New Techniques to Detect Microorganisms in Extreme Environments Like Mars
Researchers demonstrate for the first time the potential of existing technology to directly detect and characterize life on Mars and other planets. The study, published…
Biotechnology News
New Discovery Helps Identify Children at Risk for Type 1 Diabetes
Six novel chromosomal regions identified by scientists leading a large, prospective study of children at risk for type 1 diabetes will enable the discovery of…
Algae-Powered Fuel Cells Move a Step Closer to Reality
A new design of algae-powered fuel cells that is five times more efficient than existing plant and algal models, as well as being potentially more…
New Drug Capsule Delivers a Week’s Worth of HIV Drugs in a Single Dose
Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed a capsule that can deliver a week’s worth of HIV drugs in a single dose….
Bio-Based Acrylonitrile Offers a Greener Carbon Fiber Alternative
From cars and bicycles to airplanes and space shuttles, manufacturers around the world are trying to make these vehicles lighter, which helps lower fuel use…
E. Coli Bacteria Could Be The Key To Efficient Carbon Capture and Recycling
Scientists at the University of Dundee have discovered that E. coli bacteria could hold the key to an efficient method of capturing and storing or…
Using Mechanical Engineering Principles to Improve Wound Healing
To most, an operating room and a manufacturing plant are as different as any two places can be. But not to Dennis Orgill. “To some…
Liquid–Liquid Separator Being Tested in Outer Space
Liquid-liquid separation and chemical extraction are key processes in drug manufacturing and many other industries, including oil and gas, fragrances, food, wastewater filtration, and biotechnology….
Cornell Scientists Take First Step Toward Cell-Sized Robots
An electricity-conducting, environment-sensing, shape-changing machine the size of a human cell? Is that even possible? Cornell physicists Paul McEuen and Itai Cohen not only say…
Micro-Needle Patch Turns Energy-Storing Fats Into Energy-Burning Fats
A new approach to reducing bulging tummy fats has shown promise in laboratory trials. It combines a new way to deliver drugs, via a micro-needle…
Single-Stranded DNA and RNA Origami That Can Autonomously Fold Into Defined Structures
First nanotechnological approach enables the design and replication of complex single-stranded DNA and RNA origami with potential for drug delivery and nanofabrication. Nanotechnologists are using…
Advanced Chemical Oscillator Offers New Level of Molecular Control
DNA molecules that follow specific instructions could offer more precise molecular control of synthetic chemical systems, a discovery that opens the door for engineers to…
Miniature System Can Encapsulate and Analyze Biomarkers in Sweat
EPFL researchers have teamed up with startup Xsensio to develop a tiny, fully portable system that can encapsulate and analyze biomarkers in a person’s sweat….
Black Butterfly Enhances Photovoltaic Light Absorption Up to 200 Percent
New research focuses on the wings of the black butterfly (Pachliopta aristolochiae), which are covered by micro- and nanostructured scales that harvest sunlight over a…
Researchers Use CRISPR-Carrying Nanoparticles To Edit Genomes
Using a new delivery system, researchers from MIT have developed nanoparticles that can deliver the CRISPR genome-editing system and specifically modify genes, eliminating the need…
MIT Develops a Synthetic Gene Circuit to Trigger Immune System Attack on Cancer
MIT researchers have developed a synthetic gene circuit that triggers the body’s immune system to attack cancers when it detects signs of the disease. The…
FLARE Technique Provides Snapshots of Neuron Activity
Researchers from MIT and Stanford have developed a way to label neurons when they become active, essentially providing a snapshot of their activity at a…
MIT Engineers Harness Stomach Acid to Power Tiny Sensors
Using ingestible electronic devices, a team of engineers harness stomach acid to power tiny sensors. Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have designed…
