A study led by Dr Katia Cosentino of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia has made a significant breakthrough in understanding how the human body removes infected or damaged cells while triggering immune defences. For the first time, researchers have directly observed microscopic pores formed by the protein Gasdermin D on the surface of cells, a finding that could open new avenues for developing treatments for cancer, infectious diseases and a wide range of inflammatory conditions. Published in the prestigious journal Science Advances, the research marks a major advance in the study of pyroptosis, a specialised form of inflammatory cell death that plays a crucial role in the immune response. Pyroptosis is also increasingly recognised as a key process in tumour biology and in determining how cancers respond to treatment. The study was coordinated by Dr Cosentino during her research at Osnabrück University in Germany and was supported by an extensive network of international collaborators.