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A biomaterial vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 - quick and scalable

A recent 'tour-de-force' research endeavor, led by scientists from Harvard University, explored the propensity of a biomaterial vaccine based on mesoporous silica rods to spawn highly protective humoral responses against relevant antigens of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

8 Jul 2020

New assay rapidly tests SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and screens antivirals

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, have developed a new platform that can rapidly test neutralizing antibody activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and perform high-throughput screening of potential antiviral agents.

24 Jun 2020

Interesting study on which species may be infected by SARS-CoV-2

The team from the University of Cambridge and the Pirbright Institute found that the Spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 engages with the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) across a wide range of animals, even though the Spike binding site shows a between-species variation in its amino acid composition.

21 Jun 2020

Mutational targets of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain for vaccine-antiviral development

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the whole world within six months, causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths. Yet there is no effective vaccine or antiviral to deal with it.

18 Jun 2020

Study shows human monoclonal antibodies can effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2

US researchers have published a proof of concept on the efficacy of human monoclonal antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in laboratory conditions, as well as their pioneering use in a mouse model. The study is available on the preprint server bioRxiv*.

17 May 2020

New information on viral antigens could improve COVID-19 testing

Researchers in France and China have characterized antibody responses to a wide range of antigens present on severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 May 2020

Discovery of first blue light emitting South American insect

A rainforest reserve, bordering the mighty Atlantic, in the Sao Paulo state of Brazil, is now in the news because scientists saw a flash of blue while they were gathering mushrooms. Indeed, this privately-owned Reserva Betary park can boast the honor of being host to the newly discovered species of fungus gnat, named Neoceroplatus betaryiensis, the larva of which is the first bioluminescent creature found in the Neotropics that emits blue light.

31 Oct 2019

Bioinspired method detects and detoxifies harmful chemicals in single step

Many industrial and agriculture processes use chemicals that can be harmful for workers and the ecosystems where they accumulate.

12 Aug 2019

Newly developed bioluminescence sensors pave way for drug discovery

Canadian researchers, working in partnership with Brazilian colleagues, have developed 13 bioluminescence sensors for use in testing the effectiveness of new medical drugs in the laboratory.

2 Mar 2019

Researchers identify new peptide that helps lateral roots to grow with right spacing

How do plants space out their roots? A Japanese research team has identified a peptide and its receptor that help lateral roots to grow with the right spacing.

21 Jan 2019

Inhalable mRNA offers hope for patients with lung disease

Scientists have reported the success of an inhalable mRNA therapy that can induce the production of a target protein in the lungs of mice.

4 Jan 2019

New technology based on moths and magnets could help treat genetic diseases

A new technology that relies on a moth-infecting virus and nanomagnets could be used to edit defective genes that give rise to diseases like sickle cell, muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis.

14 Nov 2018

Food scientists can employ bacteriophage to destroy E. coli in drinking water

To rapidly detect the presence of E. coli in drinking water, Cornell University food scientists now can employ a bacteriophage - a genetically engineered virus - in a test used in hard-to-reach areas around the world.

28 Sep 2018

Study provides snapshot of mechanism behind cancer metastasis for the first time

Metastasis, or the formation of secondary tumors, is a leading contributor to the vast majority of deaths related to cancer.

9 Aug 2018

Scientists engineer light-emitting plant

MIT researchers investigating plant nanobionics have succeeded in engineering a plant that can emit light.

14 Dec 2017

Overcoming Challenges of Assays of Complex Cellular Models with Real-Time Live-Cell Analysis

There's a continued drive towards making in vitro assays ever more translational towards in vivo models and ultimately the clinic. This ties in with the resurgence of phenotypic screening and is a response to the perceived poor translation of the traditional simple cell-based assays, often developed to study just single protein targets.

From Sartorius 5 Dec 2017

Scientists invent new way of folding and protecting recombinant proteins

A team from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has invented a fundamentally new way of folding and protecting recombinant proteins.

13 Nov 2017

Stem cells do not participate directly in cartilage regeneration but serve to ‘animate’ the process

Stem cell therapy has great potential for curing cartilage damage. However, it has remained unclear whether stem cells are responsible for regeneration or whether they trigger the process.

31 Oct 2017

MIT engineers design more effective synthetic mRNA delivery system

By delivering strands of genetic material known as messenger RNA into cells, researchers can induce the cells to produce any protein encoded by the mRNA. This technique holds great potential for administering vaccines or treating diseases such as cancer, but achieving efficient delivery of mRNA has proven challenging.

21 Sep 2017

Researcher uses gold nanoparticles and lasers to target bladder cancer

A University of Colorado Cancer Center study takes a new approach to killing cancer: Why not fry it into oblivion with vibrating gold nanoparticles? "But what about the frickin' lasers?" you may ask. Don't worry. There are lasers. And bioluminescence too.

31 Aug 2017