Bioengineers from the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new form of composite material by incorporating yeast into a gel. They demonstrated that the composite can change size depending on the nutrients present around the gel and that different shapes can be formed by genetically manipulating the yeast. Continue reading It’s Alive!: A Living Smart Material
by Sam Zimmerman figures by Hannah Zucker If we were all mice, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and most inherited disorders would be a thing of the past. We could nibble on as much cheese as we wanted without fear of heart disease and run around our favorite wheel for hours on end without knee pain because all these ailments have been cured in mice. Unfortunately, … Continue reading Why Drugs Tested in Mice Fail in Human Clinical Trials
by Sydney Sherman figures by Aparna Nathan More likely than not, you or someone you know has taken a genetic test. Whether they are curious about their ethnic roots and family tree or want to determine their risk for developing a certain disease, consumers have access to genetic testing as a simple “spit-and-send” process. We use the technology and rely on the results, but how … Continue reading What can we learn from a genetic test?
by Aparna Nathan figures by Abagail Burrus Superheroes aren’t the only ones with riveting origin stories. As humans, where did we come from? How did we populate six continents? For hundreds of years, archaeology has tried to provide the answers by digging up artifacts and piecing together their histories. However, shovels and brushes are now joining forces with test tubes and lab coats. Within the … Continue reading Digging for DNA: Ancient genomes can illuminate the past and reframe the present
Scientists have developed a biodegradable ultrasound speaker that can be placed inside the brain. When activated, it makes the blood-brain barrier permeable, potentially allowing certain drugs such as brain cancer chemotherapy and antidepressants to reaching their destination more easily. Continue reading Ultrasound speaker implant that can open a door to your brain
CRISPR is a highly effective immune system that defends bacteria from viruses. It was recently shown that some viruses have evolved counter-defenses that protect their DNA with a nucleus-like structure. Continue reading Some viruses can defeat CRISPR with nucleus-like compartments
A new study takes a crack at trying to predict someone’s face using just their DNA. Continue reading A Rough Portrait of Your Face, Painted by your DNA
Scientists at ETH Zurich recently developed a storage architecture using DNA, where they fused DNA into everyday objects in order to store data. Continue reading Artificial DNA can replace your thumb drive
Genes delivered by a virus successfully mitigated the effects of age-related diseases, such as heart and kidney disease, in a recent mouse study. Following this success, a similar gene therapy treatment is in trial to prevent a certain form of heart disease in dogs. Continue reading Gene therapy that helps prevent heart disease in mice now in trial for dogs
Sutures are commonly used to close wounds in the skin or other tissues. Similar to sewing fabric, the doctors will use a needle attached to a thread to penetrate the tissue and close the edges of the wound together, facilitating quick healing. Although surgical sutures have been used for thousands of years, they still have some limitations: 1) the needles cause some damage to the … Continue reading ‘Double-sided tape’ could replace surgical stitches