Press monitoring
Scientists Are Developing \'Sexy Plants\' To Protect Crops From Insects
8.6.2018 | Press monitoring
The spread of agricultural intensification has led to a massive increase in the use of pesticides. But this has had hugely damaging effects on the environment, and is thought to be contributing to an insect apocalypse sweeping across the western world. Now scientists may have developed a solution: sexy plants. The project aims to engineer plants...
DNA-spiked nanoparticles could help minimize scarring
6.6.2018 | Press monitoring
Not only are large scars often unsightly, but the stiff scar tissue can also limit a person's range of motion, causing discomfort. And although there are procedures that minimize scarring, it's not always apparent if such measures need to be taken. Newly-developed nanoparticles could help doctors decide. Developed in a collaboration between...
For the first time, scientists 3D-print human corneas
4.6.2018 | Press monitoring
There's a limited supply of donor human corneas, meaning that not everyone who needs an eyesight-saving transplant can get one. As a result, biosynthetic corneas have recently been developed. These could become quicker and easier to produce, as scientists have now successfully 3D-printed the things. Led by Prof. Che Connon, a team at Britain's...
GM golden rice gets approval from food regulators in the US
1.6.2018 | Press monitoring
Golden rice, which has been genetically modified to prevent blindness in undernourished children, was judged safe to eat last week by the US Food and Drug Administration. The rice contains extra genes that make a precursor to vitamin A, which is vital for preventing childhood blindness. A single helping can supply half the recommended daily...
Cell-like nanorobots clear bacteria and toxins from blood
30.5.2018 | Press monitoring
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed tiny ultrasound-powered robots that can swim through blood, removing harmful bacteria along with the toxins they produce. These proof-of-concept nanorobots could one day offer a safe and efficient way to detoxify and decontaminate biological fluids. Researchers built the...
CRISPR-edited rice plants produce major boost in grain yield
28.5.2018 | Press monitoring
A team of scientists from Purdue University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to develop a variety of rice that produces 25-31 percent more grain and would have been virtually impossible to create through traditional breeding methods. The team, led by Jian-Kang Zhu, a distinguished professor in the...
Genetically engineered bacteria lets ingestible sensor monitor gut health
25.5.2018 | Press monitoring
Team of researchers at MIT has produced a novel "bacteria on a chip" system that combines genetically engineered bacteria that can detect intestinal bleeding with an ingestible electronic circuit that can wirelessly send a signal to a nearby computer. "By combining engineered biological sensors together with low-power wireless electronics, we...
Quantum dots made from tea leaves lay waste to lung cancer cells
23.5.2018 | Press monitoring
Full of antioxidants and vitamins, tea is pretty good for you, and green tea extracts have even been used as effective carriers for cancer drugs. New research led by Swansea University has found a novel way to wring more health benefits out of the stuff, by making quantum dots from tea leaves and using them to slow the growth of lung cancer...
Mice regrow brain tissue after stroke with bioengineered gel
21.5.2018 | Press monitoring
In a first-of-its-kind finding, a new stroke-healing gel helped regrow neurons and blood vessels in mice with stroke-damaged brains, UCLA researchers report in the May 21 issue of Nature Materials. "We tested this in laboratory mice to determine if it would repair the brain in a model of stroke, and lead to recovery," said Dr. S. Thomas...
We may finally be able to beat the common cold with a new drug
18.5.2018 | Press monitoring
At last, an experimental drug has shown promise in beating common cold viruses, raising hopes of an effective treatment against rhinoviruses and other pathogens. When tested on human cells in a dish, the drug was found to block several strains of cold virus from replicating, without having any effect on the cells. The drug works by suppressing a...
