Life Science

Picture a nuclear-powered surgical robot targeting glioblastoma. Or imagine hijacking a botfly larva to perform delicate internal interventions. These scenarios may sound far out, but Endiatx CEO Torrey Smith talks about them as if describing an ambitious home improvement project — challenging but entirely feasible with the right approach and tools. Though these scenarios sound…

[Updated on December 11, 2024 to reflect nearly 150,000 layoffs across more than 525 companies based on latest industry data] For many workers, it pays to have a job in an R&D or STEM-heavy field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts 10.4% growth in STEM jobs through 2033, more than double the overall employment growth…

Life sciences executives are entering 2025 with data-driven optimism, according to Deloitte’s newly released “2025 Life Sciences Outlook.” Survey findings from 150 global C-suite executives show that 75% remain upbeat about the year ahead, with 68% anticipating revenue increases and 57% expecting margin expansions. Two key factors emerge from executive interviews: enhanced clarity following the…

For Avandra CEO and founder Ryan Tarzy, the potential of AI in healthcare is personal. He lost his father to pancreatic cancer, a disease often caught too late in the United States. At the recent Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference, he encountered a telling example of what emerging medical tech can achieve. “At…

Two Johns Hopkins University researchers have initiated preliminary work on synthesizing epiphragmin, a key protein found in snail mucus, with potential biomedical applications. The project aims to develop laboratory-based protein synthesis protocols as an alternative to traditional snail mucus extraction methods, as a press release noted. Marie Wei, studying molecular and cellular biology and classics,…

GLP-1 juggernauts Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, whose combined $1.18 trillion market cap now exceeds Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, and Merck combined, have staked their claim as stock market darlings. This momentum is particularly evident in Novo Nordisk’s remarkable trajectory, reaching a $604 billion market capitalization by March 2024 and securing its position as the…

DNA analysis has undergone a quiet revolution in recent years thanks to next-generation sequencing (NGS) advances. In addition to its potential in medicine, NGS is taking off in forensic science. This technology allows for more detailed and accurate genetic analysis, improving the resolution of criminal cases and helping solve cold cases that have remained unsolved…

Imagine a future where needing a new heart means you become your own donor. “It’s going to be your cells, your design—an exact replica of your heart, only made healthy,” said Steven Levine, Ph.D., senior director of virtual human modeling at Dassault Systèmes, in a recent interview. For Levine, the goal of transforming cardiac care…

Industrial and commercial sectors often measure innovation by market capitalization and R&D spending, but these metrics fail to capture the full picture. Tech companies dominate market headlines with AI product launches and chip releases — and our own ranking of most innovative firms of 2024. In addition, tech firms currently hold the top market cap…

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…

A new analysis of year-to-date 2024 patent filings, NIH funding, and real estate data reveals a fiercely competitive landscape in America’s biopharma clusters. Boston/Cambridge maintains its overall leadership position and leads in YTD international pharma patent filings, while the New York/New Jersey metro area leads in NIH funding for FY2025 and ranks second in patents.…

A 2016 survey by Nature found that over 70% of researchers have tried and failed to reproduce another scientist’s experiments, and more than half have failed to reproduce their own. One significant challenge contributing to this crisis is the difficulty scientists face in understanding experimental parameters across studies. “The basic problem was massive amounts of…

In 2023, Merck & Co. spent more than half of its revenue on R&D. Sure, the figure was inflated thanks to its $10.8 billion acquisition of Prometheus Biosciences, which it budgeted as an R&D cost. But Moderna spent even more as a percentage, $4.85 billion of its $6.85 billion revenue in revenue on R&D while…

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…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending October 25, 2024, closed at 3962.81 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was down -1.49% (or -60.14 basis points). Seven RDWI members gained value last week from 0.27% (Toyota) to 5.88% (General Motors). Eighteen RDWI members lost value the previous week from -0.27%…

Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Thermo Scientific Iliad (S)TEM, a fully integrated multimodal scanning transmission electron microscope designed to advance research in materials science by offering atomic-level insights into complex modern materials. Revealed at the European Microscopy Congress 2024 in Copenhagen, the Iliad (S)TEM combines inventive technologies such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS)…

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…

An analysis of 45 years of R&D 100 Awards reveals a clear leader: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), with more than two hundred winning products. National labs dominate the top ranks, demonstrating the staying power of consistent government investment in R&D. All of the top 10 organizations since 2010 are federally-backed entities. ORNL Frequently featured…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending October 4, 2024, closed at 4.005.40 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 0.62% (or 24.71 basis points). Eight RDWI members gained value last week from 1.07% (Eli Lilly & Co.) to 6.71% (Alibaba).  Seventeen RDWI members lost value the previous week…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending September 27, 2024, closed at 3,980.69 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was down -0.66% (or -26.26 basis points). Thirteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.03% (Sanofi SA) to 20.30% (Alibaba). Twelve RDWI members lost value the previous week from -0.21%…

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…