#biotechnology

#biotechnology

Super-Resolution Microscopy Lets Scientists Pinpoint the Location of Coronavirus Particles in the CellScientists are pretty knowledgeable on the viral life cycle and the active molecules in each step of the said cycle. However, they always found it difficult to pinpoint the location of viral molecules inside the infected human cell. That is, until now.Thanks to the efforts of these scientists from Stanford, it is now possible to determine where viral molecules lie. The method — super-resolution fluorescence microscopy — gives scientists a nanoscale view of the cell. Through this method, they can sift through the crowd and find certain pieces of the virus. The scientists used this method on the HCoV-229E, a coronavirus with a structure similar to the SARS-CoV-2. With this, scientists will be able to better understand how the coronavirus infects cells, and hopefully identify vulnerabilities, which could lead to better treatments.(Image Credit: Jiarui Wang, Moerner Laboratory)#Biotechnology #Coronavirus #Virology #Viruses

Sound Waves Can be Used to Turn Stem Cells Into Bones Cells to Regrow BonesPeople who have lost bones to cancer or degenerative diseases might have hope to restore said bones soon. Researchers from RMIT have found a way to turn stem cells into bone cells through high-frequency sound waves (which are emitted by a low-cost microchip device developed by the university). This approach is more efficient and simpler compared to other methods, as it cuts the time required to turn stem cells into bone cells by several days. It also might be a less painful method compared to the others.Cheap and very simple to use, the researchers state that their device could be "vital for effective tissue engineering." Truly something to look forward to in the near future!(Image: RMIT)#StemCells #Soundwaves #TissueEngineering #Biotechnology

This Remote Controlled Micro-Robot is Propelled by Air Bubbles and UltrasoundEverything in nature — even those unseen by the naked eye — can spark new inventions, just like these new ultrasound-powered micro-robots created by Mingming Wu and his teammates at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The movements of these tiny robots are said to have been inspired by how bacteria and sperm swim. But why bacteria and sperm? Wu notes the abilities of these two microorganisms. The former can swim ten times its body length in a single second, while the latter can move against the flow.These robots could one day be used for targeted drug delivery within the human body.Learn more about this fascinating invention over at the Cornell Chronicle.(Image Credit: Cornell Chronicle)#Microorganism #Microrobot #Biotechnology #Biology

Engineers Grow Pancreatic Organoids to Develop Treatments for Pancreatic CancerOne of the most dangerous types of cancer is pancreatic cancer. In the US, the disease ranks 4th in the types of cancer with the highest age-adjusted mortality rate. It is also one of the most difficult types of cancer to treat. Currently, the only types of treatment available for pancreatic cancer are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and palliative care, but scientists are looking for new ways to treat this disease. Recently, MIT engineers have grown tiny replicas of the pancreas using either healthy or cancerous pancreatic cells. With these models, researchers can gain new insights with regards to how pancreatic tumors interact with their environment.The engineers were able to make these tiny replicas using a specialized gel that mimicked the extracellular environment that surrounded the pancreas.Unlike some of the gels now used to grow tissue, the new MIT gel is completely synthetic, easy to assemble and can be produced with a consistent composition every time.[...]The researchers have also shown that their new gel can be used to grow other types of tissue, including intestinal and endometrial tissue.Learn more about this exciting study over at MIT News.(Image Credit: Below et al.)#Cancer #Biotechnology #BiologicalEngineering #PancreaticCancer #Research