal Hidden World Of Vital Cellular Structures A team of NYU chemists and physicists are using cutting-edge tools—holographic microscopy and super-resolution imaging—to unlock how cells build and grow tiny, dynamic droplets known as biomolecular condensates. For the first time, scientists measured the protein content and growth dynamics of individual biomolecular condensates without disturbing them, gaining insights that may shape future drug development and disease modeling. Biomolecular condensates manage vital cellular func- tions, from regulating genes to responding to stress. Until now, studying them has involved distorting them. “It’s been the elephant in the room for scientists,” said Saumya Saurabh, assistant professor of chemical biology at NYU and the senior author of the new study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. “Our re- search provides a precise and non-invasive way to study biomolecular condensates.” “Being able to see ‘under the hood’ for the first time has revealed some big surprises about this important class of systems,” said study author David Grier, profes- sor of physics and director of the Center for Soft Matter Research at NYU. PEERING INTO THE UNKNOWN Biomolecular condensates are microscopic structures that concentrate specific molecules, like proteins and nucleic acids, without being enclosed by a membrane. This process, known as phase separation, is crucial for organizing cellular biochemistry. While the NYU study focuses on these dynamic droplets in vitro—in a con- trolled laboratory setting—the fundamental principles they uncover are directly applicable to understanding their behavior within living cells. “Often compared to oil-and-water droplets, the intri- cate reality of biomolecular condensates, as revealed by our findings, goes far beyond simple liquid-liquid phase separation,” noted Saurabh. To study biomolecular condensates under the mi- croscope, researchers have traditionally been limited to using fluorescent tags or two-dimensional surfaces, both of which can significantly disturb the droplets’ behav- ior. This is a critical challenge, as these condensates are remarkably sensitive to their environment. “I was surprised by their complex and incredibly sensitive response to different ionic species. Even a small change in ionic valency drastically altered both conden- sate concentration and dynamics,” said Julian von Hofe, a PhD candidate in Saurabh’s group, who is the first author on the study. To overcome these issues, the researchers sought a way to examine condensates in real time to gather informa- tion without damaging them. Their solution: a system that slowly flows thousands of droplets through a holo- graphic microscope. HOLOGRAPHIC PRECISION MEETS SINGLE-MOLECULE RESOLU- TION Grier’s lab has pioneered the use of holographic mi- croscopy, which uses lasers and lenses to create three- dimensional images, or holograms, of particles that are captured on video for analysis. This technique allows scientists to flow particles in a solution so that they can be clearly seen and individually characterized—without the need for fluorescent labels or attachment to a surface. Applying this novel, label-free method to conden- sates formed by PopZ, a bacterial protein crucial for cell growth, the researchers first aimed to precisely measure the concentration of proteins within condensates. In- spired by Benjamin Franklin’s eighteenth-century experi- ment, which used an oil slick to infer a single molecule’s length, the teammeasured the volume of a single protein to determine the protein concentration inside conden- sates. Using this idea, they found that relevant biomol- ecules could concentrate proteins more than ten-fold inside condensates. However, the way that the observed condensates grew was unexpected and defied classical models of growth, leading them to pursue single-mole- cule imaging. To unravel the complex internal architecture and dynamics, the team utilized super-resolution imaging— a Nobel Prize-winning technology and a main forte for Saurabh’s research. These data revealed that condensates were not simple uniform droplets but exhibited intricate nanoscale organization, a realm 1,000 to 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The findings were strongly supported by molecular dynamics simula- tions, which provided atomic-level insights into these enigmatic assemblies. “Our collaboration has introduced fast, precise, and effective methods for measuring the composition and dynamics of macromolecular condensates,” said Grier. From droplets to diseases and drug delivery Understanding how biomolecular condensates are organized and grow may hold clues for treating a range of illnesses, from cancer and infectious diseases to neuro- logical disorders. “In a disease like ALS, the proteins that form plaques in disease are fluid condensates in good health. Under- standing how a spherical condensate forms into a deadly plaque is an opportunity to better understand ALS,” said Saurabh. In addition, scientists recently discovered that many drug molecules end up inside biomolecular condensates in the cells. This sequestering of drugs within conden- sates may help explain why drugs that are made to target a specific protein still cause side effects. With this new approach to analyzing condensates, sci- entists can now measure small differences in condensate composition and architecture as new molecules partition inside them. “For example, we can now explore the chemical space of drug modifications to precisely control their partition- ing, achieving the specificity needed to prevent them from entering condensates,” said Saurabh. “This opens new avenues for how we think about designing drugs and their potential side effects.” Other study authors include Jatin Abacousnac, Mechi Chen, Moeka Sasazawa, and Ida Javér Kristiansen of NYU, as well as SorenWestrey of Carnegie Mellon University. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (1R35GM157103) and the National Science Foun- dation (DMR-2104837, DMR-1420073). In addition, Grier is a founder of Spheryx, Inc., the company that manufac- tures the holographic microscope used in the study. - (This article appeared July 16, 2025, in NYU.edu . Usedwith express permission from NYU) By Rachel Harrison Rep. Sharice Davids Of Kansas Endorses Dr. Tina Shah’s Run For US Congress From New Jersey R ep. Sharice Davids (KS-03) an- nounced her endorsement of Dr. Tina Shah, July 17, 2025, in the Indian American physician’s campaign from New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, in the race for the November 3, 2026 general elections. This is the first endorsement from a Member of Congress in the race to flip the 7th District, a press release from Shah’s campaign (http://www.drtinashahforcon- gress.com/ ) said. The seat is currently held by two-term Congressman, Republican Thomas Kean Jr. and at least 8 Democrats, including Dr. Shah have declared their candidacies, according to information on the Ballotpe- dia website. The date for the Republican and Democratic primaries are yet to be announced. “I’m proud to endorse Dr. Tina Shah for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th District,” Congresswoman Davids is quoted saying in the press release. “Tina has spent her career showing up for people —whether it’s at the bedside as a physician or advo- cating for smarter healthcare policy. She knows how to take on tough challenges, bring people together, and get things done. I know she’ll be a strong voice in Congress for working families — just like she’s always been.” “I’m proud to have earned the support of Congresswoman Davids,” Shah said. “Congresswoman Davids has consis- tently stood up for her constituents and all Americans to address rising costs and increase healthcare access. I’ve dedi- cated my career to doing the same for my patients and my community, and I look forward to joining her in Congress to con- tinue the work.” Shah is an intensive care doctor, a triple board-certified physician, and has served under three presidential administrations, her campaign press release said. Among other positions, Dr. Shah was a Senior Advisor to US Surgeon General; She served as a Fellow and special advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs serving as the first National Director of Clinician Wellbeing. She has also served in the private sector. District 7 in New Jersey is among the most competitive districts according to news reports, and the Shah may face an uphill battle ousting the other Democrats running for the seat. PHOTO:@drtinashahforcongress.com Dr. Tina Shah By a StaffWriter