Genomics
Combo of CRISPR, informatics helps uncover genetic regulators of immune cells
A new computational tool that uses CRISPR and multimodal single-cell sequencing data can provide insights into the function and regulation of human genes. The study, published in Nature Genetics on March 1, provides details on the molecular regulation of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Read More
Scientists achieve milestone in animal-free production of biologics
For the first time, scientists have successfully produced sugar-based biologic molecules utilizing bacteria, without the need for animal products. The paper, published in Nature Communications on March 2, describes the production of a common designer polysaccharide, chondroitin sulfate. Read More
Single-cell RNAseq differentiates cancer stem cells from healthy stem cells
Researchers have described a new single-cell RNA-sequencing approach, leveraging genomic and mitochondrial DNA mutations, that has the potential to differentiate normal stem cells from cancer stem cells. The article detailing the approach was published in Nature Communications on March 1. Read More
New open-access toolkit helps research labs study SARS-CoV-2
One of the most important factors in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is large-scale scientific collaborations and knowledge sharing. One international group of researchers has made its simple, robust toolkit available to laboratories around the globe that are unaccustomed to working with coronaviruses. The details can be found in a PLOS Biology paper published on February 25. Read More
Clinical pipeline promises effective 2nd-generation COVID-19 vaccines
Despite the small number of COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorizations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to date, many biopharmaceutical companies are continuing to push new vaccine candidates toward regulatory approval. The slow rollout of approved vaccines has created the need for second-generation products with the potential to accelerate the world's return to something approaching normalcy. Read More
Game theory reveals how SARS-CoV-2 tricks human cells
Researchers have applied game theory in an effort to understand how SARS-CoV-2 mimics host proteins to support its own replication. The work, published in Royal Society Interface on February 24, applied a type of game theory on how information is signaled to reveal how the virus tries to trick human cells from attacking it. Read More
New technique detects unique folding patterns in RNA of SARS-CoV-2
Scientists have developed a new technique for determining alternative structural RNA shapes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These self-regulatory segments of RNA, called switches, could serve as potential antiviral drug targets, according to a communication published in Nature Methods on February 22. Read More
AI uncovers the genome's hidden regulatory code
A neural network trained on high-resolution maps of protein-DNA interactions can uncover how these sequences are organized to regulate genes, revealing a hidden regulatory code. Findings from use of the artificial intelligence (AI) model were published in Nature Genetics on February 18. Read More
Proteomics helps researchers pick the best anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies
A new high-throughput proteomics-based strategy to identify tiny antibody fragments -- called nanobodies -- may provide an efficient and effective method for developing therapeutics against the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus -- including variants. The findings were published in Cell Systems on February 15. Read More
Benchtop capillary electrophoresis opens new doors for sample identification
Sample identification and verification is essential to research that interrogates and compares specific regions of the human genome, called short tandem repeats. Benchtop capillary electrophoresis is a sample identification method that can be easily implemented in research labs for many forensic and research applications. Read More
Conferences
Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon)
March 8-12
Online
Genomics of Rare Disease
March 22-24
Online
BioProcess International US West
March 29-31
Online
BioProcess International Asia
April 5-8
Online
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting
April 10-15
Online
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