All Innovation News articles – Page 2
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NewsNew ‘permanently wet’ coating method could transform wastewater treatment by helping bacteria survive better
Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels – if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers have developed a method that keeps bacteria submerged throughout coating formation, increasing the number of surviving cells by around 500 times compared to conventional approaches.
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NewsScientists establish ‘eco-friendly bio-platform’ to replace petroleum-derived naphtha
KAIST announced on May 19th that the KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Future Technology Research Institute has secured bio-technology capable of mass-producing eco-friendly raw materials for plastics and textiles using waste resources, offering an alternative to petroleum-derived naphtha. Source: KAIST From Left: Hyun Bae Bang, Cheon Woo Moon, Cindy Pricilia Surya ...
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NewsOptical method concentrates microscopic targets for faster, more sensitive detection
Researchers have developed a light-driven technique that quickly amasses thousands of bacteria into a single spot, boosting detection speed and sensitivity. Their approach paves the way for earlier diagnosis of disease.
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NewsParaprobiotic counteracts damage to male fertility from BPA in plastic
BPA has been shown to impair sperm function, in part through increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Researchers investigated whether a paraprobiotic material derived from the lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecalis (known as FK‑23) protects against the sperm toxicity caused by BPA.
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NewsSynthetic biology leads to recyclable textiles: Engineered protein fibers for a cleaner future
Scientists have created protein-based materials, which are produced in bioreactors using genetically engineered microbes. These materials can be readily recycled after use and remade into the same fibers over multiple cycles. In addition, any microparticles, if released from these fibers during washing, would be biodegradable.
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NewsResearchers develop experimentally validated AI model to predict the virulence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus
A research team has developed DeepTYLCV, an accurate and interpretable artificial intelligence model for predicting the virulence of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV). DeepTYLCV uses viral genome-derived sequence information, enabling the model to identify mild and severe strains before symptom-based confirmation.
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NewsMeasuring SARS-CoV-2 diversity in wastewater improves disease surveillance
Tracking the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, rather than just viral abundance, dramatically improves the ability to monitor and predict COVID-19 outbreaks, researchers report.
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NewsPenn researchers create AI tool to speed antibiotic discovery
Researchers have developed a novel, AI-powered method for turning promising but imperfect antibiotic candidates into more potent ones. ApexGO starts with a small number of imperfect candidates and improves them step by step, using a predictive algorithm to evaluate each modification and guide the next.
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NewsBiodegradable sensors attached to plants detect pesticides in three minutes
Researchershave created biodegradable, “wearable” sensors for plants to monitor their health, made from carbon ink and screen-printed onto transparent cellulose acetate bioplastics. They can monitor temperature, humidity, dehydration, biomarkers, diseases, nutrient levels, and the presence of pesticides.
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NewsResearchers develop AI tool to predict E. coli contamination in waterways
A new artificial intelligence framework will alert water managers to E. coli contamination risk before anyone falls sick. The AI-powered predictive modeling framework uses environmental and hydrometeorological data to provide early warnings of contamination in recreational waterways.
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NewsResearchers develop microalgae that photosynthetically produce and secrete biofuel precursors
A research group has developed cyanobacterial strains that produce free fatty acids (FFAs) and secrete them into the culture medium. FFAs are important precursor materials for sustainable aviation fuel and diesel fuel alternatives.
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NewsNo refrigeration needed for killer disease vaccine
Malaria kills more than half a million people every year, but a new vaccine is showing promise as it not only offers long-lasting strong protection but also inhibits transmission of malaria by mosquitos. The vaccine is predicted to be low cost and its cold-chain independence strongly enhances its deployability.
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NewsNew reactor design produces renewable methane from carbon dioxide
A new reactor design efficiently converts carbon dioxide and renewable electricity into methane while scaling the system up by roughly an order of magnitude. It demonstrated that microbial electrosynthesis systems can be expanded beyond laboratory-scale devices while maintaining high energy efficiency and methane production rates.
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NewsResearchers develop promising drug candidate for control and elimination of malaria
Researchers have developed a novel chemical compound that shows promise for the treatment and prevention of malaria, one of the world’s deadliest diseases. T111 has the potential to become a single-encounter malaria drug that would simplify treatment and prevent relapses that drive ongoing transmission.
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NewsInvisible smart bug fights gum disease
Current treatments for periodontitis often fail because they cannot simultaneously eliminate stubborn bacterial biofilms and calm the runaway inflammation that follows. Now researchers have engineered a living bacterium that does both, in the right order.
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NewsNew kind of CRISPR could treat viral infection and cancer by shredding sick cells’ DNA
A new technology uses a relative of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to kill target cells. When activated by a specific, programmable genetic target, the Cas12a2 protein rips a cell’s genome apart. Researchers programmed Cas12a2 to kill virus-infected cells or cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.
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NewsResearchers flip the CRISPR script to develop world’s first DNA-guided gene editing tool for precise infectious disease diagnosis
A research team has successfully developed the world’s first DNA-guided CRISPR-Cas system capable of programmable RNA targeting and cleavage. This breakthrough overturns the conventional CRISPR paradigm, which uses RNA as a guide to target DNA.
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NewsAI speeds chemists’ search for better disinfectants
Scientists published their computational-experimental framework for developing quaternary ammonium compounds, or QACs, to kill bacteria. The method yielded 11 new QACs that show activity against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.
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NewsStudy identifies multiple viruses and variants simultaneously by controlling the “speed” of CRISPR gene scissors
Scientists have developed a new diagnostic technology that simultaneously identifies various viruses and variants by controlling the “speed” of gene scissors.
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NewsSimple new system keeps microscopes in focus automatically
Anyone who has ever used a microscope knows that it takes time to bring a sample into sharp focus. Now a team of scientists has developed an inexpensive robust fix for this problem that involves little more than a couple of LED lights and some physics-based processing.