What is new in Biotech
Bacteria use surprising anti-missile defense-like system to fend off viruses
17.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Study from the University of Copenhagen reveals how bacteria use a defense mechanism called Zorya to protect themselves from viral attacks. The system detects and degrades viral DNA before the virus can replicate, much like a city's defense system intercepts incoming missiles. "A lot of anti-phage defense systems cause cell death, meaning that...
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Scientists engineer nanostructured surfaces hostile to bacteria but friendly to cells
15.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created nanostructured alumina surfaces which are strongly antibacterial but can be used to culture cells. They found that anodic porous alumina (APA) surfaces prepared using electrochemistry in concentrated sulfuric acid had unprecedented resistance to bacterial growth, but did not hamper cell...
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Inhalable therapy uses mussel-inspired nanoparticles to target lung cancer cells
13.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Researchers from POSTECH and Kyungpook National University have developed a novel inhalable therapeutic delivery system for lung cancer, leveraging mucoadhesive protein nanoparticles inspired by the adhesive properties of marine mussels. Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers globally. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts...
RNA lanterns could offer new insights into viruses and human memory
10.1.2025 | Press monitoring
RNA is the molecule that reads the genetic information stored in DNA. It's critical for the proper functioning of cells. In a new study published in Nature Communications, University of California, Irvine scientists have discovered a way of tagging RNA with a glowing bioluminescent molecule that allows them to track RNA in real time as it moves...
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Repairing a domestication mutation in tomato leads to an earlier yield
8.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Genome editing with CRISPR-Cas is often associated with the induction of mutations. However, a team of researchers from the Swiss University of Lausanne now shows that it can also be used to repair natural mutations. Humans have been domesticating plants for thousands of years, by selecting mutations that lead to favorable characteristics such as...
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Bioreactor allows automated long-term culturing of stem cells
6.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are considered a promising tool in medicine, with the potential to unlock treatments for many health conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. However, producing large amounts of hiPSCs remains a challenge. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Translational Center for Regenerative...
Unlocking Spirulina secrets to supercharge vaccines
3.1.2025 | Press monitoring
JCU researchers have found particles in the popular "superfood" Spirulina that could lead to significant advancements in vaccine production and effectiveness. They investigates Spirulina extracellular vesicles (SPEV) and their potential therapeutic benefits. While safely testing on mice, Dr. Sharifpour and his team found that said SPEV has huge...
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Filter made from squid bone could be the solution to microplastics
1.1.2025 | Press monitoring
Sadly, we know that microplastics are getting everywhere, including our drinking water – but researchers have developed a new way to tackle the problem: a filter made of a rather unusual combination of material, which is able to remove up to 99.9 percent of tiny plastic fragments from water. The researchers, led by a team from Wuhan University in...
Growing safer spuds: Removing toxins from potatoes
30.12.2024 | Press monitoring
Scientists have discovered a way to remove toxic compounds from potatoes, making them safer to eat and easier to store. The breakthrough could cut food waste and enhance crop farming in space and other extreme environments. Potato plants naturally produce chemicals that protect them from insects. The chemicals, called steroidal glycoalkaloids, or...
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Stem cells instructed to form specific tissues and organs
27.12.2024 | Press monitoring
Arguably, stem cells represent the future of healthcare and medical research. With the potential to unlock possibilities for healing, understanding, and innovation in ways that traditional approaches can’t, they’re a foundation for how diseases could be treated and prevented and the future. Now, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences...
