What is new in Biotech
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Novel DNA nanopores can open and close on demand for controlled drug delivery
4.10.2024 | Press monitoring
Scientists at TU Delft and the Max Planck Institute have made a new class of structurally adaptable 'mechanical' pores made from DNA that can transport molecules through cell membranes. These innovative nanopores can open and close on demand and, for the first time, adjust their diameter. This offers new possibilities for biomedical...
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Tiny skin-stabbing stars designed to get meds through the epidermis
2.10.2024 | Press monitoring
While topically-applied medications do help alleviate various skin conditions, they would be even more effective if they could better penetrate the skin's surface. Newly developed nanoceramic "stars" may one day help, by poking tiny holes in the skin. When medications are applied to the skin in the form of a lotion, the drug molecules are...
An edible toothpaste-based transistor
30.9.2024 | Press monitoring
A toothpaste-based transistor is the latest innovation from the research team at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) in Milan, which pushes the boundaries of edible electronics. This innovative nano-device is expected to become a key component of future smart pills, designed to monitor health conditions from...
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Spinning artificial spider silk into next-generation medical materials
27.9.2024 | Press monitoring
Spider silk is one of the strongest materials on Earth, technically stronger than steel for a material of its size. However, it's tough to obtain – spiders are too territorial (and cannibalistic) to breed them like silkworms, leading scientists to turn to artificial options. Teaching microbes to produce the spider silk proteins through genetic...
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Toxic glass kills 99% of bone cancer without harming healthy cells
25.9.2024 | Press monitoring
Scientists have demonstrated a new potential treatment for bone cancer. A bioactive glass laced with a toxic metal was able to kill up to 99% of the cancer without harming healthy cells, and could even help regrow healthy bone after. Osteosarcoma is the most common form of bone cancer, and treatment normally involves surgery to remove the tumor,...
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Recharging mitochondria – nanoflowers offer a new way to simulate energy production to improve aging ailments
23.9.2024 | Press monitoring
The ability to recharge cells diminishes as humans age or face diseases. Mitochondria are central to energy production. When mitochondrial function declines, it leads to fatigue, tissue degeneration, and accelerated aging. Activities that once required minimal recovery now take far longer, highlighting the role that these organelles play in...
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Antioxidant carbon dot nanozymes alleviate depression in rats by restoring the gut microbiome
20.9.2024 | Press monitoring
Depression is a significant challenge to diagnose and treat. Among the factors influencing depression onset and severity, there is growing evidence for chemical imbalances that generate oxidative stress throughout the body. To address this problem, researchers reporting in the journal Langmuir have developed antioxidant carbon dot nanozymes...
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CRISPR/Cas9 modifies Euglena to create potential biofuel source
18.9.2024 | Press monitoring
News about biofuels sometimes mentions used cooking oil as a feedstock, but if these substances contain animal fat, they can solidify in colder temperatures. This happens because, chemically, the fatty acids of these and many other saturated fats have long carbon chains with single bonds. Enter the Euglena. An Osaka Metropolitan University team...
Golden Lettuce genetically engineered to pack 30 times more vitamins
16.9.2024 | Press monitoring
Most of us don’t eat as much fruit and veggies as we know we should, but that goal might now be a bit more achievable. Scientists in Spain have engineered a new “Golden Lettuce” with 30 times more nutrients than the regular green stuff. Lettuce isn’t the most exciting vegetable, but you’ll often find it padding out sandwiches, wraps, stews and...
Tiny magnetic robots could treat bleeds in the brain
13.9.2024 | Press monitoring
Researchers have created nanoscale robots which could be used to manage bleeds in the brain caused by aneurysms.?The development could enable precise, relatively low-risk treatment of brain aneurysms, which cause around 500,000 deaths globally each year. The medical condition – a blood-filled bulge on a brain artery that can rupture and cause...
