NanoSapiens » Biotechnology

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: A Guide for Teachers

vladowsky — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:03:03 +0000

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: A Guide for Teachers

The third edition of this widely praised, best-selling textbook (formerly Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology) provides clear, indispensable information in cell and molecular biology that explains the exciting advances in biology and biotechnology. Because the field changes so rapidly, the need to provide crucial background information has never been more urgent. This text provides the vital information, latest knowledge, and clear-headed approaches that provide a basis for rationally discussing t

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Teresa Amaya – administrative assistant

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Biotechnology (photo credit: ILRI).

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Biotechnology photos

vladowsky — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:03:08 +0000

IRRI_PERSONALITIES_(2003)

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Dr. Darshan Brar, IRRI plant breeder, doing an embryo rescue.
Part of the image collection of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Resbioagro

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Detalle de los laboratorios de Resbioagro en el CITIUS de la Universidad de Sevilla.

The Biotech Investor’s Bible

ISBN13: 9780471412793
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A one-stop source for investing in biotech-with detailed coverage of the science, the business, the players, and the strategies for one of today’s most promising (and volatile) industries
To invest in biotech is to invest in the future, and as such, investors need to learn the nuances of the science they’re putting their money on. The core asset of biotech companies is knowledge, and sound investment decisions are impossible without an understanding of this complex science. That’s where The B

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Johnny Stine, North Coast Biologics

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Got no money but want to be an entrepreneur?

A story in the October 2009 issue of The Scientist might offer up some inspiration. "Startup on the cheap" tells the story of North Coast Biologics, a biotech start-up created with just $ 40,000USD and a whole lot of sweat equity (of the ‘renovate and build out your own lab’ kind). Using eBay and Craigslist to equip his lab, founder Johnny Stines is now producing monoclonal antibodies for three clients.

To read the article and view a video of Stines in his lab, see: www.the-scientist.com/2009/10/1/22/1/

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Killer Plants

Gabrielle DeMarco — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:24:08 +0000

The human immune system is a marvelous machine. Bacteria enter the body (perhaps through those nasty, chalky mints at the local diner that you simply could not resist diving in to). Above is a gross image of the mints’ effects as you see salmonella bacteria attacking human tissue. To fight the invasion, our white blood cells immediately get to work to attack the bacteria. If you are lucky, the bacteria are neutralized by the immune system and you can peel yourself off the bathroom floor and move on with your life, hopefully avoiding future contact with publicly shared jars of candy.

Scientists are discovering that plants also have a type of immune system that attacks bacteria and fungi. Instead of white blood cells, plants produce an abundance of things called flavonoids. And some very ingenious scientists here at Rensselaer are starting to ask the question, “If it works for plants, might it also work for humans?”

Why bother checking if flavonoids stop the spread of bacteria in humans? The answer is simple: society is running out of ways to kill bacteria. New methods to stop bacteria are becoming essential as the old methods – antibiotics like Z-pak, penicillin, amoxicillin, and the like – become less and less effective.

Despite being very simple organisms, bacteria have developed some exceptionally smart survival systems. As they and their brethren have been bombarded by decades by pills and sticky medicines, they have slowly adapted to survive the barrage. One of these adaptations actually allows bacteria to pump toxic compounds like antibiotics out of their systems before the drugs can leave lasting damage. And so, the antibiotics go in and the bacteria spit them right back out. To combat this, doctors need entirely new molecules to throw at the bacteria. When faced with a new molecule, the bacteria simply will not have the systems in place to combat it and they will be killed.

Of course there are a lot of different chemicals and compounds out there besides antibiotics that will kill bacteria on contact. But, drinking pool chlorine or injecting battery acid is not something I look forward to. I am guessing you are with me on at least this point. So, new drugs to combat bacteria also need to be safe for the very sensitive human system.

Flavonoids have long been praised for their health benefits (eat your kale), but little is understood about their antimicrobial effects. Mattheos Koffas who works in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and a team of researchers at the State University of Buffalo and in the pharmaceutical industry are looking at how effective flavonoids might be in combating bacteria in the human system. The scientists recently published a paper in the journal PLoS One that shared some very promising results on the future uses of flavonoids in medicine.

What they found was that naturally occurring flavonoids in plants had strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. They were also safe to human cells. Koffas and the team then took the research an important step forward by designing non-natural flavonoids in the lab. These new molecules took all the best aspects of the natural flavonoids and essentially turned up the volume.

What they found was that these chemically-synthesized non-natural flavonoids were even more potent against bacteria and fungi. They also appeared safe for human use.

The research provides an important path forward for a new class of antimicrobial agents – flavonoids. Koffas plans to continue to study the potential of these new molecules.

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Mystery E. coli genes essential for survival of many species

h+ Magazine: News Feed — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:07:17 +0000

Nancy Mendoza

Scientists have shown that E. coli – one of the best known and extensively studied organisms in the world – remains an enigma that may hold the key to human diseases, such as cancer.

The team, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and based at the University of Dundee has examined the genome sequence of this workhorse of the laboratory and spotted three previously unknown genes that, it turns out, are essential for the survival of E. coli and one out of the three could also be implicated in cancer or developmental abnormalities in humans. These mystery genes are also found in numerous other creatures, suggesting a vital role for them across many species. The research will be published in the 1 August edition of the Journal of Bacteriology.

The effort over recent years to sequence genomes of various important species has uncovered many previously unknown genes. This has given scientists the opportunity to choose to study these genes now, rather than waiting for them to make themselves known serendipitously e.g. when they are implicated in disease. Professor Tracy Palmer and her colleagues have taken three genes identified through sequencing of the E. coli genome and studied them to discover their significance.

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Heal, Feed, Sustain: How Biotechnology Can Help Save the World

vladowsky — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:03:11 +0000

Exploring how biotechnology is helping solve global problems. Three students travel to biotech centers in North Carolina to get an up-close look at the amazing research happening there.
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Biotechnology: An Introduction, Updated Edition (with InfoTrac)

Succeed in this course and your future career with BIOTECHNOLOGY with InfoTrac! Using case studies and examples, this biology text provides you with the tools you need to understand the methods, implications, and debate surrounding the use of biotechnological products now and in the future. Coverage includes the human genome and other genomes, animal cloning, pharmacogenomics, plant bioreactors, RNA interference, microarray technology, microbial surface display, and biotechnology regulation and

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Karen Marshall, Scientist, Animal Breeder and Genetics, Biotechnology

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