AIM Institute

The Morgridge Institute for Research has announced a new laboratory focused on comparative metabolism, aiming to uncover fundamental biology and identify novel drug targets. By comparing metabolic processes across different organisms, researchers hope to reveal pathways that could inform future therapies. The announcement highlights the institute's continued expansion of its basic research programs.

Outreach Magazine has published guidance on how church leaders can navigate change and transformation within their congregations. The piece addresses the challenges religious leaders face as communities, expectations and ministry models evolve, offering perspectives on leading with clarity and adaptability. It is aimed at pastors and ministry teams seeking practical direction during periods of institutional and cultural shift.

US lawmakers are debating legislation that would set lasting regulatory rules for banks and cryptocurrency companies, replacing a patchwork of shifting agency directives. The proposal aims to give financial institutions and digital asset firms clearer, more durable guidance on oversight, capital requirements and compliance, a step industry figures and regulators have long called for amid market uncertainty.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has published a new toolkit aimed at helping people build local support for keeping religion and government separate. The resource is intended to equip community members and organizers with practical guidance for advocacy on church-state issues in their own areas, at a time when debates over religion in public institutions remain active across the United States.

The Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act has been reintroduced in the US Congress for a third time. The legislation aims to reform working conditions in the American garment industry, including restrictions on piece-rate pay, while offering incentives such as tax credits to support domestic fashion manufacturing. Industry observers are weighing what its latest passage attempt could mean for fashion brands and manufacturers operating in the United States.

With the incoming administration and Congress signaling closer scrutiny of federal research spending, backers are preparing a lame-duck push to shield National Institutes of Health grantmaking from political interference. The effort aims to lock in protections for how NIH awards biomedical research grants before power shifts in Washington. Details of the legislative vehicle and its prospects remain unclear.

The Cato Institute is drawing attention to an article it says is essential reading for anyone who practices or funds health policy. The libertarian think tank's message is aimed at policymakers and funders, suggesting current approaches to health policy are flawed or under-informed. Details of the article's arguments are not provided in the headline alone.

Researchers report a technique for controlling electron motion using three-dimensional sculpted light fields, a physics advance described on EurekAlert. By shaping light in three dimensions, scientists aim to direct electrons with greater precision, with potential implications for ultrafast science and future electronic or photonic technologies. Details of the team, institutions and applications were not provided in the available coverage.