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Archive for the ‘bioengineering’ category: Page 145

Feb 19, 2019

Landmark research creates “universal” stem cells using CRISPR gene editing

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics

In an incredible milestone, scientists have for the first time created “universal” stem cells by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to produce pluripotent stem cells that can be transplanted into any patient without generating an immune system response.

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Feb 18, 2019

CRISPR gene editing makes stem cells ‘invisible’ to immune system

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics, life extension

UC San Francisco scientists have used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system to create the first pluripotent stem cells that are functionally “invisible” to the immune system, a feat of biological engineering that, in laboratory studies, prevented rejection of stem cell transplants. Because these “universal” stem cells can be manufactured more efficiently than stem cells tailor-made for each patient—the individualized approach that dominated earlier efforts—they bring the promise of regenerative medicine a step closer to reality.

“Scientists often tout the therapeutic potential of pluripotent stem cells, which can mature into any adult tissue, but the immune system has been a major impediment to safe and effective stem cell therapies,” said Tobias Deuse, MD, the Julien I.E. Hoffman, MD, Endowed Chair in Cardiac Surgery at UCSF and lead author of the new study, published Feb. 18 in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

The immune system is unforgiving. It’s programmed to eradicate anything it perceives as alien, which protects the body against infectious agents and other invaders that could wreak havoc if given free rein. But this also means that transplanted organs, tissues or cells are seen as a potentially dangerous foreign incursion, which invariably provokes a vigorous immune response leading to transplant rejection. When this occurs, donor and recipient are said to be—in medical parlance—” histocompatibility mismatched.”

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Feb 12, 2019

Genetically Modified Super-Charged Cassava Could Help Stamp Out Malnourishment In Africa

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, food, genetics

Over 800 million people depend on cassava as a main food staple. Also known as manioc and yuca, this root vegetable also makes up around 50 percent of the caloric intake of around one-third of people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Unfortunately, it isn’t the most nutritious of food sources. As a result, iron and zinc deficiencies are sky high in many parts of Africa. It’s estimated that up to 75 percent of preschool children and 67 percent of pregnant women in Nigeria are anemic as a result of iron deficiency.

However, researchers have now developed super-charged cassavas using genetic engineering to enrich the plant with significantly higher levels of both iron and zinc.

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Feb 6, 2019

Ira Pastor — Dr. Michael Lustgarten — IdeaXMe

Posted by in categories: aging, bioengineering, biotech/medical, DNA, futurism, genetics, hacking, health, life extension, transhumanism

Very excited to have interviewed Dr. Michael Lustgarten in my role as longevity / aging ambassador for the ideaXme Show — Mike has been at the forefront of studying the 100 trillion organisms present in the human microbiome, their effect on human health and wellness, as well as a major proponent of metabolomics and biologic age tracking — A true future thinker in the area of extending human lifespan and healthspan

Feb 5, 2019

CRISPR revolutionized gene editing. Now its toolbox is expanding

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics

The scientists who developed the revolutionary gene-editing system known as CRISPR are improving it with new tools that make it work better.

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Feb 4, 2019

The DIY designer baby project funded with Bitcoin

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, bitcoin, cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency, biohacking, and the fantastic plan for transgenic humans.

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Feb 3, 2019

Mollusk with magnetic teeth could be the key to nanoscale energy sources

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, energy, genetics, nanotechnology

A team of scientists have made a new discovery about naturally occurring magnetic materials, which in turn could lead to the development of nanoscale energy sources used to power next generation electronic devices. Researchers from Japan’s Okayama University and UC Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering worked together to study the gumboot chiton, a type of mollusk that produces teeth made of the magnetic mineral magnetite, in hopes of better understanding its genetic process.

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Feb 1, 2019

New U.S. Experiments Aim To Create Gene-Edited Human Embryos

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics, health

CRISPR And Human Embryo Experiments Underway In The U.S. : Shots — Health News Despite outrage over gene editing in China that affected the birth of twins, research is underway in the U.S. to assess the safety and effectiveness of CRISPR tools to edit genes in human embryos.

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Jan 30, 2019

Scientists create a renewable source of cancer-fighting T cells

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical

A study by UCLA researchers is the first to demonstrate a technique for coaxing pluripotent stem cells—which can give rise to every cell type in the body and which can be grown indefinitely in the lab—into becoming mature T cells capable of killing tumor cells.

The technique uses structures called artificial thymic organoids, which work by mimicking the environment of the thymus, the organ in which T develop from blood stem cells.

T cells are cells of the immune system that fight infections, but also have the potential to eliminate . The ability to create them from self-renewing pluripotent stem cells using the UCLA technique could lead to new approaches to cancer immunotherapy and could spur further research on T cell therapies for viral infections such as HIV, and autoimmune diseases. Among the technique’s most promising aspects is that it can be combined with gene editing approaches to create a virtually unlimited supply of T cells able to be used across large numbers of patients, without the need to use a patient’s own T cells.

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Jan 30, 2019

New Material Could Drive Wound Healing

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical

Imperial researchers have developed a new bioinspired material that interacts with surrounding tissues to promote healing.

Materials are widely used to help heal wounds: Collagen sponges help treat burns and pressure sores, and scaffold-like implants are used to repair broken bones. However, the process of tissue repair changes over time, so scientists are looking to biomaterials that interact with tissues as healing takes place.

“Creatures from sea sponges to humans use cell movement to activate healing. Our approach mimics this by using the different cell varieties in wounds to drive healing.” –Dr Ben Almquist, Department of Bioengineering.

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