Biologically Inspired Engineering, synbio, synthetic biology, crispr
Scientists have identified more than 1,000 potential new biomarkers for cancer that they hope will aid in the early detection of many of these complex diseases, including one of the most challenging, pancreatic cancer. In the alternate universe of reward-sensitive entrepreneurs, Jo Bhakdi has rolled out a new liquid biopsy product that detects potentially cancerous … Read more
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lumakras (sotorasib) as the first treatment for adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have a specific type of genetic mutation called KRAS G12C and who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. This is the first approved targeted therapy for tumors with any … Read more
Synthetic biology’s potential was on display for the first time at a national level when the mRNA vaccine was developed in a matter of weeks after the COVID genome was sequenced. The emerging field of machine learning is rife with potential, as it allows scientists to design biological systems to specification, such as engineering a … Read more
Cancer’s craftiness is perhaps on its greatest display in the cases when genetic lesions in cancer stop a person’s genes from working. Losing certain genes (tumor suppressors) that are designed to prevent uncontrolled cell growth suggests cancer has more up its sleeve than random linear growth. Some scientists believe cancers act more like parasites that … Read more
Each new presidential administration appoints thousands of new people to political positions inside the new government. The Biden administration has been busy recruiting and vetting candidates for various positions, some of which will advise the president on matters related to science. Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., will continue in his role as National Institutes of Health … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic may soon push scientists towards work against cancer, autoimmune diseases and other illnesses. The vaccines from drug companies Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech use a new way to train the body’s immune system to respond to infection. They are testing the same techniques to recruit the immune system to attack tumors. And when immune … Read more
According to Dr. Francis Collins, evolutionary studies – comparing the development of these systems across animals and organisms – are now leading to unexpected biological discoveries and promising possibilities for preventing and treating human disease. While there are many evolutionary questions to ask, Brenda Bass, a distinguished biochemist at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, … Read more
The PC gaming market inflected upwards in 1999, sparking the geometric growth of parallel processing computer chips designed to optimize gaming. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI — the next era of computing — with the GPU acting as the brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can perceive and understand the … Read more
Many things must work together at many different levels – from organs to cells to genes – for your body to develop properly and stay healthy. From both inside and outside the body, cells are constantly receiving chemical cues prompted by such things as injury, infection, stress or even the presence or lack of food. … Read more
Living systems are not only complex, they are relentless in their demands to be kept alive, with all the attendant limitations and challenges for experimentation and measurement. So-called “cell-free systems” inhabit the space between chemistry and biology proper, obviating some of the requirements of living, cell-based systems and enabling biochemical processes and experimental interventions toxic, … Read more