Biotech Roundup: Tuesday, April 28

We normally bring you the “roundup” on MWF, but we’re ramping up to bring you highlights from across web every weekday. Have a link we missed? That’s what comments are for! Please post your link to add to the discussion.

Here are some of the stories that caught our eye yesterday:

BIOTECH TACKLES ARTHRITIS – Three million Americans who suffer from forms of arthritis are going to get some help from biotechnology. The Philadelphia Business Journal ran a story on the FDA approval of Centacor’s biotech-based therapy.

WATER QUALITY IMPROVED THROUGH BIOTECH – Xcomomy reports on how biotechnology is helping keep our water cleaner by killing water borne microbes with strands of RNA. This breakthrough not only bodes well for U.S. but is especially important in developing countries.

“Biotechnology” and “water purification” aren’t usually themes that you hear mentioned in the same sentence. There are plenty of biotech startups aiming to use cutting-edge molecular approaches like RNA interference (RNAi) to develop profitable new drugs—but fewer people, if any, talk about how these technologies might help people in developing countries where safe drinking water is in short supply. Indeed, at first blush, the idea that molecules as fragile as snippets of RNA could be used on an industrial scale to kill pathogens in water seems farfetched.

But that’s exactly what a Somerville, MA-based startup called 349Q hopes to do. In stealth mode until last week, the company has now begun talking to reporters about its plans, which call for identifying genes common to the main species of dangerous microbes found in water, then engineering viruses that could manufacture RNA strands capable of shutting down the microbes’ basic metabolic processes.

BIOTECH TAKES TO THE SKIES…AGAIN – Remember those planes that were flying on biofuels? The Continental and Virgin flights a few months back? Get ready for more. BiofuelsDigest ran a story on Boeing’s new exhibit at the Future of Flight Museum in Washington, which demonstrates that biofuels could be a regular source for jet fuel within 3-5 years.

The Boeing Co. has spent more than three years working with other groups to study making jet fuel from algae and other plants. Boeing’s new exhibit at the Future of Flight Museum at Paine Field demonstrates how quickly algae can grow and become a source of fuel.

“Can we do it? The answer is yes,” said Terrance Scott, a specialist in environmental strategy for Boeing. “It’s not that far off.”

The aviation industry is in a better position to spark extensive use of biofuels than the auto industry, according to Boeing. There are only about 20,000 commercial aircraft in the world and only several hundred fueling stations, making for a smaller and less complex network… [MORE]

COUNTERING GMO MISINFORMATION – Now for some news that some of you may want to weigh in on. The food and nutrition blog, Cheeseslave.com, is promoting an anti-GMO blog carnival called the No GMO Challenge in order raise awareness of the “dangers” of genetically modified organisms. Do you agree? Let your opinion be heard. Click here and post a comment on CheeseSlave.com.