Broadcast Date: April 27, 2023 Time: 8:00 am PT, 11:00 am ET, 17:00 CET REGISTER NOW Despite its promise, gene writing poses several challenges that must be addressed. This includes the need to accelerate analysis pipelines to deliver results faster or make these pipelines accessible to scientific users who may not have experience with complex computing infrastructure. Additionally, improving cloud resource use efficiency is crucial to perform large-scale analyses without breaking the bank. Fortunately, bioinformatic tools like Nextflow and Nextflow Tower can help overcome these c ..read more

View eBook  In recent years, genomics advances have dramatically improved our understanding of the human genome and the genetic basis of disease. This knowledge has enabled us to develop new treatments, diagnostic tools, and preventive measures that can improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Perhaps most exciting are new opportunities for improving collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and data scientists as they work together to understand biological pathways and disease progression. Today, genomic testing is only one piece of the puzzle; data analysis techniques are ess ..read more

Biogen (BIIB) received mixed news from an FDA advisory committee Wednesday when it took up whether to recommend agency approval of the company’s tofersen, an RNA-targeting therapy that, if authorized, would be the first treatment to target a genetic cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). But the positive and negative votes from the FDA’s Pe­riph­er­al and Cen­tral Ner­vous Sys­tem Drugs Ad­vi­so­ry Com­mit­tee may ultimately benefit Biogen and tofersen by paving the way for an accelerated approval of the ALS treatment that would require submitting additional clinical data to the agency ..read more

Researchers at the University of Bonn and the University of Singapore have discovered a new intracellular “smoke detector.” The intracellular sensor detects damage to the mitochondria. The sensor may also help lead to novel therapies for unimpaired heart and bowel function. The findings are published in Nature Immunology in a paper titled, “Mitochondrial damage activates the NLRP10 inflammasome.” “We have now discovered that a molecule called NLRP10 also acts as a sensor,” explained Eicke Latz, MD, PhD, head of the Institute of Innate Immunity at the University Hospital Bonn. “This was complet ..read more

Researchers from Swansea University’s Institute for Innovative Materials, Processing, and Numerical Technologies (IMPACT)  and in Japan have been awarded £1.3 million ($1.6 million) to develop a new “point-of-care testing” kit that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. The project follows work in this area by Sanjiv Sharma, PhD, senior lecturer in medical engineering and biomedical engineering, Swansea University, and the development of a COVID-19 “smart patch.” Compared to hypodermic single needles, a smart patch consists of a collection of microneedles created to break the ..read more

Research reported by investigators at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and at the California Institute of Technology has provided new insights into how the brain weighs decisions involving what people like or value, such as choosing which book to read, which restaurant to pick for lunch, or even which slot machine to play in a casino. The results of the human study, which involved recording the activity of individual neurons in specific areas of the brain, could ultimately help researchers develop new treatments for complex neurological disorders. “Learning how the brain makes these kinds of choice ..read more

Moderna will apply Generation Bio’s proprietary stealth cell-targeted lipid nanoparticle (ctLNP) delivery system to discover and develop non-viral genetic medicines for immune system and liver disorders, through a collaboration that could generate up to $1.876 billion for Generation Bio. Moderna has acquired an option to license both ctLNP and Generation Bio’s closed-end DNA (ceDNA) novel construct technology. The messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine and drug developer plans to use the technologies to produce two novel nucleic acid therapeutics capable of reaching immune cells, as well as two pr ..read more

The synbio company Geno (previously Genomatica) develops and produces biotechnology-based alternatives to ingredients used in everyday cosmetics, personal care, and cleaning products. Previously, the company banned together with Unilever and Kao in a major venture to develop and scale those sustainably-sourced ingredients. This week, the cosmetics company L’Oreal joins the group as the final founding investor—providing access to the beauty and personal care market (a $571B market.) In response to the urgent climate crisis, Geno is developing and scaling sustainable materials derived from plant ..read more

The results of new research headed by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest that a common genetic signature may increase an individual’s risk of developing substance use disorders (SUDs), regardless of whether the addiction is to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or opioids. The researchers carried out a multivariate genome-wide association meta-analysis of the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of SUDs, which together included genomic data from more than 1.1 million people of mostly European ancestry and a smaller population of people of African ancestr ..read more

Researchers led by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have shown for the first time exactly how immature neutrophils are hijacked by pancreatic cancers to drive immunosuppression and treatment resistance. Their findings are published in Cancer Discovery in a paper titled, “Cell-autonomous Cxcl1 sustains tolerogenic circuitries and stromal inflammation via neutrophil-derived TNF in pancreatic cancer.” “We have shown that KRAS-TP53 genomic co-alteration is associated with immune-excluded microenvironments, chemoresistance, and poor survival ..read more