All Innovation News articles – Page 3
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NewsCracking leishmaniasis: new DNA test to track infection
A new study offers an innovative way to track the spread of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans. Researchers developed a fast, reliable method to identify sand fly species, detect Leishmania parasites, and determine the source of their blood meals from a single sample.
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NewsScientists harness algae for a greener way to create functional gold nanoparticles
Researchers have pioneered a novel, sustainable method for synthesizing functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using microalgae. This approach not only avoids the harsh chemicals used in conventional methods but also produces AuNPs that are more stable and less toxic to healthy cells.
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NewsPhages with fully-synthetic DNA can be edited gene by gene
Scientists have developed a method to construct bacteriophages with entirely synthetic genetic material, allowing researchers to add and subtract genes at will.
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NewsNo-needle test can tell if flu/COVID vaccines are effective
A team of researchers has developed a skin patch that can detect antibodies associated with COVID and flu infections. It’s orders of magnitude more sensitive than existing tests, uses just a half volt of electricity, and can return results in 10 minutes.
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NewsNew nasal vaccine has potential to transform respiratory disease prevention
Researchers have demonstrated that their nasally-delivered, antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis (AIBP) vaccine not only prevents severe disease but also curbs bacterial transmission — an achievement long sought by vaccine developers worldwide.
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NewsMicroalgal-bacterial sludge offers sustainable solution for removing hormonal pollutants from wastewater
A team of researchers have revealed how microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) can adapt and efficiently degrade estriol, a common endocrine-disrupting compound (EDC), under environmentally relevant conditions.
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NewsNew research demonstrates ’living metal’ could bridge the gap between biological and electronic systems
Researchers are pioneering ‘living metal’ composites embedded with bacterial endospores, paving the way for dynamic communication and integration between electronic and biological systems.
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NewsCAROSEL offers new ‘spin’ on monitoring water quality in real time - and tracking harmful algal blooms
Researchers can continuously track the exchanges of different forms of nitrogen between bottom sediments and the overlying water. Their novel approach enables measuring how much ammonium (NH₄⁺) is released from sediments in real time, multiple times a day, over an extended period.
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NewsPlasma strategy boosts antibacterial efficacy of silica-based materials
Scientists have developed a novel two-step plasma strategy to modify mesoporous silica-supported silver nanoparticles, enabling them to achieve strong antibacterial activity and accelerated wound healing.
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NewsNew approach expands possibilities for studying viruses in the environment
A new method vastly improves on the existing approach for single-cell genetic sequencing, enabling scientists to read the genomes of individual cells and viral particles in the environment more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
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NewsAdvanced disease modelling shows some gut bacteria can spread as rapidly as viruses
Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria commonly found in the human gut, could spread as quickly as swine flu, new research suggests. For the first time, researchers are able to predict the rate at which one person could transmit gut bacteria to those around them.
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NewsBreathing new life Into TB treatment with inhalable nanomedicine
Scientists are developing an inhalable nanosystem to transport TB medicines directly into the lungs, the very place where the bacterium that causes TB hides and thrives. The nanocarrier can hold all four standard TB drugs in a single formulation and release them precisely at the infection site.
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NewsBiomaterial vaccines to make implanted orthopedic devices safer
Biomaterial vaccines using pathogen-specific antigens could significantly lower patients’ risk of infection from implanted medical devices.
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NewsScientists develop novel gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss
Scientists have introduced an innovative gene therapy method to treat impairments in hearing and balance caused by inner ear dysfunction. The treatment holds promise for treating a wide range of mutations that cause hearing loss.
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NewsScientists identify cells by seeing how high they levitate
A new cell-sorting device uses electromagnetic levitation to precisely direct the movement of cells. It can be used to separate different types of cells — cancer cells from healthy cells, or live cells from dead cells, for example — with many potential applications in the lab and in the clinic.
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NewsNew software tool fast-tracks identification and response to microbial threats
MARTi is an open-source software tool that powers real-time analysis and visualisation of metagenomic data. The team have created an accessible interface which increases the usability and accessibility of metagenomic analysis.
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NewsNutritional supplements boost baby coral survival
Feeding coral larvae a coral ’baby food’ can dramatically increase their chances of survival, offering a new avenue for reef restoration as climate change continues to threaten coral ecosystems, a new study finds.
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NewsPowered by mushrooms, living computers are on the rise
Researchers have discovered that common edible fungi, such as shiitake mushrooms, can be grown and trained to act as organic memristors, a type of data processor that can remember past electrical states. They could also be used to create other types of low-cost computing components.
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NewsLighting up life: scientists develop glowing sensors to track cellular changes as they happen
Researchers have engineered living cells to use a 21st amino acid that illuminates protein changes in real time, providing a new method for observing changes within cells. The technique is effective in bacteria, human cells and live tumor models, making it possible to study complex diseases like cancer more ethically.
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NewsMicrobial iron mining: turning polluted soils into self-cleaning reactors
Scientists have presented “microbial iron mining,” a process where soil microbes activate natural iron cycling. Microbes reduce and mobilize iron minerals, producing tiny iron nanoparticles that act as powerful traps for a variety of pollutants.