plausible futures

In collaborative work between researchers at MIT and Northeastern University in Boston, MA a comparatively long and hollow nanoparticle has been developed that could be implanted under the skin and remain anchored at its original location to monitor levels of glucose or salt or other targets over time.

Source: IEEE Spectrum.

However, a split in the industry appeared when two of the leading firms — DNA2.0 in the U.S. and Geneart in Germany — proposed to minimize the second phase of security screening, i.e. using a human expert, and to rely almost entirely on the first phase of screening, i.e. using only computers. Because a mainly computerized system would not require the time consuming and expensive work of an expert, it could be implemented quickly and cheaply. However, removing the detailed human expert examination obviously increases the possibility that dangerous orders could get through the screening, as the computer screening process is only as good as the databases it calls upon. Debates and divisions continue within the industry as to the best approach.

Source: Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

Even as regulatory agencies express abundant caution, adult stem cell therapies are moving steadily toward the clinic and through development for multiple applications. Investors have become more sophisticated about distinguishing between adult stem cell therapies and embryonic stem cell therapies as well as the potential risks, complications, and costs involved in each.

Source: Genetic Engineering News.

The following companies are mentioned: Osiris, TCA Cellular Therapy, Athersys, StemCells, Cytori Therapeutics, Celgene, Rodman & Renshaw, Genzyme, JCR Pharmaceuticals, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Angiotech, GE Healthcare, Green Hospital Supply and Olympus.

UPDATE: “Game over for stem-cell clinic”, New Scientist.

Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell.
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The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics (“Synthia is Alive and Breeding: Panacea or Pandora’s Box?” from the ETC Group) say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms. The researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases.

The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in Maryland and California. He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.

Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a “synthetic cell”, although only its genome is truly synthetic. Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.

Read the entire article on BBC. Read “Creation of a Bacterial Cell Controlled by a Chemically Synthesized Genome” in Science (PDF). The press release is found here.

Also see “Life after the synthetic cell” in Nature (PDF) and “Scientists Bring Back Artificial Life — and Our Fear of Frankenstein” in Huffington Post.