Sacred codes: Preservation, permutation and expression

This issue of the Biomedical Journal features a special section on epigenetics in infection, exploring epitranscriptomic modifications in the malaria parasite Plasmodium and the African sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma, with a focus on how these modifications influence parasite development and survival strategies. Additionally, this issue reviews regulatory mechanisms in asymmetric cell division, assessment needs for children with developmental coordination disorder along with recommendations, and advancements in 3D chondrocyte culturing for tissue engineering. Also examined are three key pathways exacerbating long COVID, the increasing impact of electromagnetic exposure in built environments on human health, and recent updates in liver transplantation criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by portal vein tumor thrombosis. Research in bladder cancer investigates the role of activating transcription factor 3, known for its anti-tumor properties, and its link to metformin. Another study demonstrates the efficacy of Sanger sequencing in streamlining mitochondrial disorder diagnostics, enabling timely identification based on clinical evidence. Additional studies present a novel intervention approach for autoimmune diseases, advancements in artificial bone grafts to enhance bone regeneration, and the benefits of public hospital participation in oncological clinical trials. Finally, a study confirms the suitability of transthoracic echocardiography for diagnosing suspected acute aortic syndrome.