Tag: biotechnology

The dark(er) side to Pooh’s cravings for honey

Psychedelic, toxic, carrier of a biological weapon and a wrinkle reducer. Since ancient times, honey has been much more than a sweet treat.

How a Nobel prize-winning technology is speeding up evolution

What if we could test billions of possible cures for a disease almost in an instant? That is what directed evolution does – and it is revolutionizing modern medicine.

Smartphone sensor can detect dirty water

Using DNA-Magnetic particles we can detect single cells of E.coli bacteria in drinking water at record speed.

Learning from bacteriophages to develop targeted antimicrobials

Scientists are learning from nature to develop new ways to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria and boost food safety.

Will we ever be able to grow organs in a Petri dish?

Stem cells can already be employed to replicate any cell in the body and may one day be used to grow entire organs or cure diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes. But there are still a number of unanswered questions before the stem cell revolution really takes off.

Scientists discover ‘reverse photosynthesis’

Sunlight combined with a special enzyme breaks down the chemical bonds in plants. It is called reverse photosynthesis and has industrial applications, say scientists.

Algae: the future sustainable super crop

Research into algae makes it increasingly clear that these plants have huge potential for the sustainable production of everything from food to medicine.

New biofuel cells will retire toxic metals

Natural enzymes can replace the expensive and toxic precious metals used in fuel cells.

Humans alone killed off the giant moa bird

New research reveals that the moa population were fit and healthy before humans started hunting the bird. In spite of this, it took less than 200 years before the gigantic bird had died out.

3D-scans may help curb widespread fish disease

The bacterium that causes enteric redmouth disease can now be tracked with a special 3D scanner. “The scans exceed our wildest dreams,” say researchers.

How spiders weave their webs

Scientists have at last figured out what goes on when spiders spin their webs.

Stressed foetal cells harbour hope for cancer treatment

The body’s cells have a mechanism that helps them attain perfect cell division. Cancer cells also use these mechanisms, but scientists are now trying to prevent them from doing so.

Four new type 2 diabetes risk variants identified

Scientists have discovered four previously unreported genetic variants affecting the risk of type 2 diabetes. One of them lowers the risk of developing the disease.

New type of tuberculosis vaccine developed

Danish scientists have developed a new vaccine against tuberculosis. The vaccine was created in an entirely new way and may potentially save millions of lives, say the researchers.

Sex accessory led to surprising skin discovery

Lab mice covered in liquid latex from a sex shop have shown hitherto unseen communication between the skin and the liver. Researchers believe this discovery will be important for understanding how skin diseases affect the body’s organs.

Hummingbirds can fly with almost no oxygen

The hummingbird’s super-fast wing beats are among the most energy-intensive movements in the animal kingdom. Still, the birds can fly 4,000 metres above sea level, where there is very little oxygen. Scientists have now figured out how this is possible.

Less ice in Greenland 3,000 years ago than today

A new method for dating ancient sea shells reveals that the Greenland Ice Sheet was smaller between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago than it is today. The new study also indicates that the inland ice is more robust than previously thought.

The best way to remove substances from rainwater

Is rainwater clean? Can it be harmful to aquatic life? And what happens when rainwater from cities is discharged to the aquatic environment?

Synthetic mussel adhesive sticks to anything

A new type of glue that can make any kind of materials stick together is currently being developed by Danish scientists. The glue can even glue wounds together and make objects stick under water – and if it breaks, the glue can repair itself.

Mechanism behind cancer cell growth discovered

Scientists have discovered a mechanism in cancer cells that may explain why these cells grow so rapidly.

A targeted defence against harmful hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is both vital and life-threatening. A new project sets out to find out how the body deals with the problem of harmful hemoglobin, and how this knowledge can be used to save lives.

Key mechanism in essential enzyme uncovered

Scientists know that when certain steroids bind to the essential enzyme known as the sodium pump, it can both kill and cure. Now they have also solved the mystery of how this molecular binding occurs.

’Allergy genes’ identified

Scientists have identified the ten main genes responsible for inherited allergies. The discovery may also reveal the cause of the rising incidence of type 1 diabetes.

Why leprosy is still going strong

Scientists have mapped the genome of the bacterium that causes leprosy. The findings reveal why the disease still manages to infect more than 200,000 people every year.

Malaria's deadly grip explained

Scientists have identified the protein that the deadliest malaria parasites bind to in humans. Now the way is paved for a malaria vaccine.

Breakthrough in our understanding of bacteria

Scientists have developed a method that will revolutionise genome sequencing of bacteria. The method paves the way for an entirely new understanding of bacteria, say the researchers behind the new method.

Nanoparticle may boost blood clot drugs

Danish chemists have set out to create a special nanoparticle that can detect and eliminate atherosclerosis before it turns into a blood clot.

How bacteria adapt to human hosts

Researchers have mapped how bacteria go from living in topsoil to living in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.

Seven new genetic causes of obesity identified

A comprehensive research project has discovered seven new flaws in the human genome that may cause obesity.

Overlooked life on seabed gorges on fish faeces

Bacteria are not the only organisms that feed on dead plankton and fish faeces. The so-called ‘archaea’ also play an important – and hitherto overlooked – role in carbon cycling in the seabed.

Reduce PFC exposure and rescue childhood vaccines

To ensure that childhood vaccines work, we need to reduce our exposure to harmful PFC substances. The maximum daily intake should even be reduced dramatically, new data shows.

Red clover eases menopausal discomfort

Women who take red clover extracts every day experience fewer hot flashes and hormonal fluctuations and less osteoporosis than those who receive no treatment.

MRSA: scientists on trail of antibiotic resistance

Whole genome sequencing allows researchers to monitor how resistant bacteria travel from humans to humans, animals to humans and from humans to animals.

Ancient horse DNA can help us understand evolution

Researchers are using ancient horse DNA to study how humans and the environment affect an animal species, genetically and in terms of appearance.

Huge study finds 60 genetic causes of cancer

More than 60 parts of the genome can increase a person’s risk of cancer of the breast, prostate and ovaries, according to the largest ever genetic study.

Live bacteria found deep below the seabed

Scientists have found live microbial communities in the earth’s crust deep below the seabed. The discovery may affect our conception of Earth's orbit.

New method for analysing DNA

A new technique enables scientists to study genetic differences in cancer cells from the same tumour.

Why tumours become resistant to treatment

Scientists have identified three genes that could lead to a new understanding of why cancer cells become highly resistant to treatment.

Genes are regulated by microRNA sponges

The discovery of an underlying level of gene regulation in the body’s cells presents new opportunities for treating serious diseases.

Liposomes in skin creams don’t work

Liposomes in skin creams are not capable of carrying nourishing and beautifying substances into the skin’s deeper layers, as previously assumed.

Synthetic substance inhibits bone cancer growth

Some cancers depend on a certain protein in order to grow. Researchers have now created a substance that can block this protein in living cancer cells.

Mercury pollution robs EU kids of billions

Global mercury pollution affects children’s brain functions and thus also their odds of getting a low-salary job. The total annual loss of life earnings amounts to €9 billion.

Create a cheap baby in India

New technology is opening up for limitless opportunities to create and have children – across bodies and borders. Consequences include children becoming stateless citizens, and it will be more difficult to identify who the father and mother really are.

Turning toxic vegetable refuse into nutritious animal feed

New research makes it possible to remove growth-inhibiting natural toxins from protein-rich waste products.

Oysters are more complex than we think

Scientists have finally mapped the genome of oysters. This has given us new knowledge about life on the sea bottom and provides insight into the creation of pearls.

Flu vaccine may cause narcolepsy

The influenza vaccine Pandemrix has been associated with an abrupt increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy in Finland and Sweden.

A cup of coffee with biodiversity and clean drinking water, please

OPINION: Sales of clean water, CO2 credits and the protection of biodiversity can benefit the environment and provide an extra income for farmers who grow coffee under the shade of trees.

How babies get heart defects

Scientists have mapped the network of genes, proteins and environmental factors that together led to a heart defect in one percent of all children born each year. Better diagnoses and treatments will soon be available, says researcher.

New invention looks deep into the soul of cancer cells

Danish scientists have invented a method that makes MR scanners up to 100,000 times more sensitive. This makes it possible to tell instantly whether a cancer treatment is effective.

Super-antibodies against influenza identified

Scientists have identified antibodies that can fight off just about all forms of influenza. The discovery could lead to a much-improved flu vaccine.

Why medicine can kill you

Allergic reactions to medicine are a serious side effect that can kill patients in rare cases. Researchers have now figured out why allergic reactions arise.

Gene worsens MS in drug treatment

Multiple sclerosis patients cannot tolerate drugs that might otherwise benefit other patients with similar diseases. Sensational new genetic research has figured out why.

Hybrid fungus threatens agriculture

A new breed of fungus appeared less than 500 years ago, when the genes of two different types were accidentally mixed. Such hybrid fungi may be a threat to agriculture.

New cancer drug shows great promise

A new drug for cancer treatment is making good headway. “We’re getting close to our goal,” say scientists.

Garlic – the new weapon against cystic fibrosis

New research shows that garlic has a substance that could be the drug industry’s new weapon against serious complications of the dreaded lung disease cystic fibrosis.

New genetic research highlights influences on children’s development

Two normally occurring variants in hitherto unknown genes influence the size of children’s heads. International research has set new standards for studies in genes’ importance for children’s development.

We lose control of our DNA at age 55

The body starts to seriously lose grip of its DNA after 55 years, and that increases the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Foetal cells reduce risk of breast cancer

Cells from the foetus live on inside the mother for decades after childbirth. This could explain why giving birth could reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Synthetic DNA is tomorrow's medicine

Scientists have developed proteins that can make synthetic genetic material evolve over generations in a similar way to DNA. The breakthrough could lead to a completely new form of medicine.

Past climate drives today’s flora

Palm communities in Africa and South America differ greatly because the two climates have evolved very differently.

How we can cure deadly diseases

Defects in cell ‘antennae’ are providing scientists with crucial new information about the development of obesity, cancer and diabetes.

Confirmed: vitamin pills can cause death

Dietary supplements containing vitamin A, E and beta-carotene increase mortality significantly, new research shows. A medical consultant says healthy people shouldn’t take them.

Smoker's lung gene discovered

Researchers have identified a hereditary genetic defect which increases the risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

New tools revolutionise bacteria research

Researchers have generated new standards and tools for research into bacteria. One consequence is greater understanding of how bacteria adapt to humans, so we are better able to develop medicines for combating bacteria that cause diseases.

Searching for breast cancer gene in younger women

A very aggressive form of breast cancer, which appears to be caused by genetic mutations, is affecting women under the age of 40. Researchers will now try to find the genes responsible for the disease.

Gorilla genome casts new light on human evolution

Scientists have now managed to map the entire gorilla genome. The findings reveal the most accurate picture so far of the evolution of the great ape.

Herbs and berries can preserve meat

Why should the shelf life of meat products be extended by a chemical preservative, nitrite, if nature’s own products, grown ecologically, can be used? Researchers have found eight herbs and berries that can preserve meat – and also offer new flavours.