Biotechnology Industry News

Stem cell transplantation is a therapeutic approach that has shown promise in addressing cartilage inflammation and damage as well as promoting cartilage regeneration. But, major limitations such as the rapid disappearance of transplanted stem cells from the cartilage resulted in lesser effective treatment outcomes. Pohang University of Science & Technology...

Over the years, our oceans have unfortunately become highly polluted. Employing robots to master the art of collecting waste without destroying these sensitive ecosystems have gained attention. Though there are existing underwater robots that are used as tools for environmental remediation, they are mostly bulky with rigid bodies and are...

International researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and universities from Zürich created a powerful resource in examining the extracellular RNA (exRNA). This research lays the groundwork for how exRNA and its carrier proteins function in a healthy way. It also explores the diseased setting that might provide a way...

A team of Czech and German scientists, from the University of Prague and University Münster, have conducted experiments involving comparisons between de novo proteins and computer-generated proteins regarding their stability and solubility. They were able to find small differences deviating from predictions. In a series of experiments, they compared the...

A team from Washington State University discovered the expression of a gene, Arrdc5, located only in the testicular tissues of multiple mammalian species. This could potentially lead to the creation of highly effective, reversible, and non-hormonal male contraceptives for both humans and animals. Study indicates that the protein encoded in...

Norovirus causes numerous cases of food poisoning, especially in children. The incidence rate continues because of a lack of ways to control it. Human norovirus stymied efforts as it doesn’t infect lab animals, thus affecting the development and replication of rotavirus vaccines with norovirus. A research from the Washington University...

Successful reduction of carbon emissions affects global climate and it includes looking into negative emission technologies and other sources before they get released in the first place. One of the biological approaches to reducing greenhouse gasses aside from planting trees, is algae. About 50 percent of the global carbon dioxide...

It is common knowledge that males experience increased severity in viral infections than females. But as to why, it remains to be a mystery until the discovery made by researchers from the University of California- Los Angeles Health Sciences. The answer lies in UTX, an X-chromosome-linked gene and epigenetic regulator...

University of Liège team of researchers discovered that monocytes have the ability to proliferate with the aim to replace tissue macrophages, a mechanism considered to be essential for the proper functioning of our bodies. Complex multicellular organisms like humans require the generation of billions of cells from a limited number...

In preparing samples or interpreting results for viral diseases, current highly sensitive diagnostic tests require complicated techniques which makes them impractical for point-of-care settings or areas with few resources. To address this, the American Chemical Society (ACS Central Science) devised a comparable sensitive method that analyzes viral nucleic acids in...

Observing chloroplast proteins in finer detail and finding solutions to improve their function has been an objective that is already 50 years in the making. This goal was achieved by a team from the Australian National University (ANU) where they modified the protein folding properties of bacteria with the addition...

Current treatment approaches for type I diabetes, such as pancreatic islet transplantation, are quite promising. However, they are inefficient and can result in the loss of half of the transplanted beta cells during immune attack. Furthermore, the liver can only take in a limited volume of transplanted tissue. This led...

University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) - A group of scientists searched and wondered for a technology that could sniff out a wide range of medical conditions. To make this breakthrough, senior authors and professors, Derek Lovley and Jun Yao looked to human noses as their basis for the mechanism. Human...

Living organisms are fantastic chemists. They are able to use enzymes during chemical reactions by using the gentlest conditions. Creating brand-new enzymes to accelerate chemical reactions is a crucial part in the field of protein design with massive implications across different fields. For instance, in the field of biotechnology, enzymes...

Experts from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas Biomedical Research Institute, have repurposed marmoset blood cells to have the flexibility of stem cells. They later on directed these stem cells to assume the characteristics of sperm precursors. This opens for...

Viruses are the world’s most pervasive organism and they thrive in all kinds of ecosystems. Students and researchers from the University of Southern Denmark (USD) serendipitously discovered Danish creeks, Odense Å and Lindved Å, containing previously unidentified species of a virus. This unforeseen discovery of five potentially new species believed...

Adopting the best food producing technologies is a government decision that requires a cost-benefit analysis. Over the last 25 years, many governments have approved agricultural biotechnologies and the genetically modified (GM) crops that come along with them because of higher yield and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Still, other governments refused...

Experts from the University of California San Diego have examined ultraviolet light emitting devices, particularly ultraviolet nail polish drying devices used to cure gel manicures. They discovered that their use leads to cell death and cancer-causing mutations in human cells, posing as a threat than what was previously thought. While...

In pursuit of more sustainable, sophisticated, efficient, and innovative formulas, some cosmetics companies are moving away from animal-based ingredients to plant-based ones. Others are opting for lab-based biotechnology in their extraction and creation of ingredients. Mathias Fleury, head of actives at Givaudan Active Beauty, says beauty is entering an exciting...

*Synthetic biology aims to develop new strategies for addressing the leading cause of hospital mortality rates.* One such issue is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a naturally antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are difficult to treat as they live in communities that form biofilms. These biofilms allow these bacteria to attach themselves to the surface...