fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Biohacking my First Steps into Transhumanism.
By: Owen Harriman
Tags: Biotechnology, Magnetic, Technology, Medicine, Transhumanism

the Operation.

The procedure was simple. My hand was cleaned and massaged, and eventually, a needle was inserted into my finger. No anaesthetic was used. This needle created the initial incision. Eventually, a second needle was inserted, to enlarge the incision and create a pocket where the magnet would sit. This portion of the procedure was incredibly painful. The sensations got progressively worse as a magnet was injected into the large pocket that now existed within my finger. The insertion of the magnet was a particularly intense sensation.

A second magnet was used to drag the inserted magnet deep into the pocket. I was able to feel the magnet ripple over the nerves inside my hand. Once this was done, the blood was cleaned off and a bandage placed on my finger. It was left to heal with the recommendation to clean it twice a day with salt water. Before bed, I removed the bandage to allow for the wound to develop a scab in the presence of my own bacteria. For the rest of the day, no sensation could be felt other than mild pain.

Healing Process

it Took about 2 days before I was able to Feel any magnetic Field this was my laptop charger I felt a slight Buzzing although During the First 2 weeks I was advised not to use my left hand in Close Proximity to any magnetic Object as its important that the nerves reform and Grow around the Implant.

what does it do?

if I enter in to an area with a high magnetic Field I’am able to detect it.

if it's a microwave or a motor it's the smallest Buzzing sanitation, or if I'm close to a hard drive I feel it click and tick. and in High Power cables I’am able to Feel the small buzz surround them.

Conclusion.

the ability to sense magnetic fields has become greater as far as my understanding goes, as I’m now able to detect vibrations from phone speakers, microwaves, and much more. The magnet isn’t getting in the way of everyday life, although something to be aware of is that if you were to attempt to do pull-ups it would be quite difficult. The same would go for heavy lifting. Luckily my magnet crept to the left side of my finger. This has allowed for the pad of the finger to be a majority clear, meaning I’m able to lift and carry things with great ease, although when I do, the sensitivity to vibrations from the magnet is reduced. In my opinion, this is worth it, as I maintain more functions.

The ability to detect magnetic fields is an incredible feeling that can only be described as a tiny vibrating sensation within the finger. Laptop chargers, motors, and other things have this field, and it has allowed me to detect where household appliances are wasting energy.

For example, being able to detect and feel a magnetic field coming from my flatmate's Microwave clock about 7 inches (ca. 18 cm) away leads me to conclude that there is a large amount of waste energy being used.
Bioimaging Technology
By: Asme Iiest Shibpur Student Section
Tags: Technology, Science, Biotechnology, Cancer

And its Applications in Cancer Therapy.

By ABHISHEK GHOSH and Aniket Prabhakar

The human race is considered the most intelligent among all the races. Throughout the evolutionary stages the ability to question and desire to expand our extent has helped us to know various phenomena and from the micro-level to many advanced discoveries of our universe overhead us. But do we know everything about ourselves? About our body? The Human Body?

Maybe not.

In an incredible discovery earlier this month, researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute proved we don’t know as much as we thought we did. Using a very specific type of CT-based imaging, Wouter Vogel and Matthijs Valstar discovered a previously overlooked salivary gland way in the back of the nasopharynx. The newly detected and named “tubarial glands” are flat structures at a poorly accessible anatomical location under the skull base — an area that can only be visualized through nasal endoscopy.

So how and why did this gland remain overlooked by the sensitive ‘eyes’ of a few of the most sophisticated machines in Medical Technology?

The thing is — the capabilities of conventional imaging modalities like ultrasound, CT, or MRI would not allow the visualization of this submucosal structure and interpretation as a salivary gland. Even if the opening of the gland was noticed on an MRI, there would not be enough information present for scientists to investigate it as a separate major gland, most likely assuming it was part of a larger, known gland.

So how did we end up discovering this gland and what was the technology behind this?

It is relatively quite a new concept.

Bioimaging

Bioimaging relates to methods that non-invasively visualize biological processes in real-time. Bioimaging aims to interfere as little as possible with life processes and it is often used to gain information on the 3-D structure of the observed specimen from the outside, i.e., without physical interference. In a broader sense, Bioimaging includes methods of visualizing biological material that has been fixed for observation.
Israel starting to vaccinate but Palestinian will be delayed
By: Joie Cooper
Tags: Biotechnology, Palestine, Pfizer Vaccine, Israel, Who

Israel will start with 4 million doses of vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech, to begin inject up to 60,000 residents per day. They plan to issue “green passports” that will allow the vaccinated greater freedom of movement, now they finally see hope in Israel that the pandemic is going to end.

But, Palestinian leaders say they can’t afford either of the first blockbuster vaccines to hit the market. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine costs about $20 a dose, and another made by Moderna that was endorsed Thursday by an FDA panel will run between $25 to $35 a shot, according to a WHO review.
Genomics Market Size Worth $31.1 Billion By 2027
By: Gaurav Shah
Tags: Biotechnology, Product, Services, Genomics, China

The global genomics market size is expected to reach USD 31.1 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 7.7% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Significant changes in disease management processes along with advancements in genomics and personalized medicine are expected to propel the market.

Increasing pool of market innovators such as 23andMe,Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and Veritas Genetics that have launched breakthrough genomic technologies in recent years are also contributing toward market development. 23andMe has expertise in developing direct-to-consumer genomic tests targeted toward disease prognosis and has recently received FDA approval for its commercialization.

MinION — a trademark sequencing device of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, is witnessing significant traction owing to its ability to sequence any fragment length of DNA in real time. On the other hand, Veritas Genetics offers an affordable solution for a complete readout of the genomic sequence. Earlier procured only by doctors, these tests can now be taken by anyone curious about their DNA and costs approximately USD 1,000. The company has also begun the commercialization of this technique for newborn’s genomic sequencing applications in China in 2017.

Click the link below:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/genomics-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:
Brain plasticity following amputation
By: Mit Media Lab
Tags: Research, Amputation, Biotechnology, Brain

By Shriya Srinivasan

Credit: Robert Barry

The Biomechatronics group recently pioneered a new type of amputation surgery, the AMI amputation, that allows patients to use a bionic prosthesis with greater control and sensory feedback.

After a year of seeing patients demonstrate significantly decreased pain, improved mobility, and speak about their vivid phantom limb sensations, we started wondering how the brains of these patients changed as compared to traditional amputees. This was especially interesting since traditional amputees experience quite a bit of phantom pain and irritating sensations, arising from the abnormal way in which their brain adapts to a loss of a limb.

In collaboration with the MGH Martinos Center, we performed brain scanning (MRI) to look at changes between normal subjects, subjects with traditional amputations, and subjects with the AMI amputation. We found that AMI subjects had significantly less change and were receiving sensory feedback in the brain, just like the control subjects. We also learned that they rely less on their visual system to guide their limbs, unlike traditional amputees. The regions of their brain that coordinate sensorimotor activity also resembled the activity of normal brains to a greater degree.

This study is significant because it reveals that a specialized surgical paradigm can go beyond improving the functionality of our limbs and external organs to also improving the mechanisms of the brain — having a profound impact on pain, sensation, and more!

This project is in collaboration with the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Is COVID19 a New Type of Bio-Energetic Disease State? We May Find Out the Hard Way March 2021.
By: Nikita Alexandrov, Bchem
Tags: Health, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Covid 19, Science

in The New York Times
Wonders of biotechnology in medical science
By: Misbah Khalid
Tags: Science, Biotechnology

Biotechnology deals with the exploration of organisms for the welfare of mankind. It has been a major part of our lives. As the same goes for medical science since it has revolutionized it completely which is due to its ability to provide information about the human genome. It has diverse applications. From the usage of biotechnology and its techniques for making organs in the labs, making organisms with desired genes, biotechnology has indeed made countless wonders in medical science. With the advancements in medical science due to biotechnology diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of many diseases and conditions are now possible which was impossible in ancient times.

Applications of biotechnology in medical science

Here are some widely used applications of biotechnology in medical science:

· Detection of genetic diseases

· Gene therapy

· Therapeutic drugs (vaccination)

· Production of biopharmaceutical products

· DNA fingerprinting

· Fertility control

· Gene profiling

· Genetic counseling

· Stem cell technology

Conclusion

Biotechnology has changed the view of traditional medication. Biotechnology is also of importance because it provides alternatives for costly and expensive treatments. As with passing time, more researches and experimentations will lead to better and advanced methods and techniques to meet the needs of upcoming time.
Weekly Roundup: December 11th, 2020
By: Sarah Hein
Tags: News, Newsletter, Biotechnology, Biotech, Biotechnology Email Lists

Covid vaccines one approval away from being sold out everywhere

Last night, the FDA advisory commission voted 17–4 to approve the Pfizer vaccine after hearings on December 10th. The Moderna advisory committee will convene on December 17th

The expectation is that the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will be approved within the week with rumors circulating that some essential personnel have started receiving their vaccination dates.

Before you plan that vacation…

Manufacturing delays have been expected for some time. But a bigger issue is cropping up.

It turns out that the US government didn’t preorder the vaccine?

Regardless of blame (*cough* the federal “Covid response task force” cough cough*), manufacturing enough vaccine was always going to be a problem. On top of that, we don’t know if and when boosters will be required, which means it could take even longer to catch up than is currently being projected.

We’re not out of the woods yet. Expect to be using that mask a while longer, even as we plan to return to “normal”.
Cómo la biotecnología nos acerca a las estrellas
By: Bioblogs Utec
Tags: Life, Space, Universe, Biotechnology, Astrobiology

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Apoptosis Assay Market Size Worth $7.5 Billion By 2027
By: Gaurav Shah
Tags: Italy, Biotechnology, France, Japan, China

The global apoptosis assay market size is expected to reach USD 7.5 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 7.6%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Extensive research activities on expanding applications of drug-induced apoptosis assays have propelled the inclination of pharmaceutical manufacturers towards incorporating cell cycle products in the drug discovery and designing process.

The introduction of affordable and easy to perform kits that can be accommodated in complex experiments is expected to minimize the overhead costs of apoptosis experiments. Companies are providing highly precise reagents and lot-to-lot reproducibility in sample measurements.

Professionals at pharmaceutical companies are making use of cell-cycle inhibitors and Apoptosis-Inducing Factors (AIF)/ molecules to explore possible drug targets. Also, high demand for caspase activity assays along with Bcl-2 protein family across pharmaceutical companies for apoptosis detection has been observed in recent years. Biotechnology companies are enhancing quantification techniques to enable real-time monitoring of apoptotic cellular dynamics.

The presence of established guidelines and protocols for cell-potency assays has strengthened the development of efficient cell-death detection assays. Whereas, stringent regulations with respect to the approval of cell-potency assays are ensuring successful uptake of market products launched.

The flow cytometry segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share in 2019. This is attributed to the increasing adoption of the technique among researchers. It helps in finding the difference between intact mitochondria (healthy cells) and permeabilized mitochondria (cells undergoing death). The segment is anticipated to grow fast over the forecast period.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology segment dominated the market in 2019 and is anticipated to continue its dominance over the forecast period. This is attributed to the rising incidence of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the growing significance of programmed cell death or apoptosis to treat chronic diseases is driving the segment growth.

Click the link below:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/apoptosis-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:
Reverse Engineering the Corona Virus
Tags: Coronavirus, Biotechnology, Pandemic, Biohacking, Python

In this post we will be analyzing the Corona Virus 2 aka SARS-CoV-2 from first principles.

Let’s Talk Molecular Biology

At a high level we can think of DNA as blueprints, RNA as the instructions, and Proteins as functions. From High school Biology class we can remember that DNA is made up of 4 nucleic acids guanine, adenine, cytosine and thymine; in RNA, uracil is used in place of thymine in a process called transcription. There are 20 common Amino acids each defined by a sets of three mRNA nucleotides (A, U, G and C). Proteins are a sequences of amino acid chains which fold into a specific shape to define its function.

Getting Our Hands Dirty With Bioinformatics

For this section we will be using a popular package called BioPython and the NCI data bank to go from SARS-CoV-2 genome to its chain of amino acids.

Lets summarize what we learned from the interactive notebook above. We obtained both the genome and protein structure from the NCBI data bank. First we analyzed the annotation from the genome and dicover that its taxonomy is virus and that it molecular type is single stranded RNA. From there we explored its genome and throught the transcription and tranlsation process to obtain its amino acid sequence. To expedite the process we used the metadata to retrieve its protein coding sequences (CDS). The 10 main CDS are A Chain of Proteins (ORF1ab), Spike Protein (S), Escape Artist (ORF3a), Envelope Protein (E), Membrane Protein (M), Signal Blocker (ORF6), Virus Liberator (ORF7a), Mystery Protein (ORF8), Nucleocapsid Protein (N), Mystery Protein (ORF10). The two important proteins to remeber are ORF1ab which funtion as the payload and S which is the exploit. The rest of the proteins assist to make everythig happen. Lastly, we visualized a 3d model of the main protein structure.

For a visual walkthrough visit The New York Times Infographic:
Medicines of the Month — November 2020
Tags: Venture Capital, Biotechnology, Investing, Healthcare, Medicine

Axial partners with great founders and inventors. We invest in early-stage life sciences companies often when they are no more than an idea. We are fanatical about helping the rare inventor who is compelled to build their own enduring business. If you or someone you know has a great idea or company in life sciences, Axial would be excited to get to know you and possibly invest in your vision and company . We are excited to be in business with you — email us at info@axialvc.com

FDA-approved medicines for November 2020.

Links to Approval Announcements:

Source: Drugs.com
Vacuna de Pfizer: ¿Qué desafíos presentamos luego de su aprobación?
By: Bioblogs Utec
Tags: Coronavirus, Biotechnology, Pfizer, Covid 19, Vaccines

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Pfizer’s Hidden Treasures in a Dream Team
Tags: Health, Coronavirus, Biotechnology, Covid 19, Science

1. The Dream Team…

BioNTech is the German company with whom Pfizer partnered early on to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The scientists at the heart of BioNTech are Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci, a husband-and-wife couple worth billions who commute to work on bicycles. Sahin is the chief executive officer and Tureci is the chief medical officer.

The couple founded BioNTech in 2008 along with Sahin’s former professor, Christopher Huber, to develop pharmaceuticals based on messenger RNA (mRNA). The primary targets for their mRNA therapies included individualized cancer immunotherapy, training the patient’s immune system to target cancer cells. Cancer immunology had long been a shared passion and profession for the couple.

In January 2020, Sahin and Tureci discussed an article in The Lancet, a British medical journal, reporting a then-mysterious respiratory illness in China. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, they quickly realized the potential for a global pandemic and set up Project Lightspeed within their company. Luckily, BioNTech and Pfizer already had a partnership for a flu vaccine, so they agreed verbally to collaborate on a COVID-19 vaccine.

Sahin told the AP, “This trust-based relationship is one of the key factors why we have been so fast, because it allowed us to share data, to share information, to start to avoid any type of delay.”

Trust and openness with data beats a closed and paranoid approach to technology development.

Both Sahin and Tureci have Turkish heritage. Sahin emigrated to Cologne, Germany from Turkey at the age of four, so his parents could work in the city’s automotive factories. Tureci’s parents immigrated to Lastrup in southern Germany, where she was born. They met at the Saarland University Hospital in Homburg, Germany, where Tureci was finishing her last year of medical school, and Sahin was working as a physician. They married in 2002 and have a teenaged daughter.

Sahin and Tureci co-founded Ganymed Pharmaceuticals in 2001 where they developed a monoclonal antibody Zolbetuximab aimed at esophageal and gastrointestinal cancer. They sold the company to Astellas Pharma in 2016.
The Rich Fascination with Living Forever: How Biotech Cash In On Hype
By: Biotech Brothers
Tags: News, Biotechnology, Investing, Healthcare, Medicine

Individuals aged 50 and above have plenty to anticipate in the coming years, particularly with respect to anti-aging research. Although death remains undefeatable, billions of dollars in funding, especially from the ultra-wealthy in Silicon Valley, have gone into making sure that people do not age as fast or poorly as our parents.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel have been at the forefront of the anti-aging research and innovation buzz in recent years. Both have invested in South San Francisco-based Unity Biotechnology, a firm whose mission is to “extend human healthspan, the period in one’s life unburdened by the disease of aging.”

Google Inc. has also shown interest in the “living forever idea” through its aging research company Calico which was established in 2013.

There is also a long list of other companies fighting against aging, including BioViva, Life Biosciences, AgeX, Juvenescence, BioAge, The Longevity Fund, and the Methuselah Foundation.

“Science fiction has become science,” said Juvenescence CEO Greg Bailey about the company’s completing its $100 million series B round of financing in August 2019. “I think the world is going to be shocked,” he said in an interview. The company has raised more than $165 million in less than three years to fund longevity projects with the lofty objective of extending human lifespans to 150 years.

“Whenever you meet a fundamental human need, there is a market,” explained Michael West, a gerontologist, and CEO of AgeX Therapeutics. “And in this case, the market for age-related disease and aging is a trillion-dollar market.”

is studying stem cells for tissue and organ rejuvenation and hopes to “unlock cellular immortality and regenerative capacity to reverse age-related changes in the body.”

“Stem cells are programmed to die. The cells AgeX are creating are stem cells we could give to you, and they could bind to your heart and fix your heart. They are creating cell lines from a single cell of tissue from IVF clinics. These are all living embryonic cells.” Said Bailey.

Based on a projection by Endpoint News, the anti-aging market is expected to balloon to $610 billion by 2025.
Biomarkers In Blood Predict Alzheimer’s Disease
By: Hema Kapil
Tags: Dementia, Biotechnology, Research, Curescience, Alzheimers

Currently, more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. That’s more than the entire population of Colorado, Minnesota, or twenty-eight other US states!

As one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, Alzheimer’s disease represents a major burden on the US healthcare system. In 2020 alone, this disease is estimated to cost over $305B. Recognizing the enormity of the challenge, the federal government established the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) to leverage advances in research to help change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

While there is no known cure, Alzheimer’s disease management primarily involves delaying onset of symptoms, providing supportive therapy, and managing behavioral symptoms. All of these are benefitted by early disease detection. To this end, a recent study may prove to be a game-changer. This study, published in the journal Nature Aging, has demonstrated two molecules in the blood of people (the so-called predictive biomarkers) that can predict the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

In a study conducted on 573 people in their 60s and 70s, blood samples were collected and over a period of time, the people were examined for cognitive (brain) function, mainly memory and thinking problems. These types of problems are commonly seen in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The study found two proteins in the blood that had a success rate of 88% in predicting the onset of Alzheimer’s disease over the next four years. These two proteins are called P-tau181 and neurofilament light polypeptide (NfL). Further research is needed to study details about these proteins, including but not limited to how their levels are in the population, and how their levels are associated with severity of the disease.

Many scientists and physicians in the field are excited by this finding. Richard Oakley, who is head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, agrees that diagnosing cases early in the course of the disease could assist intervention using experimental treatments. Another important function of this test would be to differentiate Alzheimer’s from other causes of dementia that are treatable. Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, adds: “Any future dementia treatments will likely need to be given early in the disease process, making it even more important to take findings like these forward — to improve how we diagnose early memory and thinking problems.”

This study on Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in blood represents a major advance in early disease detection. Similar studies need to be undertaken to help physicians and scientists in making individualized risk assessments for patients with dementia. These studies hold the key to precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases.

Written By Sandeep Pingle, MD, PhD, Scientist

Keywords: CureScience, Alzheimer’s, NAPA, Dementia
¿Las bacterias son buenas o malas para nuestra salud?
By: Bioblogs Utec
Tags: Blog, Biotechnology, Microbiome, Bacteria, Myths

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

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How Biopython is used for Computational Biology?
By: Rohan Kumar
Tags: Biology, Biopython, Biotechnology, Computational Biology

KTSDESIGN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty

Hi there! If you’re a Biotech student and interested in computational Biology then you landed on a right place. Here I’m to tell you basic of Biopython and how we can use python programming language to make our bio work easier.

Biopython is an open-source python tool mainly used in bioinformatics field. it is the largest and most popular bioinformatics package for Python. It contains a number of different sub-modules for common bioinformatics tasks.it provide functions to deal with DNA, RNA & protein sequence operations such as reverse complementing of a DNA string, finding motifs in protein sequences, etc.

Computational Biology helps to develops and applies Computational method to analyse large collection of Biological data, such as Nucleotide sequence, protein sample, prediction of diseases. it is an interdisciplinary science using computers to store and process Biological data. With the help of Computational Biology we can store large Biological data in computer.

In this Blog, I’m going to focus on How to count Nucleotide sequence, DNA Transcription, Complement and Reverse complement. When we need to handle a large data, it’s preferable to have a good knowledge of Biopython to obtain the output faster.

So, Firstly I’m going to introduce the standard sequence class that deals with sequence.

Seq Objects

Biopython deals with the sequence through the Seq Object. The Seq object provides a number of string like methods (such as count,find,split).The Seq object also provides some Biological methods, such as complement, reverse-complement, transcribe and translate (which are not applicable to sequence with the protein alphabet).

Using Seq object you can easily obtain the complement or reverse complement of nucleotide sequences. Method are used complement and reverse complement.

For DNA transcription you can use the transcribe method and you will get the mRNA. for transcription i took random DNA seq. You can take your desired DNA sequence from NCBI.

Count Nucleotide sequence

for counting nucleotide sequence i took random DNA seq. You can take your desired DNA sequence from NCBI.

To get your desired DNA sequence from NCBI you have to follow these steps.

Open NCBI website (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) Select the Protein (ALL databases), write the name of protein. The list obtained, choice the specific protein click on that. Just below the name of the protein, FASTA is written, click on it. You get new page having full information of protein sequence.

In above program i am storing DNA sequence entered by user in DNA variable. After this i am counting the number of A,T,C,G in your DNA sequence.

You can see the Number of A,T,C,G in your DNA sequence.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful time!

Refrences : https://www.tutorialspoint.com/biopython/biopython_introduction.htm
Antimicrobial resistance
By: Sudharsan A.
Tags: Microbiology, Antimicrobial Resitance, Biotechnology

images credits: Photo by Edward Jenner from Pexels

AMR(Antimicrobial resistance) is becoming an emerging concern in the medical world. Even though the old drugs had refined to overcome AMR issues, Multi-Drug Resistance has created frightening attention which eventually produced an intriguing interest to study in this area and to develop more advanced methods to overcome antimicrobial resistance.

In Antimicrobial resistance, microbes were executing various strategies to overcome the drug action. Some of them are the following

Down-regulating the expression of influx receptors. Up-regulating the expression of efflux pump genes Target point mutations Synthesizing a protein product to metabolize the drug.

But the recent research shows that some of the phytochemicals can inhibit a variety of efflux pumps expressed in the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria. Due to this fact, the practice of using appropriate herbal medicine along with the administration of antibiotics could help us to overcome this AMR problem in the current situation.
Blue bacteriophage
By: Andrei Nikonov
Tags: Biotechnology, Short Story, Technology, Science, Virus

Image by NextGenRnD: https://nextgenrnd.com/insights/insight-no-1/

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria. Phage research led to ground-breaking discoveries illuminating how genetic information is stored, transferred, controlled (lysogeny), and protected (restriction and CRISPR/Cas systems). Restriction enzymes made genetic engineering possible, whereas phage display technology allowed the development of target-specific antibody medicines. Phages and technologies such as phage display have an enormous potential that has not yet been fully realized in medicine, diagnostics, and materials science/engineering.

In this insight, we would like to ask a very simple question — what is the color of the phage? This question sparked our attention when we came across several papers published from 1967 through 1970 mentioning the blue phage band. Since then, the mysterious blue band of phage had been spoken about in some publications but had never been demonstrated.

To see the blue phage band, researchers used a method called equilibrium sedimentation in density gradients introduced in 1957 and fully developed in 1963. In particular, a transparent tube is filled with 4–7 layers of cesium chloride (CsCl) solutions atop each other (typically, using Pasteur pipettes). The bottom layer has the highest density, whereas the top layer has the lowest density of CsCl. In this way, a discontinuous CsCl step density gradient is formed. Then, a sample containing phage is layered on top of this gradient, the tube is placed into a metal bucket, which is attached to a swinging-bucket rotor, which is spun for 1 hour in an ultracentrifuge at a speed of 40,000 revolutions per minute roughly corresponding to a relative centrifugal force of 200,000 g. As a result, the phage particles migrate toward the bottom of the tube and concentrate to form a band in the CsCl layer with a density equal to the (buoyant) density of the phage particles. Hence, the equilibrium sedimentation is achieved.

The photograph shows the result of such an equilibrium sedimentation experiment. Indeed, the phage particles are seen as a blue band. There are actually two blue bands. The lower, major one, contains at least 10¹³ infectious phage particles. The faint blue band seen above is not infectious as the capsids of the phages with this particular buoyant density are devoid of genetic material (they are empty). Finally, there is a thick pale white layer of cellular debris.

We have just demonstrated that the phage band is blue. This, however, begs two other questions related to the phage band: (1) why is it bright? and (2) why is it blue?…

Read the story in full here: https://nextgenrnd.com/insights/insight-no-1/
Eco-Lab Device
By: Jihen Ben Chikha
Tags: Biotechnology, Bioart, Art, Tech, Bioscience

A collective team of one media artist, a data scientist (MIMS.AI), and bioinformatician (UQAM), working on new collaborative ways for understanding nature, environnement and ecosystems.

In a highly complex environment we live in, information systems and new technologies made a huge impact in our ecosystem. The project «EcoLab Device» is a continuity of an artistic approach aims to unveil a part of this relationship between the environment and data systems. Using an interactive devices and medium, a part of the environmental data, speci­cally collected from plants, are showed in different forms. To tackle the anchoring problem of some plants knowledge, the project de­nes a dedicated design, i.e., graphs, to experiment the species interaction with its physical environment. A kinetic predictive device will be implemented as a result component able to predict on some phenomenological aspect based on Artificial Intelligence experimentation. An advanced concepts of the collected data are also displayed in an immersive video installation and automatic sketching cnc machine.

-Collecting BioData- Plants Study1-

The project is a continuity of an artistic research questioning the infi­nity of invisible vibrator phenomenon data surrounding us to make our universe more complex. “EcoLab Device” is an ongoing research project, part of exploring our environment in a way to create a database of its atmosphere component. Its goal is to explore the ecological system and recreate it in a different manner: as an intersection between ­Art, science, and bio technology.

Hydroponic Test- Lab Experimentation 2020

Setting-up different kinds of hydroponic plants for the understanding of indoor plants, herbs and their root system diversity. Wondering about the future of human and plant relationship, especially the future of farms and vertical garden. Through a series of experiment and research development, the project is a set for a position to understand and to enhance the plants growth. Combining the interaction between human and plants relationship.

Sketching Process

Micro-greens ( germination week 2)

Sensitive to this interactive physical world, it seems interesting to study the physics of plant species (a part of its ecosystem) using digital media. This de­nes a collaborative drawing of philosophical, scientifi­c and artistic research. The relevance of this project is ­first provoking this awareness of oneself and its physical environment. The project brings together different research areas: artistic, scientific, physical and technological. The project is also linked to the environmental and ecological sustainable questions and issues : an opening towards reddening current problems in the anthropocene and how rapid urbanization is changing the diversity of plants. This will allow us to rethink our ecosystem management useful tools and their consequences.

- Graph of the Plant Data Visualization -
Axial — New Medicines #30. Get these analyses to your inbox —…
Tags: Venture Capital, Biotechnology, Investing, Healthcare, Medicine

Get these analyses to your inbox — https://axialobservations.substack.com/ This is a newsletter for rough-around-the-edges ideas. More well thought out work can be found at — https://axial.substack.com/

Axial partners with great founders and inventors. We invest in early-stage life sciences companies often when they are no more than an idea. We are fanatical about helping the rare inventor who is compelled to build their own enduring business. If you or someone you know has a great idea or company in life sciences, Axial would be excited to get to know you and possibly invest in your vision and company . We are excited to be in business with you — email us at info@axialvc.com

New medicines #30 — November 28, 2020 — December 4, 2020

A weekly overview of the development of new medicines.

- Enlivex Therapeutics released interim data from its phase 2 clinical trial evaluating Allocetra in severe and critical COVID-19 patients, which showed all seven patients recovered from their respective severe/critical condition and were discharged after an average of 4.7 days following administration of Allocetra.

- Histogen announced preliminary data from its phase 1b/2a clinical trial of HST-001 in male patients with androgenic alopecia did not meet the primary endpoint of a statistically significant change from baseline versus week 18 in total hairs in the target area.

- Moderna announced that primary efficacy analysis of its COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 trial of mRNA-1273 conducted on 196 cases confirmed the high efficacy observed at the first interim analysis, indicating a vaccine efficacy of 94.1%:

The data also showed that all 30 severe cases of COVID-19 in the trial occurred in the placebo group with none occurring in the mRNA-1273 vaccinated group

The company also announced the submission to the FDA of a Emergency Use Authorization, which will be reviewed by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on Thursday, December 17, 2020

- Ovid Therapeutics announced after hours that its phase 3 Neptune trial of OV101 (gaboxadol) for the treatment of Angelman syndrome did not meet the primary endpoint.

- Sutro Biopharma announced updated data from its phase 1 trial of STRO-002 in patients with ovarian cancer:

Of the 31 evaluable patients, 1 patient achieved a complete response (CR) and 9 patients achieved a partial response (PR) — 3 confirmed and 6 unconfirmed

Twenty-three patients (74%) achieved disease control at 12 weeks, while 18 patients (58%) achieved disease control at 16 weeks

- Vanda Pharmaceuticals announced after hours that the FDA has approved Hetlioz (tasimelteon) capsule and liquid formulations for the treatment of adults and children, respectively, with night-time sleep disturbances associated with Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS).

Source: BPC (reformatted), SY, Bioworld
Biotechnology’s Role in Medicine
By: Dr. Darren Carpizo
Tags: Dr Darren Carpizo, Medicine, Healthcare, Biotechnology

Biotechnology sounds like a complicated field and in many ways it is. However, the concept behind biotech is simple. It means using the processes of biology for industrial, research, and other reasons. Biotechnology is used in a number of fields including agriculture. It’s also very important in healthcare.

One of the most common applications for biotechnology is in genetics. In terms of agriculture, this can mean making hardier, more disease-resistant plant crops. In medicine, it can mean manipulating the genes of small organisms so that they produce hormones, antibiotics, or other medically useful substances.

Recently, the idea of targeting specific genes for more personalized and efficient healthcare has started to become more possible. Instead of treating all patients with the same medication in similar doses, the idea is to customize treatments. For example, now doctors are able to figure out very specifically what type of cancer a person has. So they’re no longer treating “breast cancer.” Instead, they’re treating something more specific, like HER2+ metastatic breast cancer.

Without biotechnology, none of this would be understood. It wouldn’t be possible to know these specifics, devise treatments for them, or deliver them effectively to patients. Biotech has made it possible for so many people to have more targeted treatments and better quality of life. Disciplines that come under the umbrella of biotechnology include genomics, metabolomics, and exomics. DNA sequencing and genome editing are some of the most impactful biotechnological advances of the past 20 to 30 years.

Biotechnology is also important for the pharmaceutical world. Biologics are one of the most important products of the biotechnology field. Biologics are medicines made with or extracted from cells that are still alive. These include very commonly used substances like insulin. Many vaccines are also considered biologics. Advances in biotech since the 1970s have made it possible to develop and deliver safer medicines than ever before.

The field is always improving. Recent advances in biotech include sequencing the genes of specific tumors found in specific patients. This means there’s hope that patients can have a truly personalized cancer treatment that will give them the best possible results. Biotech solutions are making the world a better and less hostile place for people at all stages of life.
Know Labs Provides Update on Company Business, Impact of Covid-19
By: Know Labs Inc
Tags: Health, Biotechnology, Diabetes

Seattle, WA. — December 3, 2020 — OTCQB: KNWN



Know Labs, Inc., an emerging leader in non-invasive medical diagnostics, announced that its efforts to test and validate its patented Bio-RFID™ platform technology for non-invasive glucose monitoring with third-party research organizations have been temporarily slowed by the impact of Covid-19.

Phil Bosua, Know Labs CEO, stated, “While the impact and restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic have necessarily slowed the work we are doing with third parties, we continue to work in our laboratory to productize our Bio-RFID technology. I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish. This work will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our strategy as we introduce our UBAND™ product line and its many health and wellness applications, including the first application measuring blood glucose.”

Know Labs has continued to work internally and with its external engineering firm to develop its prototype. Led by Phil, the Know Labs team has internally replicated the tests that will be performed at third-party research organizations several times to ensure success. Know Labs expects very positive results when they are able to conduct testing with third parties.

Ron Erickson, Know Labs Chairman & Founder, said, “We are all sensitive to the pandemic affecting the entire country. Local outbreaks along with travel restrictions have hindered our ability to move as quickly as we would have liked. We put the safety and health of our team and partners above all else. Nonetheless, we continue to work at our lab in Seattle to further the development of our technology. Additionally, we have been strategically building upon our foundational IP assets surrounding the UBAND technology.”

Know Labs will continue to keep the public and its shareholders advised of developments.
The Relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Vaccines
By: Gena Vazquez
Tags: Coronavirus, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine

HEALTHCARE

AI has taken on a much bigger role in healthcare during the pandemic.

Recently pharmaceutical giants, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer have boasted a 90% efficiency rate of their Covid-19 vaccines. But what does that really mean in terms of controlling the pandemic?

Vaccines to fight infectious diseases usually take years to develop, test, and deliver. Even then, their success is not guaranteed. Typically, vaccines can take up to 10 years to reach infected people. The mumps vaccine holds the record for fastest distribution time, as it was delivered in 4 years. Discovery and research alone usually take approximately 2 to 5 years.

The perfect vaccine has a lot to live up to. It needs to be inexpensive. It needs to produce strong, long-lasting immunity. It needs a simple cooling delivery system and manufacturers must be able to scale-up manufacturing of the vaccine, rapidly.

In comparison, the Covid-19 vaccines have only taken months. In recent months it has been proven that AI is an accelerant for drug discovery with 6 additional healthcare AI trends that will have a lasting impact. Artificial Intelligence in healthcare has grown momentous traction during the pandemic, from scouring scientific papers on coronaviruses to examining CT scans for Covid-19 symptoms. AI will have a lasting impact on the medical research and biotech communities and healthcare industry.

The White House has partnered with Artificial Intelligence research institutions to source scientific literature to better comprehend Covid-19 and all the intricacies associated with the virus. Biotech companies and tech giants leveraged AI to better understand the configuration of the novel coronavirus to expedite drug discovery. Social distancing and lockdown measures forced medical labs to accelerate their digital pathology capabilities.

Amongst economic uncertainties, healthcare and medical AI companies raised recording funding in 2020. Faster, inexpensive, and more effective next-generation MRI and CT scans, rapid testing, and AI-driven passive monitoring have all motivated institutional investors to pour funding into the biotech, pharma, and healthcare industries. The proven successful relationship between AI and vaccines now offers millions hope that soon things will be back to normal.
Mejoramiento genético ¿Es una amenaza para las especies domésticas?
By: Bioblogs Utec
Tags: Science, Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology, Genetic Modification

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The Latest Coronavirus Tracking Device Looks Like Skin and Sticks to Your Neck
By: Yasmin Tayag
Tags: Coronavirus, Biotechnology, Wearables, Covid 19, Technology

The Latest Coronavirus Tracking Device Looks Like Skin and Sticks to Your Neck

Photo: Northwestern University

The wearable industry was quick to realize the huge potential of the Covid-19 pandemic. As the pandemic unfurled, Fitbit unveiled a tracker that could detect unusual breathing patterns and heart rates associated with the disease. A device called the Pavlok threatened to zap wearers with 450 volts of electricity if they touched their face. Sharp-eyed Fitbit users also realized that a software update could turn their device into a pulse oximeter, which could detect the low blood oxygen sometimes associated with Covid-19.

The latest Covid-19 wearable looks a little different from the others: Small, flexible, and worn like a sticker at the base of the throat, a new device from researchers at Northwestern University looks a bit like the Band-Aids doctors place on a patient’s neck after intubation. Its unusual placement serves an important purpose: As Emily Mullin writes in Future Human, the device continuously measures body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory activity — including coughing.

From its position on the neck, the device identifies coughs, addresses their intensity, and then transmits this data to a tablet, where doctors can assess a person’s condition. The hope is that the data will help doctors pick up on early signs of Covid-19. The unnamed device isn’t commercially available yet, but it’s already being tested on health care workers.

Read more from Emily here: