In Depth 11 Feb 2019 CRISPR: One Patent to Rule Them All The gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized research in biology. With several parties fighting for the rights to the technology’s intellectual property, how difficult is it for third parties to access this coveted technology? The CRISPR patent dispute is quite unique. While universities usually work together to disseminate innovation and knowledge, in the CRISPR case […] February 11, 2019 - 5 minutesmins - By Timothé Cynober Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 22 Jan 2019 No Guts, No Glory: How Microbiome Research is Changing Medicine Scientists are uncovering many ways that the microorganisms that share our body can influence our health. It appears as though the human microbiome could be the key to treating all sorts of diseases, but how can we make these tiny creatures collaborate with us? Let’s do a gut check. We’ve all been told that our […] January 22, 2019 - 10 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 14 Jan 2019 Life in Bioplastic, it’s More Fantastic Plastic is the staple material of modern life, and a sustainable future will need bioplastics. What is biotech doing to make this happen? “What do you include in bioplastics? Because bioplastics is a very large word,” commented Emmanuel Maille, formerly Director of Strategy and Development at French chemical company Carbios, which focuses on developing biobased […] January 14, 2019 - 10 minutesmins - By Denise Neves Gameiro Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 11 Dec 2018 Easy as ATCG: Commercialization of DNA as Data Storage You could be storing information in DNA sooner than you might think. Although the technology is still quite early — the first video encoded in DNA, revealed last year, was quite simple — the rate at which the cost of writing DNA is going down might make DNA data storage a reality in the coming […] December 11, 2018 - 5 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 21 Nov 2018 5 Challenges to Unlocking the Real Potential of the Human Microbiome The study of the human microbiome — the microorganisms living in our body — is a very young field of research that is making big promises to treat all sorts of human diseases. As we get close to the approval of the first treatment based on microbiome science, it’s important to be aware of the […] November 21, 2018 - 9 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 14 Nov 2018 Taking Biotech to the Next Level with Laboratory Automation Automation is slowly taking over our lives, ranging from smart homes to self-driving cars. With experiments becoming ever more complex and datasets more immense, a question that comes to mind: can we automate biotech research? Most pharma and biotech companies, and in part also academic labs, have automated sections of their processes and make use […] November 14, 2018 - 6 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 7 Nov 2018 Biohacking: Democratization of Science or Just a Quirky Hobby? The biohacking movement is making scientific research accessible to everyone under the form of low-cost community labs. What does it mean to be a biohacker and how is it changing the way we do science? Scientific research is undoubtedly an arduous endeavor. One that requires highly trained and skilled scientists and that can only be […] November 7, 2018 - 5 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 30 Oct 2018 Shuttles, Bubbles and Ultrasound: Crossing the Blood–Brain Barrier What do shuttles, bubbles and ultrasound have in common? They are all methods that can all be used to target the blood–brain barrier and make treating brain diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s easier. The blood–brain barrier is the gatekeeper to the brain. This highly selective protective sheath regulates the flow of substances in and […] October 30, 2018 - 7 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 9 Oct 2018 How to Capitalize on Opportunities in Underserved Disease Areas Developing treatments for underserved diseases can be surprisingly profitable for biotechs, we asked the experts to tell us more about how best to exploit these areas. We hear a lot about cancer therapies or drugs to target heart disease in the press, but overall a lot less about treatments for more underserved areas. Often successful […] October 9, 2018 - 9 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 8 Oct 2018 Behind the Scenes of the Spanish Biotech Industry’s Boom The Spanish biotech industry is booming, but from my conversations with industry players elsewhere in Europe, it seems the country’s biotech industry keeps being a mystery for many. I caught up with experts at the Biospain conference to draw an overview of how biotech in Spain is doing in 2018. When we talk about biotech […] October 8, 2018 - 5 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 1 Oct 2018 Could These Innovative Flu Vaccines Prevent Deaths From Deadly Outbreaks? Despite more than a century of scientific endeavour, influenza remains one of the most deadly infectious diseases worldwide. Across Europe, many biotechs are working on novel solutions that could dramatically improve the protection rates offered by current vaccines. Some may even lead to the holy grail of influenza research – a universal flu vaccine. Each […] October 1, 2018 - 8 minutesmins - By David Cox Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 19 Sep 2018 Using Stem Cells to Save the Northern White Rhino Stem cells are recognized for their therapeutic promise in regenerative medicine, but did you know that they’re also being used to save endangered species? Four hours north of Nairobi, closely safeguarded by armed security, the last remaining northern white rhinoceros are waiting for extinction. Only two animals are left, both of them living in a […] September 19, 2018 - 7 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email