Press monitoring
Reducing Myc gene activity extends healthy lifespan in mice
26.1.2015 | Press monitoring
Mice with one rather than the normal two copies of the gene Myc (also found in humans) lived 15 percent longer and had considerably healthier lives than normal mice, according to a new Brown University-led study in Cell. A team of scientists based at Brown University has found that reducing expression of a fundamentally important gene called Myc...
GM microbes created that can’t escape the lab
23.1.2015 | Press monitoring
Critics of genetic engineering have long worried about the risk of modified organisms escaping into the environment. A biological-containment strategy described this week in Nature has the potential to put some of those fears to rest and to pave the way for greater use of engineered organisms in areas such as agriculture, medicine and...
Technology quickly traces source of tainted food
21.1.2015 | Press monitoring
Foodborne illnesses kill roughly 3,000 Americans each year and about 1 in 6 are sickened, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet most contaminated foods are never traced back to their source. That’s because existing methods to track tainted food following its supply chain from table to farm are highly inefficient,...
Prolonging lifespan: Researchers create Methuselah fly by selecting best cells
19.1.2015 | Press monitoring
A team of researchers at the University of Bern has managed to considerably prolong the lifespan of flies by activating a gene which destroys unhealthy cells. The results could also open new possibilities in human anti aging research. Immortality has long been a dream for humans. For example, in many ancient mythologies, immortality is one of the...
DNA smart glue could someday be used to build tissues, organs
16.1.2015 | Press monitoring
DNA molecules provide the "source code" for life in humans, plants, animals and some microbes. But now researchers report an initial study showing that the strands can also act as a glue to hold together 3-D-printed materials that could someday be used to grow tissues and organs in the lab. This first-of-its-kind demonstration of the...
GMOs with health benefits have a large market potential
14.1.2015 | Press monitoring
Genetically modified crops with an increased vitamin and/or mineral content have large potential to improve public health, but their availability for consumers is still hampered, as a result of the negative public opinion. Research from Ghent University, recently published in Nature Biotechnology, has demonstrated that these crops have a...
Functional tissue-engineered intestine grown from human cells
12.1.2015 | Press monitoring
A new study by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles has shown that tissue-engineered small intestine grown from human cells replicates key aspects of a functioning human intestine. The tissue-engineered small intestine they developed contains important elements of the mucosal lining and support structures, including the ability to...
A potential long-lasting treatment for sensitive teeth
9.1.2015 | Press monitoring
Rather than soothe and comfort, a hot cup of tea or cocoa can cause people with sensitive teeth a jolt of pain. But scientists are now developing a new biomaterial that can potentially rebuild worn enamel and reduce tooth sensitivity for an extended period. They describe the material, which they tested on dogs, in the journal ACS Nano. Chun-Pin...
The bowhead whale lives over 200 years: Can its genes tell us why?
8.1.2015 | Press monitoring
A whale that can live over 200 years with little evidence of age-related disease may provide untapped insights into how to live a long and healthy life. In the January 6 issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, researchers present the complete bowhead whale genome and identify key differences compared to other mammals.
How scorpion venom could yield new cancer treatment
7.1.2015 | Press monitoring
In the development of new drugs, taking something from nature and modifying it has been a successful tactic employed by medicinal chemists for years. Now, with the help of nanotechnology, researchers are turning once-discarded drug candidates into usable drugs. Scorpion venom has been gaining interest as a source of new drugs. It contains a...
