Feature Channels: Biotech

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An essential pillar of Earth’s ecological system, fungi have long been used to better the lives of humans. While these organisms are still vastly understudied, a new review paper suggests that their unique genomes could be used to make progress in the biotech industry.

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The proposed material is chemically similar to mammalian proteins and is non-toxic, therefore contributing to fast adherence and division of human stem cell cultures. This development will help accelerate cell culture growth, which are used in medicine as a replacement for damaged tissue.

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Scientists in Melbourne have designed a new type of oral capsule that could mean pain-free delivery of insulin and other protein drugs.

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University of Pittsburgh researchers developed a novel approach that promoted bone regeneration in mice without implantation of bone tissue or biomaterials.

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Hackensack Meridian Health, the state’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is partnering with Etta.io., a Denver-based healthcare technology startup that builds Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications to detect tumors difficult to see with the naked eye, even for specialists.

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Today, foldable phones are ubiquitous. Now, using models that predict how well a flexible electronic device will conform to spherical surfaces, University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Texas at Austin engineers could usher in a new era in which these bendy devices can integrate seamlessly with parts of the human body.

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Roots of a traditional medicine plant called the orange climber can fluoresce an ethereal blue hue under ultraviolet (UV) light. And now, researchers in ACS Central Science have identified two coumarin molecules that could be responsible, one of the which could someday be used for medical imaging.

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Cedars-Sinai Cancer’s commitment to convergent science—the deep melding of computational, physical engineering and biological sciences—is evident throughout its 2023 Annual Report.

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Cedars-Sinai investigators, in collaboration with Axiom Space of Houston, are sending stem cells to space in early May to explore whether microgravity can make it easier and more efficient to produce large batches of stem cells.

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Researchers have made huge strides in ensuring that red blood cell substitutes – or artificial blood – are able to work safely and effectively when transfused into the bloodstream.

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Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard showed how prime editing can correct mutations that cause sickle cell disease in a potentially curative approach.

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Dr. Song Soo-chang's research team at the Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Yoon Seok-jin), revealed the first development of poly(organophosphazene) hydrogel-based temperature-sensitive bioink that stably maintained its physical structure only by temperature control without photocuring, induced tissue regeneration, and then biodegraded in the body after a certain period of time.

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New AI tool accurately predicts both overall survival and disease-free survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis. The model uses visual markers on pathology images to glean insights into a tumor’s genomic profile and predicts tumor behavior, disease progression, treatment response. The new model could help augment clinical decision-making. Because the AI tool relies on images alone, it could be particularly valuable for hospitals lacking the technology or expertise to perform sophisticated genomic profiling of tumor tissues.

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Mayo Clinic has made significant strides biomanufacturing early-stage therapeutics. The focus is on new medicines derived from the human body, called biotherapeutics, which are shaping the future of medicine.

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A new twist on a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder could double up as a treatment for stroke. Called “Carb” for short, this new formulation is designed to treat ischemic stroke, protect brain tissue against injury and minimize the size of a brain infarct.

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Some polymers can expand and contract — acting like artificial muscles — but only when stimulated by high voltages. Researchers in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces report a series of thin, elastic films that respond to lower electrical charges, representing a step toward artificial muscles.

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Wireless or leadless pacemakers, commonly implanted in adults, may be a safe and effective short-term option for children with slow heartbeats, according to new research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

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Global pharmaceutical company Takeda has agreed to exclusively license a group of small molecules that target tau – a protein in which misfolding and aggregation are believed to be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

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An implantable device that stimulates the vagus nerve, paired with traditional rehabilitation therapy, is being used to restore hand and arm function in stroke survivors treated in New Jersey.

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Did you know recycled human hair has many industry uses? As you might expect, beauty trends have fueled growth in the global hair business. But could those clippings — the ones often found on the floor of a hair salon — help repair dilapidated bridges and buildings across Kentucky and beyond? A research team in the College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky is leading the charge to answer that very question.

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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are present in all living cells, with different types of RNA having different jobs. For example, messenger RNA is copied from DNA and carries instructions on how to make a protein. Transfer RNA (tRNA) links the mRNA sequence with its corresponding amino acid, ensuring that proteins are stitched together correctly as instructed by DNA.

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Announcement that NeuRx ® Diaphragm Pacing System, pioneered by University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, received FDA premarket approval. The system helps spinal cord injured patients breathe without a mechanical ventilator. Co-inventor Raymond Onders, MD, has implanted the system more than anyone else, and he travels the world teaching other doctors how to do it.

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A pre-market regulatory status review conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has concluded that teff modified by genome editing to have a semi-dwarf stature is not subject to biotechnology regulation under USDA’s SECURE Rule.

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As Earth’s population grows, the demands of modern lifestyles place mounting strain on the global environment. Proposed solutions to preserve and promote planetary sustainability can sometimes prove more harmful than helpful. However, technologies that harness natural processes could be more successful.