Tag: Genetics

Nanoparticles with Long Afterglow for Life Sciences Research

Molecular-scale fluorescent markers are a staple of many branches of life sciences research. They get excited and emit a glow when illuminated with a laser, and so can be spotted and associated with cells and other biological things they’re attached to. A common problem with the fluorescent agents is that they lose their glow shortly [&hellip (Read more...)

Microfluidic Device for Onco Chemo Testing

Chemotherapy can be very difficult on patients, but finding out that the cancer didn’t respond to the chemo is even more disturbing. Soon there may be a way to try different chemo agents on a patient’s own tumor cells taken during a biopsy. Researchers at Purdue University have developed a microfluidic system inside which tumor [&hellip (Read more...)

How Tracing Your Ancestors Could Improve Your Health: Interview with Dr. Ian Zinck, Head of Science and Research at Athletigen

Athletigen is a genetics company with offices in Halifax and Toronto, Canada, that offers advice to athletes and exercise enthusiasts to help maintain and improve their health, based on their genetic data. Customers can get their DNA sequenced, and then based on their unique genetic traits, Athletigen will identify genetic variants that can impact (Read more...)

Reprogrammed Patient-Specific Pig Organs for Human Transplants: Interview with Dr. Jeff Ross, CEO of Miromatrix

The waiting lists for organ transplants are long, and people die daily waiting for transplants that never become available. For those that get a transplant, there is a risk that their immune system could reject it. Using organs from pigs is an alternative to human organs since many are a similar size. However, there is […]

Bioresponsive Hydrogel Can Release Proteins on Cue

Researchers at Penn State have developed a DNA-laced hydrogel that mimics biological systems by releasing a proteins in response to a chemical signal, a technology which could be useful for drug delivery. The system has potential for on-demand release of therapeutic proteins, also known as biologics, to treat a variety of conditions. Hydrogels are (Read more...)

Sound Waves Sort Cells for Diagnostics, Cell-Based Therapies

Researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design have developed a microfluidic device that can isolate cells from complex biological samples using sound waves. The technique could help doctors to accurately isolate specific types of cells from blood and other bodily fluids, which is useful for diagnostics and cell-based therapies. S (Read more...)

Improved Brain Organoids for Zika Virus Research

Researchers at UCLA have developed a method to produce improved brain organoids, or “mini brains,” that they claim mimic the structure of the human brain more closely than previous attempts. The investigators used the organoids to study how the Zika virus infects and destroys brain tissue, and identify potential treatments, but the mini (Read more...)

Organoids of Human Kidneys Help to Study Renal Diseases

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic condition in which the tubules of the kidneys grow to become deformed, leading to cysts to grow on the organ. Studying this disease has been a challenge because of the difficulty of modeling it in the laboratory. Now researchers led by a team at the University of Washington have […]

Dante Labs Full Genome Sequencing: A Medgadget Review

Dante Labs, a company with offices in Europe and United States, have partnered with a number of laboratories worldwide and are now using next generation sequencing technology to map an individual’s complete genome—all three-billion base pairs—in around 8 weeks, and for under €1,000 ($1,175). This service is similar to th (Read more...)

Acoustofluidics Pulls Exosomes from Whole Blood

Exosomes are tiny vesicles that are released by the body’s myriad of cells and that are found in blood, urine, and other bodily fluids. Their role within our bodies is still largely a mystery, but there’s already considerable evidence that they may be biomarkers of disease and indicators that certain processes are happening within the [ (Read more...)