Category Archives: Biotechnology

2/16/2017 The Executive Board of the European Federation of Biotechnology has selected Maastricht as the host city for their flagship congress from 28 June 1 July, 2020. The European Congress on Biotechnology is the longest established congress in biotechnology and attracts 1,000+ delegates from academia and industry. The scientific programme covers the spectrum of biotechnologies, reflecting the EFBs mission to promote the safe, sustainable and ethical use of biological systems for the benefit of mankind.

Jeff Cole, Vice President, EFB and Chair of the Congress Organising Committee, announced the win for Maastricht, saying Following a competitive process, we are delighted to confirm Maastricht as our host destination for ECB 2020. We were particularly impressed with the Local Organising Committee members from the Dutch Biotechnology Society who have committed their time and connections to ensure we have an outstanding scientific programme and the essential support of industry. The strength of Maastricht as a biotechnology hub will undoubtedly be an attraction for our delegates.

Caroline Windsor, TFI Group - professional conference organiser for the EFB added Maastricht is a superb location for ECB 2020. The MECC lends itself to our congress requirements including integrated space for exhibition, posters and catering as well as multiple auditoria for concurrent sessions. The city is compact with a good choice of hotels and social programme venues for networking out of conference hours.

The bid was led by Jurgen Moors, Managing Director, Maastricht Convention Bureau and Jordy Rijksen, Business Development Manager, Maastricht MECC. They reacted to the news by saying On behalf of the city of Maastricht and the Maastricht Convention Bureau we can state we are pleased to hear that Maastricht has officially been selected as destination for the 2020 edition of the ECB. This underlines that everything our city has to offer, the proactive local congress community and the fact that the Maastricht Region is internally recognised as a main European hub in the field of biotechnology were main decisive criteria for the Executive Board of the European Federation of Biotechnology.

The scientific ambassadors for the bid, Prof. Aldrik Velders, Chair of the BioNanoTechnology Group at Wageningen University, and Dr Emile van de Sandt, Director Research & Development of DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals, added The Dutch Society of Biotechnology is very pleased to host the ECB2020. With our strong academic and industrial network we are looking forward to organising an inspiring conference that will bring together scientists from all over Europe that are active in the more established as well as emerging fields of Biotechnology.

The biennial European Congress on Biotechnology circulates to cities that are centres of excellence in biotechnology. The ECB2018 congress will be in Geneva from 1 4 July 2018: for more information, see http://www.ecb2018.com.

The Maastricht Convention Bureau is the intermediary to promote convention and meeting visits to Maastricht and surroundings. Our goal is to make a structural contribution to the economic development of Maastricht and surroundings. The Maastricht Convention Bureau office is situated in building where the offices of MECC Maastricht are located as well. The complete address details are: Maastricht Convention Bureau | Duboisdomein 5b | 6229 GT MAASTRICHT | THE NETHERLANDS

Contact: info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com

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Maastricht, the Netherlands, Selected to Host European Congress on Biotechnology 2020 - Exhibitor Online

CRISPR is a life-changing genetic modification technology that could potentially cure cancer and eradicate genetic conditions before a child is born. But there is a dark side to the potential of this technology.

The patent dispute over CRISPR technology has been settled.

AN INFLUENTIAL US science advisory committee this week said genetic modification of human embryos should be allowed in the future to eliminate diseases, sparking new debate on a controversial topic.

The report by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) caused concern among some researchers who fear that genetic tools could be used to boost certain peoples intelligence or create people with particular physical traits.

Clinical trials for genome editing of the human germ line adding, removing or replacing DNA base pairs in gametes or early embryos could be permitted in the future, said the report, released Wednesday (AEST).

But only, it added, for serious conditions under stringent oversight.

The emergence of inexpensive and accurate gene-editing technology, known as CRISPR/Cas9, has fuelled an explosion of new research opportunities and potential clinical applications, both heritable and non-heritable, to address a wide range of human health issues, the report said.

The committee of international experts was convened to examine scientific, ethical and governance issues surrounding human genome editing.

The experts noted that clinical trials on gene editing for certain non-hereditary traits are already under way.

These therapies affect only the patient, not any offspring, and should continue for treatment and prevention of disease and disability, using the existing ethical norms and regulatory framework for development of gene therapy, it said.

There is plenty of concern about the designer human floodgates opening.Source:YouTube

The warning come as a major patent battle over the technology was settled in the US in recent days.

What many described as the biotechnology trial of the century, the Broad Institute won the patent to the popular gene-editing process known as CRISPR/Cas-9.

The legal battle over who really invented the technology pitted Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute a research facility affiliated with Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology against French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Max Planck Institute in Berlin and biochemist Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley.

Both sides claimed to have developed CRISPR-Cas9, which allows scientists to edit stretches of the genome by removing, adding or changing pieces of the DNA sequence.

Jennifer Doudna of UC Berkeley ultimately lost out in the dispute.Source:Getty Images

Scientists say the technology has the potential to cure diseases but also raises ethical questions, particularly when it comes to the prospect of forever altering the human race.

Charpentier and Doudna have won multiple prizes in the past four years and were widely considered to have discovered this gene-editing technique. Their work was first published in the journal Science in June 2012.

This important decision affirms the inventiveness of the Broads work in translating the biology of the natural world into fundamental building blocks to create unprecedented medicines, said a statement by Katrine Bosley, president and chief executive officer of Editas Medicine, which has an exclusive licence on the Broad Institutes patent for human-therapy applications.

The Atlantic magazine described Editas Medicine as the biggest winner.

Assuming the patent decision does not change, Editas will be the major player in human CRISPR therapies in the foreseeable future, it said.

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The biotechnology trial of the century over CRISPR patent settled in US court - NEWS.com.au

LONDON, Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global white biotechnology market is expected to reach USD 487.08 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising awareness and emphasis for the adoption of greener and environment-friendly technologies in various end-use industries is expected to drive the market over the next eight years.

Biofuels accounted for over 35% of the market in terms of revenue on account of rising government regulations to include the product in combination with conventional energy sources including diesel and gasoline. Growing product use in the agricultural sector is likely to drive the demand over the next eight years.

Rising biodiesel demand as a raw material for the manufacturing of resins, and polymers will fuel industry growth over the forecast period. Volatility of crude oil prices is expected to encourage various manufacturers in the market to increase biofuel production over the next eight years which in turn will propel technology demand.

Increasing technology use in the manufacturing of various high-value products such as base chemicals, consumer chemicals and specialty chemicals is expected to positively impact industry growth. In addition, rising concerns regarding depletion of oil reserves and non-degradability of synthetic resources derived from oil are expected to boost the adoption of this technology in various regions particularly North America and Europe.

Further key findings from the report suggest:

Global white biotechnology market demand was 203.28 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2016 to 2024.

The biofuels segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9% from 2016 to 2024. Advantages such as the ability to use directly in any unmodified diesel engine coupled with reduced particulate emissions are likely to fuel the growth of this industry over the next eight years.

Food and feed additives application are expected to register a CAGR of around 10% from 2016 to 2024 accounting for over 20% of the total revenue in 2015. Rising use of this technology in improving the texture, edibility and extending the shelf life of perishable food products is expected to drive the growth over the forecast period.

Biochemicals held the significant share, owing to its wide application scope in the chemical production process. Growing application scope of this technology on account of its use in efficient processing of chemicals is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.

Asia Pacific accounted for a significant share of over 20% in 2015. The ready availability of biobased raw materials coupled with cheaper manufacturing costs is expected to fuel the growth. The region is also projected to witness a growth of over 8% from 2016 to 2024.

The industry is fragmented with a large number of major manufacturers present across the globe primarily in Europe and North America. Leading companies present in the global white biotechnology include DSM, Bayer, DSM, Evonik, Dow Chemicals, Henkel, BASF, DuPont, and LANXESS.

BASF is involved in manufacturing chemicals, performance products, plastics, oil & gas and crop protection products. The company has six business segments including plastics, gas exploration & production, chemicals, performance products, agricultural products and functional solutions. In March 2015, BASF along with eight other companies launched a project called PRODIAS (Processing Diluted Aqueous Systems) which focuses on optimizing various production processes for renewable products

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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-biotechnology-market-analysis-by-product-by-application-and-segment-forecasts-to-2024-300407371.html

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White Biotechnology Market Analysis By Product, By Application and ... - Yahoo Finance

Seeking Alpha

Biotechnology: Off To New Highs Seeking Alpha After an extended period of consolidation, the biotechnology sector appears to be gathering momentum to spike higher and record new 52-week highs. There has been a tangible shift in investor sentiment relating to the regulatory landscape, which has ...

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Biotechnology: Off To New Highs - Seeking Alpha

A report recently published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says a total of 8.1 million people are currently facing acute food insecurity in Nigeria.

According to the report, the food crisis, which represents 9 percent of the population, may further deteriorate to 8.7 million in the next lean period of June-August 2017.

It adds that the number of severely food-insecure people may rise to 11 million, as over 2 million people may likely fall into emergency situation, while another 121,000 is prone to famine.

With the current population of over 180 million people, famine, malnutrition and hunger are staring the nation in the face. All these emergency situations are closely linked with the inability to produce enough food to feed the people, which make it obvious that the conventional method of agriculture is not working for us.

Agricultural biotechnology has been suggested as one of the tools that can contribute to solving the food production deficit in the country and has taken concrete steps to entrench biotechnology in agricultural production. This is because Nigeria, like most African countries, may face two daunting challenges in the 21st century: how to feed its growing population and secondly how to adapt to climate change.

Speaking at a one day sensitisation workshop on the appplication of modern biotechnology and biosafety regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with the theme Agricultural Biotechnology Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms in Nigeria: Faith Based Perspectives, the director-general of the National Biotechnology Technology Agency (NABDA), Prof. Lucy Ogbadu, stressed that agricultural biotechnology could help Nigeria address the critical issue of food insecurity.

She said the workshop organised by the agency; the National Biosafety Managemt Agency (NBMA); the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria Chapter, in collaboration with the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CNS) and the Action Family Foundation (AFF) aimed at engaging relevant faith-based and civil society stakeholders on issues of modern biotechnology/biosafety to provide evidence-based advice for policy making.

The NABDA boss, however, noted that the application of modern biotechnology and biosafety regulation of GMOs is one of the most highly debated issues globally, saying Nigeria has not been left out of this debate.

She explained that some stakeholders are still opposed to the establishment in 2015 of the NBMA, an agency saddled with the responsibility to ensure safe and responsible application of this technology for sustainable food production, wealth creation, job creation, poverty alleviation etc. pointing out that the adoption of GMOs by Nigeria is not just a scientific issue, but one with economical, social, and ethical ramifications.

Ogbadu said it became necessary that all groups of stakeholders were carried along at each step of the adoption process, hence, the convening of the workshop with the faith-based organizations.

Giving the workshops objectives, the OFAB Nigeria Chapter coordinator, Dr. Rose Gidado, said it was to raise awareness and sensitise the faith-based groups about issues related to GMOs, their use, and biosafety regulation; address expressed areas of peoples concerns about GMOs; harvest the inputs by participants to guide further refining of the national approaches to the introduction of GMOs; and foster collaboration among stakeholders.

The Bishop of the Catholic Arch Diocese of Abuja, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said the Catholic Church had nothing against or for the adoption of the controversial GMOs in the country.

The cardinal, represented by his auxiliary, Most. Rev. Anselm Umoren said the Catholic Church did not have anything against GMOs or for it, but believed that biotechnology is about science, which is about many other things that are much more natural than manipulation of genes for certain results.

He said the issue of GMOs would continue to generate tension in the country until all the scientific proofs were substantiated and certified.

Onaiyekan said: The Catholic Church has nothing or against GMO. The issue of GMO will continue to generate tension. I am not sure whether it is not about Catholic Church but it is about humanity in general and it has to do with safety, health and so on.

In his remarks, the director-general of NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba, explained that the Federal Government had put adequate measures in place to address concerns that might be raised by any group of people with regard to the safety of biotechnology and GMOs.

The issue of the National Biosafety Management Act is the first measure the federal government has put in place as well as the establishment of the NBMA to ensure that the practice of modern biotechnology is done in compliance with some certain laid down rules and regulations and in that light the agency is well established to see that nothing unsafe as regards to GMOs is allowed into the country.

Nigeria needs not to be bothered as biotechnology is a scientific evolution which is going on globally and Nigeria as a country is adequately prepared for this evolution, he stated.

Speaking to journalists, the vice national president of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Chief Daniel Okafor, called for more awareness creation on the benefits of biotechnology because Nigerians are still ignornant of the gains of the technology.

He said: We cant do without technology, as a farmer weve been farming for a long time and the yields are not enough. We are talking about increase in yield. We have gone around the world with biotechnology agencies and we noticed that other farmers around the world that have already embraced this technology are doing very well. We need more awareness creation so farmers can also begin to enjoy what their counterparts across the globe are already enjoying.

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Why Nigeria Needs To Key Into Biotechnology Global Evolution - Leadership Newspapers

February 14, 2017 9:21am NASDAQ:IBB

From Jon Markman: It really is a brave new world. Not long ago, a group of prominent scientists announced plans for a project to create synthetic human DNA from scratch.

That seems appropriate for Valentines Day. If you dont like your lover, one day you might just be able to design a new one.

The project will be led by synthetic biologists Jef Boeke, of the Langone Medical Center at New York University, and George Church, of Harvard Medical School. And it will take up where the previous project to read the human genome ended.

In 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was completed. It was supposed to open the door to countless new treatments and cures for illnesses that had plagued humans for centuries. It didnt quite work out that way. It seems understanding the relationship between genes and illness is more complex than scientists originally thought.

The Human Genome Project-write (HGP-write), as the name implies, will attempt to synthetically write human DNA code. The idea is that writing and understanding genetic code made from scratch will help scientists learn more about those complex gene relationships.

And while creating the building blocks for human life in a lab may seem like science fiction, there is some precedent.

In 2010, scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute created bacteria controlled by a synthetic genome, effectively turning code back into life. HGP-write will be like that experiment, only on a much bigger scale.

Writing DNA is tedious and expensive work. It involves precisely manipulating tiny amounts of chemicals and a DNA molecule.

These chemicals are sugary building blocks designated A, T, C and G and they must be added in the correct amounts and the proper order hundreds of times to change the structure of DNA.

Boeke and Church believe completing HGP-write will shrink development costs for DNA fabrication by a factor of one thousand. If true, that could actually lead to all of the revolutionary treatments promised by the original Human Genome Project. Yet, pesky ethical questions remain.

These are heightened by Churchs own colorful and controversial history. In his 2012 book, Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves, he wrote about a world where humans with genomes made in the lab become immune to all viruses. According to Church this could be done simply by removing the host material from our genes that viruses need to replicate. And thats just a start. Hes been vocal about his efforts to resurrect the wooly mammoth now that perfectly preserved DNA material from the prehistoric beast has been recovered. Church is also using CRISPR, a gene editing tool he helped develop, to alter pig genes so that their organs can be transplanted into humans. As for humans, hes not shy about his cradle-to-grave outlook.

Hes aggressively in favor of gene editing to avoid potential birth defects and hes working with gene therapies to reverse the aging process. It doesnt help that when hes pressed about ethics, he demurs to comparisons to the industrial revolution. This type of talk often lands scientists in hot water. And Church has been cooked so many times that he should have developed a rubbery exterior by now. Hell need it.

It should take $100 million and ten years to create the human genome from scratch. If the project is successful, scientists say theyll restrict potential use cases to the petri dish to avoid ethical considerations. Thats not exactly Mary Shelleys Frankenstein but it is one giant step closer to Aldous Huxleys Brave New World.

As is often the case in biotech, the most reliable investment for investors in this space will be the proverbial picks and shovels: The makers of lab equipment and disposables, like Becton Dickinson and Co. (BDX), Teleflex Inc. (TFX) and Cantel Medical Corp. (CMD).

Of course, the members of my services Tech Trend Trader receive both more numerous stock recommendations and more detailed analyses of the companies behind them.

The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index ETF (NASDAQ:IBB) rose $0.50 (+0.17%) in premarket trading Tuesday. Year-to-date, IBB has gained 8.07%, versus a 4.10% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

IBB currently has an ETF Daily News SMART Grade of A (Strong Buy), and is ranked #2 of 36 ETFs in the Health & Biotech ETFs category.

This article is brought to you courtesy of Money And Markets.

Tags: biotech NASDAQ:IBB

Categories: NASDAQ:IBB

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Biotech's Next Big Catalyst Could Be Synthetic DNA - ETF Daily News (blog)

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund (IBB) traded higher in the last at $284.75, gaining 0.19 points or 0.07%. From the data available, it can be said that the stock did not make an impact in the money flow department with the net figure coming to be $(-2.92) million. The composite uptick value of $19.32 million was eclipsed by the accrued downtick value of $22.25 million, thereby ensuring the up/down ratio of 0.87. For the week, the shares have posted returns of 0.6%.

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology is having a Relative Strength Index of 61.82 which indicates the stock is not yet over sold or over bought based on the technical indicators.

Based on the Stock Research reports from financial advisors, there are Analysts recommending as a Strong Buy, and Analysts recommending as a Moderate Buy. Investors should also note that Stock brokerage firms are recommending to Hold the stock for short term. Stock Research experts are recommending to Sell based on the growth. There are Analysts recommending as a Strong Sell.

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund (NASDAQ:IBB) witnessed a decline in the market cap on Friday as its shares dropped 0.07% or 0.19 points. After the session commenced at $284.48, the stock reached the higher end at $285.88 while it hit a low of $283.55. With the volume soaring to 764,100 shares, the last trade was called at $284.37. The company has a 52-week high of $301.8. The company has a market cap of $8,332 million and there are 29,300,000 shares in outstanding. The 52-week low of the share price is $240.3.

The ISHARES NASDAQ BIOTECHNOLOGY INDEX FUND seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of companies primarily engaged in the biotechnology industry, as represented by the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index.

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Large Outflow of Money Witnessed in iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund - Highland Mirror

The last five years have witnessed amazing acceleration of innovation in biotechnology. CRISPR will lead to precision gene editing that could vastly improve food crop yields and provide cures to cancer. Lightning-fast gene sequencing will enable early detection of cancer from a simple blood test. High-speed bulk data transfer allows the entire genomes of millions of people to be compared online in the search for cures to both common and rare diseases. Neuromorphic chips will accelerate the dawn of artificial intelligence, and smart prostheses will allow para- and quadriplegic patients to move, the deaf to hear, and the blind to see.

Discovery of synergies in applications that blur the boundaries of traditional science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will continue to fuel this exponential growth of innovation. In spite of this exuberant trend, it is important to remember that innovation and discovery often outpace the regulatory structures that ensure their best and most ethical use in society.

The bioethics field traditionally is interpreted as pertaining mainly to the medical interests of humans. It has dealt with five key issues: beneficence, non-maleficence, patient autonomy, social justice, and patient confidentiality. However, with the advent of nanotechnology and other technologies that allow inter-kingdom transfer of genetic material, a need exists to establish a broader interpretation. Theologian Brian Edgar1 notes that a more robust definition should comprise six key considerations: respect for the intrinsic value of all life, valuing human uniqueness, preserving organismal integrity, recognizing ecologic holism, minimizing future liability, and producing social benefit. These considerations, while not expected to provide all of the answers to ethical dilemmas faced by technological advancement, create a framework for productive discussion of the most important aspects of biotechnology.

As Christians, we must also acknowledge that we are made in the image of God2, and have the unique ability, of all created things, to have a relationship with our Creator. In thoughtfully considering the implications of having been thus created, we have the responsibility of honoring Him by not only valuing human life, but by valuing and caring for His creation as well. If we actively and consistently apply this principle to guide us in making decisions about the application of biotechnology, the benefits to ourselves and to our world will be tremendous.

Posted: February 10, 2017

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Why Bioethics Matters in Biotechnology - Azusa Pacific University

Scientists at the University of Illinois say they have developed a new technique of genetic engineering for basic and applied biological research and medicine. Their work ("Programmable DNA-Guided Artificial Restriction Enzymes"), reported inACS Synthetic Biology,could open new doors in genomic research by improving the precision and adherence of sliced DNA, according to the investigators.

"Using our technology, we can create highly active artificial restriction enzymes with virtually any sequence specificity and defined sticky ends of varying length," said Huimin Zhao, Ph.,D., professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, who leads a synthetic biology research group at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at Illinois. "This is a rare example in biotechnology where a desired biological function or reagent can be readily and precisely designed in a rational manner."

Restriction enzymes cut DNA at a specific site and create a space wherein foreign DNA can be introduced for gene-editing purposes. This process is not achieved only by naturally occurring restriction enzymes; artificial restriction enzymes, or AREs, have risen to prominence in recent years. CRISPR/Cas9, a bacterial immune system used for "cut-and-paste" gene editing, and TALENs, or transcription activator-like effector nucleases, which are modified restriction enzymes, are two popular examples of such techniques.

Though useful in genetic engineering, no AREs generate defined "sticky ends"an uneven break in the DNA ladder structure that leaves complementary overhangs, improving adhesion when introducing new DNA. "If you can cleave two different DNA samples with the same restriction enzyme, the sticky ends that are generated are complementary," explained graduate student Behnam Enghiad. "They will hybridize with each other, and if you use a ligase, you can stick them together."

However, restriction enzymes themselves have a critical drawback: the recognition sequence that prompts them to cut is very short, usually only four to eight base pairs. Because the enzymes will cut anywhere that sequence appears, researchers rely on finding a restriction enzyme whose cut site appears only once in the genome of their organism or plasmid, an often difficult proposition when the DNA at hand might be thousands of base pairs long.

This problem has been partially solved simply by the sheer number of restriction enzymes discovered: more than 3600 have been characterized, and over 250 are commercially available. "Just in our freezer, for our other research, we have probably over 100 different restriction enzymes," said Enghiad. "We look through them all whenever we want to assemble something. The chance of finding the unique restriction site is so low."

"Our new technology unifies all of those restriction enzymes into a single system consisting of one protein and two DNA guides. Not only have you replaced them, but you can now target sites that no available restriction enzymes can."

The new method creates AREs through the use of an Argonaute protein (PfAgo) taken fromPyrococcus furiosus, an archeal species. Led by a DNA guide, PfAgo is able to recognize much longer sequences when finding its cut site, increasing specificity and removing much of the obstacles posed by restriction enzymes. Furthermore, PfAgo can create longer sticky ends than even restriction enzymes, a substantial benefit as compared to other AREs.

"When we started, I was inspired by a paper about a related proteinTtAgo. It could use a DNA guide to cleave DNA, but only up to 70 degrees," continued Enghiad. "DNA strands start to separate over 75 degrees, which could allow a protein to create sticky ends. If there were a protein that was active at higher temperatures, I reasoned, that protein could be used as an artificial restriction enzyme. SoI started looking for that, and what I found was PfAgo."

In addition to replacing restriction enzymes in genetic engineering processes, Enghiad and Dr. Zhao believe their technology will have broad applications in the biological research. By creating arbitrary sticky ends, PfAgo could make assembly of large DNA molecules easier and would enable cloning of large DNA molecules, such as biochemical pathways and large genes.

The application of these techniques is broad-reaching, they say, ranging from discovery of new small-molecule drugs to engineering of microbial cell factories for synthesis of fuels and chemicals to molecular diagnostics of genetic diseases and pathogens, which are the areas Dr. Zhao and Enghiad are currently exploring.

"Due to its unprecedented simplicity and programmability (a single protein plus DNA guides for targeting), as well as accessibility...we expect PfAgo-based AREs will become a powerful and indispensable tool in all restriction enzyme or nuclease-enabled biotechnological applications and fundamental biological research," predicts Dr. Zhao. "It is to molecular biology as the CRISPR technology is to cell biology."

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Revolutionizing Biotechnology with Artificial Restriction Enzymes ... - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (press release)

Mission Statement

The mission of the Biotechnology Program at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is to provide its students with an education that establishes a strong foundation and appreciation for understanding developments in the rapidly advancing field of biotechnology, to develop the technical and critical thinking skills necessary for success in the field, to foster ethical behavior, and to promote outreach.

The field of modern biotechnology was born of molecular biology and biochemistry. Modern Biotechnology provides a set of tools that allow scientists to modify and harness the genetic capabilities of organisms. This has led to rapid advances in many areas including pharmaceutical development, agriculture, food microbiology, medical devices and environmental sciences.

Some examples of the products of biotechnology include herbicide, drought and insect resistant crops, drugs targeted specifically to disease processes resulting in fewer side effects, and bioremediation capable of removing greater amounts of environmental toxins at reduced cost.

The Biotechnology major at UWRF is an interdepartmental program with an emphasis on the molecular basis of life and the techniques utilized to study and control these processes under in vivo, in vitro, and commercial production conditions. UWRF LogoThe Biotechnology curriculum is an integrated sequence of courses selected from the curricula of the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Animal and Food Science, and Plant and Earth Science. It includes both traditional offerings of the departments involved and courses that reflect advances in biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. The Biotechnology major is designed to provide students interested in pursuing careers in this rapidly expanding field with the academic background required to either secure entry level positions in industry or to continue their education in graduate or professional schools. A student may complete a B.S. degree in Biotechnology in the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Current curriculum check list (2008-2009)

Planning sheets

A scholarship has been established that is awarded to an outstanding junior or senior biotechnology major that either has worked on a research project, or will be participating in a research project during the year of the scholarship award. Follow the link above for information regarding scholarship criteria, recipients of the scholarship, and contributing to the scholarship fund.

Assessment of student learning is important to the University, the Colleges and the Biotechnology Program. Through appropriate assessment practices, we maintain a strong, current degree program and improve the quality of the education our students receive.

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Biotechnology | University of Wisconsin River Falls