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Cryptophane-A is a prototypical organic host molecule that binds reversibly to neutral guest molecules. Taratulaet al.report X-ray structures of cryptophane-A complexed with a range of host molecules to show that the cryptophane host–guest system exhibits ‘induced fit’.

Anion recognition in competitive, aqueous media remains a critical challenge. Bulk and local solvation models for anion recognition events are herein explored, as well as targeted design approaches to retain strong anion binding in highly polar media.

Realizing efficient blue-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with long operational lifetime is key to the development of future display technologies. Here, the authors report efficient host-guest and host-free OLEDs featuring designed carbene-metal-amide-type deep-blue photoemitters.

Self-healing in structurally ordered materials is restricted by slow interfacial mass transport and the need for ideal physical alignment. Here the authors show self-healing in an anilinium bromide crystals achieving up to 95% recovery through ferroelastic detwinning.

A systematic design of light-absorbing molecules is challenging for them to satisfy multiple key requirements for efficient solar cell application. Here, the authors optimize halogen substitution position in terminal groups of acceptors for realizing ternary cells with efficiency approaching 20%.

Post-translational site-selective formation of boronoalanine in proteins enables applications of boron for binding partner capture, footprinting of interactions with reactive oxygen species, proteolytic control and mapping of transient structures.

Interesting changes in physical and optical properties can result from the binding of small molecules to supramolecular polymers. Here, the authors present an ATP assay, using a supramolecular helix to switch between left- and right-handed conformations on binding different adenosine phosphates.

The recognition of viruses by synthetic materials is historically difficult. Here, a templating procedure using silica nanoparticles coated with organosilanes is used to form virus-imprinted particles, possessing both shape and chemical imprints, capable of virus recognition at picomolar concentrations.

The stability of multiply hydrogen-bonded complexes can be influenced significantly by secondary electrostatic interactions between the pairs of atoms in adjacent hydrogen bonds. Now, a quadruple hydrogen-bonding array in which all of the donors are located in one component and all of the acceptors in the other has been shown to form complexes that are exceptionally stable.

Lead sulphide colloidal nanocrystals are now used to harvest non-emissive triplet excitons generated in a tetracene layer. Depending on the length of the ligands capping the nanocrystals, exciton transfer efficiency as high as 90% can be achieved.

Metal-organic frameworks are attractive adsorbents for gas storage and separations, but appropriate heat dissipation is important for practical application. Here the authors use experiment and theory to show the impact of liquid adsorbates on thermal transport in metal-organic frameworks.

Carbon nanotubes used as templates for polymerizing lipids into regular ring-shaped water-soluble assemblies that can dissolve various hydrophobic compounds and membrane proteins, could have applications in cosmetics, medicine and materials science.

Silicon carbide surfaces offer many interesting properties induced by surface strain relief. Soukiassian et al.report hydrogen-induced self-organized nano-voids below a silicon carbide surface, and suggest the resultant nanotunnel may be used as a template to capture atoms or molecules.

A study reports the development of a structural derivative of amphotericin B with broad antifungal activity in mice but without the renal toxicity associated with amphotericin B.

SBayesRC integrates genome-wide association summary statistics with functional annotations to improve polygenic prediction of complex traits. Functional partitioning highlights a major contribution of evolutionarily constrained regions to prediction accuracy.

Porosity in metal–organic materials typically relies on highly ordered crystalline networks, which hinders material processing and morphological control. Here, the authors use metal–organic polyhedra as porous monomers in supramolecular polymerization to produce colloidal spheres and gels with intrinsic microporosity.

Within microbial communities, microorganisms adopt different lifestyle strategies to use the available resources. Here, the authors use an integrated ‘multi-omic’ approach to study niche breadth (generalist versus specialist lifestyles) in oleaginous microbial assemblages from an anoxic wastewater treatment tank.

Biological adhesion is mediated by specific lock and key interactions between ligand receptor pairs. Here Bauer et al.engineer tethered ligands for which spacers can slide at the anchoring point to produce versatile bio-adhesive substrates.

OP9 is a yet-uncultivated bacterial lineage found in anaerobic environments. Dodsworth et al. use single-cell genomics and metagenomics to construct two near-complete OP9 genomes, revealing a fermentative metabolism and supporting the designation of OP9 as candidate phylum 'Atribacteria'.

In this study, Aggarwal and colleagues perform prospective sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 isolates derived from asymptomatic student screening and symptomatic testing of students and staff at the University of Cambridge. They identify important factors that contributed to within university transmission and onward spread into the wider community.

Quantification of anion binding by molecular receptors within lipid bilayers is challenging. Here, the authors synthesise a high-affinity macrocyclic anion receptor which provides insights into determinants of anion binding within lipid bilayers.

Spatially resolved images of M87 obtained at a wavelength of 3.5 mm in 2018 show a ring-like accretion structure, the inner (outer) edge of which connects the black hole (jet).

In June 2022, the IXPE satellite observed a shock passing through the jet of active galaxy Markarian 421. The rotation of the X-ray-polarized radiation over a 5-day period revealed that the jet contains a helical magnetic field.

Low-valent zinc clusters, though exceedingly rare, are appealing synthetic targets because there is evidence that they may show unconventional chemical and physical behavior. Here, the authors obtain a large heterometallic zinc-bismuth cluster anion and discover that it bears a metalloid {Zn₁₂} core with four-center bonding and essentially zero-valent character.

A study of the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in England between September 2020 and June 2021 finds that interventions capable of containing previous variants were insufficient to stop the more transmissible Alpha and Delta variants.

The halogen bond is well known for its ability to assemble supramolecules. Here, using NMR experiments, the authors reveal the role of these bonds in dynamic processes, finding that the halogen bond directly catalyzes dynamical rotation in solid cocrystals by reducing the associated energy barrier.

Milling and grinding, long used to alter the chemical and physical properties of materials, have recently garnered interest as alternatives to traditional solution-based syntheses — but these reactions remain difficult to monitor. High-energy synchrotron X-ray radiation has now enabled the in situ observation, in real time, of solid-state transformations occurring during the mechanochemical syntheses of metal–organic frameworks.

Similarly to halogen bonding, the heavier chalcogens are capable of forming supramolecular links with electron rich sites. Here, the authors show that these forces can allow the formation of well-defined cyclic structures that are stable in solution and are capable of forming host-guest complexes.

A series of porous crystalline materials known as metal–organic materials are prepared, and a full sorption study shows that controlled pore size (rather than large surface area) coupled with appropriate chemistry lead to materials exhibiting fast and highly selective CO₂ sorption.

Surveys from 2,584 sites across the Indo-Pacific identify key climate, socioeconomic and environmental drivers associated with hard coral assemblages. This informs a strategic approach to protect, recover or transform coral reef management.

Polarization measurements are reported for the blazar Mk501, revealing a degree of X-ray polarization that is more than twice the optical value and supporting the shock-accelerated energy-stratified electron population scenario.

The Omicron variant evades vaccine-induced neutralization but also fails to form syncytia, shows reduced replication in human lung cells and preferentially uses a TMPRSS2-independent cell entry pathway, which may contribute to enhanced replication in cells of the upper airway. Altered fusion and cell entry characteristics are linked to distinct regions of the Omicron spike protein.

Hydrogel emulsions enable facile loading of bioactive compounds but fabrication methods which allow upscaling and low cytotoxicity are scarce. Here, the authors report a thermally triggered low energy gelation mechanism based on the interaction between a nontoxic Pluronic and nanoemulsion droplets.

Treatment with a specific inhibitor of the N⁶-methyladenosine methyltransferase METTL3 leads to reduced growth of cancer cells, indicating the potential of approaches targeting RNA-modifying enzymes for anticancer therapy.

Metagenomic, metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic approaches are used to resolve the taxonomic and functional characteristics of gastrointestinal microbiota from four families with multiple cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Chronic infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to the emergence of viral variants that show reduced susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies in an immunosuppressed individual treated with convalescent plasma.

Sera from vaccinated individuals and some monoclonal antibodies show a modest reduction in neutralizing activity against the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2; but the E484K substitution leads to a considerable loss of neutralizing activity.

University departments may benefit from guidelines not only to craft effective diversity, equity and inclusion plans, but also to measure progress towards achieving specific goals. This Perspective presents a framework for building, assessing and continuously improving strategic plans to improve recruitment and retention and make departments more inclusive.