Laboratory News and Research

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Bricks made from plastic, organic waste

Revolutionary 'green' types of bricks could be made from recycled PVC, waste plant fibers, or sand with the help of a remarkable new kind of rubber polymer.

28 May 2020

Damped circadian oscillations observed in the absence of KaiA protein in cyanobacterium

Circadian rhythms are driven by a highly autonomous, self-sustaining circadian clock in our cells, telling us when to sleep or wake up in a 24-hour cycle.

27 May 2020

The eye launches an immune response in the lens following injury

The lens of the eye is an unusual organ. Unlike most of the body's organs, blood vessels don't reach the lens. If they did, they'd obscure our vision and we wouldn't be able to see. The lack of vasculature led scientists to believe immune cells, which travel via the bloodstream, couldn't get to this part of the body either.

27 May 2020

Determining the optimal age of stem cells to restore heart tissue

Biophysicists have successfully established the optimal age of reprogrammed stem cells that are appropriate for restoring heart tissues.

27 May 2020

New sequencing method helps map the spatial arrangement of DNA

A sequencing technique helps to map the spatial arrangement of DNA in the cell nucleus, revealing which regions of the genome are at greater risk of mutation.

27 May 2020

Pre-existing genes can promote metastasis

Cancer can sometimes remain dormant, but it usually metastasizes and spreads to new sites in the body.

27 May 2020

New model mimics early embryonic stages of the human brain

We know a lot about the human brain, but very little about how it is formed. In particular, the stages from the second to the seventh week of embryonic development have so far been virtually unknown territory to brain researchers.

26 May 2020

EKF secures COVID-19 novel sample collection kit manufacturing and supply contracts

EKF Diagnostics, the global in vitro diagnostics company, announces it has secured new contracts for the manufacture and supply of a novel, patented sample collection device which allows COVID-19 samples to be rapidly inactivated in the collection tube, avoiding contamination and preserving RNA without need for refrigeration.

From EKF Diagnostics 26 May 2020

Introducing genetic “barcodes” to DNA samples can preserve their integrity

Researchers have developed a technique to ensure that DNA fingerprinting continues to be secure against malicious attacks or mistakes in the field.

25 May 2020

Compounds in Brazilian shrub can reduce the virulence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researchers have discovered that the Brazilian peppertree—an invasive, weedy shrub found in Florida—contains specific compounds that lower the virulence of Staphylococcus bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

25 May 2020

Researchers identify the smallest gene to study the evolution of metazoans

St Petersburg University researchers have successfully interpreted the Intoshia variabili gene, which happens to be the smallest representative of the parasite belonging to Orthonectida group.

22 May 2020

Scientists develop novel model of liver cancer stem cells from normal iPSCs

Liver cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. It is insidious and does not present symptoms until it has progressed considerably, at which point, treatment options are limited and chances of survival are low. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma.

22 May 2020

Eating Fish Reduces Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

A study has found that consuming omega 3 primarily through fish, can modulate lipoproteins and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

22 May 2020

Low-Severity Fires Enhance Long-Term Carbon Retention Of Peatlands

High-intensity fires can destroy peat bogs, causing them to emit carbon, but a new study finds low-severity fires spark the opposite outcome.

22 May 2020

New flow cytometry technique to quantify protein production in T-cells

A team of scientists from Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina has developed a novel flow cytometry technique that can, for the first-time, quantify protein production in T-cells.

21 May 2020

Innovative tool to speed up the drug discovery process

A better understanding of the interaction between a molecule and the organism is important to consider its therapeutic potential.

21 May 2020

Subcellular chatter plays key role in regulating longevity

As people get older, they often feel less energetic, mobile or active. This may be due in part to a decline in mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside of our cells, which provide energy and regulate metabolism.

20 May 2020

X-ray experiments reveal antibody to block entry of SARS-CoV-2

As scientists across the globe race to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, an international team led by Davide Corti at Vir Biotechnology and David Veesler at the University of Washington has been working around the clock on a complementary approach - identifying neutralizing antibodies that could be used as a preventative treatment or as a post-exposure therapy.

20 May 2020

Novel technique can produce pure therapeutic drugs without side effects

Scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University have developed a novel technique that can produce pure therapeutic drugs without the associated side effects.

20 May 2020

Cross-neutralization of SARS and COVID-19 coronaviruses by an antibody

An antibody first identified in a blood sample from a patient who recovered from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003 inhibits related coronaviruses, including the cause of COVID-19.

19 May 2020