What is new in Biotech
Newly identified algal strains rich in phosphorus could improve wastewater treatment
1.12.2023 | Press monitoring
The Revolving Algal Biofilm (RAB) system by Gross-Wen Technologies is an emerging technology that does just that. In the RAB system, phosphorus-laden algae are cultivated in wastewater attached to a revolving belt. The grown algal biomass can then be harvested from the belt and dried for use as agricultural fertilizer or as feedstock for the...
Nanodiamonds can block tumor metastasis in mice, study shows
29.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Nanodiamonds are 2–8 nm carbon nanoparticles, which can be easily functionalized with various chemical groups like carboxylic groups or drugs. Previous research has shown that actively dividing cells are more likely to absorb nanodiamonds and that epithelial cells treated with carboxylic nanodiamonds lose the ability to migrate across...
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Networking nano-biosensors for wireless communication in the blood
27.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Biological computing machines, such as micro and nano-implants that can collect important information inside the human body, are transforming medicine. Yet, networking them for communication has proven challenging. Now, a global team, including EPFL researchers, has developed a protocol that enables a molecular network with multiple...
Will this antibiotic work for you? A quick and easy method of testing antimicrobial susceptibility
24.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) directly causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths around the globe annually. A leading cause of AMR is the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which has allowed microbes to mutate over time and develop insensitivity to the drugs designed to kill them, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease...
Microbes could help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers
22.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Bacteria that can convert nitrogen gas to ammonia could not only provide nutrients that plants need, but also help regenerate soil and protect plants from pests. However, these bacteria are sensitive to heat and humidity, so it's difficult to scale up their manufacture and ship them to farms. To overcome that obstacle, MIT chemical engineers...
Using dust to bust crime scene DNA forensics
20.11.2023 | Press monitoring
An airborne fraction of soil, or dust, contains biological and chemical "signatures" that act as a fingerprint to a specific location. Australian forensic science experts, led by Flinders University, have highlighted the usefulness of the latest technology by testing a series of field sites in South Australia for their unique chemical and...
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Scientists 3D-print hair follicles in lab-grown skin
17.11.2023 | Press monitoring
A team led by scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has 3D-printed hair follicles in human skin tissue cultured in the lab. This marks the first time researchers have used the technology to generate hair follicles, which play an important role in skin healing and function. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, has...
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Researchers develop novel selenium nanoparticles for managing postmenopausal osteoporosis
15.11.2023 | Press monitoring
As the aging population around the world grows, metabolic diseases like osteoporosis are becoming more prevalent and placing a greater burden on health care systems. Rising to this challenge, a research team led by Prof. Wong Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food and Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition...
Researchers develop light-activated protein superglue for fast and precise control of cells and tissues
13.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Researchers at Tampere University have been involved in an international study to develop new tools for the light-activated control of cells. These tools are especially welcome for understanding processes where a fast initial signal leads to long-term changes in cell or tissue function. The modular Lego brick-like structure makes the tools widely...
Credit: Dr Graham Beards_WikimediaCommons
Bacteria-virus arms race provides rare window into rapid and complex evolution
10.11.2023 | Press monitoring
Rather than the evocative plants and animals of the Galapagos Islands that Darwin studied in forming his theory of evolution, Postdoctoral Scholar Joshua Borin and Associate Professor Justin Meyer of UC San Diego's School of Biological Sciences are documenting rapid evolutionary processes in simple laboratory flasks. Borin and Meyer set bacteria...
