Latest news
Researchers engineer more sensitive CRISPR tool for virus detection
Researchers have engineered a more sensitive version of the RNA-targeting CRISPR enzyme Cas13a, improving its detection performance by 100-fold without sacrificing stability. The tool could support faster and more adaptable tests for HIV and a wide range of other RNA viruses.
Bacteria bond grains of sand into architectural elements
Cement manufacturing is one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions in the construction industry. One scientist is researching an alternative that works in a totally different way: instead of firing rocks at over 1,000°C, she is getting bacteria to bond grains of sand together into solid architectural elements.
Aspens ‘remember’ past drought in their leaves
Drought may leave more than narrow rings inside a tree trunk. New research suggests quaking aspen can retain a chemical ‘memory’ of dry years, changing the defensive compounds in their leaves and reshaping the fungal communities that live on them long after soils have rewetted.
An unusual bacterial defence system hides a powerful molecular switch
Researchers have uncovered a bacterial immune system that appears to work backwards. Unlike known retrons, which keep a toxin suppressed until infection, type VI retrons use phage-triggered DNA production to switch toxin activity on, revealing an unusually complex defence strategy that could inspire new gene-editing tools and antimicrobials.
Coral heat tolerance depends on species and location
Not all corals cope with rising ocean temperatures in the same way. New research shows that heat tolerance can vary sharply between species and even between nearby populations, with some corals from cooler, more exposed reefs proving unexpectedly resilient to thermal stress.
Microalgae show promise as sustainable fertiliser for malting barley
New research has demonstrated that microalgae could provide a sustainable alternative to conventional mineral fertilisers for malting barley production. The study explored whether microalgae could help reduce the agricultural sector’s reliance on synthetic mineral fertilisers while maintaining crop performance and grain quality.
Researchers engineer more sensitive CRISPR tool for virus detection
Researchers have engineered a more sensitive version of the RNA-targeting CRISPR enzyme Cas13a, improving its detection performance by 100-fold without sacrificing stability. The tool could support faster and more adaptable tests for HIV and a wide range of other RNA viruses.
Bacteria bond grains of sand into architectural elements
Cement manufacturing is one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions in the construction industry. One scientist is researching an alternative that works in a totally different way: instead of firing rocks at over 1,000°C, she is getting bacteria to bond grains of sand together into solid architectural elements.
Aspens ‘remember’ past drought in their leaves
Drought may leave more than narrow rings inside a tree trunk. New research suggests quaking aspen can retain a chemical ‘memory’ of dry years, changing the defensive compounds in their leaves and reshaping the fungal communities that live on them long after soils have rewetted.
Perpetual Next signs agreement to accelerate the roll-out of standardized biomethanol plants
Perpetual Next have signed a License and Engineering Agreement with Air Liquide Engineering and Technologies for the supply of syngas-to-methanol technology for Perpetual Next’s first biomethanol facility, with an option to extend across other biomethanol sites.
AFYREN and Terrial renew their partnership for French-manufactured potash fertilizers
AFYREN and Terrial today announce the renewal of their strategic partnership with the signing of a new multi-year fertilizer supply contract, worth several tens of millions of euros This long-term contract strengthens both companies’ commitment to making French agriculture more sustainable and less dependent on international fertilizer markets.
Sharpening an essential tool for biotechnology
Scientists develop a database of validated guide RNAs to improve engineering of microbes for manufacturing applications.
A self-disinfecting fabric eliminates bacteria, fungi and viruses in hospital settings
Researchers have developed a new self-disinfecting cotton fabric capable of eliminating bacteria, fungi and viruses in hospital settings using visible light. The material incorporates two photoactive compounds which, when exposed to light, generate a highly reactive form of oxygen that damages the microorganisms adhering to the fabric.
A ‘society on a chip’ reveals how viruses spread
Researchers have built a centimetre-scale ‘society on a chip’ that recreates how viruses spread through structured populations. By changing cell density, susceptibility and movement, the platform can mimic transmission, social distancing and even herd-immunity-like effects in real time.
Researchers publish clinical data for rapid diagnostic urine test to detect invasive aspergillosis
Through long-standing research, which has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine have advanced insights into ways to better detect invasive aspergillosis (IA). Caused by mold, the infection is uncommon in the general population but can create significant health risks for people with underlying ...
Global Virus Network adds six centers of excellence and new affiliate across four continents
The Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition of leading medical virologists representing more than 100 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in more than 40 countries, has announced six new Centers of Excellence and one Affiliate in Austria, Brazil, China, India, Panama, Switzerland and the United States.
Researchers target Zika-related eye damage with new antiviral strategies
Zika virus can damage the developing retina and optic nerve, leaving babies with lifelong vision problems. Researchers have now received $2.7 million to uncover how the virus disrupts eye development and test drug candidates that could protect vision, with some compounds also showing activity against dengue and West Nile viruses.
Mount Sinai awarded five-year, $20.7 million vaccine development agreement to advance next-generation technologies against respiratory threats
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have been awarded a five-year project agreement to develop Vaccine Immunoengineering for Targeted Antigen Presentation and Layered Control (VITAL), a research program exploring an improved approach to vaccination against respiratory pathogens.