In Depth 12 Oct 2023 Can immunometabolism-based therapies transform the way cancers and autoimmune diseases are treated? The immune system protects our bodies from foreign invaders, but sometimes, when it malfunctions, it can result in life-threatening autoimmune disorders. But what if the immune system could be regulated to counter these diseases? Immunometabolism, an emerging field in therapeutics, aims to rein in autoimmunity altogether. According to Neil Weir, chief executive officer (CEO) of […] October 12, 2023 - 9 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 11 Oct 2023 Project NextGen: The U.S. government’s $5 billion initiative to stay one step ahead of COVID-19 When SARS-CoV-2 spread out of Wuhan, China, to the rest of the world, it became only the fifth pandemic to be documented since the 1918 flu pandemic. As the entire world went into lockdown, waiting in anticipation for a miracle treatment, the scientific community accomplished what had never been accomplished before, developing first-of-their-kind vaccines against […] October 11, 2023 - 6 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Best in Biotech 10 Oct 2023 Bridging Science and Art: Five bioartists you should know about Bioartists bridge art, born out of creativity and abstract thoughts, and science, which is rooted in facts, laws and logic, as a means of self-expression. The term bioart was coined by Brazilian-American artist Eduardo Kac, who implanted a microchip in his ankle on live television, and registered himself in a pet database, as both the […] October 10, 2023 - 10 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 9 Oct 2023 The biggest private biotech investments in September 2023 The companies Generate Biomedicines, Apollo Therapeutics and Nimbus Therapeutics bagged the biggest biotech investments in September 2023. Around the world, drug discovery and oncology players attracted the biggest funding rounds. As we made our way into autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, September 2023 saw some big funding rounds take place around the globe, particularly within […] October 9, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 6 Oct 2023 Will the U.S. Cancer Moonshot program land its target to halve cancer death rates? It was predicted that more than 600,000 people would die from cancer last year in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. But what if those figures could be halved over the next couple of decades? Although no small feat, that’s precisely what the Cancer Moonshot program aims to do. The White House initiative, […] October 6, 2023 - 10 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Podcast 6 Oct 2023Beyond Biotech podcast 66 – treating rare diseases with tRNA Compared to the smallest mRNA molecule, which is 300 nucleotides long, the largest transfer RNAs (tRNA) is less than a third of the size at 76 nucleotides. Scientists at Alltrna are harnessing the unique biology of tRNAs to engineer a single tRNA medicine that could treat thousands of rare diseases that share the same genetic […] October 6, 2023 Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 5 Oct 2023 Saving lives with xenotransplantation: how biotechs are solving the transplant shortage crisis On January 7, 2022, a surgery was performed on David Bennett to give him a new heart. But this was no ordinary transplant surgery. Instead of receiving a heart from a human donor, the 57-year-old, who did not qualify for a traditional transplant, received a pig heart. This surgery marked a historic breakthrough, becoming the […] October 5, 2023 - 11 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 4 Oct 2023 CAR-NK: Can natural killer cell therapy pick up from where CAR-T left off? Riding on the success of CAR-T cell therapy, a breakthrough in the treatment of blood cancers, CAR-NK therapies are an emerging field in therapeutic research that aim to boost an even stronger immune response against cancer. What is CAR-NK cell therapy? Natural killer (NK) cells, like T cells, are white blood cells that are a […] October 4, 2023 - 7 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Best in Biotech 3 Oct 2023 Five impactful biotech companies to know in New York New York – the place where people of all backgrounds come with hopes and dreams of making a better life for themselves – is just recently becoming a life sciences powerhouse, attracting many biotech companies, after a $1 billion public investment in the industry from the City of New York. This initiative, called LifeSci NYC, […] October 3, 2023 - 8 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 2 Oct 2023 PIPEs in biotech fundraising: is this growing trend fueled by economic uncertainty here to stay? This past year has not been very sympathetic to fundraisers in the biotech industry. As the economic downturn grinds on, many companies are in need of funds to stay afloat. A recent trend in the way biotechs have secured funding, might be telling of how these companies are determined to pull through. A private investment […] October 2, 2023 - 7 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 29 Sep 2023 Illumina: DNA giant in troubled waters A botched acquisition deal and unrest among company investors amid plummeting stocks have plagued Illumina, which was once part of the biotech big leagues that dominated the field of gene sequencing. Now, in fear of losing its ground to other players in the space, it has received a European Commission order to divest Grail, and […] September 29, 2023 - 8 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Podcast 29 Sep 2023Beyond Biotech podcast 65 – Disease X and pandemic preparedness Disease X, a concept shrouded in mystery, represents the unknown pathogens that could unleash future epidemics or pandemics. In the wake of recent global health crises, our understanding of the profound impact of those pandemics has deepened. On this week’s podcast, we have a conversation with Hamilton Bennett, who led Moderna’s mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine development […] September 29, 2023 Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email