NEWS

Today, access to the world’s largest browsable resource linking rare protein-coding genetic variants to human health and disease was launched through a genetic exome sequence analysis collaboration between AbbVie, Biogen Inc. and Pfizer. Managed by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the browser gives access to results from analyses of whole exome sequencing data … Read more

In April, three leading synthetic biology companies announced the launch of the Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Coalition (www.synbioco.com) to promote investment and support for the American synthetic biology industry. Synthetic biology is a field of science that involves redesigning microorganisms for useful purposes.  It is already being leveraged across many industries, including pharmaceuticals and medical treatments, … Read more

In June, GRAIL, Inc., presented the first results from the interventional PATHFINDER study evaluating Galleri™, a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood test. The results, presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting, support Galleri’s performance in clinical settings. The company also announced today that Galleri is now available in the U.S. by prescription only.  “The interim … Read more

A change of instructions in a computer program directs the computer to execute a different command. Similarly, synthetic biologists are learning the rules for how to direct the activities of human cells.  “Cells are intricate machines that have evolved many interacting circuits—sets of genes that coordinate functions like migration, metabolism, and cell division,” explains David … Read more

In October 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two blood tests, known as liquid biopsies, that can help guide treatment decisions for people with cancer. The tests, Guardant360 CDx and FoundationOne Liquid CDx, are made by different companies and were approved separately. Doctors have traditionally based treatment decisions on features like the organ … Read more

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized marketing of the GI Genius, the first device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) based on machine learning to assist clinicians in detecting lesions (such as polyps or suspected tumors) in the colon in real time during a colonoscopy. The GI Genius is composed of hardware … Read more

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), established in 1958, is an agency within the Department of Defense (DOD) responsible for catalyzing the development of technologies that maintain and advance the capabilities and technical superiority of the U.S. military. In short, it’s the way the U.S. military tries to prevent technical surprise. The Nucleic acids … Read more

Synthetic biology starts and ends with data, and it’s no secret that the human immune system is migrating to the cloud. Cleveland Clinic and IBM have announced a planned 10-year partnership to establish the Discovery Accelerator, a joint Cleveland Clinic – IBM center with the mission of fundamentally advancing the pace of discovery in healthcare and … Read more

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 12 institutes around the world to support research on bacteriophage therapy. These awards represent NIAID’s first series of grants focused exclusively on research on this therapy, an emerging field that could yield … Read more