Novel mechanism discovered in first line of immune defence
Scientists' discovery opens doors to developing new therapies to eradicate tumour cells and combat infections.
Sep 10th, 2013
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Synthetic mRNA can induce self-repair and regeneration of the infarcted heart
A team of scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Harvard University has taken a major step towards treatment for heart attack, by instructing the injured heart in mice to heal by expressing a factor that triggers cardiovascular regeneration driven by native heart stem cells. The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, also shows that there was an effect on driving the formation of a small number of new cardiac muscle cells.
Sep 8th, 2013
Read moreNew venture is commercializing a novel catalytic process to convert non-food biomass into sugar
Flagship VentureLabs announced that Midori Renewables is globally deploying their Breaking the Biomass Barrier technology, a novel catalyst that melts non-food biomass into low cost sugar, enabling the production of many valuable renewable products and animal feed.
Sep 5th, 2013
Read moreBrown algae reveal antioxidant production secrets
Brown algae contain phlorotannins, aromatic (phenolic) compounds that are unique in the plant kingdom. As natural antioxidants, phlorotannins are of great interest for the treament and prevention of cancer and inflammatory, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers have recently elucidated the key step in the production of these compounds in Ectocarpus siliculosus, a small brown alga model species.
Sep 5th, 2013
Read moreSlowing the ageing process - it's in your genes
Imagine being able to take a drug that can reduce the rate at which you age. Research by Massey University senior lecturer in genetics Dr Austen Ganley is making this dream one step closer to reality.
Sep 5th, 2013
Read moreResearchers looking inside vessels to understand blood's ebb and flow
Researchers have known for some time that the blood vessels that transport blood to and from tissues and organs in the body are more than just bodily pipelines. Arterioles and capillaries, the small vessels, actually play a key role in regulating the flow of the blood they're carrying. Biomedical engineers at Drexel University, who study cardiovascular function, are creating a mathematical model that explains just how they do it.
Sep 4th, 2013
Read moreWiring microbes to conduct and produce electricity faster
A team of researchers have found evidence that altering the chemistry of an electrode surface can help microbial communities to connect to the electrode to produce more electricity more rapidly compared to unmodified electrodes. Practical applications of these systems include current generation, wastewater treatment, and biochemical and biofuel production.
Sep 4th, 2013
Read moreAn easier way to control genes
New method for turning genes on and off could enable more complex synthetic biology circuits.
Sep 3rd, 2013
Read moreNext generation cures born from the sea
The SeaBioTech project, started in 2012, is intended to close some of these knowledge gaps by looking in the seas and oceans around the globe for life forms with novel properties. The aim is to find raw material for the world's biotechnology industry, with a particular emphasis on antibiotics and other medical compounds.
Sep 2nd, 2013
Read moreScientists sequence genome of high-value grape, seek secrets of wine's aroma
Demystifying the chemical processes that create a wine's aroma, and the invaluable potential application of that understanding in winemaking, is the new objective of scientists in Uruguay who, with European partners, also recently sequenced the genome of the high-value Tannat grape, from which 'the most healthy of red wines' are fermented.
Sep 2nd, 2013
Read moreMembranes contain beautiful patterns - but their function is a mystery
Biological cells are surrounded by a membrane, and here some of the most important processes for sustaining life take place. There can also be something very beautiful happening in membranes, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have discovered: Membranes can contain beautiful, mysterious patterns.
Aug 30th, 2013
Read moreNovel polymer helps oral medications reach the bloodstream
Research on new polymer additives that enhance the ability of orally administered drugs will result in greater effectiveness and fewer side effects.
Aug 28th, 2013
Read moreResearcher controls colleague's motions in first human brain-to-brain interface (w/video)
University of Washington researchers have performed what they believe is the first noninvasive human-to-human brain interface, with one researcher able to send a brain signal via the Internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher.
Aug 27th, 2013
Read moreScientists report breakthrough in DNA editing technology
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have found a way to apply a powerful new DNA-editing technology more broadly than ever before.
Aug 26th, 2013
Read moreWatching the production of new proteins in live cells
Columbia researchers make significant step in understanding and imaging protein synthesis.
Aug 26th, 2013
Read moreNew tool enhances the search for genetic mutations
Researchers report on a new software tool known as DeNovoGear, which uses statistical probabilities to help identify mutations and more accurately pinpoint their source and their possible significance for health.
Aug 26th, 2013
Read moreA skeleton for chromosomes
Scientists at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) found that the structure of Chromosomes is supported by a kind of molecular skeleton, made of cohesin.
Aug 26th, 2013
Read moreUnprecedented control of genome editing in flies promises insight into human development, disease
In an era of widespread genetic sequencing, the ability to edit and alter an organism's DNA is a powerful way to explore the information within and how it guides biological function.
Aug 23rd, 2013
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