Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Deciphering Nature's Alphabet - 4. Imagining the Genome This film describes the launch of the Human Genome Project, how the idea emerged from the growing genetic engineering capacity, the technologies, politics and finances of genomics. Key inte Read more from the original source: Deciphering Nature's Alphabet - 4. Imagining the Genome - Video … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 24-Apr-2014 Contact: Tamlyn Oliver toliver@clinicalomics.com 914-740-2199 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News New Rochelle, NY, April 24, 2014GEN Publishing recently introduced Clinical OMICs a semi-monthly digital publication focusing on the application of OMICs technologies in clinical settings. These advanced techniques, such as next-gen sequencing, are beginning to transform medical care just as they revolutionized basic life science research over the past decade-and-a-half. "GEN's editors and reporters have written about the research use of pharmacogenomics, genomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, etc. etc. for years," said John Sterling, editor-in-chief of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN). "The rapid advance of OMICs technologies has reached the point where we are convinced that the time is now for a new publication that shows how these diagnostic methodologies are dramatically impacting clinical practice." Clinical OMICs is directed at clinical lab directors and managers, oncologists, infectious disease specialists, and cardiologists. Intended to serve as a resource for the development and standardization of best OMICs practices, Clinical OMICs provides critical information and insights on the trend toward personalized medicine. The premier issue contains articles on translating OMICs into cancer biology and medicine, how payers are grappling with reimbursement issues, a profile of Lawrence Brody, who is … Continue reading →

BALTIMORE, MD. Scientists have built a custom chromosome -- a package of genetic material assembled entirely from synthetic DNA. This engineered chromosome belongs to yeast, but experts say it can help them understand how genes work in humans as well. And it could help make these tiny living factories better at producing everything from medicines to biofuels. Students were key to the project In a lab at Johns Hopkins University, students stitched together machine-made strands of DNA, the chemical that carries the genetic blueprints of life. Their goal: to assemble all 6,000 genes in the genome of yeast. "So, in every single well there should have hopefully been something, said Macintosh Cornwell, a student at Johns Hopkins. Cornwell, a junior, is looking for signs his last stitching reaction worked. So, overall, we had pretty moderate success across the board, he said. Johns Hopkins geneticist Jef Boeke leads the class. He said yeast does familiar jobs, like turning grapes into wine, but they also do more than that. We have yeast that are used not just to make alcohol and bread, but also all kinds of chemicals, medicines, vaccines and fuels. And I think were going to see more and more … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 24-Apr-2014 Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News New Rochelle, NY, April 24, 2014D-ribose is a commercially important sugar used as a sweetener, a nutritional supplement, and as a starting compound for synthesizing riboflavin and several antiviral drugs. Genetic engineering of Escherichia coli to increase the bacteria's ability to produce D-ribose is a critical step toward achieving more efficient industrial-scale production of this valuable chemical, as described in an article in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Industrial Biotechnology website. In "Engineering Escherichia coli for D-Ribose Production from Glucose-Xylose Mixtures." Pratish Gawand and Radhakrishnan Mahadevan, University of Toronto, Canada, describe the metabolic engineering strategy they used to increase the yield of D-ribose from the genetically modified E. coli, which were able to produce D-ribose from mixtures of glucose and xylose. The authors propose future research directions for additional metabolic engineering and bioprocess optimization. "The research article by Gawand and Mahadevan represents one of many ways that molecular biology is being deployed to expand Industrial Biotechnology development," says Co-Editor-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD, Professor, Biological & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. ### … Continue reading →

A CT scan showing a cochlear implant in the left ear of a guinea pig. Image: UNSW Australia Biological Resources Imaging Laboratory, NationalImaging Facility of Australia, and UNSW TranslationalNeuroscience Facility Scientists have devised a strategy they hope will one day make bionic ears even sharper. The idea is to make neurons inside the ear sprout new branches and become more sensitive to signals from a cochlear implant. The cochlear implant is arguably the most successful bionic device ever invented. More than 200,000 people with severe hearing loss have received one, allowing them to understand speech and hear things like barking dogs and fire alarms. But theres plenty of room for improvement. Pitch perception is not so good, and that impacts music appreciation and hearing in a complex environment like a noisy room, said Gary Housley, a physiologist and neuroscientist at the University of New South Wales in Australia, and the senior author of a new study out today in Science Translational Medicine. To appreciate what Housleys team did, you have to picture whats going on inside the inner ear. The bony, spiral cochlea is where sound waves get translated into the electrical language of neurons. Its essentially a coiled tube. … Continue reading →

Above: The genomes of these twin infant macaques were modified with multiple mutations. The ability to create primates with intentional mutations could provide powerful new ways to study complex and genetically baffling brain disorders. The use of a genome-tool to create two monkeys with specific genetic mutations. The ability to modify targeted genes in primates is a valuable tool in the study of human diseases. By Christina Larson Until recently, Kunming, capital of Chinas southwestern Yunnan province, was known mostly for its palm trees, its blue skies, its laid-back vibe, and a steady stream of foreign backpackers bound for nearby mountains and scenic gorges. But Kunmings reputation as a provincial backwater is rapidly changing. On a plot of land on the outskirts of the citywilderness 10 years ago, and today home to a genomic research facilityscientists have performed a provocative experiment. They have created a pair of macaque monkeys with precise genetic mutations. Last November, the female monkey twins, Mingming and Lingling, were born here on the sprawling research campus of Kunming Biomedical International and its affiliated Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research. The macaques had been conceived via in vitro fertilization. Then scientists used a new method of … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 22-Apr-2014 Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News New Rochelle, NY, April 22, 2014Hemoglobin A1c is the standard measurement for assessing glycemic control over time in people with diabetes. Blood levels of A1c are typically measured every few months in a laboratory, but now researchers have developed a data-based model that accurately estimates A1c using self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) readings, as described in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (DTT), a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the DTT website at http://www.liebertpub.com/dtt. In "Accuracy and Robustness of Dynamical Tracking of Average Glycemia (A1c) to Provide Real-Time Estimation of Hemoglobin A1c Using Routine Self-Monitored Blood Glucose Data," authors Boris Kovatchev, PhD, Frank Flacke, PhD, Jochen Sieber, MD, and Marc Breton, PhD present the computer algorithm they developed based on a training data set drawn from 379 subjects and then evaluated for accuracy on an independent test data set. The authors propose that estimation of real-time A1c could increase individuals' motivation to improve diabetes control. "Patients are used to an A1c result from their doctor visits, and this study highlights simple estimated A1c values from SMBG data," says Satish … Continue reading →

Genetic Engineering is a very complex field where there is a direct manipulation of an organism's genes. It is also called recombinant DNA technology, which involves creating a DNA by bringing together DNA sequences which otherwise, normally would not be combined. Techniques like transformation and molecular cloning are used in genetic engineering to modify the structure and the characteristics of genes. Interesting Examples of Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering is the technique that gives the power to desirably manipulate the genome of an organism. This ability has been explored and experimented in several organisms, some of which have been commercialized whereas the... Common Misconceptions in Genetics In the mid-19th century, Gregor Mendel propagated his theories related to heredity. A lot of progress has been made in the field of genetics since then. However, even today, there exist a lot of misconceptions owing to incorrect... Benefits of Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering process manipulates the DNA sequence to create a new one. The write-up focuses on the various benefits of genetic engineering. Genetic Engineering in Humans With the advancements in the field of genetic engineering, science in the future may give us the power to genetically modify and create 'near perfect' life. Read … Continue reading →

While scientific progress on molecular biology has a great potential to increase our understanding of nature and provide new medical tools, it should not be used as justification to turn the environment into a giant genetic experiment by commercial interests. The biodiversity and environmental integrity of the world's food supply is too important to our survival to be put at risk. What's wrong with genetic engineering (GE)? Genetic engineering enables scientists to create plants, animals and micro-organisms by manipulating genes in a way that does not occur naturally. These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can spread through nature and interbreed with natural organisms, thereby contaminating non 'GE' environments and future generations in an unforeseeable and uncontrollable way. Their release is 'genetic pollution' and is a major threat because GMOs cannot be recalled once released into the environment. Because of commercial interests, the public is being denied the right to know about GE ingredients in the food chain, and therefore losing the right to avoid them despite the presence of labelling laws in certain countries. Biological diversity must be protected and respected as the global heritage of humankind, and one of our world's fundamental keys to survival. Governments are attempting to address … Continue reading →

Genetic Diseases The age of genetics has arrived. Society is in the midst of a genetic revolution that some futurists predict will have a greater impact on the culture than the industrial revolution. So, in this essay we are going to look at the area of genetic engineering. The future of genetics, like that of any other technology, offers great promise but also great peril. Nuclear technology has provided nuclear medicine, nuclear energy, and nuclear weapons. Genetic technology offers the promise of a diverse array of good, questionable, and bad technological applications. Christians, therefore, must help shape the ethical foundations of this technology and its future applications. How powerful a technology is genetic engineering? For the first time in human history, it is possible to completely redesign existing organisms, including man, and to direct the genetic and reproductive constitution of every living thing. Scientists are no longer limited to breeding and cross-pollination. Powerful genetic tools allow us to change genetic structure at the microscopic level and bypass the normal processes of reproduction. For the first time in human history, it is also possible to make multiple copies of any existing organism or of certain sections of its genetic structure. This … Continue reading →