Synthetic Biology News and Research

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NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering researcher awarded grant to advance protein hydrogels that mimic nature

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Army Research Office recently awarded a New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering researcher a grant to advance protein-engineered, environmentally responsive hydrogels that could replicate biochemical processes currently found only in nature. These protein hydrogels could become fundamental building blocks of important new biomimetic materials.

12 Aug 2015

Intrexon, Synthetic Biologics form ECC to develop and commercialize novel biotherapeutics for phenylketonuria

Intrexon Corporation, a leader in synthetic biology, and Synthetic Biologics, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on developing therapeutics to protect the microbiome while targeting pathogen-specific diseases, today announced an Exclusive Channel Collaboration (ECC) to pursue the development and commercialization of novel biotherapeutics for the treatment of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), a serious and debilitating metabolic disorder.

10 Aug 2015

New biosensors detect efficient microbial workers that produce chemical, pharmaceutical commodities

Super productive factories of the future could employ fleets of genetically engineered bacterial cells, such as common E. coli, to produce valuable chemical commodities in an environmentally friendly way.

5 Aug 2015

SGI-DNA recognized by Frost & Sullivan for BioXp 3200 System

SGI-DNA, a Synthetic Genomics, Inc. company, was recently recognized by Frost & Sullivan for its groundbreaking innovation in genomic technologies for the BioXp 3200 System, an instrument with the capacity to simultaneously build 32 unique, double-stranded DNA fragments to study gene function, pathways, and whole genomes.

4 Aug 2015

Prokarium receives funding to complete pre-clinical development of new Chlamydia vaccine

Prokarium Ltd, a biotechnology company developing transformational oral vaccines, today announced new funding from SynbiCITE, the UK’s Innovation and Knowledge Centre for Synthetic Biology.

4 Aug 2015

New synthetic gene drives could one day improve human health and the environment

Gene drives are genetic elements - found naturally in the genomes of most of the world's organisms - that increase the chance of the gene they carry being passed on to all offspring, and thus, they can quickly spread through populations. Looking to these natural systems, researchers around the world, including some Wyss Institute scientists, are developing synthetic gene drives that could one day be leveraged by humans to purposefully alter the traits of wild populations of organisms to prevent disease transmission and eradicate invasive species.

31 Jul 2015

UIC, Northwestern University researchers create first artificial ribosome

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northwestern University have engineered a tethered ribosome that works nearly as well as the authentic cellular component, or organelle, that produces all the proteins and enzymes within the cell. The engineered ribosome may enable the production of new drugs and next-generation biomaterials and lead to a better understanding of how ribosomes function.

30 Jul 2015

Point-of-care diagnostics for Ebola

In a recent DECODED research profile, Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), details how IDT scientists Kristin Beltz and Dr Scott Rose are collaborating with Dr Brian Taylor’s research team at Battelle (Aberdeen, MD, USA) to design and validate a RT-qPCR assay that can detect the Ebola virus in the field.

From Integrated DNA Technologies 28 Jul 2015

Virginia Tech scientist uses mathematical model to show how bacteria can control behavior of robots

Forget the Vulcan mind-meld of the Star Trek generation -- as far as mind control techniques go, bacteria is the next frontier. In a paper published July 16 in Scientific Reports, which is part of the Nature Publishing Group, a Virginia Tech scientist used a mathematical model to demonstrate that bacteria can control the behavior of an inanimate device like a robot.

17 Jul 2015

New project aims to revolutionize application of optogenetics in neuroscience

The revolution that optogenetics technology has brought to biology -- neuroscience in particular -- could be transformed all over again if a new project getting underway at Brown University and Central Michigan University is successful.

17 Jul 2015

Synthetic Genomics, Gen9 sign strategic licensing agreement for Febit intellectual property estate

Synthetic Genomics, Inc., a synthetic biology company advancing and innovating genomic science and technologies for transformative products and solutions, and Gen9 Inc., a pioneer in synthetic biology and leader in the development of scalable technologies for synthesizing and assembling DNA, today announced a strategic licensing agreement to leverage their respective strengths in synthetic biology technology development and commercialization.

11 Jun 2015

Researchers transform bacteria into 'secret agents' for detecting disease

Another step forward has just been taken in the area of synthetic biology. Research teams from Inserm and CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) Montpellier, in association with Montpellier Regional University Hospital and Stanford University, have transformed bacteria into "secret agents" that can give warning of a disease based solely on the presence of characteristic molecules in the urine or blood. To perform this feat, the researchers inserted the equivalent of a computer programme into the DNA of the bacterial cells.

3 Jun 2015

IDT to host instructive talk on accelerating synthetic biology at ASM General Meeting

Integrated DNA Technologies will host an instructive talk on accelerating synthetic biology at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday May 31, 2015 at 11am CDT.

From Integrated DNA Technologies 28 May 2015

IDT opens molecular biology R&D facility in Redwood City

Already the world’s leader in custom nucleic acid synthesis, Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) is capitalizing on its expertise to deliver a broader range of validated molecular biology products. Research and development for these products will now be performed in a newly built facility in Redwood City, California.

From Integrated DNA Technologies 28 Apr 2015

New computational model helps study how emerging metastatic tumors interact with immune system

You think that your immune system is there to protect you. But what happens when it starts working against you? In the earliest stages of cancer formation, the immune system is forced to make a momentous decision. It either activates and suppresses tumor growth to help the body fight disease, or it becomes dysfunctional, helping the tumor grow and making treatment more difficult. Because this tipping point occurs before a person even realizes something is wrong, doctors are unable to directly observe this critical stage.

25 Apr 2015

IDT’s San Diego, California, manufacturing facility receives ISO 14001 certification

Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), the world leader in oligonucleotide synthesis, has announced that its San Diego, California, manufacturing facility has attained ISO 14001:2004 certification for its environmental management systems. Now, both of IDT’s US manufacturing sites (Coralville, IA and San Diego, CA) have ISO 14001 certified environmental management systems.

From Integrated DNA Technologies 22 Apr 2015

SGI-DNA introduces BioXp system to give researchers priority access to personal DNA work station

SGI-DNA Inc. today announced the launch of the BioXp 3200 System Early Access Program giving researchers priority access to this one of a kind, personal DNA work station which delivers high quality synthetic DNA fragments.

2 Apr 2015

VWR, New England Biolabs expand distribution agreement

VWR, a leading, independent provider of laboratory products, services and solutions, announced today the expansion of its distribution agreement with New England Biolabs, Inc.

From New England Biolabs 3 Mar 2015

Findings may explain why HIV cure strategies have failed

A major hurdle to curing people of HIV infection is the way the virus hides in a reservoir composed primarily of dormant immune cells.

2 Mar 2015

Bioethics Commission makes recommendations on preparedness for public health emergencies

Today the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Bioethics Commission) reported that the federal government has both a prudential and a moral responsibility to actively participate in coordinated global responses to public health emergencies wherever they arise.

28 Feb 2015