Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,934

New device delivers single cells in just one click

EPFL spin-off SEED Biosciences has developed a pipetting robot that can dispense individual cells one by one. Their innovation allows for enhanced reliability and traceability, and can save life-science researchers time and money.

The engineers at SEED Biosciences, an EPFL spin-off, have come up with a unique pipetting robot that can isolate single with the push of a button—without damaging the cells. Their device also records the cells’ electrical signature so that they can be traced. While this innovation may seem trivial, it can save researchers several weeks of precious time and speed up development work in pharmaceuticals, cancer treatments and personalized medicine. The company began marketing its device this year.

The No. 1 colostrum company in Vietnam help people strengthening the immune system to contribute fighting off COVID-19

Vietnam has been one of the countries that have well managed COVID-19 pandemic with only 383 cases, and no deaths have been reported (updated on 20th July). Immune Nutrition from ColosIgG 24h colostrum is one of the factors contribute fighting off COVID-19 in VietnamnnPrior to this pandemic, being aware that strengthening the immune system is very important for health, especially for children, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health cooperated with VitaDairy Company to organise a series of seminars on Immune Nutrition in big cities. As a result, at the end of 2019 when the COVID-19 outbreak started, people understood the importance of the immune system and the value of immune nutrition from ColosIgG 24h colostrum.nn

P rior to this pandemic, being aware that strengthening the immune system is very important for health, especially for children, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health cooperated with VitaDairy Company to organise a series of seminars on Immune Nutrition in big cities. As a result, at the end of 2019 when the COVID-19 outbreak started, people understood the importance of the immune system and the value of immune nutrition from ColosIgG 24h colostrum. In addition to the seminars, Vietnamese Ministry of Health has taken many quick and appropriate actions to deal with the pandemic. Thanks to these actions, up to now, Vietnam is one of the countries that have very well managed the COVID-19 pandemic.

VitaDairy As The Ministry of Health’s Partner — “With Competence And A Strong Will”

In parallel with the seminar series, VitaDairy became the No. 1 colostrum company in Vietnam while making a hundred million dollar deal with the leading colostrum group in the US — PanTheryx — to exclusively import ColosIgG 24h colostrum to Vietnam. Joining hands to combat the pandemic, VitaDairy donated 1 million ColosIgG 24h colostrum products to the Vietnamese people and donated protective equipment to health workers with a total sponsorship of nearly 500,000 USD.

Diabetes Drug Candidate Could Offer “Distinct and Innovative” Treatment For Type 1 and Type 2 Disease

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Southern Research, have identified a new drug candidate that they claim could represent a “distinct and innovative” approach to treating type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The small molecule drug, designated SRI-37330, inhibits the expression of a protein known as TXNIP—which the team had previously identified as a top glucose-induced gene—in both mouse and human islets.nnResults from the researchers’ preclinical studies suggested that SRI-37330 acts on pancreatic islet cells that produce glucagon and insulin, and also acts on the liver. The findings showed that the drug could have therapeutic effects against diabetes, in both lean and obese individuals. Tests on isolated human and mouse pancreatic islets, on mouse and rat cell cultures, and in animal models of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, demonstrated that SRI-37330 improved diabetes-related hyperglycemia, and hyperglucagonemia; reduced the excessive production of glucose by the liver; and reduced fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis.nn

Studies showed non-toxic, orally bioavailable small molecule effectively rescued mice from models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and reduced fatty liver.

Tesla Has Been Working On an RNA Bioreactor

Tesla and CureVac have collaborated on a patent for an RNA bioreactor.

Although there are no human vaccines made with RNA, the technology could break through on COVID-19 (coronavirus).

The bioreactor works by combining chemical agents in an egg-shaped magnetic mixer.

Tesla has taken on the manufacturing role for a biotech startup with a revolutionary new RNA reactor concept. A tipster recently alerted Electrek to this year-old patent application, which lists both Tesla and German startup CureVac.

CureVac has made the news recently because of a misinformed factoid that it was being purchased by President Donald Trump. That’s partly because CureVac is working on the groundwork for a COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine. Today, the European Investment Bank (EIB) reported that it’s awarded an $84 million loan to CureVac to accelerate that vaccine development process.

A cancer mystery more than 40 years old is solved thanks to epigenetics

Before the first oncogene mutations were discovered in human cancer in the early 1980s, the 1970s provided the first data suggesting alterations in the genetic material of tumors. In this context, the prestigious journal Nature published in 1975 the existence of a specific alteration in the transformed cell: an RNA responsible for carrying an amino acid to build proteins (transfer RNA) was missing a piece, the enigmatic nucleotide ‘Y.’

After that outstanding observation, virtually no developments were made for forty-five years on the causes and consequences of not having the correct base in RNA.

In an article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by the group of Dr. Manel Esteller, Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, ICREA Research Professor and Professor of Genetics at the University of Barcelona has solved this mystery by observing that in the protein that generates the Y is epigenetically inactivated, causing small but highly aggressive tumors.

Moderna Signs COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Deal with U.S. for $1.525 Billion

As one of the leaders in developing a COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna signed a contract worth up to $1.525 billion with the U.S. government to supply 100 million doses of mRNA-1273, the company’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine.

The agreement also includes incentive payments for hitting a production schedule. Moderna had a previous award of up to $955 million from BARDA for the development of the vaccine to licensure, which brings the U.S. government’s commitment for early access to the vaccine up to $2.48 billion. The U.S. government, as part of Operation Warp Speed, also can acquire another 400 million doses.

As part of this deal, the U.S. government says Americans will receive the vaccine at no cost. It is possible that healthcare professionals will charge for the cost of administering it.

SpaceX, ULA win huge defense contracts totaling more than $650 million

The Space Force’s announcement last week that United Launch Alliance and SpaceX will launch expensive spy satellites and other military payloads brings a long and often fierce battle for government funds to an end — at least for now.

Why it matters: This type of government money — particularly in light of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic — is key for space companies that often work on thin margins.

The state of play: ULA was awarded the bulk of the funds — $337 million — for two missions due to launch in 2022, with SpaceX winning $316 million for one mission launching that year.