In celebration of Earth Day and Earth Month, we’ve rounded up five sustainability discoveries made possible by advancements in synthetic biology.   By Kendra Atleework From the production of rocket biofuel to bioremediation of pollutants, innovations in the field of synthetic biology may seem straight out of science fiction. Synthetic biology is a cross-disciplinary field focused on reengineering organisms to exhibit new qualities and serve specific purposes. This includes everything from engineering proteins to be able to convert problematic substrates, to synthesizing entire artificial ..read more

In the rapidly evolving field of cell therapy production, ensuring the safety and quality of the final product is of paramount importance. One crucial step in this process is rapid sterility testing, which plays a vital role in detecting contamination. By swiftly detecting contamination early in the production process, manufacturers can safeguard the integrity and efficacy of their products. Read on to explore the importance of rapid sterility testing and how it benefits cell therapy manufacturers worldwide. Introduction The cornerstone of any therapeutic manufacturing process is the assuranc ..read more

One of the last northern white rhinos at a Kenyan reserve   This story is part of our celebration of innovation in 2024.   by Dana D’Amico, Connect to Science Dr. Jeanne Loring and the San Diego Zoo hope to revive the northern white rhinoceros and create a blueprint for stem cell-based conservation   Marisa Korody arrived at the lab one day in 2021 to find Angalifu’s heart cells beating for the first time since he’d died seven years before. Pumping to the rhythm of their own electricity, here were the heart muscle cells of the second-to-last male northern white rhino to walk ..read more

Enhance your bioprocessing knowledge With the evolution of biopharmaceutical production processes comes the need for innovative technologies to address challenges and deliver efficiencies in your bioprocess workflow. How do you keep up with the latest technologies? Learn more about the Pharmaceutical Analytics Learning Lab—the latest educational hub from Thermo Fisher Scientific. Stay up-to-date on the latest bioprocessing solutions When sensitivity, accuracy, and time-to-results are critical, leveraging the right analytical and QC testing solution offers reliability that translates to time ..read more

Every material used at every stage of a cell therapy workflow can impact the efficacy of the final deliverable drug. Gibco CTS OpTmizer One Serum Free Medium (SFM) takes this into account. Not only is this thoughtfully designed nutrition for T-cells, but it is an animal origin-free (AOF) formulation. Why is that important? The risk of contamination with an adventitious agent is a serious concern when starting with a small sample of cells and a waiting patient. An animal origin-free formulation helps mitigate this risk. Of course, there are other critical factors that a cell culture medium dir ..read more

by Halina Zakowicz, PhD A guide and decision tree to help you choose a protein purification process   Table of Contents Introduction What is protein sample desalting? Pros of protein desalting Cons of protein desalting What is protein sample dialysis? Pros of protein dialysis Cons of protein dialysis When to use desalting for protein analysis When to use dialysis for protein analysis More tools and resources Protein sample desalting and protein sample dialysis are two common techniques used in protein purification and sample preparation. While they both aim to remove small molecules or u ..read more

By Frances Gatta From personalized medicine to lab automation to gene therapy, both established and emerging areas of innovation are set to help shape the future of the life sciences industry. Let’s dive into ten of the biggest trending and emerging topics to watch in 2024. 1. Personalized medicine and cell therapies Personalized medicine is a relatively new approach that aims to develop predictive, preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic solutions more customized to each person’s physiological, environmental, and behavioral characteristics. The field has grown with the emergence of cutting-e ..read more

There are several things to keep in mind when culturing cells, and incorporating a few simple practices into your cell culture process ensure you achieve reliable and consistent results. This includes everything from knowing how to select culture medium, to implementing procedures to verify your cell lines. Medium is key to stability The medium in which you grow your cells is arguably the most crucial component for culture success. There are three main types of medium; basal, reduce-serum and serum-free, and the best practices for each varies slightly. However, general things to look out for t ..read more

New season of “Speaking of Mol Bio” podcast takes a deep dive into guests’ day-in-the-life across the field   When imagining molecular biology careers, do you find yourself stuck in a single lane? The cultural idea of a “scientist” is often limited to the traditional academic researcher or professor. But there’s a whole world of alternative careers in science out there for those who are passionate about molecular biology.    In the newly launched Season 2 of the “Speaking of Mol Bio” podcast, scientists of all backgrounds come together to share their non-traditional career jour ..read more

How magnetic bead technology has facilitated the dawn of paleogenomics, unlocking secrets from ancient DNA fragments  By Kendra Atleework   It’s lonely at the top. Every once in a while, we Homo sapiens look around and remember that we are, in fact, the only extant member of the genus Homo. And then we get to wondering about the good old days, say 70,000 years ago when Homo sapiens made the acquaintance of Homo neanderthalensis, our closest known relatives. Researchers have long understood that portions of Neanderthal DNA persist in the modern human genome. And yet, without the ..read more