Press monitoring
Illumina announces $1000 whole human genome sequencing machine
21.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Genome sequencing-technology company, Illumina, based in San Diego has announced (at the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference) that its new machine, called the HiSeq X Ten is able to sequence whole human genomes in assembly line fashion at a pace of $1000 each. If the company's claims pan out, the machine will mark a major milestone in medical...
Tiny Swimming Bio-Bots Boldly Go Where No Bot Has Swum Before
20.1.2014 | Press monitoring
The alien world of aquatic micro-organisms just got new residents: synthetic self-propelled swimming bio-bots. A team of engineers has developed a class of tiny bio-hybrid machines that swim like sperm, the first synthetic structures that can traverse the viscous fluids of biological environments on their own. Led by Taher Saif, the University of...
New technique allows nanobiopsies of living cells
17.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have developed a robotic "nanobiopsy" system that can extract tiny samples from inside a living cell without killing it. The single-cell nanobiopsy technique is a powerful tool for scientists working to understand the dynamic processes that occur within living cells, according to Nader Pourmand, professor of...
Food processors beware: Salmonella biofilms incredibly resistant to powerful disinfectants
16.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Once Salmonella bacteria get into a food processing facility and have an opportunity to form a biofilm on surfaces, it is likely to be extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to kill it. Researchers from National University of Ireland, Galway conducted a study in which they attempted to kill Salmonella biofilms on a variety of hard...
Locust genome exposes hundreds of pesticide targets
15.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Chinese scientists said Tuesday they had unravelled the genetic code of the locust, laying bare "hundreds" of genes that can be targeted by insecticides. The genetic code of Locusta migratoria is remarkably big—at 6.5 gigabytes, it is the largest animal genome sequenced so far, they reported in the journal Nature Communications. Large clusters...
US superweeds epidemic shines spotlight on GMOs
14.1.2014 | Press monitoring
The United States is facing an epidemic of herbicide-resistant "superweeds" that some activists and researchers are blaming on GMOs, an accusation rejected by industry giants. According to a recent study, the situation is such that American farmers are "heading for a crisis." Nearly half (49 percent) of all US farmers said they had...
Research Demonstrates Guided Missile Strategy to Kill Hidden HIV
13.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have deployed a potential new weapon against HIV - a combination therapy that targets HIV-infected cells that standard therapies cannot kill. Using mouse models that have immune systems composed of human cells, researchers led by J. Victor Garcia, PhD, found that an antibody combined with a bacterial...
Bio-Inspired Glue Keeps Hearts Securely Sealed
10.1.2014 | Press monitoring
When a child is born with a heart defect such as a hole in the heart, the highly invasive therapies are challenging due to an inability to quickly and safely secure devices inside the heart. Sutures take too much time to stitch and can cause stress on fragile heart tissue, and currently available clinical adhesives are either too toxic or tend to...
On-demand vaccines possible with engineered nanoparticles
9.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Vaccines combat diseases and protect populations from outbreaks, but the life-saving technology leaves room for improvement. Vaccines usually are made en masse in centralized locations far removed from where they will be used. They are expensive to ship and keep refrigerated and they tend to have short shelf lives.
Discovery spotlights key role of mystery RNA modification in cells
8.1.2014 | Press monitoring
Researchers had known for several decades that a certain chemical modification exists on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which is essential to the flow of genetic information. But only recently did experiments at the University of Chicago show that one major function of this modification governs the longevity and decay of RNA, a process...
