https://phys.org/biology-news/biotechnology/ en-us The latest science news on biotechnology A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant advance in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. The team has developed a novel tool called RNA Segment Editing (RSE), which functions like a "cut-and-patch" tool for RNA. This innovative approach allows scientists to precisely remove or replace faulty segments of genetic messages within living cells without permanently changing a person's DNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rna-patch-tool-faulty-messages.html Biotechnology Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:00:04 EDT news699549721 Cell function is determined by how DNA is expressed into proteins. That process includes two main steps—transcription, when messenger RNA (mRNA) makes copies of active genes; and translation, when mRNA guides protein assembly. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-brain-gene-revealed-noninvasively-programmable.html Biotechnology Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:50:03 EDT news699551881 Cells are typically studied outside the body under controlled laboratory conditions. However, conventional flat cell culture methods do not fully reproduce the complex three-dimensional environments that cells experience in living tissues. Tiny hydrogel capsules offer one way to culture cells in a confined three-dimensional space, allowing researchers to study how cells grow, organize and interact under more tissue-like conditions. Current methods to do this come with a high cost and a set of requirements that put such research out of reach to many. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-workflow-uniform-cell-capsules-standard.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:20:07 EDT news699544861 A team of researchers led by Luigi Naldini at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) has developed a new strategy to significantly improve the precision and safety of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in human blood stem cells, potentially overcoming one of the major barriers limiting broader clinical application of genome editing therapies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-smart-platform-gene-hematopoietic-stem.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:07:13 EDT news699530761 Australian researchers have trained lab-grown brain cells on a silicon computer chip to play the nineties shooter game "Doom" and say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-brain-cells-play-doom.html Biotechnology Sun, 31 May 2026 07:19:01 EDT news699430701 Researchers at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, working with collaborators around the world, have demonstrated the effectiveness of a suite of low-cost, portable biotechnology tools designed to improve access to laboratory research and diagnostics in resource-limited settings. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dried-reagents-powered-hardware-biomanufacturing.html Biotechnology Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:02 EDT news699264902 Most major crops, such as wheat and corn, require expensive nitrogen fertilizer to flourish. But what if bacteria could help those plants draw nitrogen from the atmosphere, as peas and beans do? https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nitrogen-genes-bacterial-strains-path.html Biotechnology Thu, 28 May 2026 18:30:03 EDT news699204001 The current practice of freezing embryos—used to assist reproduction in humans or animals or to conserve endangered species—routinely causes ice to form within the cells, ripping through cell membranes, changing the way proteins behave and ultimately leading to fewer viable embryos. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-embryo-technique-endangered-species.html Biotechnology Thu, 28 May 2026 15:40:04 EDT news699191668 A tiny sea creature might hold the secret to reversing the aging process. When treated with a brief series of electrical pulses, sea squirts experience dramatic and long-lasting health improvements that can significantly extend their lifespans, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford and other institutions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrical-pulses-reverse-aging-sea.html Biotechnology Thu, 28 May 2026 14:20:06 EDT news699190473 Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers to better study how genes contribute to development and disease. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dna-nicks-safer-precise-genetic.html Biotechnology Wed, 27 May 2026 18:20:01 EDT news699117421 Ascidians, also known as sea squirts, are the evolutionary link between vertebrates and invertebrates, making them valuable subjects of biological studies. For the first time, researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have detected pronounced autofluorescence in Halocynthia papillosa, one of more than 3,000 species. Furthermore, the study provides comprehensive insights into the anatomy of this sea squirt. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-squirt-reveals-spines-unexpected.html Plants & Animals Wed, 27 May 2026 16:20:03 EDT news699112202 From the revived corpse of Frankenstein's monster to the disembodied hand, "Thing," in the Addams Family, reanimated tissue is one of the most enduring images in science fiction. It turns out, that image has some basis in nature, according to the recent discovery of a mysterious creature that lives on the seafloor that scientists are calling a "real-life zombie." https://phys.org/news/2026-05-severed-piece-sea-cucumber-die.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:14 EDT news699090181 You've probably heard of Stardew Valley or Farmville, video games where you manage a virtual farm. Now, what if you could monitor real plants from the comfort of your home? Thanks to new research at Binghamton University, State University of New York, that's becoming a reality. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-personal-farmville-vr-greenhouse-users.html Biotechnology Wed, 27 May 2026 09:40:06 EDT news699091262 Approximately 75% of marine organisms are bioluminescent, with specialized light-emitting organs called photophores. They use the light they produce for various purposes, like attracting mates, luring prey, or confusing predators. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-microcrystals-bioluminescent-fish-prism.html Biotechnology Tue, 26 May 2026 11:00:01 EDT news698919602 Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have developed a light-driven technique that quickly amasses thousands of bacteria into a single spot, boosting detection speed and sensitivity. Their approach paves the way for earlier diagnosis of disease. The study is published in Communications Physics. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gold-coated-optical-fiber-rapidly.html Cell & Microbiology Sun, 24 May 2026 13:00:11 EDT news698381481 Scientific discovery is often portrayed as the result of long hours alone in a lab, but true science is inherently collaborative. The most robust experimental processes are developed through partnerships across multiple areas of research. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-agentic-ai-electron-microscopes.html Biotechnology Fri, 22 May 2026 13:00:04 EDT news698666764 In a cramped, windowless room on the University of California, Berkeley, campus, two bespoke microscopes—each a Swiss Army knife for high-resolution imaging—operate around the clock gathering data that will help train a game-changing technology for the field of biology: AI. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-res-microscopes-biologists-petabytes-scientists.html Biotechnology Fri, 22 May 2026 11:40:06 EDT news698664421 Blessed are the tiny cheesemakers: scientists have mapped out the bacteria responsible for giving three British cheeses their distinct flavor, which may also be beneficial to human health. Scientists in the Food Microbial Sciences Unit at the University of Reading, identified the microbial and biochemical profiles of three artisan cheeses made locally in Oxfordshire across their maturation process, and found that the bacteria responsible for a cheese's character could also benefit the people who eat it. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bacteria-artisan-cheeses-ease-disease.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 21 May 2026 14:20:02 EDT news698585761 G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, sit in the plasma membrane, the boundary that defines the inside and outside of a living cell. They communicate with nearly every physiological process in our bodies—from the ability to see and smell, to sensing of adrenaline, insulin, nutrients and medicines. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-miniproteins-key-cell-receptors.html Biotechnology Thu, 21 May 2026 11:00:12 EDT news698574662 Like fireflies and many deep-sea creatures, certain fungi can naturally emit light through bioluminescence pathways in which specialized enzymes convert chemical energy into visible light. Medical researchers have used fungal light-producing enzymes in the fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP) to visually track processes like tumor progression and inflammatory responses. New research published in The FEBS Journal provides insights that may help improve and expand such bioluminescence-based tools and applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fungi-expose-enzyme-bioluminescent-tools.html Biotechnology Wed, 20 May 2026 03:10:01 EDT news698399101 Parasitic nematodes (commonly known as roundworms) are a large, diverse and poorly studied group of disease-causing organisms that severely impact the health of humans and animals. They infect almost one-quarter of the global population and significantly impair child growth and development. Diagnosing these parasites is challenging as many species look identical, meaning common identification techniques typically miss species. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-field-ready-tool-rare-zoonotic.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 19 May 2026 16:40:03 EDT news698422201 Scientists at VIB and Vrije Universiteit Brussel have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that helps a widely used biological pesticide become more effective. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals how bacteria produce ultra-strong protein fibers that form a molecular net, trapping infectious spores and toxins into a sticky film that enhances their ability to kill insect pests. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-molecular-net-boosts-power-natural.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:14 EDT news698412768 Bacteria from the Middle East have caused precipitation all the way out in California. The same bacteria, which are known to attack plants, have also been found embedded within lumps of hail in West Africa. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-proteins-ice-cool-applications-cryomedicine.html Biotechnology Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:09 EDT news698321282 Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. But detecting meaningful information in a noisy environment poses a major challenge for them. Bats operate by identifying weak prey echoes among complex background sounds generated by surrounding objects and their own movement during flight. To overcome this issue, these bats have evolved a highly sophisticated echo detection system that uses ultrasonic voices to perceive their surroundings with remarkable precision. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-silent-frequency-zones-prey-noisy.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 05:00:04 EDT news698344021 Proteins are critical to life—and to industry. There are countless proteins that could be engineered to treat and even cure serious diseases and cellular dysfunctions. Industrial applications are similarly promising, with proteins increasingly used as enzymes in food manufacturing and in consumer detergents. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bioengineers-condense-protein-day.html Biotechnology Mon, 18 May 2026 19:40:02 EDT news698341021 A new nanoscopy technique developed at The Australian National University (ANU) has uncovered hidden networks used for communication between cells, opening new ways to understand human diseases. Described in an article published in Nature Communications, the method allows researchers to observe how living cells interact with their environment over several days, revealing three-dimensional behaviors that were previously invisible to conventional microscopes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hidden-cell-networks-emerge-3d.html Cell & Microbiology Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:04 EDT news697991652 Researchers from A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) have developed a new method to study individual RNA molecules and reveal how their structures influence gene regulation, a fundamental process that affects how cells function in health and disease. Their work was published in Nature Methods. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-molecule-rna-reveal-shifts-health.html Biotechnology Fri, 15 May 2026 14:20:03 EDT news698071081 Researchers have long known that bacteria could potentially be used to deliver therapeutic drugs inside the human body. However, safely and successfully carrying out such a feat in humans has been a challenge. But now, researchers from Harvard have made another step forward toward the goal of using microbes as medicine. Their recent study, published in Science, details a novel method for containing engineered bacteria to keep them from infecting their host while still successfully delivering potentially life-saving medications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-implantable-bacteria-safely-major-hurdle.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 15 May 2026 13:01:47 EDT news698068840 The Na+-NQR enzyme is vital for energy production in pathogenic bacteria like the one that causes cholera, making it a highly promising target for new antibiotics. Researchers combined modified artificial intelligence techniques with extensive supercomputer simulations to visualize the hidden, dynamic movements of this enzyme during sodium transport. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bacterial-energy-enzyme-reveals-dual.html Biotechnology Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:03 EDT news698064602 A team of engineers at the University of Florida has developed a new form of CRISPR technology that could make diagnostics and treatments safer, more precise, and more affordable, while opening the door to entirely new ways of controlling disease. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-discovery-reshape-rna-dna-crispr.html Biotechnology Fri, 15 May 2026 05:00:02 EDT news697972006