Drug Discovery & Development
Vizgen begins shipping Merscope instruments for single-cell genomics
Vizgen has shipped its first commercial Merscope instruments to research institutions as part of a limited summer release program. Merscope enables high-plex, single-cell spatial genomics and large-scale spatial profiling of individual transcripts within cells. Read More
Next-generation gene therapy points to base editing
Base editing has emerged as a new player in the gene therapy arena, with rapid advances in technology and evidence of proof of concept in rare genetic disease and beyond. Read More
ARES deep-learning system improves 3D RNA structure prediction
A new deep-learning system called Atomic Rotationally Equivariant Scorer (ARES) significantly improves the prediction of RNA structures over previous artificial intelligence models. The advance, described by Stanford University researchers in a paper in Science on August 26, may help scientists uncover the biological functions of RNA and pave the way to the discovery of novel RNA-targeted drugs. Read More
'Minibrains' grown from stem cells replicate brain's electrical activity
Researchers have grown 3D human brain tissue from stem cells that replicates the patterns of electrical activity found in the brains of patients with Rett syndrome. These "minibrain organoids" can be used to investigate the underlying causes of neurological disease and screen and test potential drug candidates, according to research published on August 23 in Nature Neuroscience. Read More
Rice to establish Genetic Design and Engineering Center
Researchers at Rice University have received a five-year, $4 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to establish a new Genetic Design and Engineering Center. Read More
CRISPR-based method can speed the identification of disease-causing genes
A new CRISPR gene editing screening method can be used to link phenotype and genotype in animal models. The method was efficiently deployed in zebrafish and significantly reduced the time needed to evaluate the function of hundreds of genes, according to a paper published in Science on August 19. Read More
McMaster, Sartorius partner on improving biomanufacturing
Sartorius Stedim Biotech and McMaster University, which is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, plan to collaborate on an effort to improve advanced manufacturing processes for antibody and virus-based treatments for diseases like COVID-19 and cancer. Read More
Researchers create 3D tumor models with cells from patients
Using tissue samples from cancer patients, Israeli researchers have successfully printed an active, viable glioblastoma 3D tumor model. In addition to potential applications in personalized medicine, the achievement promises to speed drug development and increase the chances that developed drugs will succeed in clinical trials. The results were published August 18 in Science Advances. Read More
Heat-controlled CAR T cells show improved cancer-killing ability
By adding a genetic on-off switch to engineered CAR T cells, researchers have developed a remote-controlled system that enables precision invasion of the tumor microenvironment for improved cancer-killing capabilities. The details of the research were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering on August 12. Read More
New award program recognizes marketable scientific advances
A new award to recognize researchers who ask fundamental questions at the intersection of life sciences and entrepreneurship has been launched by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Copenhagen-based BioInnovation Institute Foundation. Read More
Conferences
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2021
September 17-21
Paris France
Bio-IT World Conference and Expo
September 20-22
Boston, Massachusetts United States
BioProcess International
September 20-23
Boston, Massachusetts United States
Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing and Commercialization
September 20-23
Boston, Massachusetts United States
American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo
September 26-30
Atlanta, Georgia United States
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