Biotechnology News – Latest Headlines

The force to shape an organ

Novel biosensor reveals the mechanobiological forces that shape organ development and biological phenomena like hypertension.

December 15, 2020 Read more

New 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.

December 15, 2020 Read more

RNA 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.

December 15, 2020 Read more

Development 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.

December 12, 2020 Read more

Detecting 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.

December 11, 2020 Read more

Novel 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.

December 7, 2020 Read more

Photonics 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.

December 3, 2020 Read more

Research 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.

November 25, 2020 Read more

Generating 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.

November 24, 2020 Read more

Using 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.

November 23, 2020 Read more

Cell-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.

November 20, 2020 Read more

Measuring pH locally with terahertz spectroscopy

Scientists have developed a new method to determine a local pH value near a specific site of a biomolecule.

November 20, 2020 Read more

New 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.

November 19, 2020 Read more

Organoids produce embryonic heart

Bioengineers have used organoids - tiny lab-grown organs - to mimic the early development of the heart in the mouse embryo. The work is another step towards future bioartificial organs for research and transplants.

November 11, 2020 Read more

Microbe 'rewiring' technique promises a boom in biomanufacturing

A new approach to modifying microbes' metabolic processes will speed up production of innovative bio-based fuels, materials, and chemicals.

November 10, 2020 Read more

Scientists speed up artificial organoid growth and selection

The method currently used to produce stem cell-derived tissues has a very limited throughput. By semi-automating tissue differentiation, researchers have made the process nearly four times faster, without compromising on quality.

November 10, 2020 Read more

Printable ink guides cell growth, offers nerve injury hope

Researchers have developed a neuron-growing ink that uses the body's own electrical signals to precisely guide the growth of nerve cells.

November 10, 2020 Read more

Making sense of what you see in biomedical images (w/video)

An interdisciplinary team of researchers present Biomedisa, an easy-to-use open-source online platform for biomedical image segmentation. The work addresses the needs of scientists without substantial computational expertise.

November 9, 2020 Read more