en http://www.gate2biotech.com/ Information about biotechnology research. News from Czech and international biotech research. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/ethics-in-science/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/ethics-in-science/ Institute of Philosophy of The Academy of Science CR organised on February 17 a seminar "Ethics of Science in the Czech Republic". Such topic is very important particularly in bioscience. This was also reflected on the NEC Forum (13th Forum of National Ethics Councils Emerging Technologies in... Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/proc-ptaci-chripka-nezpusobila-pandemii/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/proc-ptaci-chripka-nezpusobila-pandemii/ Bird flu viruses would have to make at least two simultaneous genetic mutations before they could be transmitted readily from human to human, according to research published November 19 in PLoS One. The authors of the new study, from Imperial College London, the University of Reading and the... Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussions-are-going/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussions-are-going/ This November was full of celebrations. It was the twenty-years´ anniversary of the end of communist regime in the Eastern and Central Europe. However, this November brings another less celebrated anniversary that we should remember – twenty years ago the “genetically modified organisms”... Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-technique-for-specifying-location-of-sugar-chains-on-glycoproteins/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-technique-for-specifying-location-of-sugar-chains-on-glycoproteins/ Researchers have previously been able to analyse which sugar structures are to be found on certain proteins, but not exactly where on the protein they are positioned. This is now possible thanks to a new technique developed at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.... Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-discover-influenzas-achilles-heel-antioxidants/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-discover-influenzas-achilles-heel-antioxidants/ As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu: antioxidants. In an article appearing in the November 2009 print issue of the FASEB Journal (The Journal of the... Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/how-salmonella-bacteria-cause-diarrhea-in-their-host/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/how-salmonella-bacteria-cause-diarrhea-in-their-host/ Salmonella bacteria are cunning when it comes to triggering diarrhoea in their host. Researchers from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zürich)  have succeeded in explaining a molecular mechanism that enables the bacteria to activate their host cell’s non-specific immune... Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/harvest-of-events/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/harvest-of-events/ September and October bring in our country harvest of potato, sugar beet and many fruits. However, they are also rich on various conferences, symposia and similar meetings. As referred previously, September started this year with the Symposium on plant biotechnology in Szeged (September 1 -5)... Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/diabetes-drugs-dont-fight-inflammation/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/diabetes-drugs-dont-fight-inflammation/ Two popular treatments lower blood sugar but may not prevent heart disease. Tightly controlling blood sugar in people with diabetes doesn't relieve inflammation that can lead to heart disease, a new study shows. A study of 500 people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes shows that... Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/czech-scientists-developed-anew-method-for-improving-the-functional-characteristics-of-enzymes/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/czech-scientists-developed-anew-method-for-improving-the-functional-characteristics-of-enzymes/ An international team of scientists from the Czech Republic, Germany and Japan have developed a new method for improving the properties of enzymes. The method has potential for wide application in the chemical, medicinal and food industries. The procedure has been published in the August issue of... Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/full-color-vision-given-to-monkeys/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/full-color-vision-given-to-monkeys/ Males with red-green colorblindness can distinguish the hues after gene therapy, study suggests. Two male squirrel monkeys now see the world in a whole new way - in full color. Female squirrel monkeys can see in color, but male squirrel monkeys are normally red-green colorblind because... Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-antibody-intended-at-hepatitis-c-virus/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-antibody-intended-at-hepatitis-c-virus/ Boston, Mass. Building upon a series of successful preclinical studies, researchers at MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical Schoul today announced the beginning of a Phase 1 clinical trial, testing the safety and activity of a human monoclonal antibody they... Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/brown-university-and-other-scientists-have-taken-the-first-steps-toward-mapping-epigenetic-variability-in-cells-and-tissues/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/brown-university-and-other-scientists-have-taken-the-first-steps-toward-mapping-epigenetic-variability-in-cells-and-tissues/ Brown University and other scientists have taken the first steps toward mapping epigenetic variability in cells and tissues. Mapping the human epigenome could someday allow for quicker and more precise disease diagnoses and more targeted treatments of many chronic ailments.Epigenetics, which is... Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/unique-and-highly-sensitive-method-for-detecting-methylation-associated-cancers-1/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/unique-and-highly-sensitive-method-for-detecting-methylation-associated-cancers-1/ Researchers in Israel and Kenya have shown that the contribution of variable degrees of immune suppression, either due to existing chronic infections such as parasitemias and/or nutrition, in different populations may influence and prolong the serological-diagnostic window period of HIV. However,... Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/plant-biotechnology-symposium/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/plant-biotechnology-symposium/ Czech and Slovak Academies of Science used to organise each odd year a Symposium on Recent Advances in Plant Biotechnology in High Tatras or České Budějovice. This year Hungary joined this tradition and hosted 8th symposium New Developments in Green Gene Technology in Szeged on 1-4... Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/humans-have-mirror-neurons/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/humans-have-mirror-neurons/ Macaque monkeys have specialized brain cells - called mirror neurons - that activate when a monkey performs an action involving an object, such as picking up a grape, or when watching someone else do the same task. The discovery of these neurons in 1996 led to speculation that... Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/mitochondrial-dna-and-the-rhesus-monkeys/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/mitochondrial-dna-and-the-rhesus-monkeys/ Scientists may have found a way to prevent the transfer of serious inherited mitochondrial diseases from mother to child. By shuttling DNA from an egg cell to a donor cell, the technique enabled the birth of four healthy Rhesus monkey males, researchers report online August 26 in... Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/risks-involved-with-transgenic-fish/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/risks-involved-with-transgenic-fish/ Fast growing transgenic fish can revolutionise commercial fish farming and relieve the pressure on overexploited fish stocks. But what happens in the natural environment if transgenic fish escape? Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have studied transgenic fish on behalf of the EU and are... Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/obesity-surgerys-benefits-extending-to-next-generation/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/obesity-surgerys-benefits-extending-to-next-generation/ Pregnancies after the operation yield healthier children. Children born to women who have achieved drastic weight loss through stomach surgery are healthier than children born to severely obese moms, a new study shows. The findings suggest that obesity creates an unhealthy environment for... Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-p-plays-three-cancer-fighting-roles-1/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-p-plays-three-cancer-fighting-roles-1/ A new study shows this cancer-controlling protein, p53, does not one, not two, but three different jobs, all in one convenient package. Previous studies have demonstrated that p53 stops cancer from developing by sensing stress, such as DNA damage, and turning on genes that keep cells from... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/lecithin-found-to-have-beneficial-effects-on-fat-metabolism/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/lecithin-found-to-have-beneficial-effects-on-fat-metabolism/ Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a substance in the liver that helps process fat and glucose. That substance named phosphatidylcholine is a component of the common food additive lecithin, and researchers speculate it may one day be possible to use... Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/introduced-organisms-or-invading-species/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/introduced-organisms-or-invading-species/ One of environmental risks referred with genetically modified organisms is impair of biodiversity. Such statement is included in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as well as in the Cartagena Protocol. It has never been explained why particularly GMO are introducing such risk. How,... Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/energy-burning-brown-fat-created-in-mice/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/energy-burning-brown-fat-created-in-mice/ Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that they can engineer mouse and human cells to produce brown fat, a natural energy-burning type of fat that counteracts obesity. If such a strategy can be developed for use in people, the scientists say, it could open a novel approach to... Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/obese-mice-slimmed-down-by-allergy-meds/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/obese-mice-slimmed-down-by-allergy-meds/ Over-the-counter allergy medications turn obese, diabetic mice into healthy, normal-weight mice, researchers report.The new research focuses on mast cells, immune system players critical to the inflammatory response involved in allergies. The study appears along with three other independent... Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/creating-fat-that-burns-calories/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/creating-fat-that-burns-calories/ Researchers find a way to make energy-using brown fat from skin cells.Researchers have whipped up a batch of calorie-burning brown fat cells, a feat which may ultimately lead to new ways to treat obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, a paper published online July 29... Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-p-plays-three-cancer-fighting-roles/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/protein-p-plays-three-cancer-fighting-roles/ A new study shows this cancer-controlling protein, p53, does not one, not two, but three different jobs, all in one convenient package. Previous studies have demonstrated that p53 stops cancer from developing by sensing stress, such as DNA damage, and turning on genes that keep cells from... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/early-testing-for-alzheimers-disease/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/early-testing-for-alzheimers-disease/   Spinal fluid compounds can predict in many cases whether people with mild cognitive impairments will develop the disease. Elderly people with mild cognitive losses are at a heightened risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease if they have a combination of telltale compounds in... Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/mice-sperm-protected-by-gpx-protein/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/mice-sperm-protected-by-gpx-protein/ Older mice without GPX5 are more likely to have offspring with developmental defects.The absence of a protein that protects sperm could have disastrous consequences for a male's mate and his offspring. A new study by researchers in France shows that a protein called glutathione... Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-gene-that-makes-wiener-dogs-short-legged/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-gene-that-makes-wiener-dogs-short-legged/ We may never know how the zebra got its stripes, but we know how the wiener dog got its short legs. Height-challenged dog breeds - including dachshunds, corgis and basset hounds - have an extra copy of a normal gene to thank for their diminutive stature, new research shows. "It's... Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/schizophrenia-risk-gets-more-complex/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/schizophrenia-risk-gets-more-complex/ Three studies find that thousands of genetic variants probably contribute. Large collections of common genetic variants, rather than the harmful actions of just a few key mutations, probably predispose people to schizophrenia, three large genetic studies suggest.The studies, all published... Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/caloric-restriction-extends-life-in-monkeys-study-finds/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/caloric-restriction-extends-life-in-monkeys-study-finds/ People who believed calorie restriction wouldn't extend life in primates might now have to declare themselves a monkey's uncle. A 20-year study found that Rhesus monkeys fed a nutritious, low-calorie diet have fewer age-related diseases than counterparts on a normal diet,... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/estrogen-may-reprogram-prostate-cancer-gene-in-black-men/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/estrogen-may-reprogram-prostate-cancer-gene-in-black-men/ A new study shows how chemical tags on DNA may lead to higher rates of prostate cancer in black men. And estrogen may play a role, researchers reported June 12 at a meeting of the Endocrine Society in Washington, D.C. "It may be that estrogen can reprogram the genome," says study... Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/origins-of-the-swine-flu-virus/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/origins-of-the-swine-flu-virus/   Researchers use evolutionary history to trace the early days of the pandemic. Closely related forms of the H1N1 strain of influenza virus circulated undetected in swine for years, a study published online June 11 in Nature reports. The virus, which has spread to multiple continents,... Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-on-ecology/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-on-ecology/ With the birth of modern biotechnology another social phenomenon occurred: a pseudo-religious ideology based on revelational Truth (ex revelatione) that some mysterious danger is inherent to the method of transgenosis. This faith has no support by facts, however is heavily supported by... Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/genetic-analysis-of-swine-flu-virus-reveals-diverse-parts/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/genetic-analysis-of-swine-flu-virus-reveals-diverse-parts/ Components of the H1N1 swine flu virus have been circulating undetected for years, but the virus combines the bits and pieces in a way never before seen, a detailed genetic analysis reveals.The newest study pinpoints the origins of each of the virus's components. It suggests that current... Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/a-vaccine-against-swine-flu-would-be-at-least-months-away/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/a-vaccine-against-swine-flu-would-be-at-least-months-away/ Genetic sequences of the swine flu virus sickening people worldwide show remarkable similarities from country to country, suggesting that all the infections are from the same strain. The finding is a dose of good news for those seeking to make a vaccine against this novel strain of... Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/socio-economic-criteria-and-gmo/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/socio-economic-criteria-and-gmo/ After banning Bt maize, France included the revision of the GMO approval process as one of the Presidency priority. One point in the French proposal - as formulated in the Background paper for the Council meeting on 5 June is of particular interest: "Increase in the assessment...: The... Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/biotechnology-and-energy/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/biotechnology-and-energy/ Fortunately, the competency of biotechnology does not contain the evaluation of how well are we able to make rain and wind to do our bidding by adding FAME to oil, or whether the process of yielding 2.8 tons of rapeseed from a hectar would not, in the end, produce more carbon dioxide than if... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-on-agriculture/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-on-agriculture/ Time-to-time the discussions of various topics use to be open in a well known place in Prague - Žofín -were people meet on large balls, meetings and celebrations. Agriculture was on schedule on March 10. Minister of agriculture and his correlate from opposition, presidents of the... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-from-brno-are-able-to-cultivate-plants-with-heightened-biomass-production/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/scientists-from-brno-are-able-to-cultivate-plants-with-heightened-biomass-production/ Scientists from the Masaryk University in Brno (MU) succesfully obtained a patent for a new way of biomass production. The discovery was made in cooperation with colleagues from South Korea. The method would allow to cultivate plants with higher biomass production. The biomass is... Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-of-czech-scientists/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/discussion-of-czech-scientists/ The involvement of Czech scientists in the agricultural biotechnology and its regulation has long tradition. In 1989 after the democracy in Czechoslovak Republic was resumed a voluntary group of scientists from Czech Academy of Sciences was formed with the aim to consult and harmonise all... Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/-1635/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/-1635/ Web application HotSpot Wizard offers a possibility of structural and evolutionary analysis to predict "hot sites" for targeted mutagenesis of proteins. Protein Engineering Group from Institute of Experimental Biology at Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic has launched a web... Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/europabio-czech-consultancy-in-prague/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/europabio-czech-consultancy-in-prague/ Joint meeting of EuropaBio representatives and Czech stakeholder including Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment was organized on December 2 in Prague. The purpose was the mutual clarification of position in agricultural biotechnology before coming Czech Presidency of... Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-alphabet-tyrian-purple-and-genes-genographic-scientists-uncover-new-piece-of-phoenician-legacy/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/the-alphabet-tyrian-purple-and-genes-genographic-scientists-uncover-new-piece-of-phoenician-legacy/ The Phoenicians gave the world the alphabet and a love of the color purple, and a research study published today by Genographic scientists in the American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG-D-08-00725R2) shows that they left some people their genes as well. The study finds that as many as... Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-technology-for-the-f-protein-identification-inside-cells-d-infra-spectroscopy/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/new-technology-for-the-f-protein-identification-inside-cells-d-infra-spectroscopy/ After almost 20 years a new ethod for protein identification has been discvered. It shows higher sensitivity and provide additional informations about properties a their modulations within the cells. Researchers from Imperial College London and The Institute of Cancer Research see usage... Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/biotechnology-the-science-of-future/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/biotechnology-the-science-of-future/ Brno is once again awaiting a world-class event. At the occasion of the biotechnological conference Gate2Biotech that takes place on October 22th, 2008, the city of Johann Gregor Mendel, the pioneer of genetics, of the world-renowned cardiologist Jan Navrátil (who was the first person... Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/global-warming-agriculture-biotechnology/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/global-warming-agriculture-biotechnology/ Carbon cycle is an important process constituting global ecology. In the last year it became also very popular problem and political and economical issue in connection with sc. global warming. Carbon is present in nature in various forms from totally reduced methane (CH4) to totally... Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/synthetic-biology-new-synthetic-versions-of-life/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/synthetic-biology-new-synthetic-versions-of-life/ With broadening knowledges of genetics of bacteria we will be able to create a unique form of life. It's proved by effort and results of many research laboratories. Their genome will be compose from a serie of segments originated from different species or they will be completly new.... Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/factual-situation-in-agricultural-biotechnology-in-the-czech-republic/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/factual-situation-in-agricultural-biotechnology-in-the-czech-republic/ Since the birth of recombinant DNA technology in seventies of the last century a variety of regulations occurred. They have been always a function of economy, politics and science. Unfortunately, the latter has plaid minor role. French presidency declared the revision of biotechnology... Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/czech-city-bids-to-be-global-biotech-hub/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/czech-city-bids-to-be-global-biotech-hub/ BRNO, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Just a few steps from the monastery where Gregor Mendel pioneered the field of genetics some 150 years ago, Czech officials hope to nurture their own biotech revolution. The plan is to turn Brno, a 13th-century city that went the way of... Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gate2biotech.com/virus-helps-to-build-tiny-battery/ http://www.gate2biotech.com/virus-helps-to-build-tiny-battery/ Simple technique could create power packs for microdevices. A virus has helped to create a new type of tiny battery, made with a simple stamping technique, that could power miniature devices. Electronic devices used for controlled drug delivery, or to power tiny...