Press monitoring
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Agricultural parasite avoids evolutionary arms race, shuts down genes of host plants
1.1.2020 | Press monitoring
A parasitic plant has found a way to circumvent an evolutionary arms race with the host plants from which it steals nutrients, allowing the parasite to thrive on a variety of agriculturally important plants. The parasite dodder, an agricultural pest found on every continent, sends genetic material into its host to shut down host defense...
Paper-based test could diagnose Lyme disease at early stages
30.12.2019 | Press monitoring
About 300,000 cases of Lyme disease, which is caused by the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early symptoms of the disease include the characteristic skin rash, along with fever, headache, chills and muscle aches. If not treated...
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Eyeing organs for human transplants, companies unveil the most extensively gene-edited pigs yet
27.12.2019 | Press monitoring
If any swine is fit to be an organ donor for people, then the dozens of pigs snuffling around Qihan Bio’s facility in Hangzhou, China, may be the best candidates so far. The Chinese company and its U.S. collaborators reported today that they have used the genome editor CRISPR to create the most extensively genetically engineered pigs to date –...
Fishing for novel cellulose degraders
25.12.2019 | Press monitoring
One of the most vital pieces of equipment for fly fishing is a boxful omají f lures. Designed with feathers or wires to mimic an insect or a particular movement, each of these lures are the bait designed to attract specific catches. A similar technique has been developed by researchers led by Tanja Woyke at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)...
New CRISPR tool hijacks jumping genes for gentle DNA editing
23.12.2019 | Press monitoring
The CRISPR gene-editing system is a marvel of modern science, but cutting strands of DNA may not be the safest or most elegant solution. Researchers at Columbia University have developed a new version called INTEGRATE that works in a similar but gentler way, using “jumping genes” that insert large sequences of DNA without breaking the strands. And...
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World\'s first tooth-on-a-chip may advance the field of dentistry
20.12.2019 | Press monitoring
We're seeing an increasing number of organ-on-a-chip devices, in which small pieces of living biological tissue are used to replicate the functions of actual organs. Now, scientists have created the first-ever tooth-on-a-chip, which mimics a tooth with a cavity. For the most part, organ-on-a-chip devices incorporate a tissue sample from a...
Advanced viral nanovaccine for cancer immunotherapy
18.12.2019 | Press monitoring
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a novel system to generate an artificially enveloped oncolytic adenovirus to direct the immune response against cancer. Virus-based cancer vaccines are nowadays considered an interesting approach in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Targeting tumor-associated antigens is proven to be...
Blood sugar-monitoring implant for diabetics is powered by glucose
16.12.2019 | Press monitoring
For a person with diabetes, monitoring blood glucose levels is an everyday hassle, usually involving finger pricks. An emerging alternative might be implantable devices that can automatically monitor levels and alert the patient when attention is needed, but powering these devices is tricky. A new prototype glucose monitor has been designed to...
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Spray-on gel shows promise as a better frostbite treatment
13.12.2019 | Press monitoring
It's important to treat frostbite quickly, as it can lead to gangrene and ultimately amputation. A new spray gel could help, allowing for highly-effective treatment in places where it might not otherwise be possible. Current treatments for frostbite include immersing the affected body part in warm water, and applying antibiotic or...
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Protein injections in medicine
11.12.2019 | Press monitoring
Pathogens can use a range of toxins to damage their host organism. Bacteria, such as those responsible for causing the deadly Plague, use a special injection mechanism to deliver their poisonous contents into the host cell. Stefan Raunser, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, together with his team, has...
