Engineering a protein to prevent brain damage from toxic agents
Researchers advance the stability of a protein that neutralizes toxins in common pesticides and chemical weapons.
Jul 31st, 2014
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Biotechnology News – Latest Headlines
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The yin and yang of 'moonwalking' cells (w/video)
A particle dynamics model may provide insight into diseases and deformities linked to disruptions in cell development.
Jul 30th, 2014
Read moreScissoring the lipids
Scientists describe a new strategy which enables molecules to be disconnected essentially anywhere, even remote from functionality.
Jul 28th, 2014
Read moreHow sweet it is: New tool for characterizing plant sugar transporters
A powerful new tool that can help advance the genetic engineering of 'fuel' crops for clean, green and renewable bioenergy, has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). The JBEI researchers have developed an assay that enables scientists to identify and characterize the function of nucleotide sugar transporters, critical components in the biosynthesis of plant cell walls.
Jul 28th, 2014
Read moreStem cells from nerves form teeth
Scientists have discovered that stem cells inside the soft tissues of the tooth come from an unexpected source, namely nerves. These findings contribute to brand new knowledge of how teeth are formed, how they grow and how they are able to self-repair.
Jul 28th, 2014
Read moreJunk DNA not as worthless as once thought
Around 75 per cent of the supposed functionless DNA in the human genome is transcribed into so-called non-coding RNAs (ribonucleic acid). To date, little is known about its function. Researchers have now been able to demonstrate that the production of non-coding RNAs is precisely regulated. They suspect that non-coding RNAs might play a role in regulating cellular processes or in the modified immune response following exposure to environmental toxicants.
Jul 23rd, 2014
Read moreProtein evolution follows a modular principle
Similarities between proteins reveal that their great diversity has arisen from smaller building blocks.
Jul 22nd, 2014
Read moreHigh-speed coherent Raman fingerprint imaging of biological tissues
Researchers have demonstrated a dramatically improved technique for analyzing biological cells and tissues based on characteristic molecular vibrations. The new technique is an advanced form of Raman spectroscopy that is fast and accurate enough to create high-resolution images of biological specimens, with detailed spatial information on specific biomolecules, at speeds fast enough to observe changes in living cells.
Jul 22nd, 2014
Read moreAchieving chemical-free natural cosmetics with the power of enzymes
A EUR 7 million EU-funded project has been launched with the intention of replacing chemical cosmetic production techniques with eco-friendly alternatives. By doing so, the OPTIBIOCAT project hopes to provide the natural cosmetics sector with the necessary technical sophistication to meet growing consumer demand for natural, environmentally friendly products.
Jul 22nd, 2014
Read moreNew technique uses 'simulated' human heart to screen drugs
A scientist has developed a pioneering new way - using samples of beating heart tissue - to test the effect of drugs on the heart without using human or animal trials.
Jul 21st, 2014
Read moreScientists successfully generate human platelets using next-generation bioreactor
Researchers have developed a scalable, next-generation platelet bioreactor to generate fully functional human platelets in vitro. The work is a major biomedical advancement that will help address blood transfusion needs worldwide.
Jul 21st, 2014
Read moreNew, powerful single-cell technique to study environmental effects on DNA
Scientists have developed a powerful new single-cell technique to help investigate how the environment affects our development and the traits we inherit from our parents. The technique can be used to map all of the 'epigenetic marks' on the DNA within a single cell.
Jul 21st, 2014
Read moreSkin that can flex its muscles
A membrane curls fast and furiously when it comes into contact with a solvent vapour.
Jul 21st, 2014
Read moreScientists map one of most important proteins in life - and cancer
Scientists reveal the structure of one of the most important and complicated proteins in cell division - a fundamental process in life and the development of cancer - in research published today.
Jul 20th, 2014
Read moreSpeedy computation enables scientists to reconstruct an animal's development cell by cell
Recent advances in imaging technology are transforming how scientists see the cellular universe, showing the form and movement of once grainy and blurred structures in stunning detail. But extracting the torrent of information contained in those images often surpasses the limits of existing computational resources. Now, researchers have created a new computational method to rapidly track the three-dimensional movements of cells in such data-rich images.
Jul 20th, 2014
Read moreMeasuring the number of protein molecules inside cells
Scientists were able to measure the amount of protein molecules in living human cells required to form an important structure of the chromosome, the centromere. This study presents new methodologies that may also be used to unveil other biological problems.
Jul 18th, 2014
Read moreX-ray studies of biomolecules without the damage
A non-damaging x-ray technique makes it possible to investigate the detailed structure of large biomolecules, leading to a better understanding of their biological functions.
Jul 18th, 2014
Read moreEngineering synthetic microbial communities for biomethane production
Scientists are investigating how to use methane-producing microbes, known as methanogens, to generate renewable biofuels.
Jul 17th, 2014
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