Genetic Engineering News and Research

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First lethal mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 developed

Army scientists have developed the first lethal mouse model of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, using mice that were genetically engineered to express the human ACE2 gene--a key mechanism by which the virus enters human cells.

27 Aug 2020

New discovery could help protect the liver from fructose-induced diseases

A team of international researchers including Monash University academics has discovered that, contrary to previous belief, fructose causes liver toxicity by changing the barrier function of the intestine.

27 Aug 2020

Heat Biologics SARS-CoV-2 vaccine generates potent T cell response in pre-clinical trial

The COVID-19 pandemic is still creating economic and health-related impact over the world. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 shows that a gp96-Ig-secreting vaccine candidate based on the expression of full-length spike protein generates a potent T cell response.

26 Aug 2020

Novel cell-based therapy holds promise for obesity and diabetes

Obesity is the main cause of type 2 diabetes and related chronic illnesses that together will kill more people around the globe this year than the Covid-19 coronavirus.

26 Aug 2020

Single dose nasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 shows promise in animal studies

Now researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have worked on developing a candidate vaccine against the infection that could be administered in a single dose via a nasal spray rather than an injection. In their preliminary studies using lab mice, this single dose of the nasal vaccine successfully prevented the infection with the novel coronavirus.

24 Aug 2020

New discovery about STING protein could lead to improved cancer immunotherapies

The immune protein STING has long been noted for helping protect against viruses and tumors by signaling a well-known immune molecule.

24 Aug 2020

Using engineered off-the-shelf therapeutic T cells to fight cancer

Personalized cancer treatments are no longer just options of the future. In the past few years, researchers have made significant progress in 'teaching' the body's immune T cells to recognize and kill specific cancer cells, and human clinical trials have shown that this approach can successfully eliminate tumors.

20 Aug 2020

Genetically engineered mosquitoes to be released in Florida Keys

Mosquitoes are known to be vectors or bearers of several viral and protozoal infections such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, Chikungunya, and malaria. These infections are known to infect and even kill millions around the world each year. In order to tackle this vector-borne menace, researchers have genetically engineered mosquitoes that could replace the infection carrying species of the mosquitoes.

20 Aug 2020

Researchers develop vaccine for human herpesvirus 6B

A research group led by Professor MORI Yasuko (of the Division of Clinical Virology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine) has revealed that the HHV-6B glycoprotein complex gH/gL/gQ1/gQ2 is an effective vaccine candidate for human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B).

20 Aug 2020

Study could help understand the evolution of nervous systems in animals and humans

When it comes to brain cells, one size does not fit all. Neurons come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and contain different types of brain chemicals. But how did they get that way?

20 Aug 2020

Combination of nanotechnology and genetic engineering for regulating fatal cancer stemness

The development of chemotherapeutic agents with selective anti-cancer activities is increasingly unattractive due to the emergence of resistance, poor targeting of cancer tissues, and subsequent metastasis.

17 Aug 2020

Scientists hope to find clues about how life emerged by tinkering with its oldest components

"I'm fascinated with life, and that's why I want to break it."

15 Aug 2020

Experimental COVID-19 vaccine prevents severe disease in mice

Now, a novel experimental vaccine that is made from a mild virus genetically-modified to carry an essential gene from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the coronary disease (COVID-19), has shown promise in preventing pneumonia in mice infected with the virus.

14 Aug 2020

Engineered capsids for improved gene delivery to the retina and cornea

A rational design approach created novel variants of adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsids.

13 Aug 2020

Reelin inhibition may be effective for treating multiple sclerosis

In an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), decreasing the amount of a protein made in the liver significantly protected against development of the disease's characteristic symptoms and promoted recovery in symptomatic animals, UTSW scientists report.

12 Aug 2020