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CRISPR activation screens: navigating technologies and applications Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Teleri Clark, Matthew A. Waller, Lipin Loo, Cesar L. Moreno, Christopher E. Denes, G. Gregory Neely
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) activation (CRISPRa) has become an integral part of the molecular biology toolkit. CRISPRa genetic screens are an exciting high-throughput means of identifying genes the upregulation of which is sufficient to elicit a given phenotype. Activation machinery to achieve greater, more robust, and more consistent activation is continually
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Mini-bones: miniaturized bone in vitro models Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Maria Gabriella Fois, Martijn van Griensven, Stefan Giselbrecht, Pamela Habibović, Roman K. Truckenmüller, Zeinab Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani
In bone tissue engineering (TE) and regeneration, miniaturized, (sub)millimeter-sized bone models have become a popular trend since they bring about physiological biomimicry, precise orchestration of concurrent stimuli, and compatibility with high-throughput setups and high-content imaging. They also allow efficient use of cells, reagents, materials, and energy. In this review, we describe the state
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Precise engineering of the biomolecular corona to accelerate the clinical translation of lipid nanoparticles Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Shahed Behzadi, Morteza Mahmoudi
Understanding and meticulously engineering the biomolecular corona on the surface of lipid nanoparticles can accelerate their successful clinical applications beyond mRNA vaccines. We outline the major hurdles of clinical development faced by lipid nanoparticles and discuss how considering and modifying the biomolecular corona could mitigate these challenges.
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Virtual staining for histology by deep learning Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Leena Latonen, Sonja Koivukoski, Umair Khan, Pekka Ruusuvuori
In pathology and biomedical research, histology is the cornerstone method for tissue analysis. Currently, the histological workflow consumes plenty of chemicals, water, and time for staining procedures. Deep learning is now enabling digital replacement of parts of the histological staining procedure. In virtual staining, histological stains are created by training neural networks to produce stained
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Single cell technologies for monitoring protein secretion heterogeneity Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Fabian Stefan Franz Hartmann, Mélanie Grégoire, Francesco Renzi, Frank Delvigne
Cell-to-cell heterogeneity presents challenges across various fields, from biomedicine to bioproduction, where precise cellular responses are vital. While single cell technologies have significantly enhanced our understanding of population heterogeneity, the predominant focus has been on monitoring intracellular compounds. Recognizing the added complexity introduced by the secretion system, in this
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The biotechnology revolution in textile dyeing Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-06 Mariana B.N. Alves, Alexandre M.S. Jorge, Jorge F.B. Pereira
Biotechnology holds the potential to revolutionize textile dyeing by utilizing biopigments, biodegradable dyes, and fermentative dyeing methods as alternatives to synthetic options. While some challenges exist, these biotechnological approaches offer innovative solutions to minimize environmental impact and foster sustainable practices, leading toward a greener, circular and efficient textile bioindustry
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Biocontrol manufacturing and agricultural applications of Bacillus velezensis Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Abolfazl Keshmirshekan, Leonardo M. de Souza Mesquita, Sónia P.M. Ventura
Many microorganisms have been reported as bioagents for producing ecofriendly, cost-effective, and safe products. Some species of bacteria can be used in agricultural applications. in particular has shown promising results for controlling destructive phytopathogens and in biofungicide manufacturing. Some strains can promote plant growth and display antibiotic activities against plant pathogen agents
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RNA-guided genome engineering: paradigm shift towards transposons Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Chin-Wei Chang, Vy Anh Truong, Nam Ngoc Pham, Yu-Chen Hu
CRISPR-Cas systems revolutionized the genome engineering field but need to induce double-strand breaks (DSBs) and may be difficult to deliver due to their large protein size. Tn7-like transposons such as CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) can be repurposed for RNA-guided DSB-free integration, and obligate mobile element guided activity (OMEGA) proteins of the IS200/IS605 transposon family have been
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Reduction-to-synthesis: the dominant approach to genome-scale synthetic biology Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Kangsan Kim, Donghui Choe, Suhyung Cho, Bernhard Palsson, Byung-Kwan Cho
Advances in systems and synthetic biology have propelled the construction of reduced bacterial genomes. Genome reduction was initially focused on exploring properties of minimal genomes, but more recently it has been deployed as an engineering strategy to enhance strain performance. This review provides the latest updates on reduced genomes, focusing on dual-track approaches of top-down reduction and
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Peroxisome-based metabolic engineering for biomanufacturing and agriculture Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Shuyan Song, Cuifang Ye, Yijun Jin, Huaxin Dai, Jianping Hu, Jiazhang Lian, Ronghui Pan
Subcellular compartmentalization of metabolic pathways plays a crucial role in metabolic engineering. The peroxisome has emerged as a highly valuable and promising compartment for organelle engineering, particularly in the fields of biological manufacturing and agriculture. In this review, we summarize the remarkable achievements in peroxisome engineering in yeast, the industrially popular biomanufacturing
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Cryptographic approaches to authenticating synthetic DNA sequences Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Casey-Tyler Berezin, Samuel Peccoud, Diptendu M. Kar, Jean Peccoud
In a bioeconomy that relies on synthetic DNA sequences, the ability to ensure their authenticity is critical. DNA watermarks can encode identifying data in short sequences and can be combined with error correction and encryption protocols to ensure that sequences are robust to errors and securely communicated. New digital signature techniques allow for public verification that a sequence has not been
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Measuring the economic efficiency of laboratory automation in biotechnology Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 Han Min Woo, Jay Keasling
Laboratory automation with robot-assisted processes enhances synthetic biology, but its economic impact on projects is uncertain. We have proposed an experiment price index (EPI) for a quantitative comparison of factors in time, cost, and sample numbers, helping measure the efficiency of laboratory automation in synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering.
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α-Synuclein seed amplification technology for Parkinson’s disease and related synucleinopathies Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 Claudio Soto
Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) associated with cerebral accumulation of α-synuclein (αSyn) misfolded aggregates. At this time, there is no effective treatment to stop or slow down disease progression, which in part is due to the lack of an early and objective biochemical diagnosis. In the past 5 years, the seed amplification technology has emerged for highly sensitive
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Transforming drug development with synthetic biology and AI Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 Andrew Hill, Jane M. True, Charles H. Jones
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Beyond waste: understanding urine’s potential in precision medicine Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Pengfei Yu, Carol Christine Bosholm, Hainan Zhu, Zhongping Duan, Anthony Atala, Yuanyuan Zhang
Urine-derived stem cells (USCs) are a promising source of stem cells for cell therapy, renal toxicity drug testing, and renal disease biomarker discovery. Patients’ own USCs can be used for precision medicine. In this review we first describe the isolation and characterization of USCs. We then discuss preclinical studies investigating the use of USCs in cell therapy, exploring the utility of USCs and
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Engineered immune cells as therapeutics for autoimmune diseases Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Moncef Zouali
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Probiotic Cities: microbiome-integrated design for healthy urban ecosystems Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Jake M. Robinson, Martin F. Breed, Richard Beckett
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Hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells with biocathodes Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Md Tabish Noori, Ruggero Rossi, Bruce E. Logan, Booki Min
Electroautotrophic microbes at biocathodes in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) can catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction with low energy demand, facilitating long-term stable performance through specific and renewable biocatalysts. However, MECs have not yet reached commercialization due to a lack of understanding of the optimal microbial strains and reactor configurations for achieving high
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Context-dependent redesign of robust synthetic gene circuits Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 Austin Stone, Abdelrahaman Youssef, Sadikshya Rijal, Rong Zhang, Xiao-Jun Tian
Cells provide dynamic platforms for executing exogenous genetic programs in synthetic biology, resulting in highly context-dependent circuit performance. Recent years have seen an increasing interest in understanding the intricacies of circuit–host relationships, their influence on the synthetic bioengineering workflow, and in devising strategies to alleviate undesired effects. We provide an overview
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Mapping the microcarrier design pathway to modernise clinical mesenchymal stromal cell expansion Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 Gretel S. Major, Vinh K. Doan, Alessia Longoni, Marcela M.M. Bilek, Steven G. Wise, Jelena Rnjak-Kovacina, Giselle C. Yeo, Khoon S. Lim
Microcarrier expansion systems show exciting potential to revolutionise mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based clinical therapies by providing an opportunity for economical large-scale expansion of donor- and patient-derived cells. The poor reproducibility and efficiency of cell expansion on commercial polystyrene microcarriers have driven the development of novel microcarriers with tuneable physical
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Engineering regulatory networks of cyanobacteria Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Riya Bongirwar, Pratyoosh Shukla
Engineering a cell’s regulatory networks to dynamically control gene expression has been considered a new frontier in biological engineering. In cyanobacteria, the lack of well-characterized, modular gene regulatory elements makes regulatory network engineering challenging. Here, we suggest potential tools to modify various gene expression steps in cyanobacterial regulatory networks.
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Towards single-cell bioprinting: micropatterning tools for organ-on-chip development Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Cécile Bosmans, Núria Ginés Rodriguez, Marcel Karperien, Jos Malda, Liliana Moreira Teixeira, Riccardo Levato, Jeroen Leijten
Organs-on-chips (OoCs) hold promise to engineer progressively more human-relevant in vitro models for pharmaceutical purposes. Recent developments have delivered increasingly sophisticated designs, yet OoCs still lack in reproducing the inner tissue physiology required to fully resemble the native human body. This review emphasizes the need to include microarchitectural and microstructural features
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Novel delivery systems for controlled release of bacterial therapeutics Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Nadia Zaragoza, Grace I. Anderson, Stephanie Allison-Logan, Kirmina Monir, Ariel L. Furst
As more is learned about the benefits of microbes, their potential to prevent and treat disease is expanding. Microbial therapeutics are less burdensome and costly to produce than traditional molecular drugs, often with superior efficacy. Yet, as with most medicines, controlled dosing and delivery to the area of need remain key challenges for microbes. Advances in materials to control small-molecule
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3D printing of heart valves Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Michael J. Vernon, Petra Mela, Rodney J. Dilley, Shirley Jansen, Barry J. Doyle, Abdul R. Ihdayhid, Elena M. De-Juan-Pardo
3D printing technologies have the potential to revolutionize the manufacture of heart valves through the ability to create bespoke, complex constructs. In light of recent technological advances, we review the progress made towards 3D printing of heart valves, focusing on studies that have utilised these technologies beyond manufacturing patient-specific moulds. We first overview the key requirements
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Leveraging marine biotechnology for an All-Atlantic sustainable blue economy Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Cristiane Thompson, Alice C. Ortmann, Thulani Makhalanyane, Fabiano Thompson
Despite the lack of research, development, and innovation funds, especially in South Atlantic countries, the Atlantic is suited to supporting a sustainable marine bioeconomy. Novel low-carbon mariculture systems can provide food security, new drugs, and climate mitigation. We suggest how to develop this sustainable marine bioeconomy across the entire Atlantic.
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Next-generation digital biomarkers: continuous molecular health monitoring using wearable devices Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Noé Brasier, Joseph Wang, Can Dincer, Firat Güder, Ivo Schauwecker, Dietmar Schaffarczyk, Roozbeh Ghaffari, Jörg Goldhahn
Abstract not available
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Expanding the structural diversity of terpenes by synthetic biology approaches Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Rong Chen, Ming Wang, Jay D. Keasling, Tianyuan Hu, Xiaopu Yin
Terpenoids display chemical and structural diversities as well as important biological activities. Despite their extreme variability, the range of these structures is limited by the scope of natural products that canonically derive from interconvertible five-carbon (C5) isoprene units. New approaches have recently been developed to expand their structural diversity. This review systematically explores
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Membrane technology for the purification of RNA and DNA therapeutics Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Amin Javidanbardan, Kevork Oliver Messerian, Andrew L. Zydney
Nucleic acid therapeutics have the potential to revolutionize the biopharmaceutical industry, providing highly effective vaccines and novel treatments for cancers and genetic disorders. The successful commercialization of these therapeutics will require development of manufacturing strategies specifically tailored to the purification of nucleic acids. Membrane technologies already play a critical role
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Harnessing Pseudomonas putida in bioelectrochemical systems Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Xiaoyan Qi, Xinyu Gao, Xia Wang, Ping Xu
Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), a group of promising integrated systems that combine the advantages of biotechnology and electrochemical techniques, offer new opportunities to address environmental and energy challenges. Exoelectrogens capable of extracellular electron transfer (EET) are the critical factor enabling electrocatalytic activity in BESs. Pseudomonas putida, an aerobe widely used in
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Understanding phycosomal dynamics to improve industrial microalgae cultivation Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Isaac R. Miller, Huyen Bui, Jessica B. Wood, Matthew W. Fields, Robin Gerlach
Algal–bacterial interactions are ubiquitous in both natural and industrial systems, and the characterization of these interactions has been reinvigorated by potential applications in biosystem productivity. Different growth conditions can be used for operational functions, such as the use of low-quality water or high pH/alkalinity, and the altered operating conditions likely constrain microbial community
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Conducting polymer scaffolds: a new frontier in bioelectronics and bioengineering Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Rasha A. Nasser, Sagar S. Arya, Khulood H. Alshehhi, Jeremy C.M. Teo, Charalampos Pitsalidis
Conducting polymer (CP) scaffolds have emerged as a transformative tool in bioelectronics and bioengineering, advancing the ability to interface with biological systems. Their unique combination of electrical conductivity, tailorability, and biocompatibility surpasses the capabilities of traditional nonconducting scaffolds while granting them access to the realm of bioelectronics. This review examines
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Microbial products for space nutrition Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Cassamo U. Mussagy, Jorge F.B. Pereira, Adalberto Pessoa
Sustainably producing nutrients beyond Earth is one of the biggest technical challenges for future extended human space missions. Microorganisms such as microalgae and cyanobacteria can provide astronauts with nutrients, pharmaceuticals, pure oxygen, and bio-based polymers, making them an interesting resource for constructing a circular bioregenerative life support system in space.
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Make better, data-backed decisions to hit biotech milestones faster Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-03 Mandana Manzari Honu, Bogdan Knezevic, David Yen
Abstract not available
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Advisory Board and Contents Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-03
Abstract not available
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Subscription and Copyright information Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-03
Abstract not available
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China’s regulatory change toward genome-edited crops Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-30 Fei Yang, Kaili Zheng, Yu Yao
China’s newly issued genome-edited crop safety assessment guidelines do not entirely deviate from the existing genetically modified regulatory regimes. However, there is an urgent need to reform the genome-edited regulatory framework based on scientific values and a novel regulatory philosophy that balances diverse values to enhance public trust.
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Chips, guts, and gas: unraveling volatile microbial mysteries in real time! Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-28 Zidan Li, Nathan C. Crook
Exploring the gastrointestinal role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is difficult because of its volatility and the absence of a precisely controllable model system for manipulating the gut environment. Hayes et al. address this issue by engineering Escherichia coli to titrate H2S levels in a gas-impermeable gut-on-chip device.
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New dimensions of electrospun nanofiber material designs for biotechnological uses Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-28 Meenakshi Kamaraj, Nafiseh Moghimi, Junjie Chen, Ramon Morales, Shixuan Chen, Ali Khademhosseini, Johnson V. John
Electrospinning technology has garnered wide attention over the past few decades in various biomedical applications including drug delivery, cell therapy, and tissue engineering. This technology can create nanofibers with tunable fiber diameters and functionalities. However, the 2D membrane nature of the nanofibers, as well as the rigidity and low porosity of electrospun fibers, lower their efficacy
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Drought-tolerant transgenic wheat HB4®: a hope for the future Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-28 Pushpendra K. Gupta
Drought-tolerant transgenic [genetically modified (GM)] HB4® wheat carrying the drought-responsive sunflower gene Hahb4 was first developed in Argentina in 2019 and has already been approved for marketing and consumption as food/feed in at least ten countries. It has also been approved in Argentina and Brazil for commercial cultivation.
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Regulatory and governance gaps for human genome editing in Mexico Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Guillermo Aquino-Jarquin
Mexico has the in-house technical and regulatory capacity to undertake human genome editing (HGE) governance. However, its regulatory framework must be reformed to be more targeted and govern the application of any emerging HGE technologies, leaving no room for unethical or unsafe practices for reproductive purposes.
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The lignocellulosic biorefinery concept is sound: a commentary on Zhao et al. Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Carl Johan Franzén, Lisbeth Olsson, Katja Salomon Johansen
In the opinion paper by Zhao et al. ‘Making the biochemical conversion of lignocellulose more robust’, the authors claim that ‘…lignocellulose biorefinery is conceptually wrong’. In response, we argue that this claim itself has already been proved wrong by several companies.
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Shaping the future US bioeconomy through safety, security, sustainability, and social responsibility Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Aurelia Attal-Juncqua, Galen Dods, Nicole Crain, James Diggans, David Dodds, Steve Evans, Nick Fackler, Kevin Flyangolts, Kathleen Gibson, Margaret E. Kosal, Aditya Kunjapur, Russ Read, Brian Renda, Corinne D. Scown, Kissaou Tchedre, Krista Ternus, Beth Vitalis, Gigi Gronvall
Biomanufacturing practitioners and researchers describe the norms that should govern the growing, global field, to include safety, security, sustainability, and social responsibility. These ‘4S Principles’ should be broadly adopted so that the future of the field may provide the greatest benefits to society.
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From garages to ecosystems: the coevolution of life science incubators and accelerators Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Widya Mulyasasmita, David V. Schaffer, Risa Stack, Rowan Chapman
Incubators and accelerators catalyze the launch of life science startups and have evolved from simple facilities to vibrant ecosystems offering research infrastructure, programs, and funding. Analysis of financing activities indicates the outperformance of incubator companies relative to accelerators in fundraising, mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and initial public offerings (IPOs), attributed to
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Maximizing the benefits of biofilms in fermentation processes Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-15 Anming Xu, Fengxue Xin, Weiliang Dong, Min Jiang
Biofilm-based fermentation has great potential, as it possesses inherent characteristics such as self-immobilization, high resistance to reactants, and long-term activity. This forum focuses on research targets for promoting biofilm engineering to maximize the beneficial features of biofilms and to effectively utilize them in biofilm-mediated fermentation.
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Electrotransfer for nucleic acid and protein delivery Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 Aswin Muralidharan, Pouyan E. Boukany
Electrotransfer of nucleic acids and proteins has become crucial in biotechnology for gene augmentation and genome editing. This review explores the applications of electrotransfer in both ex vivo and in vivo scenarios, emphasizing biomedical uses. We provide insights into completed clinical trials and successful instances of nucleic acid and protein electrotransfer into therapeutically relevant cells
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Molecular design of microalgae as sustainable cell factories Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-12 Alexander Einhaus, Thomas Baier, Olaf Kruse
Microalgae are regarded as sustainable and potent chassis for biotechnology. Their capacity for efficient photosynthesis fuels dynamic growth independent from organic carbon sources and converts atmospheric CO2 directly into various valuable hydrocarbon-based metabolites. However, approaches to gene expression and metabolic regulation have been inferior to those in more established heterotrophs (e
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Converging bioprinting and organoids to better recapitulate the tumor microenvironment Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-09 Xiaoyu Wang, Yixue Luo, Yuankai Ma, Pengyu Wang, Rui Yao
Bioprinting shows excellent potential for preclinical tumor modeling, with significant advantages over 2D cell cultures in replicating the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, the use of tumor organoids in bioprinting models has emerged as a groundbreaking approach to simulate volumetric tumor tissues. This synergetic fabrication method leverages the advantages of the spatial and geometric control
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3D human tissue models and microphysiological systems for HIV and related comorbidities Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-08
Three-dimensional (3D) human tissue models/microphysiological systems (e.g., organs-on-chips, organoids, and tissue explants) model HIV and related comorbidities and have potential to address critical questions, including characterization of viral reservoirs, insufficient innate and adaptive immune responses, biomarker discovery and evaluation, medical complexity with comorbidities (e.g., tuberculosis
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Advances in 3D bioprinting for urethral tissue reconstruction Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-05 Daniel Booth, Ronak Afshari, Mahsa Ghovvati, Kaavian Shariati, Renea Sturm, Nasim Annabi
Urethral conditions affect children and adults, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections, voiding and sexual dysfunction, and renal failure. Current tissue replacements differ from healthy urethral tissues in structural and mechanical characteristics, causing high risk of postoperative complications. 3D bioprinting can overcome these limitations through the creation of complex, layered architectures
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Printed circuit boards: system automation and alternative matrix for biosensing Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-04 Supratim Mahapatra, Rohini Kumari, Pranjal Chandra
Circuit integration has revolutionized the diagnostic sector by improving the sensing ability and rapidity of biosensors. Bioelectronics has led to the development of point-of-care (PoC) devices, offering superior performance compared with conventional biosensing systems. These devices have lower production costs, are smaller, and have greater reproducibility, enabling the construction of compact sensing
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Designing RNA switches for synthetic biology using inverse-RNA-folding Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-01 Sumit Mukherjee, Danny Barash
RNA switches respond to specific ligands to control gene expression. They are widely used in synthetic biology applications and hold potential for future RNA-based therapeutic breakthroughs. However, the crux is their precise design. Here, we will discuss how inverse-RNA-folding could be utilized for the accurate design of RNA switches.
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Challenges in recombinant brain-derived neurotrophic factor production Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-25 Éllen F. Rodrigues, Ana L. Fachin, Mozart Marins, Rodrigo G. Stabeli, Renê O. Beleboni
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin of marked commercial, scientific, diagnostic, and therapeutic interest. The preservation of its structural cystine-knot is the main challenge in its industrial production. A suitable expression system is critical to achieve the most efficient production of bioactive and stable BDNF for pharmaceutical purposes.
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Harnessing the microbial world for human benefit Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-25 Yong Jun Goh, Brody J. DeYoung, Nicholas C. Dove, Brant R. Johnson, Matthew K. Martz, Matilda Mel, Patrick Videau
Abstract not available
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Precision fermentation to make non-alcoholic beer taste great Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-23 Simon Dusséaux, Victor Forman, Sotirios C. Kampranis
Abstract not available
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Engineering plants using diverse CRISPR-associated proteins and deregulation of genome-edited crops Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 Qamar U. Zaman, Ali Raza, Jorge Lozano-Juste, Li Chao, Michael G.K. Jones, Hua-Feng Wang, Rajeev K. Varshney
The CRISPR/Cas system comprises RNA-guided nucleases, the target specificity of which is directed by Watson–Crick base pairing of target loci with single guide (sg)RNA to induce the desired edits. CRISPR-associated proteins and other engineered nucleases are opening new avenues of research in crops to induce heritable mutations. Here, we review the diversity of CRISPR-associated proteins and strategies
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Engineering biomaterials for the recovery of rare earth elements Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-18 Quanhui Ye, Dong Wang, Na Wei
The escalating global demand for rare earth elements (REEs) and the overabundance of REE-containing waste require innovative technologies for REE recovery from waste to achieve a sustainable supply of REEs while reducing the environmental burden. Biosorption mediated by peptides or proteins has emerged as a promising approach for selective REE recovery. To date, multiple peptides and proteins with
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Intellectual property and funding: fueling Chinese synbio Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Lijuan Liao, Yi Lou, Xianming Tang, Zixin Deng, Jiangtao Gao
As China emerges as a synthetic biology (synbio) global leader, it faces distinct science–society challenges. Our series offers a snapshot of China’s synbio state, emphasizing the intersection and its policy implications. The debut piece elucidates the intellectual property rights (IPR)-funding interplay in China's expanding synbio territory, underlining its key role in driving innovation and commercialization
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Ethics and engagement: steering China’s synbio future Trends Biotechnol. (IF 17.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-15 Xianming Tang, Lijuan Liao, Yi Lou, Zixin Deng, Jiangtao Gao
In the final article of the series, we delve into the crucial role of public engagement and ethical guidelines in shaping the trajectory of synthetic biology (synbio) within China’s evolving scientific landscape. We discuss the interconnectedness of enhanced public discourse, stronger ethics, and responsible, transparent advancements in the field.