Biotech

[Last updated on March 19, 2025] The R&D layoff trend shows no signs of slowing as we move through March, with significant cuts announced across pharmaceuticals, automotive, tech hardware, and AI startups. March has been especially challenging for European automakers, with Porsche AG announcing one of the largest cuts so far this year (3,900 workers).…

Washington State University scientists have reported an advance in anti-aging research by creating what they call “the first mouse model with truly humanized telomeres,” as reported in Nature Communications. Telomeres—protective chromosome caps—naturally shorten with each cell division, eventually contributing to cellular aging or death. While traditional lab mice have exceptionally long telomeres and readily express…

The Cultivated B has discovered a chemical class of FGFR1 agonists intended to mimic the effects of basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF) on cell proliferation, a critical component of cell-culture media. According to the company, these small molecules provide a stable, cost-effective alternative that could have wide-ranging implications for cultivated meat, biopharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, and…

Picture a high-tech version of Silly Putty that generates electricity. It would be capable of speeding up wound healing, delivering medication through the skin, or even producing clean energy, among other inventive uses. Researchers at the University of Guelph (U of G) have developed a slime-like material that generates electricity when compressed. The material is…

Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science have developed a promising method to address harmful algal blooms (HABs), a growing global environmental concern. The team has created an inventive tool for extracting phosphorus from water — a key contributor to HABs—by converting cyanobacterial biomass, often deemed hazardous waste, into specialized adsorbent…

In a demonstration of “mind over matter,” a 69-year-old man with C4 AIS C spinal cord injury — whose remaining movement was largely restricted to low-amplitude muscle twitching — has piloted a virtual quadcopter merely by thinking about moving his paralyzed fingers. This achievement stems from an intracortical brain-computer interface (iBCI) primarily developed and tested…

Recent scientific evidence has brought increasing attention to microplastics—plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter—and their pervasive presence in our environment. While their ubiquity raises legitimate concerns, our 2024 analysis “Microplastics are bad—but ignoring science is worse” reveals that commonly cited statistics about human plastic consumption often lack rigorous scientific validation. Emerging research continues…

Batteries have recently come in various configurations: stretchable, as discussed in R&D World’s article “Stretchable batteries and body-conformable electronics poised to advance in 2025,” and batteries using alternative chemistries, including lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) and sodium-ion (SIBs), among others. One battery material that might not have been on your bingo card is fungi. Researchers at Empa have…

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, have developed a method for tagging RNA with a bioluminescent molecule, which enables real-time tracking of RNA as it moves throughout the body. This research, published in Nature Communications, could provide new insights into cellular processes, viral propagation, and memory formation in the brain. RNA is critical in…

A paper published in Gravitational and Space Research reveals insights from research sponsored by the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory on transport phenomena. Transport phenomena are fundamental physical processes involving momentum, energy, and mass transfer. They describe how heat and matter move through their surroundings, such as how heat radiates from a stove or how a…

Researchers at Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, have developed a mechanochromic strain sensor that indicates mechanical stress through changing colors — without needing an external power source. The device, described in a study published on October 15, 2024, in the journal Chemical Engineering Journal, uses magnetic nanoparticles and elastic materials to detect stretching, bending,…

[Updated December 18, 2024 with new details on Databricks] In 2024, AI-focused startups continued to dominate the funding landscape with industry leaders like OpenAI ($6.6B), xAI ($6B), and Anthropic ($4B) leading the pack. Adding to this trend, MLflow and data lakehouse pioneer Databricks recently secured a $10 billion funding round that was primarily equity-based, at…

Dozens of ambitious scientific investigations — including projects aiming to improve cancer detection, advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, and enhance respiratory therapy — have safely returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). The nearly 50 experiments, sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, were transported back on SpaceX’s 31st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission…

A new study reveals that two stressors may be better than one in preventing certain harmful bacteria from thriving in the human body. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report that physical fluid flow and the chemical presence of hydrogen peroxide can work together to halt the spread and growth of dangerous pathogens. The…

In many respects, 2024 was a year of building upon the foundations laid by previous technological and scientific advances. While AI continued to evolve at a rapid clip, progress was in many ways more incremental than last year when GPT-4 redefined expectations for genAI. But AI continues to make definable improvements across a range of…

In 1959, John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” redefined what was possible in jazz. Its unprecedented chord progression (later known as “Coltrane changes”) and relentless tempo pushed boundaries, challenging even seasoned musicians like Tommy Flanagan. The track eventually developed a reputation for being the “most feared song in jazz” for its fiendishly difficult improvisational demands. Today, genomics…

A recent mini-review from Vapourtec showcases the vast potential of flow biocatalysis, emphasizing its role in enhancing sustainability, efficiency, and productivity in chemical synthesis. The review highlights several key publications demonstrating how flow biocatalysis is a cleaner, more cost-effective alternative to traditional organic chemistry, largely due to its use of enzymes as reagents. “The use…

A research team led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst has developed a sensor to detect sodium ions in breast milk — a biomarker for elevated mammary permeability. This condition is a key indicator of subclinical mastitis, an asymptomatic inflammation of the breast that can contribute to milk supply issues and potentially hinder breastfeeding for…

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a new technology that could significantly impact the aviation industry and the environment by turning waste streams into cost-competitive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This novel invention, dubbed “membrane-assisted anaerobic digestion” (MAAD), converts high-strength organic wastewater from sources like breweries and dairy farms into volatile fatty acids, which can be further…

What if the combination of stem cell research, bioengineering and biocomputing could help patients with neurological damage? Researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the University of Southern California (USC) are embarking on a research initiative to explore that very possibility. With a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers…

[Adobe Stock] Updated on October 20, 2024 with new details The current Biden-Harris administration and potential Republican approaches offer different visions for the future of American science. While the Biden-Harris team emphasizes investments in climate change mitigation and clean energy, conservative approaches have historically focused on deregulation and achieving energy independence through traditional energy sources.…

For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as “The Oscars of Innovation.” This year, we’re offering a new interactive experience, allowing you to explore the remarkable work of both winners and finalists across diverse fields. From advances in mechanical and material…

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is naturally produced in many crucial industries, such as agriculture and wastewater treatment. What if we could grab that gas before it enters the atmosphere and make something useful out of it? Mango Materials, a California-based biomanufacturing company, has invented a way to do just that. Using a special mixture…

Los Alamos National Laboratory and OpenAI are joining forces to conduct the world’s first real-world evaluation of AI’s potential role in biological threats. The partnership between OpenAI and Los Alamos goes beyond previous text-based assessments of AI in biological contexts. OpenAI highlighted two aspects that set this research apart, noting the “research will involve real…

Let’s say you are repeating a scientific experiment but each time you’re getting a completely different outcome. This is the frustrating reality of the “replication crisis,” a widespread problem affecting nearly every scientific discipline. “We’ve all seen in our own practices how there are many ‘researcher degrees of freedom’ that could lead to studies not…