Lifeboat Foundation

Interfacing modern electronics-based technology with biology is notoriously difficult. One major stumbling block is that the way they are powered is very different. While most of our gadgets run on electrons, nature relies on the energy released when the chemical bonds of ATP are broken. Finding ways to convert between these two very different currencies of energy could be useful for a host of biotechnologies.

Genetically engineered microbes are already being used to produce various high-value chemicals and therapeutically useful proteins, and there are hopes they could soon help generate greener jet fuel, break down plastic waste, and even grow new foods in giant bioreactors. But at the minute, these processes are powered through an inefficient process of growing biomass, converting it to sugar, and feeding it to the microbes.

Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany have devised a much more direct way to power biological processes. They have created an artificial metabolic pathway that can directly convert electricity into ATP using a cocktail of enzymes. And crucially, the process works in vitro and doesn’t rely on the native machinery of cells.

High-speed drone racing has just had a shocking “Deep Blue” moment, as an autonomous AI designed by University of Zurich researchers repeatedly forced three world champion-level pilots to eat its dust, showing uncanny precision in dynamic flight.

If you’ve ever watched a high-level drone race from the FPV perspective, you’ll know how much skill, speed, precision and dynamic control it takes. Like watching Formula One from the driver’s perspective, or on-board footage from the Isle of Man TT, it’s hard to imagine how a human brain can make calculations that quickly and respond to changing situations in real time. It’s incredibly impressive.

Continue reading “For the first time, AI dominates humanity’s best in a real-world sport” »

What happens when humans begin combining biology with technology, harnessing the power to recode life itself.

What does the future of biotechnology look like? How will humans program biology to create organ farm technology and bio-robots. And what happens when companies begin investing in advanced bio-printing, artificial wombs, and cybernetic prosthetic limbs.

Continue reading “GENETIC ENGINEERING & BIOTECHNOLOGY in the Future (2077 & Beyond)” »

Dan Buettner’s Blue Zones research has transformed his lifestyle: He’s made physical activity a habit of his daily life and started eating more beans.

NIH-funded study suggests reducing exposure to airborne particulates may decrease dementia risk.

Higher rates of new cases of dementia in a population over time — known as incident dementia — are linked to long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution, especially from agriculture and open fires, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Scientists found that 15% of older adults developed incident dementia during the average follow-up of 10 years.

“As we experience the effects of air pollution from wildfires and other emissions locally and internationally, these findings contribute to the strong evidence needed to best inform health and policy decisions,” said Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director, National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of NIH. “These results are an example of effectively using federally funded research data to help address critical health risks.”

When it is a matter of survival, predation trumps symbiosis.

Corals eat their algal partners during food scarcity.

BEIJING, Aug. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On August 22, the 2023 World Robot Conference (WRC), which was held in Beijing with the theme of “Spurring Innovation for the Future,” came to a big success. The 2023 World Robotics Expo and the 2023 World Robot Contest took place at the same time, bringing together about 160 robotics companies and scientific research institutions from around the globe, and showcasing close to 600 advanced technologies and products, over 320 representatives from international organizations, academicians, renowned experts, and entrepreneurs at home and abroad have been invited to attend.

As a general robotics company, Dreame Technology took center stage for the first time at the World Robot Conference. It unveiled a wide range of robots, including general-purpose humanoid robots, consumer-grade bionic quadruped robots, industrial-grade quadruped robots, wireless Robotic Pool Cleaner, commercial food delivery robots and floor-cleaning robots. This range highlighted Dreame’s broad competitiveness across the fields of R&D for robotic ecosystems and technologies, supply chains, production and manufacturing, talent development, and commercialization.

Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a class of cancer drugs that can be highly susceptible to issues with solubility in the gastrointestinal tract. Most crystalline TKI drugs have pH-dependent solubility that affects their bioavailability in an oral dosage form. Consequently, natural variations in gastric pH, or variations due to eating or taking antacids, can significantly impact drug absorption and, in turn, therapeutic efficacy.

Alternative formulation techniques such as amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) can still deliver the convenience of a pill while reducing TKIs’ sensitivity to physiological variation. This ensures more consistent—and higher—bioavailability. This whitepaper outlines the challenges associated with pH-dependent solubility for oral TKI drugs and reviews how leveraging ASD formulation can help create more effective, patient-friendly drug products.

It can be time consuming to test food and drink for potentially harmful bacteria, but viruses that naturally attack the bacteria can be gene edited to speed up the process.

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan