Biotechnology News – Latest Headlines

Stem cells embedded into eyes to cure glaucoma

Researchers present a study that proves stem cells ability to cure glaucoma. It is the world's first successful attempt to grow and transplant retinal ganglion cells in laboratory settings. It establishes a path for further cell therapy development, growing and transplanting other organs and parts of them.

April 19, 2021 Read more

New CRISPR technology offers unrivaled control of epigenetic inheritance

Scientists have figured out how to modify CRISPR's basic architecture to extend its reach beyond the genome and into what's known as the epigenome -- proteins and small molecules that latch onto DNA and control when and where genes are switched on or off.

April 16, 2021 Read more

Scientists program microalgae's 'oil factory' to produce various oils

By combining the 'chassis' of an oil-producing microalgae with genes from a Cuphea plant, scientists can turn the algae into a microbial cell factory that can produce various oils with different properties.

April 15, 2021 Read more

An ion pump to deliver chemotherapy agents to the brain

Researchers have shown in cells in culture that an ion pump can deliver drugs more accurately, which gives less severe adverse effects in chemotherapy.

April 15, 2021 Read more

Researchers streamline molecular assembly line to design, test drug compounds

Researchers have found a way to fine-tune the molecular assembly line that creates antibiotics via engineered biosynthesis. The work could allow scientists to improve existing antibiotics as well as design new drug candidates quickly and efficiently.

April 13, 2021 Read more

Researchers engineer probiotic yeast to produce beta-carotene

Researchers have genetically engineered a probiotic yeast to produce beta-carotene in the guts of laboratory mice. The advance demonstrates the utility of work the researchers have done to detail how a suite of genetic engineering tools can be used to modify the yeast.

April 12, 2021 Read more

Technique allows mapping of epigenetic information in single cells at scale

Scientists have developed a technique that makes it possible to examine how different versions of histones bind to the genome in tens of thousands of individual cells at the same time. The technique was applied to the mouse brain and can be used to study epigenetics at a single-cell level in other complex tissues.

April 12, 2021 Read more

Lighting the way to folding next-level origami

Synthetic biologists explored ways to fold artificial proteins into diverse shapes like origamis. They constructed diamond-shaped protein cages, and managed to transform them to different shapes.

April 12, 2021 Read more

Computer model fosters potential improvements to 'bionic eye' technology

Scientists develop signals that could bring color vision and improved clarity to prosthesis for the blind.

April 9, 2021 Read more

An on-off switch for gene editing

New, reversible CRISPR method can control gene expression while leaving underlying DNA sequence unchanged.

April 9, 2021 Read more

What is mRNA?

mRNA, the messenger molecule that's been in every living cell for billions of years is the key ingredient in some COVID-19 vaccines.

April 9, 2021 Read more

The incredible bacterial 'homing missiles' that scientists want to harness

Scientists are digging into the bizarre bacteria-produced nanomachines that could fast-track microbiome science.

April 7, 2021 Read more

Decellularized spinach serves as an edible platform for laboratory-grown meat

The veiny skeleton of a spinach leaf shows for the first time it can support the growth of artificial meat.

March 31, 2021 Read more

The third generation of siRNA delivery system makes RNAi therapy feasible

Researchers reprogram host liver with genetic circuits to direct the synthesis and self-assembly of siRNAs into secretory exosomes. In vivo assembled siRNAs are systematically distributed to multiple tissues or targeted to specific tissues, inducing potent target gene silencing in these tissues.

March 30, 2021 Read more

Uprooting cancer: Hydrogel rapidly reverts cancer cells back to cancer stem cells

A hydrogel successfully reverted cancer cells back to cancer stem cells within 24 hours, in six different human cancer types. This could lead to the development of anti-cancer stem cell drugs and personalized medicines.

March 29, 2021 Read more

New data libraries open a new chapter in designing compounds that mimic antibodies

Researchers developed a new method to synthesize and screen libraries of peptoid nanostructures.

March 26, 2021 Read more

Inspired by cartilage

The clever addition of lipids to water-based hydrogels makes them excellent lubricants for biomedical uses.

March 23, 2021 Read more

Mystery protein helps COVID-19 avoid immunity

A team of HIV researchers, cellular biologists, and biophysicists banded together to determine the atomic structure of a certain protein thought to help SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19) evade and dampen the response from human immune cells.

March 23, 2021 Read more