RECENT BIOTECHNOLOGY

INNOVATIONS

SADIQ

Scope of Biotechnology

• The field of biotechnology is constantly advancing. From finding ways to slow down the process of food spoilage, advancements in genetic engineering, to adapting organisms to clean up contaminated environments, new applications and biotechnological inventions are continuously being developed to help improve our world. Here are five breakthrough biotechnological innovations currently underway.

INNOVATIONS

Oil-Eating Bacteria to Clean up Oil Spills

• Certain bacteria have the ability to metabolize oil isn’t a new discovery of course. Back in 1989, bacteria were used experimentally in attempts to clean up the 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez after it ran aground off the coast of Alaska. Though it made little to no difference back then, now that researchers have a complete blueprint for the oil-hungry bacteria :Alcanivorax borkumensis, they’ll have the ability to optimize the conditions for these bugs, enabling them to soak up the hundreds of millions of litres of oil that enter our waters each year.

INNOVATIONS

Researches in GDF 11anti-aging protein• Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have

shown that a protein, GDF 11, they previously demonstrated can make the failing hearts in aging mice appear more like those of young health mice, similarly improves brain and skeletal muscle function in aging mice.

Pig extract used to regenerate human muscle• Damaged leg muscles grew stronger and partially

regenerated in three out of five men who were implanted with extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from pig bladder.The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC) and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

INNOVATIONS

Advanced Biofuel production• Advanced bio fuels – liquid fuels synthesized from the

sugars in cellulosic biomass – offer a clean, green and renewable alternative to gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. Bringing the costs of producing these advanced bio fuels down to competitive levels with petro fuels, however, is a major challenge. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint Bio Energy Institute (JBEI), a bio energy research centre led by Berkeley Lab, have taken another step towards meeting this challenge with the development of a new technique 

INNOVATIONS

3D x-ray film•  Scientists have developed a new technique to find

out. The method records 3D X-ray films showing precise internal movements. Researchers at ANKA, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology’s Synchrotron Radiation Source, developed the technique. The scientists applied this technique to a living weevil and generated complete 3D film sequences in real time and slow motion. To do so, they genererated up to 100,000 2-D radiographs per second

INNOVATIONS

New hope against glioblastoma• Researchers at the University of California, San Diego,

School of Medicine have discovered that FDA-approved anti-psychotic drugs possess tumour-killing activity against the most aggressive form of primary brain

cancer, glioblastoma.• Used a technology platform called shRNA to test how

each gene in the human genome contributed to glioblastoma growth. The discovery that led to the shRNA technology won the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 2006

Cheap, Effective Genome Sequencing Technology

• a new collaborative agreement between Roche, a leader in biotechnology and research-focused healthcare, and IBM, one of the world’s largest technology companies, has them joining forces to develop a nanopore-based sequencer that will directly read and decode human DNA quickly, efficiently and affordably.

• Similar to vps hosting offering affordable shared hosting, their goal is to reduce the cost of sequencing an individual’s genome to between $100 and $1000.

• .Currently, DNA, RNA and protein analysis, charge anywhere from $9,500-$19,500, an already drastic drop compared to its previous $48,000 price tag.

Tumor-Fighting Immune Cells to Attack Cancer• Researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer

Center have created a large, well-armed troop of tumor-seeking immune system cells to locate and attack dangerous melanomas.

• genetically engineer the immune system to become a cancer killer and then image how the immune system operates at the same time

Smart Flare RNA Detection Probes• Researchers often use antibodies to sort cell types in

gene-expression studies. The standard way to confirm that cells have been sorted correctly is by fixing them for microscopy or lysing them for PCR or western blotting. New SmartFlare RNA Detection Probes from EMD Millipore offer an alternative option for cell sorting by allowing fluorescent detection of internal RNA species without harm to the cell—no antibodies required

ADCC Reporter Bioassay• Antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity

(ADCC) reporter assays are used to assess the efficacy of monoclonal antibody therapies. Although such therapies are popular, particularly to treat cancer and autoimmune disorders.