From gene expression to protein design, large language models are creating a suite of powerful genomic tools for DNA analysis.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 954
It’s Alive? This Billionaire Funds Startup Growing Brain Cell ‘Biocomputers’
Billionaire investor Li Ka-Shing is funding a new technology that can potentially rival artificial intelligence (AI) by using brain cells blended with computers in a technology it calls DishBrain.
Peter Thiel, Mark Cuban and Warren Buffet funded early-stage startups and made millions. You don’t need to be a well-connected billionaire to do the same. Click here to invest in promising startups today.
This science fiction-sounding tech comes from Australian biotech firm Cortical Labs. The company recently raised $10 million in a round led by Horizons Ventures, the investment vehicle of the 94-year-old Ka-Shing, the richest person in Hong Kong. Additional investors included Blackbird Ventures, an Australian venture capital (VC) fund; In-Q-Tel, the investment arm of the Central Intelligence Agency; U.S. firm LifeX Ventures; and others.
Triage Cancer Presents: Supporting Caregivers
Caregivers of individuals with cancer likely have concerns about employment rights, finances, and support. This video will provide some options to support cancer caregivers.
Warhammer 40K: Necron Hypertech
Today Loremasters we explore some of hyper technology of the Necrons – the World Engine, Celestial Orrery & the Dolmen Gates.
Masters of Material Technology
The Necrons are the masters of Material technology, and their technological feats may seem magical to lesser races. Their technological masters, Crypteks, can manipulate matter at a fundamental level and wield such arcane concepts as phase-gates, subatomic infusion, and temporal looping. Several Necron super-weapons such as the World Engine and Celestial Orrery have galaxy-devastating capabilities. However it is Living Metal, or Necrodermis, which equips nearly all Necron technology. These billion-strong swarns of nano–Scarabs crawl under the skin of Necrons at a cellular level, allowing for self-repair and regeneration. Also, on particularly rare occasions, a super heavy Necron device called a Necron Pylon is seen. It is feared for its extreme power and ability to appear anywhere on the battlefield.
Large-scale genetic modification method reveals the role and properties of duplicated genes in plants
For the first time, researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed a genome-scale technology that makes it possible to reveal the role of genes and traits in plants previously hidden by functional redundancy.
The researchers point out that since the agricultural revolution, man has improved plant varieties for agricultural purposes by creating genetic diversity. But until this recent development, it was only possible to examine the functions of single genes, which make up only 20% of the genome. For the remaining 80% of the genome, made up of genes grouped in families, there was no effective way, on the large scale of the whole genome, to determine their role in the plant.
As a result of this unique development, the team of researchers managed to isolate and identify dozens of new features that had been overlooked until now. The development is expected to revolutionize the way agricultural crops are improved as it can be applied to most crops and agricultural traits, such as increased yield and resistance to drought or pests.
Melatonin for cancer patients: Is it safe?
If you’ve ever struggled with insomnia, you’ve likely heard of melatonin. This nutritional supplement has been widely available in drug stores, health food stores and grocery stores for years, and touted as a natural sleep aid. It even comes in doses meant for children.
But what is melatonin? And is it safe for cancer patients to take during treatment?
We checked in with pulmonologist Saadia Faiz, M.D., for answers.
More Than Half of Americans Think AI Poses a Threat to Humanity
One nebulous aspect of the poll, and of many of the headlines about AI we see on a daily basis, is how the technology is defined. What are we referring to when we say “AI”? The term encompasses everything from recommendation algorithms that serve up content on YouTube and Netflix, to large language models like ChatGPT, to models that can design incredibly complex protein architectures, to the Siri assistant built into many iPhones.
IBM’s definition is simple: “a field which combines computer science and robust datasets to enable problem-solving.” Google, meanwhile, defines it as “a set of technologies that enable computers to perform a variety of advanced functions, including the ability to see, understand and translate spoken and written language, analyze data, make recommendations, and more.”
It could be that peoples’ fear and distrust of AI comes partly from a lack of understanding of it, and a stronger focus on unsettling examples than positive ones. The AI that can design complex proteins may help scientists discover stronger vaccines and other drugs, and could do so on a vastly accelerated timeline.
Scientists demonstrate 3D ‘bio-printing’ inside organoids growing in hydrogels
Scientists from the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (a collaboration between GOSH and UCL), London, and University of Padova, Italy, have shown for the first time how 3D printing can be achieved inside “mini-organs” growing in hydrogels—controlling their shape, activity, and even forcing tissue to grow into “molds.”
This can help teams study cells and organs more accurately, create realistic models of organs and disease, and even better understand how cancer spreads through different tissues.
A particularly promising area of research at the Zayed Centre for Research (a partnership between Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), GOSH Charity and University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH)) is organoid science—the creation of micro-versions of organs like the stomach, the intestines and the lungs.
