MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'About.com Biotech Biomedical' source. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:09:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3377796&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F17%2Fstabilizing-protein-preparations.htm Proteins are complex macromolecules that perform specialized roles in the cell, requiring them to maintain their specific structures. Because of the nature of the bonds that hold the secondary and tertiary structures in place, some proteins are very unstable when removed from their natural environment, whether that environment is in the cytoplasm of the cell or locked within the cell membrane. Standard protein purification methods generally include specific buffer and storage conditions that are necessary to ensure the protein remains soluble and intact, maintaining its specific activity. Sample contamination can cause proteolysis (decomposition by protease enzymes), and improper storage conditions may result denaturing of proteins which may form aggregates or simply lose activity. Severa... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3377796 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3377796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3373705&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2Fdyadic-international-a-model-success-story.htm Just over a month ago I was privileged to have an opportunity to interview the energetic and charismatic Mark Emalfarb of Dyadic International Inc. Mr. Emalfarb founded Dyadic in 1979 and has built a thriving company on the C1 (Chrysosporium fungus) enzyme technology. The technology is recognized by some significant players in green biotech as a means of replacing harsh chemicals in industrial processes and using enzymes in everyday life. The company has not been without its struggles and apparent scandle (according to an article in the Palm Beach Post), but, due to perseverance on the part of Mr. Emalfarb, shares bounced back by over 1000% last year, making Dyadic a model success story and an example of how talent, determination and a little luck all come into play when building a startu... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3373705 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3373705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3349807&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Fe-coli-h70157-duped-by-built-in-food-safety-mechanism.htm The North American Summit on Food Safety starts tomorrow and I promised to tell the interesting story of how Dr. Rick Holley's laboratory is using applied food biotechnology to build safety into meat products. In a chain of events somewhat analogous to the activation of suicide genes in GMOs released to the environment during bioremediation, the Holley lab has found a way to set up E. coli O157:H7 to indirectly cause its own demise. Mustard seed contains a natural anti-microbial compound called isothiocyanate, which is produced when the plant is attacked by bacteria or fungi. The precursor compounds to isothiocyanate, called glucosinolates, are stored in different cells of the plant than the enzyme myrosinase, which is required to cleave the glucose molecule and generate the anti-bacterial... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3349807 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:30:40 +0100 3349807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3349806&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F09%2Fbiotechnology-techniques-for-tracing-food-pathogens.htm Dr. Shu Chen from the University of Guelph (Canada) presented this afternoon at the Annual North American Summit on Food Safety, describing her work on developing molecular methods for food safety and quality monitoring. There are several molecular methods for genotyping food pathogens and tracing them back to their source. These include: Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP); and, Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MVLA). Examples of AFLP applications are the PCR-based BAX (Dupont) and Assurance GDS (BioControl) detection platforms. AFLP works much like RFLP, except that, following digestion of the DNA sample with restriction enzymes, the sticky ends of the resulting fragments are ligated (attached) to adapter sequences and specific combinations of adaptor-f... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3349806 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3349806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3342161&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Fe-coli-h70157-duped-by-built-in-food-safety-mechanism.htm The North American Summit on Food Safety starts tomorrow and I promised to tell the interesting story of how Dr. Rick Holley's laboratory is using applied food biotechnology to build safety into meat products. In a chain of events somewhat analogous to the activation of suicide genes in GMOs released to the environment during bioremediation, the Holley lab has found a way to set up E. coli H7:0157 to indirectly cause its own demise. Mustard seed contains a natural anti-microbial compound called isothiocyanate, which is produced when the plant is attacked by bacteria or fungi. The precursor compounds to isothiocyanate, called glucosinolates, are stored in different cells of the plant than the enzyme myrosinase, which is required to cleave the glucose molecule and generate the anti-bacterial... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3342161 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3342161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3334757&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F05%2Fsummit-on-food-safety.htm Toronto (Canada) plays host next Tuesday and Wednesday to the 6th Annual North American Summit on Food Safety. Topics being covered include some very relevant issues in food biotechnology, such as pathogen management and building safety into food. A presentation on the latter, by Dr. Rick Holley (Dept. of Food Sciences, University of Manitoba), marks the beginning of the summit on Tuesday. I spoke with Dr. Holley today to get a preview of his presentation. Admittedly vocal with respect to government involvement in food safety, the take home message of Dr. Holleys presentation is that "we can't inspect food safety, we have to build it in". Applied biotechnologists should take this as a challenge to find ways to put food products together in such a way as to be "inhospitable to bacteria". Dr... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3334757 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3334757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3326433&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F02%2Fdigital-education-in-the-sciences.htm I was recently asked about my thoughts on the ongoing shift to digital education and social media legitimacy as it pertains to science and biotechnology. It seems in the past 2 or so years, it isn't enough for a scientific journal to publish it's papers online, but, nearly each and every one has created an entire network of learning tools. This is a general trend among all facets of media, not just the biotech industry. In the sciences, experts in various fields of research are recruited to write online material. In my experience, the legitimate sites with a history of producing peer-reviewed journals, subject the material to stringent editing and review by other scientists. I have participated in several projects for building online educational resources, most recently one on purifying cy... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3326433 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3326433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311008&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fwhat-fascinates-you.htm We all have those moments, especially while at work doing the same mundane task day in and day out, where we wonder why we became scientists in the first place. Do you remember what fascinates you about science? MAKE magazine has created a webpage called The Elements of Humanity, that is home to a number of informal interviews with scientists at last summer's SciFoo Conference on Science and Technology. The interviewees, who specialize in all areas of science, tell what first caught their eye and led them to specialize in their field. Among the experts are Lynn Rothschild (Fascinated with Microbes) and Mackenzie Cowell (Fascinated with Synthetic Biology). Interested in biofuels? On this site, you will also find a "weekend project" feature on how to make your own biodiesel, and a video on g... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311008 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3311008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287272&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F19%2Fepigenetic-markers-change-with-age.htm During development of our bodies, when the cells of the blastocyst begin to differentiate into specialized forms to make various tissues, there are a number of epigenetic markers that determine what kind of tissue is formed. One of these markers is DNA methylation. Methylation patterns on our DNA change with age, and as a result of environmental factors such as alcohol or cigarette smoke. The changes can make one more or less susceptible to cancer and other diseases, but are not well characterized. For example, increased methylation in prostate tissues is observed with age, but questions remain as to where the changes occur and whether they are linked to cancer. Recently, an American epigenetic research team reported finding that methylation in 10 different tissue types increased with age ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287272 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3287272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3275450&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F15%2Fengineered-bioplastics-degrade-on-demand.htm Here's a whole new way to handle waste and reduce the volume of garbage in landfills. Scientists at the Alberta Bioplastics Network (ABN) in Canada are researching various bioplastics that don't biodegrade while the product is in use (i.e. as the bumper of your car) but, once tossed away, can be exposed to specific bioengineered enzymes that will degrade the polymer. It takes a lot of infrastructure to commercialize something like this, from the production of the plastic, to segregation and collection of the waste for processing. Like other recycling and city-wide composting programs, however, if the process proves to be effective, for reducing landfill requirements if nothing else, we may see more of this sustainable plastic technology in the future. Engineered Bioplastics Degrade on Dem... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3275450 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:18:11 +0100 3275450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3279510&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F16%2Fcervical-cancer-immunoassay-improves-diagnostic-accuracy.htm Mtm Laboratories in Germany announced today the publication of research on a biomarker for detecting cervical cancer more accurately than previously possible. Bergeron et al. have published a paper, due for publication in March in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, that describes the technology. The immunoassay is based on the high level of gene expression for a proprietary biomarker, CINtec p16INK4a, overexpressed in cervical cancer cells carrying HPV. The test significantly increases diagnostic accuracy for the disease. The detection system involves combining the ELISA-type antibody-antigen stain, with traditional H&E staining. The form of cancer detected by this staining system, High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia, has a high rate of false positive and false nega... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3279510 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3279510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3275449&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F15%2Fevolution-of-bioprocessing.htm There are a number of reasons E. coli is the preferred organism for gene cloning, and when biopharmaceuticals first made the market, it was the primary cell system for bioprocessing. Then companies started making use of mammalian cell cultures, because of their ability to glycosylate (add sugars to, post-translation) protein products in a way that is recognizable to our human cells. Currently, bioprocessors seem to be moving in many different directions. E. coli cell lines are being developed that can glycosylate more predictably, the way we want them to, and are more efficient, but still have the advantage of familiarity to regulators. At the same time, fermentations using human cell lines are also beginning to take hold. Changes in the type of biopharmaceuticals being produced (proteins,... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3275449 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3275449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3258366&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Fcompostable-sun-chips-biotech-bag.htm Watching the Superbowl football game Sunday night was actually an educational biotech experience for me, because I was introduced to the Sun Chips compostable chip bag. After a quick investigation, I've discovered that the bags are a biotech innovation. The chip bags are made from polylactic acid, or polylactide (PLA), a polymer made during the fermentation of dextrose obtained from plant-derived starch. The biopolymer is produced by NatureWorks and trademarked "Ingeo". It is made from 100% renewable resources (in this case, corn) and is compostable, meaning it biodegrades to carbon dioxide, water and biomass, can be used to grow plants and doesn't produce any toxic materials. The Ingeo plastics are used to make food and other packaging products and serve as petroleum-based plastic substit... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3258366 Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3258366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3250688&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F06%2Fcan-biosimilars-be-cheaper.htm In a review on biosimilars published early this year, a team from Duke University states that follow-on biologics with proven efficacy and safety could "cut down the costs" and increase patient access to biosimilars (Chow and Liu, 2010). The Espicom Business Intelligence review on the topic supports the conclusion that certain biosimilar products, like insulin, might save patients "a lot of money over time". A 2007 study by Duke University (Grabowski et al., 2007), reported biosimilars will not provide the same cost savings to the public that generic drugs do, because of the cost of fermentation and other production processes. The conclusion that biosimilars are "not cheaper" made headlines in industry journals such as BioProcess International (June, 2007). I found that headline somewhat m... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3250688 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:10:02 +0100 3250688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3250687&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F07%2Fbuilding-a-startup-focus-on-quality-from-day-one.htm A key concern for anyone running a biotech company, is how to maintain quality and efficiency. If you're building your own startup, your business plan should include a QbD (Quality by Design) approach. This means focusing on quality and sustainability from day one and building them into your manufacturing system, as opposed to building a less "lean" system that works, and trying to tighten it up for efficiency and quality control later. Applying PAT, helps with in-line, real-time control of quality and recognition of potential problems before they become reality. Taking this approach will also probably reduce FDA inspections, since it reduces your site risk potential (SRP) score. The FDA provides educational and other resources for applying PAT. While quality management measures are obviou... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3250687 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3250687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3243239&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F02%2F04%2Fnanoparticles-for-diagnosis-of-pathogenic-infection.htm Scientists with NRC (National Research Council) of Canada are finding new ways to use nanotechnology, for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. They have created special "nanoprobes" that are attracted to specific pathogens, such as Salmonella or Staphylococcus aureus, clumping them together for easy testing, or reacting in a detectable manner (for example by fluorescence in the presence of the pathogen when activated by irradiation). The tiny nanoprobes can remain suspended in solution for months, and are unaffected by each other or non-target organisms. Different variations on isolation and detection techniques using nanoparticles are being investigated with the intent that this technology could eventually be developed into small, quick, and easy to use pathogen detectors for the up to 9... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3243239 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3243239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227302&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F31%2Fdownstream-processing-of-monoclonal-antibodies.htm When it comes to large-scale antibody production, bioprocessing companies are under constant pressure to improve yields at lower costs. Over the years affinity chromatography has been established as the protein purification method of choice for the initial purification step, when dealing with monoclonal antibodies. Current issues are being addressed by making modifications to this technique including higher capacity columns and shorter residence times. These strategies help by saving on turnover time between batches, and reducing costs associated with the volumes of buffers required to elute the product afterward. How does affinity chromatography work? 1) Columns are packed with a resin carrying either a charge (positive or negative) or bound to a ligand that is specific to the product bei... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227302 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3227302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3224739&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F30%2Fcan-neurodegenerative-diseases-be-cured-by-chaperone-induction.htm Several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Huntington's have been linked to the misfolding of proteins. The improper folding might not only reduce the specific activity of the protein, but may cause them to actually become neurotoxic. Research groups like Neef et al. have theorized that these diseases might be stopped in their tracks if protein folding could be improved. One of the transcription factors involved in protein folding, Heat Shock Transcription Factor 1 (HSF1), a critical regulator of chaperone production, has been found to be poorly processed in neurons, meaning the active form is not efficiently made. Neef et al. set out to fix this by finding a small molecule that could induce proper HSF1 formation and promote chaperone expression, first in yeast, then rat n... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3224739 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3224739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3222840&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F29%2Fprotein-chaperones-ensure-structure-and-function.htm Chaperones (or, molecular chaperones) are proteins that guide the folding of other proteins (tertiary structure) which ensures the correct protein structure and function. Also known as polypeptide chain folding proteins, they can also help guide multiple polypeptides into the correct quaternary forms. Generally they work by binding to polypeptide chains at strategic locations to prevent weak-bonding side chains from interacting. Some of them can catalyze reactions like disulfide bond formation, thereby increasing the rate of protein folding. Chaperones were first identified as heat shock proteins, a class of proteins that prevent denaturing of other proteins in high heat, and are very important in the function of extremophiles. The amino acid sequences of chaperones are highly conserved in... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3222840 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3222840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3201690&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F23%2Fhdp-research-aims-at-superbugs.htm HDPs are a group of peptides produced naturally by our bodies, for fighting microbial infection. These peptides are genetically encoded and produced by ribosomes. After the mid 90's, a whole host of functions were discovered for HDPs, including acting as signaling molecules for the immune system, having chemotactic activities on cells of the immune system, induction of inflammatory responses, regulation of host gene expression, and promotion of wound healing. Many HDPs also interact with the cell wall of microbes, perhaps acting in a similar fashion to antigens and attracting white blood cells. Researchers are now looking at ways to construct synthetic analogues for therapeutic use. A number of factors make them excellent potential agents against "superbugs". A further review on this topic... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3201690 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3201690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193234&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F20%2Fnotch-inhibitor-peptide-slows-tumor-formation.htm One of the most recent examples I could find today, of the use of a polypeptide for treatment of disease, was published in November 2009 in the journal Nature. The transcription factor (TF) known as Notch is responsible for inducing synthesis of a number of proteins, including those involved in epigenetics and tumor suppression, but, until recently, it was believed that this TF couldn't be stopped. Last November, however, Moellering et al. reported using a synthetic, cell-permeriable peptide to block binding of a key element to the Notch TF complex. They called the peptide SAHM1 and were able to use it to slow the progression of leukemia in mice. Source: Moellering R. et al. 2009. Direct inhibition of the NOTCH transcription factor complex. Nature 462:182-188. doi:10.1038/nature08543. Notc... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193234 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3193234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3188670&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fthe-importance-of-small-peptides.htm In several of my blogs and articles lately I have made reference to peptides, either as small molecule drugs, antigens, hormones, ligands (i.e. on hydrogels and other smart polymers), or in other important roles in biotech. A peptide is a short polymer of amino acids joined by a peptide bond. It can contain as few as two amino acid residues, and may be called an oligopeptide. This is not to be confused with the more complex structure of proteins which are generally defined as being polypeptides with molecular weights of more than 10,000, or containing over 100 amino acids. The shorter oligopeptides don't have to be very long to be important. One example is the hormone vasopressin, which is only nine residues in length but regulates blood pressure. Many antibiotics and some extremely toxic ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3188670 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3188670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3171374&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F13%2Fwebinar-on-bioprocessing-using-human-cells.htm The announcement of an upcoming webinar on the use of human cells for manufacturing therapeutic products caught my eye today, because I wasn't aware that human cells were used for that purpose. It makes perfect sense that human cell lines would provide the most reliable bioproducts for treating human diseases. Products like recombinant proteins, antibodies, vaccines and nucleotides for gene therapy are more likely to be processed in such as way as to be recognizable to and compatible with human cells, if they are made within a human cell to begin with. Although this isn't the same as using embryos for research and medical treatments (stem cell-based regenerative medicine, for example), there are likely to be those who find the use of human cells ethically unacceptable, if for no other reas... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3171374 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3171374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3166633&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F12%2Fenvironment-canada-biofuels-order.htm Environment Canada released a document last Wednesday ordering a study on the environmental impacts of biofuels production. Canada has historically been very supportive of the search for sustainable fuel supplies, and the development of biofuels by companies such as Iogen, based in Ottawa, Ontario. However, citing evidence from the USA and Brazil, the order indicates that evidence of harmful effects of bioethanol plants, and public criticism, are among the incentives for the study. The deadline for completion is in March 2010, far in advance of the scheduled Federal government mandate that Canadian gasoline must contain no less than 5% renewable content by September 2010. This seems a bit backwards to me...shouldn't the government have thought to do an environmental study back in May 2008,... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3166633 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3166633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3156146&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F08%2F2009stats.htm I've already blogged my predictions for the biotech industry in 2010, and this week's newsletter makes reference to some of the summary statements by investment experts regarding the industry's performance in 2009. How did biotech fare in 2009? According to David Miller, CEO and co-founder of Biotech Stock Research, "this past year was above average for positive Phase III trials", meaning we are set up for a potentially very active and successful 2010. His statistics show the AMEX Biotech Index was up 45.6% in 2009 and the Nasdaq Biotech Index was up 23.5%. These are considerable gains that aren't necessarily expected to repeat in 2010. Since the Nasdaq tracks mainly smaller, or discovery-oriented companies, maybe that's a good sign that startups are surviving and the interest of those inv... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3156146 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3156146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3152948&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F07%2Ftop-biotech-investors-conference-starts-monday.htm The JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, held next week in San Francisco, is said to be the biggest event in the biotech investing season, where anyone and everyone interested in investing in biotechnology, and biotech company representatives from all facets of the industry (discovery, development, processing) converge on the city for a hectic week of meetings and presentations. JP Morgan is a financial services company that, among other things, collects research and marketing data on the healthcare industry. This is a great opportunity to find out what investors look for in a biotech company, or to get the inside story on partnerships and collaborations. Companies sometimes wait to make major announcements (good AND bad) at this meeting. Attendance at the conference is by invitation only, but... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3152948 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3152948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3148696&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fdecode-stock-suspended.htm Media releases on the discoveries of deCODE Genetics painted a picture of a very promising company over the years, and a sure bet for those choosing biotech stocks. However, these releases may have been deceptive, since, on November 17, 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 and yesterday Nasdaq announced its stock is suspended and will likely be delisted. Founded in 1996, company stock had risen to over $30 in value, by June 2000, only to drop to below $2 by 2008. Those paying attention probably saw it coming and a look over the press releases over the past 10 years reveals to me a company without a lot of focus, jumping around from one disease to the next. With a whole lot in the pipeline, I wonder if maybe deCODE had spread itself too thin. deCODE Stock Suspended originally appeared on ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3148696 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3148696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3145429&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F05%2Finhibition-of-proteostasis-restores-ion-channels-in-cf-cells.htm Our cells are full of enzymes that mediate activities like growth, metabolism, replication, transcription and cell signalling. They are all unique in their structure, and have evolved over time to perform the specific functions for which they are made. Some enzymes are hydrophillic (water-loving, or water soluble) and remain in the cytoplasm of the cell, while others are hydrophobic, thus more lipophillic. The lipophillic enzymes are generally found embedded in cell membranes and tend to have roles such as mediating the transport of small molecules and ions across the membrane. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is one such membrane protein. In order to study its structure and function, it is necessary to first purify a protein. Like all hydrophobic transmembrane pr... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3145429 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3145429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142041&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F04%2Funderwriting-biopharmaceutical-risk.htm As sources of medical research funding shifted in the past two decades, away from being exclusively government-based, more companies are finding startup funding from public or private underwriters. Noferi and Dillon, of Compliance Surety Associates (Chicago, IL, USA) have an intriguing perspective on the historical role of Lloyd's marine underwriters (London, England) in the European shipping industry of the 1700's, and how that compares to the enforcement of Quality Management in modern biotech companies. They summarize the roles and responsibilities of the QA consultant as follows: Assessment of risks associated with company activities, recommendation of risk reduction strategies, development of relationships with customers and stakeholders, and provision of incentive for improvement. Wh... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142041 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3142041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3138813&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F03%2Fhow-halophiles-survive-in-salt.htm I have written before about extremophiles and their usefulness in biotechnology, particularly for development of green biotech processes for industry. Among the various adaptations of the many different extremophiles, is the ability to thrive in high salt environments. Microorganisms that can do this are called Halophiles. Studies have shown that the protein composition of halophilic microorganisms is different than that of normal organisms, with higher amounts of amino acids that have large and/or charged hydrophilic side chains. This month, Tadeo et al. reported using site-directed mutagenesis to demonstrate that it wasn't the charge so much as the size of amino acids, that influenced salt-tolerance in three different organisms. Salt tolerance appeared to be related to compactness of the... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3138813 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3138813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3137461&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F02%2Fmy-biotech-prediction-for-2010-and-onward.htm Welcome to the new year! Like everyone else, I've been taking some time to reflect on the highs and lows of 2009, both personally and globally, and contemplate what 2010 and the new decade will bring. If I may, I'll go out on a limb and predict that the next decade will see enormous progress in regenerative medicine and therapeutic treatments that utilize stem cell technologies. As early as this year or next, we may see some significant biomedical developments that will change the lives of thousands of people and mark this as a new era of medicine. This bold prediction comes from the likes of papers such as that by Viczion et al., who reported in 2009 that they had used IPSCs to generate what appeared to be functional retinal cells in frogs. The pluripotent cells that were used differenti... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3137461 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3137461 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126362&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F28%2Fdatabase-of-the-safety-and-benefits-of-biotechnology.htm CropLife International is a global federation of associations and companies with interests in crop science, agricultural biotechnology and sustainable food production and farming practices. One of their primary interests is supporting activities that will lead to alleviating hunger in under-developed countries. Part of this means supporting GM foods, where appropriate, and where the data (both scientific and socio-economic) indicate that they are safe, or that the benefits outweigh the risks. To that end, CropLife has created a Database of the Safety and Benefits of Biotechnology, consisting of peer-reviewed published journal articles on the subject. You can search by country, crop or other subjects, or just browse the lists of recently published or favorite articles. Database of the Safet... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126362 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3126362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3124372&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F28%2Fdynamic-state-of-nanog-transcription-maintains-pluripotency.htm Sox, Oct and Nanog sound like names out of a sci-fi movie, but they're actually the names of some pretty important role-players in the differentiation of stem cells. These transcription factors have been identified as being an essential part of the regulatory network that maintains the pluripotent state of mouse stem cells. These factors have also be used for creating IPSCs. Research reported this year by Kalmar et al., suggests that pluripotent cells are maintained in a dynamic state "poised" ready for differentiation, based on the degree of transcription of Nanog. Low Nanog (LN) cells are prone to differentiation, while high Nanog (HG) cells are more stable. Source: Kalmar, T. et al. 2009. Regulated fluctuations in Nanog expression mediate cell fate decisions in embryonic stem cells. PLo... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3124372 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3124372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3118483&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F23%2Fusing-fish-proteins-to-prevent-freezer-burn.htm Christmas is a mere two days away (hope I didn't scare anyone!) and hopefully you are looking forward to sharing a feast of whatever your traditional holiday fare is, with family or friends. Whatever the meal, this time of year always leads to freezers full of leftovers, and everyone knows that freezer burn is one of the pesky consequences of leaving food too long in the freezer. Freezer burn occurs when moisture in the food evaporates away, which can happen even at the lowest of temperatures. Freezer burn is a problem in the laboratory too, as it can ruin organ, tissue and cell culture samples that have been stored too long in laboratory freezers. Since the late 1990's scientists have been researching the use of natural antifreeze proteins for preservation of foods and laboratory, or medi... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3118483 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3118483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3110735&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F21%2Fsmall-molecule-drug-delivery-by-tumor-targeting-liposomes.htm A small molecule drug is a compound with medicinal properties, typically with a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons. This criteria may include biologicals such as siRNA, or small proteins. The advantages offered by small molecule drugs is their ability to enter into parts of the body that larger molecules cannot, for example, penetrating directly into cells. Small nucleotides have shown promise for halting the growth of cancer cells, but in a therapeutic setting, they require some sort of delivery mechanism to reach the tumor. There has been a flurry of research into using nanoparticles for drug delivery. In a review of small molecule anticancer therapies, Dass and Choong (2006) discussed the use of cationic liposomes for delivery of small molecules to tumors, but concluded that the... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3110735 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3110735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3100049&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F18%2Fcomment-on-roundup-ready-alfalfa.htm The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a non-profit public interest group in the USA with a mandate to protect consumers and other interest groups from harmful food technologies, using legal actions, submission of policy comments, public education and by providing technical assistance to other organizations. CFS is a strong opponent of GM foods, and is currently in a battle against the USDA and Monsanto Corporation, to prevent Roundup Ready alfalfa from becoming approved for nationwide commercial planting. This battle began in 2005 when APHIS (USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) announced it would deregulate the GM alfalfa products. In 2007, CFS brought a lawsuit against Monsanto demanding the USDA do a more thorough study of the environmental and economic impacts of Roundup Read... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3100049 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3100049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092343&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2Flow-mutation-frequency-a-thermophilic-adaptation.htm Companies sometimes look to thermophilic organisms to serve as catalysts for industrial processes. The benefits to this are that environmentally hazardous chemicals, that also pose a threat to human health and safety in the workplace, can sometimes be replaced. Thermophiles are especially useful because they are adapted to higher temperatures, and industrial processes often generate enough heat to destroy normal proteins in mesophilic organisms. How do thermophiles maintain their advantageous qualities? John Drake, at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA, has reported that the rate of spontaneous mutation in thermophiles may be significantly lower than in mesophiles. In his paper, he compares the mutation rates of average organisms (0.003 to 0.004) to those of two thermophiles. Prev... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092343 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3092343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3088792&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F14%2Ftherapeutic-vaccines-for-cancer.htm Vaccines aren't just for prophylactic elicitation of immunity in healthy people anymore. While you may be familiar with the use of vaccines for prevention of disease, and their administration to uninfected people, a growing trend in the biomedical industry is development of ACI technologies, i.e. vaccines for the treatment of people already affected by viruses, bacteria, prions or autoimmune diseases not related to an infectious agent. While it's true that, by definition, "adding antigen to an already infected person may be tantamount to 'carrying coal to Newcastle'." (Sela and Hilleman, 2004), there is potential for treatments that can turn a biological system "on" or "off" even after infection, thus sabotaging already diseased cells. Cancer cells are often very good at evading the body's... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3088792 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3088792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3070627&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F08%2Fknockout-human-cell-line-reveals-clues-to-influenza.htm A new knockout human cell line has helped researchers make some huge leaps in the discovery of causative factors of some infectious diseases. The human cell line has been developed with only one copy of thousands of genes (chromosome 8 remained diploid), allowing for knockouts to be generated in which there isn't a second copy of the gene to compensate for the loss, through transcription of the encoded protein. The cell line, generated by a group from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, was used to study which genes are used by both viral and bacterial pathogens, one of which was the influenza virus. In a November 27 article in Science, the team describes which host factors (genes and gene products) are required for influenza infection and cytotoxic effects of several bacteria... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3070627 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3070627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056097&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F04%2Fbiosimilars-bioethics-and-business-perspectives.htm Biosimilars are follow-on biopharmaceuticals, made by competitors of a branded drug, following expiry of the patent. By definition, they tend to be large molecules, as opposed to small molecule drugs or therapies, like siRNA. Being more complex, their production can also be a complicated process, and since the manufacturer might not have information such as exact culture fermentation conditions, or access to transgenic organisms used to produce the original product, biosimilar manufacturing processes are not identical. This gives rise to the potential for unprecedented and unpredictable problems such as immunogenic (allergic) reactions to impurities and breakdown products. Thus, unlike generic chemical drugs, the use of biosimilars can pose serious health risks. The European Union has a sy... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056097 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3056097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3051671&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F02%2Ffun-internet-biotech-tools.htm The internet is full of fun tools for enhancing your knowledge of biochemistry and biotechnology. One such resource is the Amino Acid Explorer, on the NCBI website. Students in introductory biotechnology courses might find the Structure and Chemistry button helpful for learning functional groups of amino acids and their properties. If you're in a more advanced program, check out the Amino Acids At Work button for the roles of different amino acids in the active sites of proteins, and the Mutation Analyzer button lets you look up the effects of mutations, or could be useful for investigating possible gene polymorphisms. The Amino Acids As Ligands button takes you to a library of 3-D pictures of protein-ligand complexes with links to the articles describing their role. For example, I checked... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3051671 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3051671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3035807&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F27%2Fimpact-of-single-use-technologies.htm A number of global initiatives in recent years, including ICH and PAT, have encouraged the use of single-use systems in bioprocessing. A major benefit to adapting process systems in this way is the reduced risk of cross-contamination between batches. Traditionally, single-use systems may have been used in early stage development of a new product, but commercial production would be converted to the use of stainless steel, multiple-use systems. Improvements to culturing techniques and optimization of fermentation conditions have made it possible for companies to achieve better titers, and, thus, able to use smaller bioreactors, which has contributed to increased use of disposible equipment. Controversy is beginning to brew, however, over the use of single-use systems, since focus has begun t... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3035807 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3035807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3018639&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F22%2Fnanotoxicity-data-accumulating.htm While the industrial biotechnology sector is rushing full steam ahead to develop and commercialize new nanotechnology products, scientists working in areas of human and ecological toxicity are scrambling to keep up. Nanoparticle toxicity is a prominent topic at this year's SETAC NA conference, with several dedicated platform and poster sessions. The society is primarily concerned with environmental toxicology, rather than human, but the number of papers, and the variety of different types of nanoparticles and target organisms being investigated, is reassuring. I'm glad to see the potential dangers of nanoparticle toxicity are being taken seriously by industry and regulators alike. Here are some of the presentations I came across: Kovacs, T. et al. Ensuring the Environmental Compatibility ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3018639 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:19:34 +0100 3018639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3018638&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Fnematode-was-the-first-sequenced-genome.htm The fruit fly, (Drosophila), has been used as a genetic research tool for a very long time, because of it's easily observable phenotypic differences, and adherence of many of these traits to the basic rules of Mendelian inheritance. Because of this, I always assumed, or thought I'd heard somewhere, that it was the first multicelled organism for which the entire DNA sequence was determined. This is wrong, however, and, according to the NCBI Nematode Genome Resources webpage, the nematode was the first multicellular eukaryote to have it's genome completely sequenced. This information was bought to my attention during a presentation at the SETAC conference I am attending, on the use of genomics and DNA microarray techniques to study nanoparticle toxicity using silver nanoparticles (Ag NP). Th... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3018638 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3018638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016906&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F21%2Fbiomarkers-in-environmental-toxicology.htm Biomarkers are an important tool used by toxicologists and environmental scientists, to study environmental exposures of plants and animals to potentially toxic compounds. Many of the methods for studying gene expression and enzyme activity, attributed to biotech and biomedical research, are also applicable to environmental studies. I am privileged to be able to attend the SETAC North America conference in New Orleans (LA) this week. While on the lookout for new information on ecological risk assessments, I've also come across a number of examples of how genetic methods are being applied to bioindicator discovery. In one example, quantitative reverse-transcriptase (RT) PCR was used to study Vitellogenin (Vg) gene expression in male fathead minnows exposed to estrogenic substances. Vg is an... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016906 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:55:07 +0100 3016906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016905&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F22%2Fproteomics-used-to-study-pah-exposure-in-dolphins.htm Developments in proteomics and genomics make it possible to study the impacts of environmental contaminants on the expression of hundreds, even thousands, of genes. 2-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis is a protein separation method used in proteomics, for partitioning proteins from a mixture according to two criteria, instead of just one. Traditional gel electrophoresis, usually applied to the separation of DNA, works in just one direction. In a presentation today, at the SETAC North America conference (New Orleans, LA), Jennifer Cole, of Texas Tech University, described using proteomics to study the effects of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), a potent carcinogen, on protein expression in the blubber of the Bottlenose Dolphin. The work is the first of its kind on a marine mammal. Skin and blubber cul... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016905 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3016905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999141&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F16%2Fchallenges-remain-for-stem-cell-therapies.htm There are many challenges to making stem cell therapies such as regenerative medicine actually work in a therapeutic setting. We might be able to harvest stem cells, from either blastocysts or by creating pluripotent cells from already differentiated tissues, but that's really only the beginning of a medically viable process. Once a cell line is cultured in a maintainable way, the following questions remain: How to direct differentiation into the desired tissue type Optimizing growth conditions and the physical environment for cell cultures or for growing organs for transplant How to inject and transport stem cells to the target location in the body Challenges Remain for Stem Cell Therapies originally appeared on About.com Biotech / Biomedical on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 21:20:29.P... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999141 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:20:29 +0100 2999141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999140&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F17%2Fbreakthroughs-in-tissue-engineering.htm A tissue is an aggregate of cells, growing and thriving in an environment where they adhere and interact with one another. Tissue Engineering is the use of bioengineering methods to create, improve, develop and grow tissues, which then may be used for grafting, cartilage repair or, ultimately, regenerative medical procedures. The study of tissues is aimed at determining the answers to fundamental questions such as how cells react and interact in a specific matrix, and may involve the use of proteomics to study gene expression and protein production in complex environments. This form of systems biology might look at cellular functions such as excretion of intercellular signaling substances, and epigenetic factors that determine physical features such as size and shape of organs. One of the ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999140 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2999140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2988551&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F12%2Fimagine-h1n1-in-1850.htm It's the year 1847, at a hospital in Vienna. The theory of spontaneous generation is still prevalent in medical circles and story of biotechnology has not yet begun. Hungarian doctor, Ignaz Semmelweis, noting high incidence of post-partum deaths from puerpural fever (caused by Streptococcus organisms), in a wing where medical students are trained, postulates that the students were spreading diseased particles to the new mothers after having handled infected cadavers. He begins a program wherein the students wash their hands with chlorinated water before making rounds, and the death rate drops dramatically. Although Dr. Semmelweis was not quite on the mark about the cause of childbed fever, he had pinpointed a key fact that we take for granted today: Hand washing prevents the spread of germ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2988551 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2988551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2980651&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F11%2Fbiotech-discoveries-and-the-world-war-ii-connection.htm It's Veteran's Day in the USA, Remembrance Day in Canada and England, and, while it may be called something different in other countries of the world, a day to remember the sacrifices of those who defend our freedom. Did you know there's a connection between World War II and one of the greatest discoveries in biotechnology? In the late 1920's Alexander Fleming made a chance discovery, that Penicillum mold, while non-toxic to humans, secreted an antibacterial substance. In 1929, his paper on the topic did not garner much interest, but during WWII, two chemists at Oxford, Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, isolated the substance, called penicillin, and discovered it kept it's antibacterial properties when dehydrated and stored as a powder. Development of this substance into a drug was expedited ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2980651 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2980651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2973636&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F08%2Fh1n1-what-are-the-real-risks.htm Travelling during a global pandemic is a risky business! I just got back from a trip to another province of Canada, a four hour flight away. While Ontario is handing out Swine Flu vaccine to the "priority groups" - small children, seniors and health-care workers, BC is facing a shortage and Alberta is dealing with bioethics issues arising from the public outcry over vaccination of the Calgary Flames, and a debate over whether firefighters are a high-risk group. One of the participants of a meeting I attended refused to shake anyone's hand for fear of getting sick, and last week I heard from a friend that children in her neighborhood of Toronto were not allowed to go Trick-or-Treating, because of influenza fears. During my flight home I wasn't feeling the greatest and my colleague said, a l... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2973636 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:10:27 +0100 2973636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2973635&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F09%2Fpcr-and-synthetic-biology.htm When asked about the origins of synthetic biology, the most primitive, and first commercially expoited, example that comes to my mind is the construction of oligonucleotides for PCR. Oligo means short or small, and short-chains of nucleotides (DNA or RNA fragments) have become important tools in biotechnology and genetic research, ever since our ability to sequence DNA. In PCR, small pieces of DNA, usually about 15-20 base pairs long, are needed as primers. Oligonucleotides are also used for gene probing, a process for detecting certain specific sequences, and for enzyme optimization techniques like DNA shuffling and site-directed mutagenesis. We now have the ability to make much longer oligonucleotides, and technology is improving to make the process faster. According to a summary paper p... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2973635 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2973635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954047&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Fgeron-corporations-stem-cell-trial.htm Geron Corporation is a company based in Menlo Park, CA and the first biotech company in the USA to be granted permission for a clinical trial of regenerative medicine using embryonic stem cells, in humans. While permission was granted in January 2009, the trials were put on hold until last Friday (October 30, 2009) when the latest round of preclinical trials using animals revealed some side effects that warranted further investigation. According to the Geron News Release, test animals receiving the treatment, GRNOPC1, developed a higher number of cysts at the area of spinal cord injury than in previous studies. However, the FDA has agreed to allow the studies to continue, since the cysts appear to be non-proliferative, confined to the injury site, and not associated with any serious advers... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954047 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2954047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934260&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fis-a-bio-based-economy-a-fantasy.htm Among those who work in biotechnology, there are three main areas of study: Biomedical, industrial, and environmental biotechnology. In just 15 years since PCR and gene cloning became a part of mainstream biotech research, industrial applications for the products of enzyme technology and GMOs have become competitive alternatives to traditional manufacturing processes, but still, few people are aware of how many everyday enzyme products have made it into their homes. Biofuels still seem to have a long way to go before widespread use and acceptance validate the claims of their proponents. While the biofuels industry has it's critics, the arguments in favour include the use of renewable feedstocks. Many pharmaceuticals today are actually semi-synthetic molecules, made in fermentation processe... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934260 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2934260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2930519&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fsynthetic-biology-and-artificial-systems.htm Synthetic biology has been defined as the creation of artificial life forms, but, in reality, is more often exemplified in the creation of synthetic (man-made) building blocks of lifeforms, such as ribosomes, tissues and proteins and their ligands, that can be added together to create, or enhance, a biological system (as are studied in systems biology). At University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Bertozzi and her research group study cell surface interactions and use synthetic biology to manipulate cellular processes. In doing so, they have been able to adjust the intercellular environment, control how the cells stick to one another, which affects their assembly into tissues. They reported using different types of genetically engineered cells to make artificial tissues capable of many of th... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2930519 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2930519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2915693&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F21%2Fcanada-approves-h1n1-vaccine.htm Canadians can begin getting their H1N1 flu vaccines next week, now that the Health Minister has announced the vaccine is approved. There haven't been a lot of clinical trial participants in Canada, but the approval is based on European data. China began widespread vaccinations in late September, and the United States and Australia also already have programs in place. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on October 12 (2009) that about 100 low and middle-income countries will recieve donated vaccine starting sometime in November. The donations will be made by vaccine producers such as GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi. The protection of health care providers in the recipient countries will be given top priority. According to a poll taken in early October, only about a third of people inte... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2915693 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:46:58 +0100 2915693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2915692&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F22%2Fusing-systems-biology-to-study-influenza.htm Systems biology is the study of how individual molecular components in a cell interact with each other to create active biological systems. This "grand scale" study of things generates information on the relationships between the structure and function of macromolecules (such as proteins), reaction dynamics (specific activity), and mechanisms for controlling reaction rates. These days, much of the information is built into models so that when new proteins with similar sequences are encountered, their systemic roles can be predicted. The information obtained about the immune system, or viral and bacterial systems, can be used to produce better vaccines. For example, scientists at the Institute for Systems Biology are using what they have learned about the systems of the influenza virus to d... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2915692 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2915692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2908191&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F19%2F519.htm Scientists at the University of Illinois are applying nanotechnology and stem cell research to study the impact of mechanical forces on stem cell differentiation. The group, lead by Dr. Ning Wang, used cells, to which a 4 micron diameter magnetic bead had been attached, to compare the softness of embryonic stem cells to their differentiated counterparts. A tiny oscillating magnetic field was applied to the cells and the amount of movement of the bead was measured and used to determine how firm the surface of the cells were. Dr. Wang determined that the movements were comparable to natural forces within a living cell, and postulated that cyclic forces might impact gene expression and cell development. The researchers used GFP to study the expression of certain genes in mouse embryonic stem ... About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2908191 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2908191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2893948&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F14%2Ftelomere-repair-mechanisms-linked-to-lifespan.htm One approach to studying regenerative medicine is to learn more about telomeres, the segments of DNA at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that form structures with proteins and help regulate... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2893948 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2893948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2881096&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F10%2Fcpg-islands-and-oris.htm Until recently, much of genetic research has been directed towards determining the sequences of DNA that code for proteins. Little was known about non-coding regions, although these played an important... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2881096 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2881096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871257&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F07%2Flab-on-a-chip-making-more-news.htm One week after I wrote about James Dou's digital microfluidics entry in the Great Canadian Innovation Competition, a parallel research program from the same University has made headlines for a... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871257 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2871257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862041&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F04%2Fwho-should-win-the-nobel-prize-in-medicine.htm Scientists in Toronto, Ontario are waiting in eager anticipation tonight, to hear the announcement of this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine, since two of their own are favorites for the... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862041 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:12:15 +0100 2862041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862040&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F05%2F2009-nobel-prize-in-medicine-for-discovery-of-telomeres.htm The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology has gone to a trio of scientists from the United States who discovered how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862040 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2862040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855067&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F02%2Fhow-to-capitalize-on-company-ip.htm Having a patent application is not the end of the line for developing IP assets, it's only the beginning. There are several business development and post-patent steps that companies can... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855067 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2855067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851043&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F10%2F01%2Fbiomedical-entry-in-innovation-contest.htm The Great Canadian Innovation Competition is an annual event sponsored by Canadian Business Magazine and Nytric (an innovation consulting company). Among the three finalists for 2009 is James Dou, a... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851043 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2851043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2845943&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F29%2Fpros-and-cons-of-cord-blood-storage.htm There are a number of biotech companies in the USA, Canada and around the world, that don't deal in research or drug development, but provide a public service to those... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2845943 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2845943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842080&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F28%2Fthe-elusive-aids-vaccine.htm Why is it so hard to develop a vaccine for AIDS? Vaccine development depends on finding a protein on the outer layer of the virus that will serve as a... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842080 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2842080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2827756&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F24%2Fbig-day-for-swine-flu-and-aids-vaccine-news.htm Two significant news stories have broken out in the vaccine development world this morning. The first remains to be validated but, if it is, may be cause for concern for... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2827756 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2827756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2823604&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F22%2Fquantifying-gene-expression-by-ribosome-profiling.htm Ever since the discovery of translation, scientists have been using measurements of mRNA to estimate relative rates of gene expression in cells. However, over time, we've come to understand that... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2823604 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:55:18 +0100 2823604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2823603&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F23%2Fgene-expression-control-by-the-degenerative-genetic-code.htm The genetic code has some redundancy, in that, in some cases, there is more than one codon for a given amino acid. When this occurs, the code is said to... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2823603 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2823603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2819216&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F21%2Fcontrol-of-hydrogel-properties-using-photodegradation.htm One of the main difficulties associated with working with smart polymers is discovering ways to control the biochemical reaction of interest in situ. Each new application presents a new challenge,... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2819216 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2819216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2803499&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F16%2Fmonkeys-see-red-in-gene-therapy-breakthrough.htm And we all thought our donations to research funding went toward finding important biomedical cures for diseases like AIDS and cancer! Where does color blindness fit into that picture? This... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2803499 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2803499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2799973&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F15%2Fthe-call-for-a-new-approach-to-hiv-research.htm Is a new approach needed to find a cure to HIV infection? Chronic suppressive therapy has become the standard for HIV positive individuals and works by preventing viral gene expression... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2799973 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2799973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2781477&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F10%2Fnsb-public-service-award-call-for-nominations.htm Science is an integral part of our lives, yet many people take for granted the amount of time, effort, money and, sometimes, persistence that goes into some of the discoveries... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2781477 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2781477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2777906&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Ffruit-flies-make-good-models-for-brain-cancer.htm I have written before about the usefulness of certain insects, such as the firefly, in biomedical research. Drosophila is another insect used in biotech research, and an insect nearly everyone... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2777906 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2777906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2765456&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F04%2Fh1n1-remains-a-moderate-threat.htm The World Health Organization has announced that, although the flu virus known as H1N1, or Swine Flu, remains a significant threat, it is still only a moderate threat and has... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2765456 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2765456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2761394&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F09%2F02%2Fbacteria-boost-the-benefits-of-blueberries.htm The radio announcement reported that modified blueberry juice was found to reduce the incidence of diabetes and obesity in mice. It was another example of food biotechnology, generating berries with... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2761394 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2761394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751239&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F31%2Fgood-help-a-commodity-in-canadian-biotech.htm In every job I've ever had, from waitressing in highschool, to laboratory manager in a small biotech company, I've been witness to the age-old adage "good help is hard to... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751239 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2751239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737259&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F26%2Fretrotransposons-linked-to-epigenetics.htm A DNA fragment that can transport itself from one location in a genome to another is called a transposon. Some eukaryotic cells host transposons that contain a gene sequence homologous... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737259 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2737259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2724259&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F21%2Fnovel-ideas-for-vaccine-development.htm Fall is rapidly approaching and with that, the threat of an impending flu pandemic. Media talk of the swine flu vaccine had taken a backseat to other issues for awhile... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2724259 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:33:16 +0100 2724259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2724258&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F22%2Fimmune-cell-memories.htm Did you know that your cells have memory cells? Well, it's not quite like that, but, interestingly, our immune system does have a memory. Everyone knows that once you have... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2724258 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2724258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719285&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F20%2Fthe-risks-of-startup-stock.htm The headline "3 Reasons Not to Predict FDA Action" caught my eye. The blog was posted on an investment website and told the stories of three small to mid-sized biotech/pharmaceutical... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719285 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2719285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2715548&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F19%2Ftomato-breeding-efforts-for-improved-nutrition.htm A University of Guelph report says scientists in Ridgetown (Ontario) are breaking new ground in the efforts to improve the nutritional value of tomatoes. Tomatoes are already rich in the... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2715548 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2715548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2694683&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F12%2Fonline-science-site-a-biotech-resource-for-educators-and-students.htm The countdown to "back to school" has begun – in fact a colleague of mine was lamenting as much as two weeks ago that she had to start her back... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2694683 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:00:05 +0100 2694683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2694682&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F13%2Fcongress-on-biomedical-publishing.htm The Sixth International Congress on Peer Review and Biomedical Publication is coming up from September 10-12, 2009, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This event is sponsored by the American Medical Association... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2694682 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2694682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691077&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F11%2Fcrop-biotechnology-turns-to-asexual-seed-production.htm Advocates of agricultural biotechnology believe that one way to ensure a greater global food supply is through the use of GM crops carrying cloned genes for enhanced traits such as... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691077 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2691077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2673941&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F05%2Flatent-genes-stop-hiv-in-humans.htm Monkeys are able to express a gene for a protein called retrocyclin, which inhibits HIV infection of their cells. Humans have the same gene, but it has a nonsense mutation:... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2673941 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2673941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670465&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F04%2Foncogenes-and-cancer.htm There are several different causes of cancer, all of which boil down to genetic mutations of some sort. It's how the mutations arise that make the difference. Some are inherited,... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670465 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2670465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2666997&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F08%2F03%2Fprion-protein-and-degenerative-diseases.htm Prions are small proteins that transmit disease by refolding into an abnormal state that cannot be degraded by normal cellular processes. The prion protein (PrP, or PrPC for cellular PrP)... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2666997 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2666997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2648606&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F28%2Fare-biotech-markets-recovering.htm Apparently July has been a good month for investing in biotechnology in the USA, with gains in the biotech sector up 24%, riding on the clinical trial success stories of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2648606 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:21:10 +0100 2648606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653269&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F29%2Fethics-of-ips-research-explored.htm While the issue of using iPS cells doesn't carry the weight of the embryonic stem cell debate, there are still some controversial topics coming to light as our ability to... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653269 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2653269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2648605&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F28%2Fwhat-causes-gene-mutations.htm Not surprisingly, scientists studying the human genome are finding that certain regions of our genes show more variety than others. Part of the reason for this is the rate of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2648605 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2648605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637493&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F24%2Fmy-sisters-keeper-and-designer-babies.htm I just finished reading the book My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult (maybe you've seen the movie that was just released this year). I'd love to review it for About... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637493 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2637493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2629494&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F22%2Famerican-biotech-needs-patent-reform.htm A little while ago I blogged about the risks of having a weak national patent system, based on a review I read, of the shortfalls of the Canadian system. Now... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2629494 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2629494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2620604&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F20%2Fnserc-bioconversion-network-ready-for-action.htm Canada has a new research initiative to promote and fund biofuels research. NSERC Bioconversion Network was formed in 2008 and is ready to jump-start programs to investigate lignocellulosic bioconversion at... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2620604 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2620604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610461&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Feliminating-the-downstream-bottleneck-is-disposable-the-answer.htm According to a recent survey by Bioplan Associates, Inc., many biotech companies are finding their downstream protein purification equipment can't keep up with bioreactor production. The answer, according to BioProcess... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610461 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2610461 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2601366&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F14%2Fjohnson-and-johnson-not-just-baby-powder.htm When I think of Johnson and Johnson, I think of bandaids and baby powder, but the company made headlines today for having a better than expected quarter and providing a... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2601366 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2601366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2590968&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F10%2Fnih-stem-cell-guidelines-emphasize-sharing-ip.htm The NIH released a final copy of Guidelines on Human Stem Cell Research on Tuesday of this week, in response to President Obama's March 9, 2009 Executive Order 13505: Removing... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2590968 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2590968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2583659&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F08%2Fstem-cell-guidelines-officially-in-place.htm New guidelines for federal funding of stem cell research in the USA, including research using embryonic stem cells, went into effect Tuesday July 7th, following release of a final draft... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2583659 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2583659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2575962&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F06%2Fcascades-and-cell-signalling.htm A cascade, in biological terms, refers to a series of chain reactions used by cells to amplify and send a signal, generally for regulatory processes such as control of transcription.... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2575962 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2575962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2560247&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F07%2F01%2Friparian-buffers-and-phytotechnology.htm I’ve been studying different types of phytoremediation lately and here’s a new form I’d never heard much about: The riparian buffer. Named after the riparian zone, A riparian buffer is... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2560247 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2560247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2555570&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Fphytoremediation-popularity-growing.htm Phytoremediation is a form of bioremediation that makes use of plants to degrade or sequester contaminants in soil and groundwater. While the technology is not new, it seems current trends... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2555570 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2555570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504537&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F22%2Fscrawny-protease-and-cell-differentiation.htm A new link between the protease activity of an enzyme called scrawny (scny), chromatin modification and cell differentiation, has been described in Science Magazine. Scientists from Howard Hugh Medical Institute... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504537 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:30:16 +0100 2504537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504536&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F24%2Fclues-to-antibiotic-resistance-in-superbugs.htm Antibiotic resistant bacteria, sometimes called "Superbugs" are becoming a widespread problem particularly in hospitals where immunocompromised patients can become very susceptible to infection. For example, we all have the bacterium... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504536 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2504536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504538&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F20%2Fevolution-of-zinc-finger-protein-diversity.htm A large number of transcription factors in humans belong to a superfamily that shares a similar motif known as the zinc finger. Among these, a large proportion have multiple tandem... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504538 Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:30:29 +0100 2504538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504539&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F18%2Fweak-patent-system-a-public-health-risk.htm How does a weak patent system affect ordinary people? There's more to IP laws than protecting companies so they can make a profit. Of course part of building a strong... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504539 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:31:21 +0100 2504539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504540&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fsolving-the-polymorphism-problem.htm In a previous blog, I pointed out how genetic polymorphisms can complicate the testing of new drugs on animals, despite the fact that we have some enzymes in common with... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504540 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:44:37 +0100 2504540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504541&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F13%2Fupdate-on-the-swine-flu-h1n1-vaccine.htm Just when I was about to provide an update on progress in developing a Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) vaccine, Novartis, Germany made their big announcement that the first batch of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504541 Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:33:27 +0100 2504541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2504542&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F10%2Fbiofuel-success-stories-in-canada.htm The city of Hamilton, Ontario (Canada) is embarking on a new Green Biotech project that will utilize human waste to make methane gas for fueling it’s fleet of 110 vehicles.... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2504542 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:47:44 +0100 2504542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2468104&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fgene-polymorphisms-complicate-metabolic-studies.htm When it comes to testing the pharmacokinetics of drugs, pesticides or other xenobiotics (man-made compounds), we often turn to other animal species such as rats and mice. However, when interpreting... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2468104 Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2468104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2456169&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fthe-flavr-savr-issue.htm Have you ever tried to get information from online about the Flavr Savr tomato studies on rats? I went looking the other day for details on why the FDA did... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2456169 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:28:49 +0100 2456169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2462803&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F06%2Fis-the-fight-against-gm-foods-or-open-minds.htm I'm not surprised by the first comment on my Flavr Savr tomato blog; I was expecting a few people would read too much into what I was saying and publish... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2462803 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2462803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2456168&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fgold-rimmeddna-nanotubes.htm What could possibly be the point of creating gold-rimmed DNA molecules that roll into nanotubes? In January, researchers from Arizona State University and The Scripps Research Institute reported in the... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2456168 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2456168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2439909&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F28%2Fradioisotopes-for-biomedicine-about-to-become-scarce.htm The Canadian government has announced that the Chalk River (Ontario) nuclear reactor is going to be shut down this summer, for at least 3 months. Initial estimates were that it... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2439909 Thu, 28 May 2009 07:20:16 +0100 2439909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2439908&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F28%2Fshortened-mosquito-lifespan-to-prevent-spread-of-disease.htm This is the time of year when we start thinking about mosquitoes and how to avoid getting eaten alive every time we venture out into the great outdoors. I live... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2439908 Thu, 28 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2439908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2432179&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F21%2Funderrated-technologies-biocontrol-for-pests.htm Bioproducts for pest management is an underappreciated application of biotechnology especially given the controversy surrounding B.t. corn and the risks associated with the use of other GMOs in the "real"... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2432179 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2432179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2422844&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F19%2Funderrated-technologies-smart-polymers.htm The concept of smart polymers might seem like space-aged technology but did you know that there are smart-products we encounter everyday? A common example is the lenses in light-sensitive eyewear... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2422844 Fri, 15 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2422844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2413495&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fbig-pharma-and-the-false-claims-act.htm The False Claims Act is a piece of legislation by the US government to combat fraud and the abuse of taxpayers money. The Act helps address fraudulant activities of pharmaceutical,... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2413495 Wed, 13 May 2009 20:00:02 +0100 2413495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2413494&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F15%2Funderrated-technologies-phytoremediation.htm Phytoremediation is a form of bioremediation, where plants are used to sequester or biodegrade environmental contaminants. The technology has undergone some extensive development in recent years, and numerous successes reported... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2413494 Wed, 13 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2413494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2396979&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fswine-flu-vaccine-how-close-are-we.htm The swine flu (or human swine flu) consists of an unusual mix of gene sequences and is a strain never seen before in humans. The pandemic is causing a lot... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2396979 Mon, 04 May 2009 20:00:16 +0100 2396979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2396978&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F05%2Fflu-vaccine-production-a-primitive-process.htm One of the reasons it takes so long to produce flu vaccines, swine, avian or otherwise, is the primitive process still in use. The first flu vaccines were made in... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2396978 Mon, 04 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2396978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2374724&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F28%2Fswine-flu-gene-sequence-registry.htm Researchers following the Swine Flu outbreak can access the latest swine influenza A (H1N1) gene sequences on GenBank, at the NCBI website. So far over two dozen sequences from strains... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2374724 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2374724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2368509&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F26%2Fusing-gfp-to-study-neural-control.htm Scientists in Massachusetts are using the popular biomarker, green fluorescent protein (GFP), to study how nerve cells are regulated. In neurons, complex subcellular structures make up the presynaptic terminals that... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2368509 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2368509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2367110&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F24%2Fhepc-vaccine-results-promising.htm Proof of concept was announced yesterday for a DNA-based Hepatitis C vaccine at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2009). In the... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367110 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2367110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2340576&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F14%2Fdendreons-stocks-soar-as-provenge-data-announced.htm There was good news today for biotech shareholders owning Dendreon stock, and the odds may have also just gone up for those suffering from late-stage prostate cancer. In a press release... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2340576 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:41:51 +0100 2340576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2340577&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F14%2Fmagnets-and-biomedicine.htm When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the invisible power of magnets and how they repelled one another if directed one way, and were attracted to each other... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2340577 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:19:43 +0100 2340577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2340575&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F17%2Fadvantages-of-membrane-processes.htm There are many significant advantages to using membranes for industrial processes. In 2002, an ad-hoc Committee at the International Conference on Membranes (ICOM 2002) prepared a report on membrane technology... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2340575 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2340575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326860&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F08%2Fstructural-proteomics-and-drug-design.htm Structural proteomics is the study of the 3-D structures of proteins on a genome-wide scale. In the past decade, technology has provided us the tools to process huge quantities of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326860 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:57:45 +0100 2326860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326859&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F09%2Fesi-the-pcr-of-proteomics.htm Before the advent of ElectroSpray Ionization (ESI) in the 1980s, analysis of large biomolecules, particularly proteins, was a slow and complicated process. ESI inventor, John Fenn won a share of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326859 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2326859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326861&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fphenogenomics-centre-chooses-mice-as-mammalian-models.htm Toronto, Canada, is home to one of the largest genetic centres in the world dedicated to the study of mouse genetics. The Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP) houses up to... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326861 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:34:22 +0100 2326861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2295689&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Ffinding-biotech-opportunities-abroad.htm Working in the sciences is a little bit different from other career choices, because you often end up relocating to another country, especially if you pursue a Ph.D. Every month... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2295689 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:09:15 +0100 2295689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2295687&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F25%2Fgenetic-engineering-contest-challenges-undergraduates.htm The international Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM) has been held every year since 2005 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is open to students all over the world... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2295687 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2295687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2283443&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F19%2Fwhat-are-edible-oils.htm Have you ever read the ingredients of Dream Whip dessert topping and wonder what "edible oil" meant? When I was younger, my sister and I thought that meant petroleum-based oil... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2283443 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:51:36 +0100 2283443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2283442&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fdo-politics-prevent-drug-access.htm A few months ago a reader sent me a letter describing Dendreon's Biologics License Application (BLA) for the prostrate cancer treatment Provenge. The letter describes the apparent corruption of the... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2283442 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2283442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2273590&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2F247.htm A couple of months ago a reader let me know about a product that makes freeze-drying cell cultures easier and with improved sterility. I always wondered about the process of... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2273590 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2273590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258652&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F09%2Fusa-will-fund-embryonic-stem-cell-research.htm Just a quick note, because what kind of biotech guide would I be if I didn't...Although you have likely already heard, President Obama overturned (today) the previous ruling by President... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258652 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:03:31 +0100 2258652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258651&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F12%2Fwhat-is-a-drosophila.htm I remember being in about 2nd year university, wandering the halls of our biology building and browsing the many conference posters put up by professors and their grad students and... (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical consumer http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258651 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2258651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246834&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fcs%2Fbg.htm Find Guide reviews, top picks, and advice you can use before you buy. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246834 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246832&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fstemcellresearch%2Fgr%2Fbiotechnation.htm A review of the book Welcome to Biotech Nation by Dr. Moira Gunn. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246832 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246831&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fcs%2Ftp.htm An index of TopPicks for the Biotech / Biomedical guide site. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246831 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246829&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fdiseases%2Fg%2FSARS.htm An explanation for the acronym SARS and description of the causes and symptoms of the respiratory disease. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246829 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246827&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fglossary%2Fg%2FHepC.htm An explanation of the viral infection Hepatitis C including causes and symptoms of the disease. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246827 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246825&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fintellectualproperty%2Fa%2FOECDguidelines.htm A discussion of the OECD recommended guidelines for licensing and handling of IP pertaining to genetic inventions and the objectives of the published report suggesting principles and best practices. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246825 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246823&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fglossary%2Fg%2Ftype2diabetes.htm An explanation of the causes and symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246823 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246821&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fglossary%2Fg%2Ftranslational.htm A definition for the biomedical term translational research. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246821 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246819&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fstemcellresearc1%2Fqt%2FStemRedox.htm A quick tip on optimizing stem cell proliferation in your bioprocessing unit by controlling oxygen tension in the growth medium. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246819 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246817&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fcs%2Fi.htm An index of Issues for the Biotech / Biomedical guide site. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246817 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246815&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fintrotobiotechnology%2Fa%2Fxmasfood.htm Biotechnology is part of our everyday lives, Christmas included. In addition to the more familiar products of biotechnology, some of the more traditional Christmas foods, some dating back centuries, incorporate the use of microorganisms and a knowledge of how to control them. These include Christmas cake (plum pudding), wassail, jellies, cheeses, and stollen. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246815 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246815 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246813&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fcasestudies%2Ffr%2F2008BIOworldcon.htm A review of the 2008 Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246813 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2246811&cid=s_38285_70_f&fid=38284&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiotech.about.com%2Fod%2Fbusinessadminstration%2Ftp%2FPAT.htm PAT (Process Analytical Technology) refers to the use of chemical analyses mid-process, to determine parameters that are directly related to product quality, allowing mid-stream adjustments to be made. Use of PAT leads to improved monitoring and control of the final product. (Source: About.com Biotech Biomedical) About.com Biotech Biomedical info http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2246811 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2246811