https://phys.org/biology-news/biotechnology/ en-us The latest science news on biotechnology A research team has discovered an enhanced CRISPR gene-editing system that could enable targeted delivery inside the human body—a key step toward broader clinical use. Researchers identified a naturally occurring enzyme, Al3Cas12f, that is small enough to fit into adeno-associated virus vectors, a leading targeted delivery method for gene therapies. They then engineered an enhanced version that dramatically improved gene-editing performance in human cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-compact-crispr-body-gene-efficiency.html Biotechnology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:20:02 EDT news695313181 Scientists at the VIB–VUB Center for Structural Biology have uncovered a counterintuitive principle that could reshape how membrane proteins are designed from scratch: Sometimes, making a protein less stable helps it fold correctly. In their study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers demonstrate that introducing carefully placed "imperfections," a strategy known as negative design, enables synthetic membrane proteins to fold and assemble efficiently in artificial membranes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-membrane-proteins-embracing-imperfection.html Biotechnology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:40:01 EDT news695312581 Artificial intelligence is rapidly learning to autonomously design and run biological experiments, but the systems intended to govern those capabilities are struggling to keep pace. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-thousands-lab-human-humanity.html Biotechnology Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:30:02 EDT news694957354 Research and innovation in Texas A&M University's biomedical engineering department often centers around clinical impact on patients. Beyond the lab, however, some faculty are finding breakthroughs in the classroom. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-inquiry-based-biomimicry-students-solutions.html Biotechnology Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:30:01 EDT news694785631 Engineered cells are a high-value genetic asset that is key to many fields, including biotechnology, medicine, aging, and stem cell research, with the global market projected to reach $8.0 trillion USD by 2035. Yet the only ways to keep the cells safe are strong locks and watchful guards. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hackers-dna-encryption-cells.html Biotechnology Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:00:05 EDT news694861783 Making wheat more resilient to climate change without compromising yields has become an urgent priority for the agricultural sector. Now, a study led by a research team from the University of Barcelona and the Agrotecnio research center has identified an innovative way to address this challenge: combining advanced technology and artificial intelligence to select the best varieties of this crop. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-drones-resilient-wheat.html Biotechnology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:20:01 EDT news695033055 Researchers at DTU have developed a new method that can reduce the time needed to find new bacteria for fermentation. They have now identified a bacterium that can be used both for acidification and to increase the vitamin B2 content of soya drinks. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bacteria-bumblebees-vitamin-soya.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:20:04 EDT news695038142 Bird flu—specifically H5N1—is no longer just a poultry problem in Asia. What started as a major United States outbreak, first in wildlife, then in poultry, and later in dairy cattle, is raising new concerns about food security, the economy, the health of farm workers, and the potential for future human outbreaks. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-experts-vaccinate-dairy-cattle-bird.html Biotechnology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:02 EDT news695016721 Professor Gyu Rie Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences successfully designed artificial proteins that selectively recognize specific compounds using AI through joint research with Professor David Baker. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, is characterized by using AI to design proteins that recognize specific compounds from scratch (de novo) and implementing them as functional biosensors. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-proteins-built-specific-compounds.html Biotechnology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:40:01 EDT news694958188 Researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have solved a long-standing mystery of how a model green microalga reorganizes its central metabolism to supercharge growth when given access to both light and a carbon source—a finding with broad implications for developing algae as a sustainable source of renewable fuels, bioproducts, and biomass. Their study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hidden-metabolism-algae-advance-renewable.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:00:03 EDT news694970702 University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines. UVA's Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Ph.D., and colleagues have developed a suite of artificial intelligence-powered tools, called YuelDesign, YuelPocket and YuelBond, that work together to transform how new drugs are created. The centerpiece, YuelDesign, uses a cutting-edge form of AI called diffusion models to design new drug molecules tailored to fit their protein targets exactly, even accounting for the way proteins flex and shift shape during binding. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-diffusion-tailor-drug-molecules.html Biotechnology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:00:06 EDT news694968241 In a study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Nagoya University researchers demonstrated that native soil bacteria, when treated with decoy molecules, can degrade non-native compounds, including persistent pollutants such as dioxins, without genetic modification. "In other words, we can effectively give these bacteria capabilities they do not naturally have, while keeping them in their original state," said Professor Osami Shoji, the study's lead author. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-decoy-molecules-soil-bacteria-persistent.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:40:03 EDT news694957134 In science, ethical guidelines ensure that research takes place in a way that respects public trust and is conducted responsibly. Traditional ethics approval procedures work well for projects following established practices, but they offer little flexibility when unexpected challenges, novel approaches, unanticipated research directions, or unforeseen results arise. For research exploring uncharted ethical ground, such as studies with human stem-cell-based embryo models (hSCBEMs), conventional ethical approval approaches are therefore no longer suitable. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-embryo-ethics.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:01 EDT news694952761 A study published in Cell Research advances a central idea in stem cell biology by identifying a checkpoint that controls the identity of many different types of stem cells across developmental stages. For nearly two decades, scientists have understood that stem cell self-renewal depends on blocking differentiation signals—a concept described in earlier work, including Qi-Long Ying and Austin Smith's 2008 Nature paper titled "The ground state of embryonic stem cell self-renewal." https://phys.org/news/2026-04-stemness-checkpoint-stem-cell-identity.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:00:04 EDT news694884782 Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have built a molecular "leash" to pull directly on a force-sensing protein called Piezo1, and discovered it switches on at about 15 piconewtons, proving that it can be activated by physical tethers, not only by membrane deformation. The study is published in the journal Nature Sensors. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-molecular-leash-protein-piconewtons.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:00:03 EDT news694791302 Stem cells are the body's ultimate shape-shifters, sustaining tissues by balancing two competing demands: maintaining their own population and generating specialized descendants. In many tissues, some early descendants can revert to a stem cell state through a process known as dedifferentiation. This ability can help replenish the stem cell pool when stem cells are lost. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-stem-cell-descendants-flexibility-distinct.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:20:01 EDT news694787941 A new tool makes it possible to screen millions of tiny protein fragments and select those that can be recognized by the immune system. The CIC biomaGUNE Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials has developed epiGPTope, a system that uses machine learning to generate and classify epitopes, in collaboration with the company Multiverse Computing. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-epitope-library-vaccines-immunotherapy.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:08 EDT news694786861 Researchers at Umeå University show how tick-borne viruses remodel human cells into virus factories, using an advanced microscopy method. The findings provide new insight into how the virus replicates and matures, knowledge that may become important for future treatments against TBE. The study is published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-3d-microscopy-reveals-borne-virus.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:20:04 EDT news694782629 Giving lemurs the chance to use technology to share control of sensory experiences with zoo visitors can help create meaningful connections between humans and animals, new research suggests. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tech-enable-species.html Plants & Animals Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:03 EDT news694772162 Permanently wiping out a disease is tricky business. Polio, measles, mumps—all have effective vaccines, yet they persist in certain pockets around the world. To date, the World Health Organization considers just two viruses as successfully eradicated: smallpox and rinderpest. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-years-eradication-rinderpest-lessons-true.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:50:02 EDT news694773661 Ligand Pro, founded by Skoltech professors and a Skoltech Ph.D. student, has presented Matcha, an AI-powered molecular docking model that performs virtual drug screening 30 times faster than the large co-folding models of the AlphaFold class developed by Nobel laureates, while surpassing them in both accuracy and physical correctness of the results. Matcha opens up new possibilities for virtual screening and early-stage drug development. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-matcha-drug-candidate-screening-faster.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:20:01 EDT news694772101 Images have long played a powerful role in shaping public perceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), often reinforcing emotional reactions more than scientific understanding. A new experimental study published in the Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) explores how different types of images can influence people's attitudes toward GMOs—and suggests that pictures may reinforce existing views, further polarizing them. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gmo-pictures-views-deepening-attitudes.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:02 EDT news694432024 Cell cultures—single layers of cells grown in a small dish—have enabled researchers to study biological growth, develop or test drugs and even discover what causes some diseases. Cell spheroids, 3D versions of cell cultures built using a process known as cell aggregation, are the next step in advancing this work, capable of more closely modeling real tissue. A new technology, invented by researchers from Penn State and detailed in a paper published in Advanced Science, could breathe fresh air into bottom-up tissue fabrication and potentially large-scale tissue engineering by addressing these issues. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cell-snowball-large-scale-tissue.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:30:01 EDT news694710961 Researchers at Cornell University have developed a powerful new genetic toolkit that allows scientists to study how genes function at the level of individual cells, an advance that could accelerate discoveries in development, neuroscience, and disease. The work is published in the journal eLife. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-magic-toolkit-genome-wide-cell.html Biotechnology Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:20:01 EDT news694692868 Algae blooms make a pond's surface shine in mesmerizing green hues. But if the microorganisms responsible are cyanobacteria, they can also release toxins that harm humans and wildlife alike. A team reporting in ACS ES&T Water has designed a "set it and forget it" system for distributing algaecide using specialized buoys tethered at the site of a bloom. In tests, the buoys removed nearly all cyanobacteria without the need for frequent reapplication. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-algae-blooms-bacteria-buoys.html Cell & Microbiology Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:02 EDT news694105176 A team led by principal investigators Bobo Dang and Ting Zhou at Westlake University/Westlake Laboratory have developed a high-throughput platform for engineering fast-acting covalent protein therapeutics. Their study, titled "A high-throughput selection system for fast-acting covalent protein drugs" published in Science, opens new avenues for next-generation biologics. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-high-throughput-platform-fast-covalent.html Biotechnology Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:40:01 EDT news694436341 Gene drives—a genetic engineering approach that quickly spreads specific genetic changes throughout a population, whether to kill it off or add a new trait—may have potential for controlling weeds. But so far, gene drives have primarily been studied in mosquitoes, and have yet to be deployed in the real world. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-seed-banks-complicate-gene-aimed.html Biotechnology Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:20:02 EDT news694431481 Stepping away from its billions-of-years-old role as a genetic blueprint, DNA is now embarking on a new journey as an active field agent within cells. This research by a team led by Professor Jongmin Kim and Ph.D. candidate Geonhu Lee from the Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) was published in Nature Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-platform-precise-cellular-genetic-dna.html Biotechnology Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news694361701 Take a typical fish out of the water and it won't live long. It gets the oxygen it needs from the water it swims in. In a similar way, scientists are exploring dependency as a method of controlling what microbes can do and where they can do it. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-coli-microbes-areas.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:20:05 EDT news694361101 Compounds in psychedelic drugs like DMT, psilocybin, and psilocin are naturally produced in certain plants, fungi, and animals, and have a long history of use in spiritual and therapeutic contexts. Now, a considerable amount of research is going into determining how these compounds can be translated into a therapeutic context for several mental health conditions. But to do this, researchers need to find a more sustainable way to source these compounds, as current methods raise ecological and ethical concerns. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tobacco-psychedelics-psilocybin-dmt.html Plants & Animals Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:40:03 EDT news694346420