Researchers are exploring the potential of the International Space Station’s microgravity environment to improve the sensitivity of biosensors used for cancer detection, leading them to investigate a compelling possibility: Could the key to earlier cancer detection lie in the behavior of bubbles in space? Studies on the ISS are showing that it just might, as…

For decades, structural biologists have sought to map the structures of proteins and other macromolecules within cells. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), whose early development traces back to the 1970s, emerged as a promising technique for visualizing cells in their natural, hydrated state. But the technology’s initial inability to produce sharp images was a stumbling block in…

The University of California (UC) has selected Labviva, an AI-powered procurement platform, to enhance its life science research and procurement operations across all ten campuses. Initially deployed at UC San Diego in 2022, the platform went live at UC Merced in September 2024. This collaboration aims to streamline procurement processes for faculty, researchers, and staff,…

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…

For millions suffering from chronic pain, relief often comes with a host of complications. But a new generation of spinal cord stimulators aims to change that. The medical device company BackStop Neural has won a two-year, $485k Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the…

Parallel Bio’s head of technology shares a vision for faster, cheaper, and better biological research with human organoids. Ari Gesher, Parallel Bio’s new head of technology, may be new to biotech, but that’s not stopping him from thinking big about disrupting the status quo in biological research. The biotech startup is betting on automation and…

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has often highlighted the transformative impact of AI, stating that it’s a “more profound” tool than the human discoveries of fire or electricity. Shweta Maniar, Global Director of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Google, echoed this sentiment in a recent interview. AI’s applications in the life sciences are broad, and the…

Move over, neural networks. Scientists at the University of Reading have taught a simple hydrogel to play the 1970s game Pong, which, for those unfamiliar, is something like an uber-simple game of table tennis (pingpong). The discovery, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, could pave the way to a new era of ‘smart’ materials that…

 A more deadly strain of mpox is spreading across Africa, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and a death toll already surpassing last year’s total. With the more severe Clade I variant driving the uptick, mpox continues to pose a significant threat to global health with the World Health Organization (WHO) classifying it as…

Humanity has long looked to the stars for answers, but why would you want to conduct research in space, especially when it comes to curing diseases here on Earth? The International Space Station (ISS), orbiting roughly 250 miles above us, can help unravel medical mysteries. “The ISS National Lab offers unique opportunities for scientific and…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) was up 2.91% with Cisco leading at 8.78%, in spite of its lay-off announcement. In the week ending August 16, the index closed at 3878.49 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 2.91% (or 109.53 basis points). Twenty-one RDWI members gained value last week from 0.95%…

A new class of nanoscale materials that act like microscopic mood rings, changing color with temperature, could help measure temperature at the tiniest scales, with potential applications in electronics, biology, and beyond. Published in Advanced Materials, this research from scientists at the University of California, Irvine involves a one-dimensional nanoscale material known as indium selenium…

What if you could ask a large language model a research question and get back a definitive, contextually relevant answer with verifiable sources? Or trace a scientific claim back through a century of research to uncover the foundations of a modern theory? In a talk at the AI4 conference in Las Vegas, Daniel Schauer, an…

A novel wearable microbial fuel cell technology to reduce the risk of infection in wounds. The product of research at Binghamton University, State University of New York (SUNY), the living dressing also makes use of the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis, a probiotic and the chief microbe in the stringy fermented Japanese soybean dish, natto. By…

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…

[Updated August 8, 2024] The global R&D map is being redrawn, caught between forces of nationalism and the undeniable pull of international collaboration. While the aftershocks of the pandemic and shifting political winds have led some nations to turn inward, the race for innovation is driving a surprising surge in cross-border investment. For instance, South…

R&D World has unveiled the winners of the 2024 R&D 100 Professional Awards. A panel of 56 prestigious industry experts from around the globe selected the honorees. The list of 2024 winners follows, along with highlights from their nomination letters. These winners will be formally awarded at the R&D 100 Awards Banquet at the Esmeralda…

Forget writer’s block — Insilico Medicine’s new AI tool, DORA, unleashes an “army of [AI] agents” to churn out a scientific research paper draft in roughly 20 to 25 minutes. Insilico Medicine’s new AI tool, DORA (Draft Outline Research Assistant), is a prime example of this new wave of AI assistants. I recently took the…

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…

Ari Gesher, a veteran technologist who helped shape SourceForge in its heyday and was a key player at Palantir, the publicly-traded big data analytics company, wants to build a fully automated “lights-off” lab for drug discovery at Parallel Bio. “I’m using our biologists to prototype what the scientific processes are, then we’re going to build…

Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are tapping microorganisms to produce sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, and medicines. Their latest research, published in Nature Communications, focuses on the role of ATP (adenosine-5′-triphosphate) in microbial metabolism and its role on bioproduction. Recognizing that ATP, the primary cellular energy currency, fluctuates significantly in microbes used for biomanufacturing,…

Life sciences and biotech companies often face challenges in accessing affordable and dedicated lab spaces, which are typically expensive to build and operate, creating significant financial barriers to innovation and research, reported Superlab Suisse in a press release. Superlab Suisse noted the following in a press release: Superlab Suisse, a provider of innovative laboratory and…

Labguru (BioData) announces a new distribution agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific, enabling the distribution of Labguru’s cutting-edge Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) module alongside Thermo Fisher’s suite of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and lab operations software solutions. This collaboration allows Thermo Fisher customers to enhance their research management through improved digital lab connectivity, facilitating cross-functional…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending June 21, 2024, closed at 3,785.63 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 0.38% (or 14.33 basis points). Eighteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.44% (Alibaba) to 3.52% (Cisco). Seven RDWI members lost value the previous week from -0.02% (Volkswagen…