Collaborate Disseminate
The search for new solutions to the growing problem of plastic pollution has led scientists to some interesting places that include the soils of a Japanese recycling center and the guts of superworms. These efforts have unearthed enzymes that can eat a… Continue reading Wax worm saliva shown to degrade plastic bags in just hours
Scientists have identified two molecules that could help treat leukemia, in a way that’s far less damaging to healthy cells than existing chemotherapy. The compounds work using a different mechanism that’s more selective for cancerous cells, and import… Continue reading New class of drug could treat leukemia with fewer side effects
Organ transplants can be life-saving, but the need to match blood types means many people are left on long waiting lists while organs go to waste. Scientists at Cambridge have now demonstrated a technique that could one day make donated organs universa… Continue reading Donor kidney blood type converted in step towards universal organs
The magnitude of our plastic waste problem has scientists searching far and wide for answers, and for a team at Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ) this search has led them to hungry little critters known as “superworms.” These tiny creatures hav… Continue reading Superworms act like “mini recycling plants” to survive solely on plastic
The idea of deploying enzymes to break down plastic waste is gaining momentum through a string of breakthroughs demonstrating how they can do so with increasing efficiency, and even reduce the material to simple molecules. A new study marks yet another… Continue reading Fast-acting enzyme breaks down plastics in as little as 24 hours
Over the past five years or so we’ve seen some important breakthroughs demonstrating how enzymes can be used to break down common plastics, such as the PET used for everything from drink bottles to shampoo containers. In pursuit of a circular economy f… Continue reading Newly discovered enzyme helps reduce plastic waste to a simple molecule
Matching blood types from donor to recipient is one of the major problems in organ donation. Now, a team of researchers in Canada has developed an enzyme treatment to convert donated organs to the universal O blood type, allowing them to be safely tran… Continue reading Enzyme treatment could make donor organs compatible with any patient
Modern medicine is locked in an arms race against antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.” A new treatment may give us the upper hand again by knocking out enzymes that bacteria use to defend themselves against the drugs.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, Sci… Continue reading Mimic molecule distracts superbugs to help old antibiotics work again
One of the most revolutionary discoveries of the century, the CRISPR gene-editing system is built on a bacterial defense mechanism that allows scientists to make precise edits to DNA. Now scientists at MIT have discovered a new class of enzymes called … Continue reading Beyond CRISPR: New class of gene-editing enzymes discovered
The CRISPR gene-editing system is usually associated with the Cas9 protein, but that’s not the only option out there. Scientists at Stanford have now developed a CRISPR tool called CasMINI, using a much smaller protein that should be able to enter huma… Continue reading “Mini” CRISPR tool reworks inactive protein for better gene editing