Press monitoring
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...
Malaria parasites fine-tune mutations to resist drugs
9.12.2019 | Press monitoring
Drug resistance in malaria parasites is mediated by mutations in a transporter protein. The transporter’s structure reveals the molecular basis of how key mutations bring about resistance to different drugs. About half a million people, most of them children living in Africa, are killed each year by malaria1. Management of malaria, particularly...
Novel bioprinter shows potential to speed tissue engineering
6.12.2019 | Press monitoring
The dream of tissue engineering is a computer-controlled manufacturing of complex and functional human tissue for potential organ regeneration or replacement. University of Alabama at Birmingham biomedical researchers have found a way to speed that tissue creation using a novel bioprinter built for $2,000, they report in the journal...
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Early exposure to peanuts and eggs reduces risk of food allergies
4.12.2019 | Press monitoring
Food allergies are an increasing problem, and for affected people treatment is often limited to avoiding the trigger food. But a comprehensive study from the UK has now found that introducing interestingly, the correlation is clear even when subjects didn’t stick strictly to the regime. children to certain foods at an early age is associated with...
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Hybrid antibiotics punch through bacterial biofilms
2.12.2019 | Press monitoring
On their own, bacteria aren’t too hard to kill. The problem is, the crafty bugs tend to build colonies behind barriers known as biofilms, which are hard for antibiotics to penetrate. Now, researchers at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have developed a hybrid antibiotic that can punch through some biofilms. Biofilms pose a particular...
