HEAL. FEED. FUEL. That’s what biotechnology does. And here is how it’s doing it TODAY:

HEAL: RESEARCHERS DISCOVER KEY TO MASSIVE CELL DEATH – A team of scientists from the Scripps Research Institute has discovered two molecular compounds that help prevent the “massive cell death” that often comes when studying embryonic stem cells:

The pair of cell survival compounds, called “thiazole” and “pyrimidine”, keep the fragile cells alive by preventing damage to a substance on the surface of the cells that keeps them attached to growth gels, after they have been removed from an embryo. The team showed that dosing the cells with the compounds greatly improves their survival, which should ease research on human stem cells.

FEED: BIOTECH CROPS GET TWO THUMBS UP – A study conducted by the National Research Council revealed that genetically modified crops have not only increased profits for American farmers but also reduced the environmental damage that comes with agriculture. Biotech crops allow farmers to till their fields less often, which reduces soil erosion and production costs. The article from the Wall Street Journal also went into the environmental benefits of biotech crops:

Many farmers no longer need to disturb the soil to kill weeds, because they can spray herbicide directly on their fields without harming their genetically modified crops. At the same time, genetically modifying crops with a gene from a soil microorganism to make a natural insecticide has allowed many farmers to reduce their use of synthetic pesticides that kill beneficial insects such as honey bees.

About 80% of the soybeans, corn and cotton grown in the U.S. are now produced from genetically modified plants, the report said.

FUEL: ALGAE WITH MORE LIPIDS MEANS MORE BIOFUEL – The Department of Energy has given a $1 million grant to Purdue University in order to genetically engineer algae to produce more lipids, which can in turn be used to more efficiently manufacture biofuel. Here’s what Purdue chemical engineering professor and lead researcher John Morgan had to say:

“Algae now store some of their carbon as lipids, but not enough to be useful in producing biodiesel. We need to genetically engineer them to increase the amount of lipids they accumulate…The carbon dioxide is routed in many directions to produce various products, and we are trying to maximize traffic in the specific pathway that leads to lipid storage. We want to maximize the accumulation of lipids, which can then be harvested and turned into biodiesel.”

Today’s roundup is all about HEALING! We have some truly revolutionary ways to cure what ails you. Oh and there’s a story about chickens. Enjoy!

SCIENTISTS HAIL REVOLUTIONARY KIDNEY GENE FIND – Scientists made a crucial breakthrough in understanding the biology of chronic kidney disease:

“They found 13 new genes that influence renal function and seven others that affect the production and secretion of creatinine – a chemical waste molecule that is generated from muscle metabolism and filtered through the kidneys.”

Through this discovery, they make a critical first step in revolutionizing kidney disease treatment.

INDIAN DEVELOPS TRANSGENIC CHICKEN – India has developed transgenic chicken, which is the country’s first successful genetically modified poultry or livestock. The transgenic chicken is fleshier than a normal breed and can be used to treat diseases.

“The breakthrough research could help boost production in a country that ranks among the world’s top three egg producers and among the 20 biggest poultry producers.”

GENETIC FAULT LINKED TO HEREDITARY DEAFNESS – Scientists discovered a gene mutation that can cause children to be born deaf. Researchers found that consanguineous marriage, “a union between close relations, commonly first cousins – can be associated with a higher risk of recessive genetic disorders” due to a mutation in the PTPRQ gene, which is necessary for the development of normal inner ear “hair cells.” This knowledge will allow for improvements in treatment, medications and therapy to treat deafness and restore hearing.

BLOOD VESSELS GROWN FROM STEM CELLS – New research has found that stem cell-derived blood vessel grown in a lab could act as a replacement for artificial versions already used in bypass surgery. A blood vessel can be built from donor tissue and an animal’s adult stem cells, which indicates that a patient’s future complications could be significantly reduced.

“’Our grafts have the potential to be used for peripheral artery disease bypass (mostly in the legs), and arteriovenous fistula (a type of vascular access for hemodialysis), and heart bypass surgery. However, the first uses of the grafts would be for treatment of peripheral artery disease and dialysis access grafting’, said Dr. McIlhenny.”

If this preliminary data proves to be successful, it would mean a new life-saving technique for cardiac surgeons.

MAINE BIOTECH RESEARCH FIRM LOOKS TO FLORIDA HOUSE LAB – The Jackson Laboratory, Maine’s largest biomedical research institution, will potentially open its first out-of-state research branch if it gains sufficient funding in Florida.

“Florida was chosen because of the availability of public funding, the state’s commitment to growing its biomedical community, and the proximity of other nonprofit research institutes.”

The 145,000-square-foot building in southwest Florida would serve as a center for scientists to conduct genetic research on human health problems by directly applying scientists’ extensive research to the treatment of human diseases.

It’s been slim pickens for biotech videos that came in last week. But I’m sure a dose of Norman Borlaug and Farmer Art should be enough to get you through your Monday!

THE NORMAN BORLAUG LEGACY – There’s no hiding the fact that we’re uber-fans of Norman Borlaug. And if you’re a fan of saving billions of lives, then you should be one too. The ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications) put together a six-part series on the global status of biotech crops. In part one, ISAAA Founder Dr. Clive James highlights Dr. Borlaug’s unparalleled contribution to ending world hunger.

BIOTECH CROPS HELP FARMER ART – Art Enns has been farming canola and soybeans for 30 years and he can’t say enough about the possibilities of agricultural biotechnology. Mr. Enns explains he not only saves money, he saves the environment by using fewer chemicals. And when he starts talking about providing for future generations, it will almost bring a tear to your eye.

BAY STATE BIOTECH COMES OUT ON TOP – Lisa Van Der Pool of the Boston Business Journal goes over the benefits of the new healthcare bill on Massachusetts biotech companies. Along with medical device firms, insurers and large employers spent $50 million lobbying lawmakers about healthcare reform in 2009.

BIOTECH PROFESSOR TALKS CANCER TREATMENT – Marco Foiani is a Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Milan and a member of the European Institute of Oncology. Here he explains how genome instability adversely affects cancer treatment. He also highlights the efforts of the EIO’s Institute of Molecular Oncology Foundation (IFOM).

OLDIE BUT A GOODIE – We went into the way-back machine for this one folks. Back in 2007, BASF and Monsanto signed an R&D and commercialization collaboration agreement to develop both high yielding and drought-tolerant crops. Watch Robb Fraley, Chief Technology Officer of Monsanto, weigh in on this deal and the long term benefits it has for farmers.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY BIOTECH COMMUNITY! You made it to the end of the week. And as a reward, you can check out the latest and greatest in biotech news:

SCIENTISTS STRIVING TO DEVELOP MOLECULE THAT INHIBITS OBESITY-LINKED GENE – Scientists in China may have identified how a gene associated with obesity (FTO) becomes active and are aiming to develop a molecule to shut down the effects.

“We want to design a small molecule to block FTO activity, to shut down its function. We can feed this (molecule) to mice and see what happens. If the mice get leaner, that would be very exciting,” Chai said, but he added that any therapy for obesity would be years away.

According to the article from Reuters, the World Health Organization estimates that by 2015 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese.

PRINTING MORE THAN PAPER – Adopting the principles of standard inkjet printer, North Carolina researchers conjured a device that sprays skin cells directly into burn victims’ wounds, providing a quick and safe alternative to skin grafts.

They put them in a nutritious solution to make them multiply and then used a system similar to a multicolor office inkjet printer to apply first a layer of fibroblasts and then a layer of keratinocytes, which form the protective outer layer of skin. The sprayed cells also incorporated themselves into surrounding skin, hair follicles and sebaceous glands, probably because immature cells called stem cells were mixed in with the sprayed cells, the researchers said.

According to the article from the National Post, the research team has conducted the procedure only on mice and is looking to experiment with pigs since their skin more closely resembles human skin.

GENE PROVIDES GLIMPSE INTO A SMOKER’S FUTURE – A team of researchers have identified a cluster of genes, particularly active in lung cancer patients, which may forecast if a smoker will eventually incur lung cancer.

The main gene is called PI3K and it affects a pathway of other genes, Bild, Avrum Spira of Boston University and colleagues reported. And it can be found in the windpipes of smokers, meaning they do not need more dangerous and uncomfortable lung tests.

The article from Reuters reports the vague symptoms of lung cancer result in patients not being diagnosed until the cancer has reached an untreatable status.

We’re halfway through the week folks. Here are some inspiring biotech stories to get you through the rest of the week!

GENES LINKED TO ANEURYSMS REVEALED – Yale University scientists have discovered three new genetic variants that increase a person’s risk of developing aneurysms (which afflict 500,000 people annually), all by analyzing the entire genetic code of 20,000 volunteers. Here is what lead author Professor Murat Gunel had to say about this medical breakthrough:

“These findings provide important new insights into the causes of intracranial aneurysms and are a critical step forward in the development of a diagnostic test that can identify people at high risk prior to the emergence of symptoms. Given the often-devastating consequences of the bleeding in the brain, early detection can be the difference between life and death.”

According to the article from the Telegraph, people with all the risk variants in their genetic code are 5 to 7 times more likely to develop aneurysms.

CAUSE DETERMINED FOR SMALL BABIES’ DIABETES RISK – A team of scientists from across the globe have discovered two genetic regions that affect a baby’s size at birth and say one of them is also linked with developing diabetes in later life:

They found that two genetic variants were strongly linked with birth weight. One of the variants, in a gene called ADCY5, had also been linked with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. People who inherit two “risk copies” of this variant are at a 25 percent higher risk of diabetes in adulthood than those who inherit two “non-risk copies,” the scientists explained, and this study shows they also weigh less at birth.

According to the article from Reuters, there are an estimated 180 million people with diabetes worldwide.

RESEARCH COULD LEAD TO HIV VACCINE – Research conducted at Duke University’s Human Vaccine Institute could shed light on how the body fights off HIV, which could potentially lead to new vaccine for the condition that affects over 30 million people worldwide:

The study examines antibodies, the foot soldiers of the immune system that gather to fight off invaders. The researchers found four kinds of antibodies that appear to create a barrier that prevents HIV from getting into a kind of door in cells. That door, known as a receptor, is an entry point for HIV in the vast majority of cases. The four antibodies work differently than their counterparts because they focus on creating a barricade to protect the cells instead of doing direct battle with the virus cells.

Today is a great day to play hookie, eat a a hot dog and have a beer because it’s OPENING DAY for most baseball teams out there. Just remember that biotechnology is opening up new possibilities all year round! Now let’s check out the best biotech videos of the week:

60 MINUTES AND GENE PATENTING – The big video for the week came last night.  It was Morely Safer’s report on the issue of gene patenting on 60 Minutes.  The story featured the lab tests on gene testing of cancer cells performed by Myriad Genetics.  Another company reported was Athena Labs.  On the 60 Minutes web site you can also see snippets by law Professor Lori Andrews and ACLU lawyer Chris Hansen on whether the dispute over gene patents is headed for the highest court in the land.

GLAXO + ISIS = $1.5 BILLION? – That according to CNBC reports out of San Diego and New York City on Glaxo Smith Klien’s partnership with biotech firm Isis.  The report features Dr. Stanley Crook, CEO of Isis.  According to Dr. Crook the deal gives GSK some options for 5 different drugs should they pass phase two.

BIOTECH TAKES ON OBESITY – This is a seven part series by the Southern California Biomedical Council featuring a diverse panel discussing the challenge of obesity.  The SoCal Bio is a nonprofit, member-supported trade association that supports and promotes life-science research, development, manufacturing, job creation and overall economic growth in the six counties of the Greater Los Angeles region (Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties).

HAWAII LOVES BIOTECH – That is all you could take away from the video series by the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association .  The video series by the HCIA highlights the benefits that agricultural biotechnology is having on Hawaii directly.  According to the report, absent biotechnology the Hawaiian papaya production would have disappeared.  According to the video by integrating innovative technology with local farming practices, agricultural biotechnology can continue to grow the state’s agricultural sector and preserve the landscapes that define our Islands.

DOC SANDERS AND BIOTECH – Back home on the farm, ‘Doc’ Sanders gives him home spun spin on the beneficial role of biotechnology in the promotion of plentiful, nutritious food for a hungry planet.

DOCTOR TARGEN GIVES A BIOTECH HISTORY LESSON – In the latest from BIO, Dr. Targen gives us a history lesson in biotechnology.   From fermentation by the ancient Egyptians 4,000 years ago to today’s advances in biotech therapies for previously untreatable diseases, biotech has come a long way. Join Dr. Targan as he guides us through the milestones of the constantly evolving science of biotechnology.

Good morning biotech fans! It is an absolutely fabulous day here in the DC metro area and an even better day to be part of the biotechnology community! Let’s see what’s going on in the world of biotech:

GENETICALLY ALTERED MICE SHED LIGHT ON SCHIZOPHRENIA – New evidence from a Columbia University study suggests that schizophrenia can be caused by a lack of synchronization between regions of the brain. The study compared mice that were bred to have a genetic mutation linked to schizophrenia in humans with regular healthy mice and found that the genetically altered mice had more trouble completing the old fashioned task of getting through a maze. What most people don’t know is that schizophrenia impairs certain cognitive abilities, including working memory. NPR’s health blog, Shots, interviewed study author Dr. Joshua Gordon:

In normal mice, the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex work together during the task — the activity becomes synchronized. In the mutant mice, the activity between the two areas did not become synchronized to the same extent; they weren’t able to use these two areas together. Whether the wiring is incorrect or if the wiring is there but not functional, the link between the two areas cannot be established to the same degree.

MICRO-ORGANISM TURNS WASTE INTO BIO PLASTIC – It seems like we haven’t had a good bio-plastics story in while. Well, here you go. Indian industrial company, Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute, has discovered a microbial marine organism that aids in the conversion of jatropha biodiesel waste into biodegradable plastic:

According to CSMCRI, it has filed patent for this integrated process of extracting bio-diesel from Jatropha in close to fifteen countries, and the group has also developed oil cake, soap, fertilizer, and coal-like briquettes as co-products, using jatropha residues. The group said that it has brought down the cost of jatropha biodiesel production to $3.37 per gallon ($.89 per liter) using the co-product revenues as offsets.

AGING DISEASE LINKED TO IMMUNITY SYSTEM: Researchers at the University of Birmingham have established a link between a prominent aging gene and the body’s immune system. Study leader Robin May explained: “we wanted to find out how normal aging is being governed by genes and what effect these genes have on other traits, such as immunity. What we have found is that things like resistance and aging tend to go hand in hand”:

May’s team compared longevity, stress resistance and immunity in four related species of worm. They also looked for differences in the activity of DAF-16 in each of the four species, and found that they were all quite distinct. Importantly, the differences in DAF-16 corresponded to differences in longevity, stress resistance and immunity between the four species, with higher levels of DAF-16 activity correlating to longer life, increased resistance and better immunity against some infections.

No trickery, treachery or tomfoolery today! Just straight up life saving, environment saving biotechnology news!

OBAMA PRAISES MILITARY’S EFFORT TO GO GREEN: During President Obama’s speech yesterday at Andrews Air Force Base, he spoke of the military’s advancements in going green, in an effort to promote alternative energy sources:

The Army and Marine Corps have been testing this vehicle on a mixture of biofuels. And this Navy fighter jet — appropriately called the Green Hornet — will be flown for the first time in just a few days, on Earth Day. If tests go as planned, it will be the first plane ever to fly faster than the speed of sound on a fuel mix that is half biomass. The Air Force is also testing jet engines using biofuels and had the first successful biofuel-powered test flight just last week.

SONGBIRD GENOME BRINGS HOPE TO THOSE WITH SPEECH DISORDERS – Scientists at the Washington University in St. Louis have made the first blueprint the of a genome of a songbird, which is the first step in studying the evolutionary process of vocal learning in humans and animals. Study leader Dr. Wesley Warren explained that earlier research had shown that certain genes in the brains of zebra finches were activated when the male birds heard a familiar song:

“We looked for the position of these genes in the bird’s genome, and then looked for the [equivalent] genes in the chicken genome. Then we looked for genes that had changed faster in the zebra finch than we would have expected. This shows that there was a [natural] selection pressure on those genes.”

Dr. Warren continued:

“We can start to look at the structure of those genes in humans with stuttering, autism, Parkinson’s Disease and a lot of other neurological disorders [where speech is affected] to see if they’re altered in any way.”

THIS LITTLE PIGGIE SAVED THE ENVIRONMENT – Last month we told you about the wonders of the EnviroPig, which has been genetically engineered to *ahem* “produce” less phosphorous. Like all living things, pigs need phosphorous from their food to aid in the formation of bones, teeth, and cell walls. Unfortunately, the undigested phosphorus could potentially pollute the water supply. Earlier this week, National Geographic explained how scientists are improving the situation:

Swine in the United States primarily eat corn, while those in Canada munch on cereal grains, including barley. But the kind of phosphorus that occurs naturally in those plants is indigestible without an enzyme called phytase, which pigs lack. Most farmers feed their pigs this enzyme as a supplement. But ingested phytase isn’t as effective at breaking down phosphorus as phytase created inside the pig would be, so a fair amount of the element gets flushed out in pig waste. That waste, in turn, can make its way into the water supply. Enviropig would eliminate the need for added phytase, because the animal has been engineered to make its own.