Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog – Page 4

Get the latest international news and world events from around the world.

Log in for authorized contributors

Apertura Gene Therapy and Rett Syndrome Research Trust Collaborate to Pioneer Advanced Genetic Medicines for Rett Syndrome Using TfR1-Targeted AAV Capsid

NEW YORK and TRUMBULL, Conn., April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Apertura Gene Therapy, a biotechnology company focused on innovative gene therapy solutions, and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT), an organization working to cure Rett Syndrome, today announced a collaboration to license Apertura’s human transferrin receptor 1 capsid (TfR1 CapX). This partnership aims to advance innovative genetic medicine approaches for the treatment of Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic neurological disorder caused by random mutations in the MECP2 gene on the X chromosome that primarily affect females, causing developmental regression and severe motor and language impairments.

Apertura’s TfR1 CapX is an intravenously delivered adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid engineered to bind the transferrin receptor 1(TfR1), enabling efficient delivery of genetic medicines across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). TfR1 is a well-characterized BBB-crossing receptor, broadly and consistently expressed throughout life—even in the context of neurological disease—making it an attractive target for CNS delivery in disorders like Rett syndrome. Developed by Apertura’s academic founder, Dr. Ben Deverman, Director of Vector Engineering at the Broad Institute, TfR1 CapX has shown strong CNS selectivity in preclinical studies, achieving over 50% neuronal and 90% astrocyte transduction across multiple brain regions. Because Rett syndrome affects the brain diffusely, broader cellular transduction may correlate with greater symptomatic improvement.

Students develop novel multi-metal 3D printing process

Students at ETH Zurich have developed a laser powder bed fusion machine that follows a circular tool path to print round components, which allows the processing of multiple metals at once. The system significantly reduces manufacturing time and opens up new possibilities for aerospace and industry. ETH has filed a patent application for the machine, and the results are published in the CIRP Annals.

Today, virtually all modern rocket engines rely on 3D printing to maximize their performance with tight coupling between structure and function. Students at ETH Zurich have now built a high-speed multi-material metal printer: a laser powder bed fusion machine that rotates the powder deposition and gas flow nozzles while it prints, which means it can process several metals simultaneously and without process dead time. The machine could fundamentally change the 3D printing of metal parts, resulting in significant reductions in production time and cost.

The team of six Bachelor’s students in their fifth and sixth semesters developed the new machine in the Advanced Manufacturing Lab under the guidance of ETH Professor Markus Bambach and Senior Scientist Michael Tucker as part of the Focus Project RAPTURE. In a mere nine months, the students realized, built and tested their idea. The machine is particularly aimed at applications in aerospace featuring approximately cylindrical geometries, such as rocket nozzles and turbomachinery, but is also of broad interest for mechanical engineering.

Researchers pioneer optical generative models, ushering in a new era of sustainable generative AI

In a major leap for artificial intelligence (AI) and photonics, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have created optical generative models capable of producing novel images using the physics of light instead of conventional electronic computation.

Published in Nature, the work presents a new paradigm for generative AI that could dramatically reduce energy use while enabling scalable, high-performance content creation.

Generative models, including diffusion models and , form the backbone of today’s AI revolution. These systems can create realistic images, videos, and human-like text, but their rapid growth comes at a steep cost: escalating power demands, large carbon footprints, and increasingly complex hardware requirements. Running such models requires massive computational infrastructure, raising concerns about their long-term sustainability.

Huawei Unveils Solid State Battery Patent With 1900 Mile Range and 5 Minute Charge

Huawei has shocked the electric vehicle (EV) world by filing a patent for a solid-state battery that claims a potential range of 3,000 kilometres and the ability to recharge to full in just five minutes. Normally, we have to assume this particular patent will go nowhere, and we will forget about it; however, it could be the start of something new.

- Advertisement -

/* */