en http://www.gate2biotech.com/ All Czech biotech information in one place Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-develop-worm-eeg-to-test-the-effects-of-drugs/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-develop-worm-eeg-to-test-the-effects-of-drugs/ Scientists from the University of Southampton have developed a device which records the brain activity of worms to help test the effects of drugs. NeuroChip is a microfluidic electrophysiological device, which can trap the microscopic worm Caenorhadbitis elegans and record the activity... Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/whodunnit-of-irish-potato-famine-solved/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/whodunnit-of-irish-potato-famine-solved/ An international team of scientists reveals that a unique strain of potato blight they call HERB-1 triggered the Irish potato famine of the mid-nineteenth century. It is the first time scientists have decoded the genome of a plant pathogen and its plant host from dried herbarium... Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/non-wetting-fabric-that-drains-sweat-invented/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/non-wetting-fabric-that-drains-sweat-invented/ Waterproof fabrics that whisk away sweat could be the latest application of microfluidic technology developed by bioengineers at the University of California, Davis. The new fabric works like human skin, forming excess sweat into droplets that drain away by themselves, said inventor Tingrui Pan,... Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/study-of-alligator-dental-regeneration-process-may-lead-to-tooth-regeneration-in-humans/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/study-of-alligator-dental-regeneration-process-may-lead-to-tooth-regeneration-in-humans/ A team of researchers from the U.S., Taiwan and China analyzing tooth regeneration in alligators reports that a similar process might possibly be instigated in humans through artificial means. In their paper published in the PNAS, the team describes how they uncovered the tooth regeneration... Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/human-skin-cells-converted-into-embryonic-stem-cells/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/human-skin-cells-converted-into-embryonic-stem-cells/ Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to become embryonic stem cells capable of transforming into any other cell type in the body. It is believed that stem cell therapies hold... Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/no-idle-chatter-malaria-parasites-talk-to-each-other/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/no-idle-chatter-malaria-parasites-talk-to-each-other/ Melbourne scientists have made the surprise discovery that malaria parasites can \'talk\' to each other -- a social behaviour to ensure the parasite\'s survival and improve its chances of being transmitted to other humans. The finding could provide a niche for developing antimalarial... Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/squishy-hydrogels-may-be-the-ticket-for-studying-biological-effects-of-nanoparticles/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/squishy-hydrogels-may-be-the-ticket-for-studying-biological-effects-of-nanoparticles/ A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed for... Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/elektrina-z-rostlin/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/elektrina-z-rostlin/ Science Daily, Nov. 23, 2012: An unexpected source of new, clean energy has been found: the Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell that can generate electricity from the natural interaction between living plant roots and soil bacteria. The technique already works on a small scale and will soon be applied in... Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/engineered-biomaterial-could-improve-success-of-medical-implants/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/engineered-biomaterial-could-improve-success-of-medical-implants/ Expensive, state-of-the-art medical devices and surgeries often are thwarted by the body\'s natural response to attack something in the tissue that appears foreign. Now, University of Washington engineers have demonstrated in mice a way to prevent this sort of response. The UW researchers... Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/bacteria-adapt-and-evade-nanosilvers-sting/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/bacteria-adapt-and-evade-nanosilvers-sting/ A new study has shown that while silver nanoparticles effectively killed E.coli cells, they also caused another bacteria (Bacillus sp.) to rapidly adapt and flourish. Researchers from UNSW have cautioned that more work is needed to understand how micro-organisms respond to the disinfecting... Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/danske-centrum-pro-vyzkum-rakoviny-hleda-postdoka/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/danske-centrum-pro-vyzkum-rakoviny-hleda-postdoka/ Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/sacred-lotus-genome-sequence-enlightens-scientists/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/sacred-lotus-genome-sequence-enlightens-scientists/  The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a symbol of spiritual purity and longevity. Its seeds can survive up to 1,300 years, its petals and leaves repel grime and water, and its flowers generate heat to attract pollinators. Now researchers report in the journal Genome Biology that they have... Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/engineered-spider-toxin-could-be-the-future-of-anti-venom-vaccines/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/engineered-spider-toxin-could-be-the-future-of-anti-venom-vaccines/ New engineered spider protein could be the start of a new generation of anti-venom vaccines, potentially saving thousands of lives worldwide. The new protein, created from parts of a toxin from the reaper spider, is described today in the Elsevier journal Vaccine. The researchers... Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/building-a-digital-life-form-openworm-open-source/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/building-a-digital-life-form-openworm-open-source/ The worm Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the most widely studied creatures. Scientists consider the worm a model organism for exploring animal development including neural development. The reasons are basic; it has one of the most simple nervous systems, and is convenient for genetic... Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-black-sea-is-a-goldmine-of-ancient-genetic-data/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-black-sea-is-a-goldmine-of-ancient-genetic-data/ When Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) marine paleoecologist Marco Coolen was mining through vast amounts of genetic data from the Black Sea sediment record, he was amazed about the variety of past plankton species that left behind their genetic makeup (i.e., the plankton paleome). The... Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/portable-device-provides-rapid-accurate-diagnosis-of-tuberculosis/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/portable-device-provides-rapid-accurate-diagnosis-of-tuberculosis/ A handheld diagnostic device that Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators first developed to diagnose cancer has been adapted to rapidly diagnose tuberculosis (TB) and other important infectious bacteria. Two papers appearing in the journals Nature Communications and Nature... Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/injectable-nano-network-controls-blood-sugar-in-diabetics-for-days-at-a-time/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/injectable-nano-network-controls-blood-sugar-in-diabetics-for-days-at-a-time/ In a promising development for diabetes treatment, researchers have developed a network of nanoscale particles that can be injected into the body and release insulin when blood-sugar levels rise, maintaining normal blood sugar levels for more than a week in animal-based laboratory... Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/genetic-predisposition-could-lead-to-laziness/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/genetic-predisposition-could-lead-to-laziness/ Medical News Today, 11 Apr 2013: Studies show 97 percent of American adults get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the minimum recommended amount based on federal guidelines. New research from the University of Missouri suggests certain genetic traits may predispose people to being... Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/hypothalamus-brain-region-may-hold-key-to-aging/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/hypothalamus-brain-region-may-hold-key-to-aging/ While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body\'s \"fountain of aging\": the brain region known as the hypothalamus. For the first time, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University report that the hypothalamus of mice controls... Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/printable-bionic-ear-melds-electronics-and-biology/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/printable-bionic-ear-melds-electronics-and-biology/ Scientists at Princeton University used off-the-shelf printing tools to create a functional ear that can \"hear\" radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability. The researchers\' primary purpose was to explore an efficient and versatile means to merge electronics with... Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/super-resolution-microscope-possible-for-nanostructures/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/super-resolution-microscope-possible-for-nanostructures/ Researchers have found a way to see synthetic nanostructures and molecules using a new type of super-resolution optical microscopy, representing a practical tool for biomedical and nanotechnology research. \"Super-resolution optical microscopy has opened a new window into the... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/patterned-hearts-bioengineers-create-rubber-like-material-bearing-micropatterns-for-stronger-more-elastic-hearts/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/patterned-hearts-bioengineers-create-rubber-like-material-bearing-micropatterns-for-stronger-more-elastic-hearts/ A team of bioengineers at Brigham and Women\'s Hospital (BWH) is the first to report creating artificial heart tissue that closely mimics the functions of natural heart tissue through the use of human-based materials. Their work will advance how clinicians treat the damaging effects caused by... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-shaped-like-a-spider-immune-protein-c4bp-is-potentially-suitable-as-a-transporter-for-drugs/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-shaped-like-a-spider-immune-protein-c4bp-is-potentially-suitable-as-a-transporter-for-drugs/ The protein C4BP is similar to a spider in its spatial form with eight \"arms.\" The structure of the \"spider body\" has recently been described in detail by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the Technische Universität Darmstadt. This... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/europe-needs-genetically-engineered-crops-scientists-say/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/europe-needs-genetically-engineered-crops-scientists-say/ The European Union cannot meet its goals in agricultural policy without embracing genetically engineered crops (GMOs). That\'s the conclusion of scientists who write in Trends in Plant Science, a Cell Press publication, based on case studies showing that the EU is undermining its own... Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/discovery-of-wound-healing-genes-in-flies-could-mitigate-human-skin-ailments/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/discovery-of-wound-healing-genes-in-flies-could-mitigate-human-skin-ailments/ Biologists at UC San Diego have identified eight genes never before suspected to play a role in wound healing that are called into action near the areas where wounds occur.  Their discovery, detailed this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, was made in the laboratory fruit fly... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/radioactive-bacteria-targets-metastatic-pancreatic-cancer/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/radioactive-bacteria-targets-metastatic-pancreatic-cancer/ Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a therapy for pancreatic cancer that uses Listeria bacteria to selectively infect tumor cells and deliver radioisotopes into them. The experimental treatment dramatically decreased the number of... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/special-e-coli-bacteria-produce-diesel-on-demand/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/special-e-coli-bacteria-produce-diesel-on-demand/ It sounds like science fiction but a team from the University of Exeter, with support from Shell, has developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. While the technology still faces many significant commercialisation challenges, the diesel, produced by special strains of... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/research-harnesses-solar-powered-proteins-to-filter-harmful-antibiotics-from-water/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/research-harnesses-solar-powered-proteins-to-filter-harmful-antibiotics-from-water/ University of Cincinnati researchers have developed and tested a solar-powered nano filter that is able to remove harmful carcinogens and antibiotics from water sources -- lakes and rivers -- at a significantly higher rate than the currently used filtering technology made of activated... Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/acute-stress-primes-brain-for-better-cognitive-and-mental-performance/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/acute-stress-primes-brain-for-better-cognitive-and-mental-performance/ \"You always think about stress as a really bad thing, but it\'s not,\" said Daniela Kaufer, associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley. \"Some amounts of stress are good to push you just to the level of optimal alertness, behavioral and cognitive... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-transform-cellulose-into-starch-potential-food-source-derived-from-non-food-plants/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-transform-cellulose-into-starch-potential-food-source-derived-from-non-food-plants/ A team of Virginia Tech researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally though of as food crops. Y.H. Percival Zhang, an associate professor of biological... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/implantable-bioengineered-rat-kidney-transplanted-organ-produces-urine-but-further-refinement-is-needed/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/implantable-bioengineered-rat-kidney-transplanted-organ-produces-urine-but-further-refinement-is-needed/ Bioengineered rat kidneys developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators successfully produced urine both in a laboratory apparatus and after being transplanted into living animals. In their report the research team describes building functional replacement kidneys on the... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/brain-development-is-guided-by-junk-dna-that-isnt-really-junk/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/brain-development-is-guided-by-junk-dna-that-isnt-really-junk/ Specific DNA once dismissed as junk plays an important role in brain development and might be involved in several devastating neurological diseases, UC San Francisco scientists have found. In their own research, the UCSF team studies molecules called long noncoding RNA (lncRNA, often pronounced... Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/biomimetic-nanosponges-absorb-toxins-released-by-bacterial-infections-and-venom/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/biomimetic-nanosponges-absorb-toxins-released-by-bacterial-infections-and-venom/ Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have invented a \"nanosponge\" capable of safely removing a broad class of dangerous toxins from the bloodstream – including toxins produced by MRSA, E. coli, poisonous snakes and bees. These nanosponges, which thus far have been... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/molecular-superglue-based-on-flesh-eating-bacteria/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/molecular-superglue-based-on-flesh-eating-bacteria/ In a classic case of turning an enemy into a friend, scientists have engineered a protein from flesh-eating bacteria to act as a molecular \"superglue\" that promises to become a disease fighter. \"We\'ve turned the tables and put one kind of flesh-eating bacterium to... Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/transparent-brain-using-hydrogel-process/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/transparent-brain-using-hydrogel-process/ Combining neuroscience and chemical engineering, researchers at Stanford University have developed a process that renders a mouse brain transparent. The postmortem brain remains whole -- not sliced or sectioned in any way -- with its three-dimensional complexity of fine wiring and... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/better-monitoring-and-diagnostics-tackle-algae-biofuel-pond-crash-problem/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/better-monitoring-and-diagnostics-tackle-algae-biofuel-pond-crash-problem/ Sandia National Laboratories is developing a suite of complementary technologies to help the emerging algae industry detect and quickly recover from algal pond crashes, an obstacle to large-scale algae cultivation for future biofuels. Because of the way algae is grown and produced in most... Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/gulf-of-mexico-has-greater-than-believed-ability-to-self-cleanse-oil-spills/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/gulf-of-mexico-has-greater-than-believed-ability-to-self-cleanse-oil-spills/ The Gulf of Mexico may have a much greater natural ability to self-clean oil spills than previously believed, an expert in bioremediation said on April 8 in New Orleans at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Terry C. Hazen, Ph.D., said... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/failures-in-chromosome-protection-linked-to-cancer-for-the-first-time/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/failures-in-chromosome-protection-linked-to-cancer-for-the-first-time/ Medical News Today 21 March 2013: A study published in the journal Nature Genetics explores a new mechanism that may contribute to the development of several tumours, including Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, a type of cancer that affects more than a thousand new patients in Spain each year. his... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/artificial-ovary-mimics-real-hormone-levels/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/artificial-ovary-mimics-real-hormone-levels/ An artificial ovary could make hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a thing of the past. Women with damaged ovaries or who are post-menopausal don\'t produce sex hormones, which can lead to osteoporosis. Daily HRT helps, but can have side effects. Emmanuel Opara at Wake Forest University,... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/interested-in-drosophila-genetics-apply-for-a-postdoctoral-fellow/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/interested-in-drosophila-genetics-apply-for-a-postdoctoral-fellow/ The Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Entomology, CAS CR is offering a postdoctoral research fellow position in the project Drosophila Molecular Genetics. Major research areas related to the PostDoc project:    Drosophila response to nematobacterial infection Molecular signaling... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/disease-resistant-tomatoes-fight-lethal-pests/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/disease-resistant-tomatoes-fight-lethal-pests/ In the battle against thrips, Cornell breeder Martha Mutschler-Chu has developed a new weapon: a tomato that packs a powerful one-two punch to deter the pests and counter the killer viruses they transmit. Thrips are tiny insects that pierce and suck fluids from hundreds of species... Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/breakthrough-in-hydrogen-fuel-production-could-revolutionize-alternative-energy-market/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/breakthrough-in-hydrogen-fuel-production-could-revolutionize-alternative-energy-market/ A team of Virginia Tech researchers has discovered a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from any plant, a breakthrough that has the potential to bring a low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source to the world. Our new process could help end our dependence on fossil... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/biofuel-waste-product-recycled-for-electricity/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/biofuel-waste-product-recycled-for-electricity/ ScienceDaily, Sep. 4, 2012 — A by-product of biofuel manufacture can power microbial fuel cells to generate electricity cheaply and efficiently, according to scientists presenting their work at the Society for General Microbiology\'s Autumn Conference. The work could help develop self-powered... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/endangered-lemurs-complete-genomes-sequenced-analyzed-for-conservation-efforts/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/endangered-lemurs-complete-genomes-sequenced-analyzed-for-conservation-efforts/ For the first time, the complete genomes of three separate populations of aye-ayes—a type of lemur—have been sequenced and analyzed in an effort to help guide conservation efforts. \"The aye-aye is one of the world\'s most unusual and fascinating animals,\" said George H. Perry, an assistant... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/us-says-eu-rules-on-biotech-crops-unnecessary/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/us-says-eu-rules-on-biotech-crops-unnecessary/ The United States on Monday criticized \"unnecessary\" European Union rules against genetically modified US crop imports as it prepares to enter free-trade talks with the EU. EU restrictions notably have resulted in delays in the approval of new GM traits \"despite positive assessments by the... Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/researchers-engineer-plant-cell-walls-to-boost-sugar-yields-for-biofuels/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/researchers-engineer-plant-cell-walls-to-boost-sugar-yields-for-biofuels/ Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant organic material on Earth. For thousands of years it has been used as animal feed, and for the past two centuries has been a staple of the paper industry. This abundant resource, however, could also supply the sugars needed to produce advanced... Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/advances-in-confocal-microscopy-high-content-screening/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/advances-in-confocal-microscopy-high-content-screening/ Veterinary Research Institute (CEITEC MU) is hosting an international workshop on the modern trends in confocal microscopy and high content screening.  The event will take place on Thursday, April 4th at the VRI (Hudcova 70, Brno). Speakers are coming from the Veterinary Resarch Institute as well... Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/biological-transistor-enables-computing-within-living-cells/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/biological-transistor-enables-computing-within-living-cells/ When Charles Babbage prototyped the first computing machine in the 19th century, he imagined using mechanical gears and latches to control information. ENIAC, the first modern computer developed in the 1940s, used vacuum tubes and electricity. Today, computers use transistors made from highly... Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/how-microbes-survive-at-bare-minimum-archaea-eat-protein/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/how-microbes-survive-at-bare-minimum-archaea-eat-protein/ Beneath the ocean floor is a desolate place with no oxygen and sunlight. Yet microbes have thrived in this environment for millions of years. Scientists have puzzled over how these microbes survive, but today there are more answers. A study led by Karen Lloyd, a University of... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/master-gene-helps-weeds-defy-all-weedkillers/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/master-gene-helps-weeds-defy-all-weedkillers/ No wonder wheat and barley farmers in Europe and Australia have trouble killing ryegrass and black-grass. These plants have a master gene that makes some strains resistant to all major herbicides. \"This is a general detoxification mechanism, just like the way tumours detoxify...