Inspired by kombucha tea, engineers create 'living materials'
A symbiotic culture of specialized yeast and bacteria can generate tough materials able to perform a variety of functions.
Jan 14th, 2021
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Biotechnology News – Latest Headlines
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Biotechnologists measure the forces with which algae cells adhere to surfaces and move on them
Researchers examined how movement and adhesion in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can be manipulated. To this end, they altered the sugar modifications in proteins on the cell surface. As a result, the so-called adhesion force was also altered.
Dec 29th, 2020
Read moreSwitching DNA functions on and off by means of light
Biochemists have developed a new strategy for controlling the biological functions of DNA by means of light and therefore provide a tool to investigate processes which take place in cells.
Dec 28th, 2020
Read moreHow COVID-19 vaccines work
With two, FDA-approved vaccines now rolling out across the US - and at least one other promising candidate potentially available as soon as early 2021- -the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic may one day soon be in sight.
Dec 23rd, 2020
Read moreFibrous protein finding may lead to improved bioprinting, tissue engineering
Fibrous proteins such as collagen and fibrinogen form a thin solid layer on the surface of an aqueous solution similar to the 'skin' that forms on warm milk, according to a team of researchers, who believe this finding could lead to more efficient bioprinting and tissue engineering.
Dec 17th, 2020
Read moreThe force to shape an organ
Novel biosensor reveals the mechanobiological forces that shape organ development and biological phenomena like hypertension.
Dec 15th, 2020
Read moreNew synthetic molecule can kill the flu virus
Researchers have developed a synthetic molecule capable of killing the virus that causes influenza. They hope their discovery will lead to an effective drug treatment.
Dec 15th, 2020
Read moreRNA basic building block produced biocatalytically for the first time
Scientists succeed in the first enzyme-driven biocatalytic synthesis of nucleic acid building blocks. This facilitates the development of antiviral agents and RNA-based therapeutics.
Dec 15th, 2020
Read moreDevelopment of the first biohybrid artificial retina built with silk fibroin and retinal cells
An international research team has taken a further step to solve Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)-derived blidness problem with the development of the first biohybrid artificial retina built with silk fibroin and retinal cells.
Dec 12th, 2020
Read moreDetecting SARS-CoV-2 with a smartphone camera
International researchers have developed a device that can, with the help of a smartphone camera, detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a nasal swab. The test makes use of the gene-splicing CRISPR-Cas technology to be able to make a positive test result fluoresce so that a standard mobile can detect it within the device.
Dec 11th, 2020
Read moreNovel cellulose finding may lead to new chemicals, biofuels
Scientists have identified, for the first time, how cellulose crystals orient themselves relative to the cell wall in plants, with potential implications for chemical and energy development.
Dec 7th, 2020
Read morePhotonics meets surface science in a cheap and accurate sensor for biological liquids
Researchers have come up with a new, simple and inexpensive method of testing liquid biological samples that can be further developed to work in clinical settings, including real-time testing during surgery.
Dec 3rd, 2020
Read moreResearch creates hydrogen-producing living droplets, paving way for alternative future energy source
Scientists have built tiny droplet-based microbial factories that produce hydrogen, instead of oxygen, when exposed to daylight in air.
Nov 25th, 2020
Read moreGenerating huge true random numbers using DNA synthesis
Scientists have generated a huge true random number using DNA synthesis. It is the first time that a number of this magnitude has been created by biochemical means.
Nov 24th, 2020
Read moreUsing cutting edge technology to bioprint mini-kidneys
Similar to the process used to 3D print materials like metal and concrete, 3D bioprinted mini kidneys were created using a paste of stem cells, gradually forming tissue sheets.
Nov 23rd, 2020
Read moreCell-free technology accelerates industrial biotechnology
Scientists have developed a cell-free framework to rapidly select from hundreds of enzyme pathways. The framework eliminates the need to use intact cells to facilitate the design of microbial factories.
Nov 20th, 2020
Read moreMeasuring pH locally with terahertz spectroscopy
Scientists have developed a new method to determine a local pH value near a specific site of a biomolecule.
Nov 20th, 2020
Read moreNew process narrows the gap between natural and synthetic materials
Skin and cartilage are both strong and flexible - properties that are hard to replicate in artificial materials. But a new fabrication process brings lifelike synthetic polymers a step closer.
Nov 19th, 2020
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