Biotechnology News – Latest Headlines

Researchers electronically link the brains of pairs of rats

Researchers have electronically linked the brains of pairs of rats for the first time, enabling them to communicate directly to solve simple behavioral puzzles. A further test of this work successfully linked the brains of two animals thousands of miles apart.

February 28, 2013 Read more

Lung-on-a-Chip wins prize for potentially reducing need for animal testing (w/video)

Wyss Founding Director Don Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., received the NC3Rs 3Rs Prize from the UK's National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) for his innovative Lung-on-a-Chip - a microdevice lined by human cells that recapitulates complex functions of the living lung.

February 28, 2013 Read more

Reading the human genome

Berkeley Lab researchers produce first step-by-step look at transcription initiation.

February 27, 2013 Read more

Swine cells could power artificial liver

Scientists are examining a line of "immortal" swine cells that can differentiate into liver cells. These cells could be part of an artificial liver device, which could reduce the need for liver transplants.

February 27, 2013 Read more

Order in the chaos of a cell membrane

Crystalline areas form in model membranes based on a previously unknown mechanism.

February 27, 2013 Read more

Holographic technique could lead to bionic vision

Scientists are testing the power of holography to artificially stimulate cells in the eye, with hopes of developing a new strategy for bionic vision restoration.

February 26, 2013 Read more

Sweet news for stem cell's 'Holy Grail'

Scientists have used sugar-coated scaffolding to move a step closer to the routine use of stem cells in the clinic and unlock their huge potential to cure diseases from Alzheimer's to diabetes.

February 26, 2013 Read more

Taking the gamble out of DNA sequencing

Scientists have developed an algorithm to predict how much can be learned in a large-scale DNA sequencing experiment -- with potential applications in every field of science.

February 24, 2013 Read more

Analytical trick accelerates protein studies

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found a new way to accelerate a workhorse instrument that identifies proteins. The high-speed technique could help diagnose cancer sooner and point to new drugs for treating a wide range of conditions.

February 24, 2013 Read more

Antibacterial protein's molecular workings revealed

Scientists report new insights to the workings of calprotectin - including a detailed structural view of how it binds the metal manganese. Their findings could guide efforts to develop novel antibacterials that limit a microbe's access to metals.

February 21, 2013 Read more

IBN creates unlimited source of human kidney cells

Researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have successfully generated human kidney cells from human embryonic stem cells in vitro. Specifically, they produced the renal cells under artificial conditions in the lab without using animals or organs. This has not been possible until now.

February 21, 2013 Read more

Bioengineers 3D print ears that look and act like the real thing

Cornell bioengineers and physicians have created an artificial ear that looks and acts like a natural ear, giving new hope to thousands of children born with a congenital deformity called microtia.

February 21, 2013 Read more

Two-stage vectors deliver gene silencing therapy to tumors

Haifa Shen and Mauro Ferrari led a team of investigators that created a two-stage delivery vehicle capable of ferrying an agent that targets this protein to triple negative breast tumors.

February 20, 2013 Read more

Cell growth mechanism uncovered

A Melbourne-based research team has discovered a genetic defect that can halt cell growth and force cells into a death-evading survival state.

February 20, 2013 Read more

Researchers coat spinal polymer implants with bioactive film to improve bonding with bone

Researchers from North Carolina State University have for the first time successfully coated polymer implants with a bioactive film. The discovery should improve the success rate of such implants -- which are often used in spinal surgeries.

February 19, 2013 Read more

Crowdsourcing killer outbreaks (w/video)

A crowdsourcing effort is underway to tackle the ash dieback disease declared endemic in the UK that threatens the 129,000 hectares of woodland that Britain's 80M ash trees cover.

February 18, 2013 Read more

'Snooze button' on biological clocks improves cell adaptability

The circadian clocks that control and influence dozens of basic biological processes have an unexpected "snooze button" that helps cells adapt to changes in their environment.

February 18, 2013 Read more

The quest for a better bionic hand

New research is paving the way for new, smart prosthetics that connect directly to the nervous system. The benefits are more versatile prosthetics with intuitive motor control and realistic sensory feedbac - in essence, they could one day return dexterity and the sensation of touch to an amputee.

February 18, 2013 Read more