What is new in Biotech
Stem cell microbots travel from nose to brain to treat disease
22.11.2021 | Press monitoring
Researchers in Korea have developed microbots made of stem cells that can be delivered through the nose into the brain. These “Cellbots,” which bypass the blood-brain barrier, could one day be used to treat brain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. The researchers created microbots made mostly of human nuclear transfer stem cells (hNTSCs),...
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Novel artificial genomic DNA can replicate and evolve outside the cell
19.11.2021 | Press monitoring
Professor Norikazu Ichihashi and his colleagues at the University of Tokyo have successfully induced gene expression from a DNA, characteristic of all life, and evolution through continuous replication extracellularly using cell-free materials alone, such as nucleic acids and proteins for the first time. The ability to proliferate and evolve is...
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New mRNA anti-tick vaccine may protect from more than just Lyme disease
17.11.2021 | Press monitoring
A new study is reporting the development of a novel mRNA-based vaccine designed to help resist tick bites. Preclinical tests in guinea pigs indicate the vaccine aids the immune system in recognizing tick bites, resulting in the parasites being dislodged before they can transmit any pathogenic disease. Over a dozen diseases can be transmitted by...
New gene-edited barley that could improve beer
15.11.2021 | Press monitoring
After a spell of unexpected rain, before the harvest season, a farmer may be faced with the unpredictable problem of untimely sprouting of barley. Sprouted barley fetches considerably lower market prices and poses an economic burden on farmers and corporations that are at the mercy of nature. The aggravation of climate change has not made this...
Blood biomarker predicts type 2 diabetes risk up to 19 years before onset
12.11.2021 | Press monitoring
A new study is proposing blood levels of a specific protein may serve as a useful predictor of type 2 diabetes developing up to two decades before any symptoms appear. The findings indicate a diagnostic blood test could be deployed to offer people a way to assess their future risk of developing the disease. Follistatin is a protein initially...
US companies announce plans for gene-edited strawberries
10.11.2021 | Press monitoring
J.R. Simplot Company and Plant Sciences Inc., both privately-held companies, said they expect to launch the first commercially available, gene-edited strawberries within a few years. U.S. growers produced $2.2 billion in strawberries in 2020, mostly in California, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But consumers discarded an...
Dozens of new natural antibiotics found in the human body
8.11.2021 | Press monitoring
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are poised to become a major health threat in the coming decades, but now it turns out that new antibiotics might have been inside us all along. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used a “search” algorithm to find dozens of potential antimicrobial peptides in the human body. With our last line of defense...
Fast electronic test determines if bacteria are antibiotic-resistant
5.11.2021 | Press monitoring
Ordinarily, in order to determine if an infectious bacteria is resistant to certain antibiotics, cultures of that bacteria have to be grown and tested in a lab. The process can take two days or longer, during which time the patient may be getting treated with antibiotics that are later found to be ineffective. Seeking a speedier alternative,...
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Traditional Samoan plant rivals anti-inflammatory effects of ibuprofen
3.11.2021 | Press monitoring
Researchers have identified the anti-inflammatory mechanism behind a plant used for centuries in traditional Samoan medicine. The new study found the plant, known as matalafi, is as effective at reducing inflammation as ibuprofen. Psychotria insularum is a small rainforest shrub native to South Pacific regions. Indigenous Samoan communities have...
Researchers uncover genetic goldmine underlying plant resilience in extreme desert environment
1.11.2021 | Press monitoring
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile, sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and Andes Mountains, is the driest place on the planet (excluding the poles). Yet dozens of plants grow there, including grasses, annuals, and perennial shrubs. In addition to limited water, plants in the Atacama must cope with high altitude, low availability of nutrients...
