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Category: biotech/medical – Page 198

Dr. Sean Gibbons, Ph.D. — Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) — Microbes, Ecology And Medicine

Microbes, Ecology And Medicine — Dr. Sean M. Gibbons, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Institute for Systems Biology (ISB)

Dr. Sean Gibbons, Ph.D. is Associate Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB — https://isbscience.org/people/sean-gibbons-phd/?tab=biography where his lab investigates how the structure and composition of evolving ecological networks of microorganisms change across environmental gradients, with a specific focus on how ecological communities in the gut change and adapt to individual people over their lifespans (i.e. host genotype, host development and host behavior) and how these changes impact human health (https://gibbons.isbscience.org/). His lab develops computational and experimental tools for investigating host-associated microbial communities to explore the interactions between ecology, evolution and ecosystem function, applying these insights to develop personalized interventions for improving human health and well-being.

Dr. Gibbons received his PhD in biophysical sciences from the University of Chicago in 2015, dual-advised by Jack Gilbert and Maureen Coleman. His graduate work focused on using microbial communities as empirical models for testing ecological theory.

Dr. Gibbons completed his postdoctoral training in Eric Alm’s laboratory in the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT from 2015–2018. His postdoctoral work focused on developing techniques to quantify individual-specific eco-evolutionary dynamics within the human gut microbiome.

Dr. Gibbons was awarded a Fulbright Graduate Fellowship to study microbiology and synthetic biology at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he earned a master’s degree in 2010. His PhD work was supported by an EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship. Upon joining the ISB faculty in 2018, his startup package was supported, in part, by a Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Investigator Award.

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From the tropics to the lab: New yeasts could transform industry

Yeast cells can be used to convert agricultural and forestry residues, as well as industrial byproducts, into valuable bioproducts. New and unexplored yeast strains may have properties that can enhance the commercial competitiveness of this sustainable production. In a study recently published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers collected and examined the biotechnological potential of 2,000 West African yeast strains.

The study—the first of its kind—is a collaboration between the University of Nigeria, Chalmers University of Technology, and the University of Gothenburg. It is based on a nationwide collection of samples from fruit, bark, soil, and waterways in Nigeria. This approach, known as bioprospecting, involves exploring various plants or microorganisms in nature to identify properties that can be utilized for different industrial or societal applications.

In this study, researchers searched for new yeast species with the potential use in industrial production of biochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food ingredients.

From slime molds to corporations, traveling networks chart a new path

You can learn a lot from a little slime mold. For Nate Cira, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in Cornell Engineering, the tiny eukaryotic organism provided inspiration for modeling “traveling networks”—connected systems that move by rearranging their structure.

Understanding these networks could help explain the structures and movements of certain biological systems and human organizations, from protein units that reassemble themselves to corporations expanding their product lines.

The findings were published Feb. 26 in Nature Communications.

Organic electrochemical transistors enhance bioelectronic sensor sensitivity by three orders of magnitude

In a breakthrough that could transform bioelectronic sensing, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Rice University has developed a new method to dramatically enhance the sensitivity of enzymatic and microbial fuel cells using organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). The research was recently published in the journal Device.

The innovative approach amplifies electrical signals by three orders of magnitude and improves signal-to-noise ratios, potentially enabling the next generation of highly sensitive, low-power biosensors for health and .

“We have demonstrated a simple yet powerful technique to amplify weak bioelectronic signals using OECTs, overcoming previous challenges in integrating fuel cells with electrochemical sensors,” said corresponding author Rafael Verduzco, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and materials science and nanoengineering. “This method opens the door to more versatile and efficient biosensors that could be applied in medicine, environmental monitoring and even wearable technology.”

AI Unveils Hidden Nanoparticles — A Breakthrough in Early Disease Detection

Deep Nanometry (DNM) is an innovative technique combining high-speed optical detection with AI-driven noise reduction, allowing researchers to find rare nanoparticles like extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Since EVs play a role in disease detection, DNM could revolutionize early cancer diagnosis. Its applications stretch beyond healthcare, promising advances in vaccine research, and environmental science.

A Breakthrough in Nanoparticle Detection.

Rapidly Evolving DNA May Explain Human Brain Complexity

Summary: A new study reveals that human accelerated regions (HARs)—segments of DNA that evolved much faster than expected—may be key to the brain’s advanced cognitive abilities. Researchers compared human and chimpanzee neurons and found that HARs drive the growth of multiple neural projections, which enhance communication between brain cells.

When human HARs were introduced into chimp neurons, they also grew more projections, suggesting a direct link between HARs and neural complexity. However, these same genetic changes may also contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, highlighting the delicate balance of human brain evolution.

Scientists Just Found a Way to Turn Drugs On and Off With Light

Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed a tool that uses light to precisely control where and when a drug becomes active, ensuring it works exactly where it’s needed.

For medical treatments to be effective and minimize side effects, they must act at the right place and time—a challenge that remains difficult to achieve. Now, a team of biologists and chemists at UNIGE has created a system that allows a molecule to be activated with a brief pulse of light lasting just a few seconds. Tested on a protein essential for cell division, this method could be applied to other molecules, with promising applications in both research and medicine. It may even improve existing treatments, such as those for skin cancer. These findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

The challenge of systemic drug effects.

A Next-Generation Malaria Drug: New Epigenetic Inhibitor Kills the Deadliest Parasite

Epigenetic inhibitors: A promising new strategy for antimalarial treatment? A recent study discovers a gene regulation inhibitor that selectively eliminates the malaria parasite.

A multinational research team, led by Professor Markus Meißner from LMU Munich and Professor Gernot Längst from the University of Regensburg, has made significant discoveries about gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum, the primary cause of malaria. Their findings, published in Nature, provide new avenues for developing advanced therapeutic strategies.

Malaria remains a major global health challenge. In 2022 alone, an estimated 247 million people were infected, with over 600,000 deaths, the majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. These statistics highlight the urgent need for innovative research to drive progress in malaria prevention and treatment.

New scanner can see ‘previously undetectable’ cancer spread, research suggests

A new scanner which can distinguish tumour material from healthy tissue more accurately than current methods could change the way breast cancer is diagnosed and treated, researchers have said.

It is hoped the scanner, developed by scientists at the University of Aberdeen, could lead to patients undergoing fewer surgeries and receiving more individually-tailored treatments.

Scientists from the university, in collaboration with NHS Grampian, used a prototype version of the new Field Cycling Imager (FCI) scanner to examine the breast tissue of patients newly diagnosed with cancer.

Taking melatonin can help lower the risk of cancer for some who use the sleep medicine, scientists say

Taking melatonin could help night shift workers avoid cancer, researchers said Monday.

Researchers from North Carolina and British Columbia say the sleep supplement could be a “viable intervention strategy to reduce the burden of cancer” among that group, boosting the body’s ability to repair damage to their DNA caused by their irregular sleep cycle and disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm that regulates physical and behavioral processes.

“This trial is the first of its kind to evaluate the impact of melatonin supplements on oxidative DNA damage among night shift workers,” they wrote in a study published Monday in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine..