Synthetic Biology News and Research

RSS

A genetic signal-transmission system for the gut microbiome

More than 1,000 species of bacteria have been identified in the human gut, and understanding this incredibly diverse "microbiome" that can greatly impact health and disease is a hot topic in scientific research.

31 Aug 2018

Scientists discover peptides that can be used as new antibiotic candidates

The human body produces many antimicrobial peptides that help the immune system fend off infection. Scientists hoping to harness these peptides as potential antibiotics have now discovered that other peptides in the human body can also have potent antimicrobial effects, expanding the pool of new antibiotic candidates.

21 Aug 2018

New medical diagnostic kit being developed for use in remote communities

A scientist at The Australian National University is developing a new just-add-water diagnostic kit for use in remote communities to detect malaria and other diseases.

17 Aug 2018

Scientists find people's assumptions about DNA repair after CRISPR editing to be wrong

Despite high hopes and high investment in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, scientists still have a lot to learn about how it works in humans.

31 Jul 2018

EPFL scientists develop new optical nanotube sensors using synthetic biology

EPFL scientists have developed new nanotube biosensors using synthetic biology, which improves their sensing capabilities in complex biofluids, such as blood and urine. The study is published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.

24 Jul 2018

Researchers explore future of houseplants as functional sirens of home health

In a perspective published in the July 20 issue of Science, Neal Stewart and his University of Tennessee coauthors explore the future of houseplants as aesthetically pleasing and functional sirens of home health.

20 Jul 2018

Researchers design proteins that can self-assemble into complex structures

A collaborative research team based in Japan has designed new proteins that can self-assemble into the complex structures underlying biological organisms, laying the groundwork for leading-edge applications in biotechnology.

20 Jul 2018

Scientists develop synthetic biology-inspired materials systems

Scientists from the University of Freiburg have developed materials systems that are composed of biological components and polymer materials and are capable of perceiving and processing information.

19 Jul 2018

Researchers develop novel approach to bridge gap in cell-free systems

Engineering cellular biology, minus the actual cell, is a growing area of interest in biotechnology and synthetic biology.

13 Jul 2018

ABPI associated with NHS for 70 years in pharmaceutical research

In this special year, both the NHS and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry are celebrating our respective 70th anniversaries. The histories of these two organizations have been inextricably linked since 1948 and our relationship with the NHS continues to go from strength to strength.

25 Jun 2018

Increasing biodefense risks posed by synthetic biology

A US Department of Defense commissioned study has found that there are several genetic-engineering tools that could be used to devise biological weapons in a short amount of time.

19 Jun 2018

Customising T-cells for cancer immunotherapy

T-cell immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer treatments. CD8+ T cells are modified to recognize tumor-specific antigens and induce an immune response.

12 Jun 2018

Altering bacteria’s genetic code may pave way for long-lasting drugs, shows study

By altering the genetic code in bacteria, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have demonstrated a method to make therapeutic proteins more stable, an advance that would improve the drugs' effectiveness and convenience, leading to smaller and less frequent doses of medicine, lower health care costs and fewer side effects for patients with cancer and other diseases.

5 Jun 2018

Scientists develop new method to speed up genome evolution of baker's yeast

Scientists have created a new way of speeding up the genome evolution of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the same yeast people use for bread and beer production, to develop a synthetic yeast strain that can be transformed on demand for use in various industrial applications.

26 May 2018

CRISPR-Cas9-based strategy allows researchers to precisely alter hundreds of different genes

Geneticists have been using model organisms ranging from the house mouse to the single-cell bakers' yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to study basic biological processes that regulate human development and physiology, and that can be compromised in various diseases.

22 May 2018