Synthetic biology
Why we should worry about a resurrection of the deadly smallpox virus
The scientist who entered [Room 3C16] saw 12 mysterious cardboard boxes on a crowded shelf in the far left corner ...
Stealing DNA sequences? It can be done with an audio recorder
Engineers at the University of California say they have demonstrated how easy it would be to snoop on biotech companies ...
Creating rare marijuana compounds with GM yeast could lead to a ‘blockbuster drug or two’
[Genetically modified brewer’s yeast] is churning out cannabinoids, the compounds found in marijuana. Researchers led by Jay Keasling, a professor ...
Synthetic doubling of life’s DNA alphabet suggests there’s nothing ‘magical’ about life on Earth
The DNA of life on Earth naturally stores its information in just four key chemicals — guanine, cytosine, adenine and ...
Could this synthetic enzyme lead to a treatment for celiac disease?
Ingestible enzymes created by synthetic biology could allow people with celiac disease to eat gluten ...
‘Perfect’ replicas of human blood vessels grown in lab
An international team of scientists claim to have pulled off a first: Three-dimensional replicas of human blood vessels that are ...
3D bioprinting custom-fit spinal cord implants
The latest step toward 3D-printed replacements of failed human parts comes from a team at UC San Diego. It has ...
Viewpoint: Documentary Genesis 2.0 delivers ‘warning’ about synthetic biology
“How did you manage to set free that terrible devil?” asks a Yakut poem, solemnly intoned near the beginning, and ...
Creating artificial life and what we want from it—including resistance ‘to all known pathogens’
For some scientists, [synthetic biology] will have created artificial life if it can arrange DNA into new combinations on a ...
Why 2019 will bring DNA data storage closer to reality
SynBioBeta 2018 culminated in a final panel discussion about the future of DNA synthesis — what many would call the future ...
‘Cutting-edge’ artificial cells could boost precision medicine efforts
No biologist would mistake the microscopic "cells" that chemical biologist Neal Devaraj and colleagues are whipping up at the University ...
Artificial vs natural? Ocean Spray sued for using synthetic flavor in its cranberry juice
Ocean Spray, the company that makes several popular cranberry juice drinks, is battling a class-action lawsuit brought by two plaintiffs ...
Making a push for synthetic biology in Europe
Within a few years synthetic biology has evolved from being a new player in the molecular biology and biotech arena, ...
Can we use plants to grow human tissue and body parts?
[Dr. Andrew Pelling] wanted to see whether grocery-store-bought plants can supply the necessary structure for engineering replacement human tissues. … Under ...
Video: Lab-grown human heart tissue beats ‘like the real thing’
A tiny pulsing strip of muscle could help save the lives of 33 million people. That’s how many people suffer ...
The future is now: Here are the most promising synthetic biology projects
Never has it been more possible to engineer biology (see ‘Tailor, not tinker’). But solving grand problems requires a switch ...
Creating life from the ‘bottom up’: Can we make cells from scratch?
There were just eight ingredients: two proteins, three buffering agents, two types of fat molecule and some chemical energy. But ...
Peering back in time: Engineered synthetic organisms could help answer key evolutionary questions
Evolution is the accepted explanation for life's diversity today, but there are still some holes in the process that we ...
How synthetic biology can solve the problems we’ve created
Human activity has wreaked havoc on the environment. Many of the products we rely on for our daily lives are ...
Defining life: If it’s created in a lab, is it really alive?
Describing life is difficult and evasive. Will we fully understand life if we can create it through synthetic biology? ...
Using synthetic biology to help humans adapt to a life on Mars
Synthetic biology could solve many problems that Mars colonization brings up ...
Battling constipation with synthetic biology and DNA manipulation
Ateam of researchers has cleverly combined synthetic biology, recombinant DNA technology and microbiome manipulation to fashion a novel targeted treatment ...
Synthetic biology’s ‘promise and potential’ capture investor attention
Synthetic biology has become the new frontier of genetic engineering, promising to radically change the way we make clothes, fragrances, ...
The human cost of the anti-GMO movement: Why one scientist is quitting GE crop research
Constantly confronting people who think my research will harm them is profoundly distressing ...
Digitizing DNA: Real reasons to worry about cyberbiosecurity
The intersection between biology and digital technology opens the door for incredible discoveries, but also creates opportunities for dangerous events, ...
Africa could become a world agricultural leader in CRISPR and other new breeding techniques (NBTs)
It is 8:30 East African Standard Time. I disembark from a van filled with science journalists from Kampala, Uganda and ...
Genetic engineering promises cornucopia of future products—but biotechnology critics take lethal aim
Genetic engineering may soon be giving us products that appear to be pulled from the realm of science fiction. Researchers ...
