Synthetic Biology News and Research

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BGI discovery could pave the way for advances in organ regeneration and synthetic biology

In a world-first, scientists from BGI-Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a group of partners published a study in Nature, announcing the discovery of a transgene-free, rapid, and controllable method to convert pluripotent stem-cells into bona fide 8-cell totipotent embryo-like cells, paving the way for advances in organ regeneration and synthetic biology.

22 Mar 2022

New type of drug delivery vehicle mimics the properties of a red blood cell

From the liver to the kidneys to the lungs, the human body is equipped with many levels of filters, which protect the body from harmful outside materials. But this system also has its downsides. Critically important drugs such as chemotherapy or multiple sclerosis treatments are also foreign materials, so the body filters out a large portion of these drugs – up to 90%, in some cases.

2 Mar 2022

New cloud-based repository creates a digital fingerprint of engineered microorganisms

A cloud-based repository that creates a digital fingerprint of engineered microorganisms has been successfully trialed.

9 Feb 2022

Development of synthetic molecules that can bridge T cells with SARS-CoV-2 infected cells

Scientists have recently used synthetic biology to design primary human CD8 T cells to express Spike protein-specific chimeric antigen receptors (ACE2 CAR or anti-Spike CAR).

25 Jan 2022

Researchers develop a computational approach to identify genomic safe harbors for therapeutic genes

Many future gene and cell therapies to treat diseases like cancer, rare genetic and other conditions could be enhanced in their efficacy, persistence, and predictability by so-called "genomic safe harbors (GSHs)."

24 Jan 2022

Codexis Launches Codex® HiTemp Reverse Transcriptase to Address Key Challenges in One-Step Assays for RNA Detection in PCR Testing, including COVID-19 Testing

Codexis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDXS), a leading enzyme engineering company enabling the promise of synthetic biology, today announced the launch of its Codex® HiTemp Reverse Transcriptase for use in one-step quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR).

From Codexis 17 Dec 2021

Genetic-code expansion technique to potentially create next-generation vaccine candidate

A new experiment devised a novel method to manipulate virulent viruses in conventional laboratories and validated the prophylactic effect of this method in two mouse models.

13 Dec 2021

Colorimetric detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA by an in vitro transcription/translation assay

This work has emphasized the clinical and translational potential of paper-based biosensors.

6 Dec 2021

Researchers develop eToeholds for safe, effective RNA and cellular therapies

RNAs are best known as the molecules that translate information encoded in genes into proteins with their myriad of activities.

29 Oct 2021

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences expands customer access to experts, resources with 3D Digital Campus

Building on a relentless commitment to customer service and innovation, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences debuts a powerful new interactive customer resource with the launch of its Digital Campus.

From Beckman Coulter Life Sciences - Flow Cytometry 29 Oct 2021

Sphere Fluidics closes a $40 million funding round led by Sofinnova Partners and Redmile Group

Sphere Fluidics announced today that it has closed a $40 million (circa £30 million) investment round.

From Fluidic Sciences and Sphere Bio 28 Oct 2021

bit.bio expands Board of Directors with appointment of entrepreneurs and Nobel Laureate

Today bit.bio welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors, who bring their respective experience of turning world-class science into new industries.

From bit.bio 27 Oct 2021

Enzymes with diverse functions can be rationally harnessed to offer traceless protein synthesis

A multi-enzyme platform is developed for sequence-unconstrained traceless protein synthesis and modification with either synthetic peptides or recombinant proteins, according to a new study out of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fresenius Kabi.

22 Oct 2021

Researchers reveal the mechanism of artificial chromosome formation in C. elegans' embryos

A research team led by Dr Karen Wing Yee YUEN, Associate Professor from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), revealed the mechanism of artificial chromosome (AC) formation in the embryos of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, a 1-mm long, transparent nematode.

18 Oct 2021

NIH awards more than $8 million to support seven high-risk, high-reward projects at Penn Medicine

The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants to researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania to support "highly innovative and broadly impactful" biomedical science through the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. The seven awards total approximately $8.2 million over five years,

8 Oct 2021

First of its kind ‘living medicine’ designed to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria on medical implants

Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation and Pulmobiotics S.L have created the first 'living medicine' to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria growing on the surfaces of medical implants. The researchers created the treatment by removing a common bacteria's ability to cause disease and repurposing it to attack harmful microbes instead.

6 Oct 2021

Researchers supplement synthetic biology toolkit to streamline investigations into genetic code expansion

One of modern biologists' most ambitious goals is to learn how to expand or otherwise modify the genetic code of life on Earth, in order to make new, artificial life forms.

30 Sep 2021

Breath measurements can be used to determine antibiotic concentrations in the body

A team of engineers and biotechnologists at the University of Freiburg has for the first time shown in mammals that the concentration of antibiotics in the body can be determined using breath samples. The breath measurements also corresponded to the antibiotic concentrations in the blood.

21 Sep 2021

Government launches a wide-ranging consultation to change UK’s data landscape

The Information Commissioner's Office is set for an overhaul to drive greater innovation and growth in the UK's data sector and better protect the public from major data threats, under planned reforms announced by the Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden today.

9 Sep 2021

Stanford researchers engineer an efficient, multi-purpose, mini CRISPR system

The common analogy for CRISPR gene editing is that it works like molecular scissors, cutting out select sections of DNA. Stanley Qi, assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, likes that analogy, but he thinks it's time to reimagine CRISPR as a Swiss Army knife.

4 Sep 2021