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Researchers discover transposon-encoded RNA-guided nucleases with potential for genome editing

Researchers seeking to understand the origins of CRISPR-Cas9 systems have uncovered a class of transposon-encoded RNA-guided nucleases, which they dubbed "OMEGA," that could be harnessed for genome editing in human cells.

12 Sep 2021

Meat dependence reduced population density of hunter-gatherer groups

A new study by the ICTA-UAB establishes that the population density of hunter-gatherer groups was reduced where they depended heavily on meat to survive.

12 Sep 2021

UM researcher wins $2.5 million NSF grant to study hantavirus disease transmission

University of Montana researcher Angela Luis has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant to study how diversity of competitor species affects infectious disease transmission in wildlife – specifically hantavirus in deer mice.

10 Sep 2021

SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in Nordic countries

Scientists have recently assessed the strategies adopted by the Nordic countries to curb the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 Sep 2021

New gene-delivering workhorse could make gene therapy safer, more effective for muscle diseases

Genetic muscle diseases lead to progressive muscle wasting and often early death, with few treatment options and no cure.

9 Sep 2021

Food science principles help scientists to understand inner workings of cellular compartments

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that food science principles have helped them determine how unusual droplets within cells stay organized and avoid dissolving into the rest of the cell's gelatinous interior.

9 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

Mu SARS-CoV-2 variant highly resistant to neutralization by convalescent and vaccinated sera

Researchers in Japan have warned that the Mu (B.1.621) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – appears to be highly resistant to neutralization by sera from convalescent or vaccinated individuals.

8 Sep 2021

Researchers say modified COVID-19 vaccine boosters should control pandemic

Researchers in Texas have provided evidence for the need to modify the currently used coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines to match circulating variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

8 Sep 2021

Understanding how pathogens evolve novel virulence activities

Understanding how pathogens evolve is a fundamental component of learning how to protect ourselves and our world from pests and diseases.

7 Sep 2021

Study could help improve design, fabrication, and use of nanofiber face masks

Since its outbreak, the COVID-19 virus has infected more than 207.7 million people worldwide and has claimed more than 4.3 million lives, according to the World Health Organization coronavirus dashboard as of Aug. 17.

7 Sep 2021

Effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions and mutations on COVID-19 resurgence

A recent study addresses the effects of controlling non-pharmaceutical interventions to develop a deeper understanding of their influence on the resurgence of COVID-19.

7 Sep 2021

Implications of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with lymphoid malignancies

In a recent study, scientists attempt to understand persistent COVID-19 and its implications in patients with hematologic malignancies.

6 Sep 2021

Research project focusing on membraneless organelles receives funding from Volkswagen Foundation

As part of its "Life?" project, the Volkswagen Foundation is funding a research project that is placing membraneless organelles within cells in the spotlight as a way of understanding the fundamental processes that are essential to life.

6 Sep 2021

Researchers develop the smallest CRISPR to date for genome editing

A compact and efficient CRISPR-Cas system, named CasMINI, could be broadly useful for cell-engineering and gene-therapy applications because it is easier to deliver into cells. The findings appear in a study publishing September 3 in the journal Molecular Cell.

4 Sep 2021

New WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence opened in Berlin

To better prepare and protect the world from global disease threats, H.E. German Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization Director-General, will today inaugurate the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, based in Berlin.

4 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

Increased evolutionary rates seen in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

An Australian study conducted at the University of Melbourne describes that the emergence of more deadly variants of concern (VOCs) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with an induction in episodic evolutionary rate. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

2 Sep 2021

Immune cell betrayal makes aging mice less tolerant of cold temperatures

Human evolution has provided us a level of protection from the existential threat of cold temperature with the capacity to produce heat from fat stored in the body.

1 Sep 2021

Sequential treatment using similar antibiotics can kill bacteria and prevent drug resistance

equential treatment using antibiotics that are similar but swapped around frequently is an effective way to kill bacteria and prevent drug resistance, a study in eLife reports.

1 Sep 2021

Evolution News and Research

Researchers discover transposon-encoded RNA-guided nucleases with potential for genome editing

Meat dependence reduced population density of hunter-gatherer groups

UM researcher wins $2.5 million NSF grant to study hantavirus disease transmission

SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in Nordic countries

New gene-delivering workhorse could make gene therapy safer, more effective for muscle diseases

Food science principles help scientists to understand inner workings of cellular compartments

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

Mu SARS-CoV-2 variant highly resistant to neutralization by convalescent and vaccinated sera

Researchers say modified COVID-19 vaccine boosters should control pandemic

Understanding how pathogens evolve novel virulence activities

Study could help improve design, fabrication, and use of nanofiber face masks

Effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions and mutations on COVID-19 resurgence

Implications of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with lymphoid malignancies

Research project focusing on membraneless organelles receives funding from Volkswagen Foundation

Researchers develop the smallest CRISPR to date for genome editing

New WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence opened in Berlin

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

Increased evolutionary rates seen in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Immune cell betrayal makes aging mice less tolerant of cold temperatures

Sequential treatment using similar antibiotics can kill bacteria and prevent drug resistance

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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