In Craig Venter's new book Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life he describes the innovative future of synthetic biology. Craig Venter explains that with the use of super computers mankind will have the ability to design and code DNA and then have the ability to print…
DetailsIntrexon is a company that utilizes synthetic biology to create products that improve the quality of life and health of the planet. The company focuses on collaborating with companies in Health, Food, Energy and Environment. Recently, Intrexon has teamed up with Johnson & Johnson and J&J Consumer & Personal Products Worldwide to create new skin…
DetailsVery recently scientists in the United States figured out how to turn algae into crude oil in less than an hour. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-products, This is an incredible discovery in the biofuel world. In nature, it takes millions of years for this process to…
DetailsSo many qualities about a human being are influenced by heredity and genetics; many genes are physical - hair & eye color, voice, height, others impact personality traits, and some genes passed from parents to offspring may carry the risk for certain diseases and disorders. For example, recent research reports about 50 percent of the risk for alcoholism is…
DetailsThe human body is a pathogen killing machine. We have an incredibly developed immune system containing a variety of cells capable of binding and “killing” foreign bacterial cells. Our bodies are in constant contact with bacteria in the air, water, and soil. In fact, the human body contains roughly 10x more bacterial cells than human…
DetailsHave you ever taken a few minutes out of your day to meditate? The practice of meditation is believed to restore calm, decrease stress, and create inner peace. Among many others, these emotional benefits of the calming practice have been well known for thousands of years, but this is no longer the only reason to achieve inner peace; scientists…
DetailsIn a recent conversation with a friend I mentioned my internship at Genome compiler; a software tool for viewing and altering genomes, made specifically for the use in synthetic biology. He joked that our software could be used for recreating dinosaurs and other extinct organisms like in the hit film “Jurassic Park”, and I replied…
DetailsNearly a billion people around the world do not have access to clean and safe water with the majority of those people residing in developing countries. The water crisis in third world countries is severe – more than 3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes. Nearly all of those deaths, 99 percent, occur…
DetailsRoosterBio, Inc. is a relatively new biotechnology startup located in Frederick, Maryland in the Frederick Innovative Technology Center. It was founded by Dr. Jon Rowley and Dr. Uplaksh Kumar with the main purpose to focus on the building of a sustainable Regenerative Medicine industry. This startup seems to be paving the way for the rapidly…
DetailsOne division of synthetic biology combines natural parts to create something unique, like our glowing plant project which combines the glowing protein from a firefly with a traditional plant. This seems to be an obvious first step in synthetic biology, because nature has already produced so many incredible proteins and biological mechanisms. By separating nature…
DetailsAccording to Donate Life, another name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes and an average of 18 people die every day from the lack of available organs for transplant. Organ donors are constantly needed, and while 90% of Americans say they support donation, unfortunately only 30% know the essential…
DetailsWe have all heard of the negative health consequences that come with consuming trans-fats from foods. Trans fats are especially bad for your heart, as they cause arteries to clog, raise your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and lower your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Trans fat, also known as trans-fatty acids, are actually considered to be the worst…
DetailsWe constantly watch what we eat, conscious of lowering our ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) and raising our ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL). We may not always understand the biology and science behind cholesterol production, but we avoid high-fat foods to prevent the clogging of our arteries, just as science and doctors have always advised. Until now, scientists believed…
DetailsIn a world with self-driving cars and 3-D printers, technology is advancing every single day, impacting our society and the way we live. We are constantly working to defeat our competition – striving to create products with improved efficiency and effectiveness. However, with a successful product, the challenge lies in the ability to feed growing…
DetailsAll across North America, university students and graduates apply for dozens of internships with ambitions to boost future career opportunities. Upon accepting an offer, we dread that our experience will involve filling coffee cups and copying papers, hope that we will learn valuable skills, and plan to establish a few beneficial contacts. But, we always…
DetailsThe incredible and revolutionary development of a new technique called Crispr allows scientists to engineer any part of the human genome with extremely accurate precision. This development is being called a milestone in medical science because the technology has the capability to treat a range of diseases from cancer and AIDS, to inherited genetic disorders…
Details"What if we could harness nature to grow products for us like a mollusk creates a pearl ?" BIOCOUTURE is a design company focused on growing and reusing renewable or waste resources to create materials such as fashion clothing, sportswear and luxury items. The company's goal is to create consumer products from microorganisms like fungi,…
DetailsDNA is an incredible macromolecule. It is simple. It is stable. It is wrapped up with proteins called histones into incredibly dense chromosomes in our nucleus. And with 2 meters of DNA in each of our 37 trillion cells, we have a lot of it. So why do some biologists want to change our DNA?…
DetailsIn my last post I spoke of the misconceptions that surround genetically engineered foods and how ignorance on this heavily departed topic may lead to more damage than good. Recently, the Center for Strategic and International Studies has done a few reports on the potential benefits of incorporating genetically modified crops into African countries agriculture.…
DetailsSynthetic biology is an incredibly wide-reaching field with enormous possibilities. And while I’m impressed with news articles reporting synthetic algae which produce biofuels and synthetic semiconductors; I’m left wondering how synthetic biology will improve human health. This is a difficult question, both biologically and morally. Is it morally acceptable to change our genes to improve…
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