Genetic Engineering Biotechnology By: Meherul Islam … Continue reading →

When it comes to gene expression -- the process by which our DNA provides the recipe used to direct the synthesis of proteins and other molecules that we need for development and survival -- scientists have so far studied one single gene at a time. A new approach developed by Harvard geneticist George Church, Ph.D., can help uncover how tandem gene circuits dictate life processes, such as the healthy development of tissue or the triggering of a particular disease, and can also be used for directing precision stem cell differentiation for regenerative medicine and growing organ transplants. The findings, reported by Church and his team of researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School in Nature Methods, show promise that precision gene therapies could be developed to prevent and treat disease on a highly customizable, personalized level, which is crucial given the fact that diseases develop among diverse pathways among genetically-varied individuals. Wyss Core Faculty member Jim Collins, Ph.D., was also a co-author on the paper. Collins is also the Henri Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science and Professor in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. … Continue reading →

The number of people dying of cervical cancer in the world is now more than ever before, and health agencies should advise adolescent boys and girls to go in for proper vaccination to prevent them from contracting the disease, said Nobel Laureate Harald zur Hausen. While delivering a lecture on prevention of cancers linked to infections at the Indian Genetics Congress organised by the department of genetic engineering at SRM University, Kattankulathur, on Wednesday, he said, in cervical cancer, prevention had caused a significant decrease in the number of infections. In his address, M.S. Swaminathan, founder of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, said there are three major dimensions of hunger calorie deprivation, protein deficiency and micronutrient deficiency. One way to overcome protein hunger is through a pulses revolution, he said. P. Sathyanarayanan, president of SRM University, called on the Centre to enhance funding for research and development in genetic engineering. Trilochan Mohapatra, director, Central Rice Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Swarup K. Parida and Amit Mitra of the National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, received the young genetics researchers award. Please Wait while comments are loading... 1. Comments will be moderated by The Hindu editorial … Continue reading →