Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Share this Article

You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license.

Poplar trees, which emit trace amounts of the gas isoprene, can be genetically modified not to harm air quality while leaving their growth potential unchanged, according to new research.

While providing benefits to the environment, some trees, like poplars, also emit gases to the atmosphere that worsen air pollution and alter climate.

The findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences are important because poplar plantations cover 9.4 million hectares (36,294 square miles) globallymore than double the land used 15 years ago. Poplars are fast-growing trees that are a source of biofuel and other products including paper, pallets, plywood, and furniture frames.

Poplars and other trees used in plantation agroforestry, including palms and eucalyptus, produce isoprene in their leaves in response to climate stress such as high temperature and drought. The isoprene alleviates those stresses by signaling cellular processes to produce protective molecules; however, isoprene is so volatile that millions of metric tons leak into the atmosphere each year.

The isoprene reacts with gases that tailpipe pollution produces to create ozone, which is a respiratory irritant. Isoprene also causes higher levels of atmospheric aerosol production, which reduces the amount of direct sunlight reaching the earth (a cooling effect), and it causes the global warming potential of methane in the atmosphere to increase (a warming effect). The warming effect is most likely greater than the cooling effect. The net effect of emitted isoprene is to worsen respiratory health and, most likely, warm the atmosphere.

Researchers genetically modified poplars not to produce isoprene, then tested them in three- and four-year trials at plantations in Oregon and Arizona.

They found that trees whose isoprene production was genetically suppressed did not suffer ill effects in terms of photosynthesis or biomass production. They were able to make cellulose, used in biofuel production, and grow as well as trees that were producing isoprene. The discovery came as a surprise, given the protective role of isoprene in stressful climates, especially in the case of the Arizona plantation.

The suppression of isoprene production in the leaves has triggered alternative signaling pathways that appear to compensate for the loss of stress tolerance due to isoprene, says lead author Russell Monson, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona. The trees exhibited a clever response that allowed them to work around the loss of isoprene and arrive at the same outcome, effectively tolerating high temperature and drought stress.

Our findings suggest that isoprene emissions can be diminished without affecting biomass production in temperate forest plantations, says coauthor Steven Strauss, a distinguished professor of forest biotechnology at Oregon State University.

Thats what we wanted to examinecan you turn down isoprene production, and does it matter to biomass productivity and general plant health? It looks like it doesnt impair either significantly.

To modify the poplars, the researchers used a genetic engineering tool known as RNA interference. RNA transmits protein coding instructions from each cells DNA, which holds the organisms genetic code. Scientists at the Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology at the Helmholtz Research Center in Munich, Germany who collaborated on the study developed the genetic tools for modifying the trees, and the protein analyses that revealed changes in the use of biochemical pathways.

RNA interference is like a vaccinationit triggers a natural and highly specific mechanism whereby specific targets are suppressed, be they the RNA of viruses or endogenous genes, Strauss says.

You could also do the same thing through conventional breeding. It would be a lot less efficient and precise, and it might be a nightmare for a breeder who may need to reassess all of their germplasm and possibly exclude their most productive cultivars as a result, but it could be done. New technologies like CRISPR, short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, which allows for precise DNA editing at specific stretches of the genetic code, should work even better.

In an additional discovery, the researchers found that trees were able to adjust to the loss of isoprene because most plantation growth takes place during cooler and wetter times of the year.

This means that, for this species, the natural seasonal cycle of growth works in favor of high biomass production when the beneficial effects of isoprene are needed least, Monson explains.

This observation also clarified an adaptive role for isoprene in natural forests, where protection that enhances survival during mid-season climate stress is likely more important than processes that promote growth early in the season.

The fact that cultivars of poplar can be produced in a way that ameliorates atmospheric impacts without significantly reducing biomass production gives us a lot of optimism, Monson says.

Were striving toward greater environmental sustainability while developing plantation-scale biomass sources that can serve as fossil fuel alternatives.

Additional researchers from Portland State University; the University of California, Riverside; NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center; and the Institute for Microbiology in Greifswald, Germany also collaborated on the study.

Funding came, in part, from the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Agriculture, and the German Ministry of Education and Research.

Source: Russell Monson for University of Arizona

See more here:
Genetically modified poplar trees won't pollute the air - Futurity: Research News

According to arecent reportin The Hindu Business Line, Indias intelligence agencies are investigating the role of a global investment company and international seed companies in supporting farmers organisation Shetkari Sanghatana (SS) in the distribution of illegally procured genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant (HT) cotton seeds. The planting of such seeds is an offence under the Environment Protection Act and Seeds Act.

In May 2019, SS broke the law and freely distributed these seeds. In early January 2020, it broke the law again by distributing second generation seeds. According to the report, a senior intelligence official had toldBusiness Linethat a global investment company, with investments in seeds and agrochemicals companies, has chosen to support the farmers organisation.

Business Line reports that the investment company is allegedly putting pressure on the Modi government to ensure that the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee fast tracks the clearance of HT seeds, so the seeds could be legally harvested and sold in the country.

In India,five high-level reportshave advised against the adoption of GM crops. Appointed by the Supreme Court, the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) Final Report (2013) was scathing about the prevailing regulatory system and highlighted its inadequacies and serious inherent conflicts of interest. The TEC recommended a 10-year moratorium on the commercial release of all GM crops.

The reason why Bt cotton to date, Indias only officially approved GM crop made it into farmers fields in the first place was due to approval by contamination. Bt cotton was discovered in 2001 growing on thousands of hectares in Gujarat. In March 2002, it was approved for commercial cultivation.

The pro-GMO lobby has again resorted to such tactics. The 2010 moratorium on Bt brinjal was implemented because science won out against a regulatory process that lacked competency, possessed endemic conflicts of interest and demonstrated a lack of expertise in GM risk assessment protocols, including food safety assessment and the assessment of environmental impacts.

As we have seen with the relentless push to get GM mustard commercialised, the problems persist. Now, to justify breaking the law, we are seeing unscientific claims and well-worn industry-inspired soundbites about GM crops: political posturing unsupported by evidence to try to sway the policy agenda in favour of GM.

Drawing on previous peer-reviewed evidence, a2018 paperin the journal Current Science by renowned scientists PC Kesavan and MS Swaminathan concluded that Bt crops and HT crops are unsustainable and globally have not decreased the need for toxic chemical pesticides, the reason for these GM crops in the first place.

We need to look at GM objectively becauseplenty of evidenceindicates it poses risks or is not beneficial and that non-GM alternatives are a better option. Moreover, many things that scientists are trying to achieve with GM have already beensurpassed by means of conventional breeding.

Those behind the distribution and planting of illegal seeds talk about helping the farmer. But the real agenda is to open-up India to GM and get farmers hooked on a corporate money-spinning GM seed-chemical treadmill.

The watchdog GMWatch recently produced an article about how hired public relations agencies and key individuals with firm links to the biotechnology sector are attempting to deceive the public and policy makers. The articles author, Jonathan Matthews, notes that in June 2019 the pro-GMO campaignerMark Lynasbegantalking upwhat heclaimedwas to be the worlds first pro-GMO protest.

The term astroturfing is the process by which orchestrated marketing and public relations campaigns are presented as emanating from grassroots participants or ordinary members of the public rather than from powerful corporate interests.Lynas, a well-known industry lobbyist, said the protest would involve Indian farmers planting banned GM seeds in what hecalledGandhi-style civil disobedience. This attention-grabbing campaign was being led by SS, which Lynasdescribedas very grass roots.

According to Matthews, SS is not a mass movement of grassroots farmers but an allegedlywell-fundedfringe group created by the lateSharad Joshi, a right-wing economist andmemberof the Advisory Board of the Monsanto-backedWorld Agricultural Forum, an organisation whose founder and first chairman was for many years Monsantos director of public policy.

Joshi was also Chairman of Shivar Agroproducts Ltd, says Matthews, but he is best remembered for his ultra-libertarian ideology, his links to certain farmersgroupsand the political party (Swatantra Bharat Paksh) that he founded all vehicles for promoting his free market fundamentalism.

Matthews says:

Lynas was not the first to present Shetkari Sanghatana as representing ordinary Indian farmers. A full two decades earlier, the European biotech industry and their PR firm Burson-Marsteller brought some of Shetkari Sanghatanas leading lights to Europe to try and counter the view that Indian farmers opposed GMO crops. To that end, they were toured around five different countries by the industrys lobby group, EuropaBio, which in apress releasepresented this free market fringe group, which islargelyconfined to the state of Maharashtra, as the mainstream farmers movement in India.

Matthews adds that the US is the biotech industrys chief propaganda hub for promoting wide-ranging fakery to the world. Referring to the illegal planting of HT cotton seeds and SS, he says:

Among the notable cheerleaders promoting the protesters cause were the Gates-backed GMO propaganda outfitThe Alliance for Science, which paysMark Lynasto lobby for GMOs;CS PrakashofAgBioWorld, who has long served as a conduit forMonsanto disinformation;Bayer-consultantandMonsanto collaboratorKevin Folta, who made apodcaston the protests withCS Prakash

Matthews piece, Fake Farmer Willi part of an international fake parade, provides details of the various characters and strategies involved in faking it for the biotech industry, not just in India but across the world.

As a market for GM proprietary seeds, chemical inputs and agricultural technology and machinery, India is vast. The potential market for herbicide growth alone for instance is huge: sales could now have reached USD 800 million with scope for even greater expansion, especially with the illegal push to get HT seeds planted.

With GM crops largely shut out of Europe and many countries reluctant to embrace the technology, Western agro-biotech conglomerates are desperate to seek out and expand into untapped (foreign) markets to maintain profitability.India presents potential rich pickings. And this is the bottom line: GM is not about helping farmers or feeding the masses (myths that have been deconstructed time and again). It is about hard-nose interests endeavouring to displace existing systems of production and capturing and exploiting markets by any means possible not least fakery and deception.

Continued here:
GM in India: Faking it on the Astroturf - CounterPunch

ROCK HILL, South Carolina and REHOVOT, Israel, Jan. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) and CollPlant Biotechnologies(NASDAQ: CLGN),announced signing a joint development agreement intended to play a pivotal role in advancing and accelerating breakthroughs in the biomedical industry. The collaboration brings together two industry pioneers--3D Systems, renowned for its 3D printing technologies and healthcare expertise; and CollPlant, the developer of proprietary recombinant human collagen (rhCollagen) BioInk technologycurrently used for 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs. The two companies plan to jointly develop tissue and scaffold bioprinting processes for thirdparty collaborators.

3D Systems and CollPlant recognized an unmet market need for a comprehensive solution to produce tissues and scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications. The companies intend to create integrated 3D bioprinting solutions comprised of state-of-the-art 3D bioprinters and BioInks to produce tissues and scaffolds. In accordance with the collaboration agreement, both companies may use a combination of 3D Systems' printers, CollPlant's BioInks, and new formulations of rhCollagen-based BioInks jointly developed by the companies, for their own products, as well as for deployments with third parties.

"3D Systems is excited to work with CollPlant to develop groundbreaking bioprinted tissue and scaffold technologies," said Chuck Hull, co-founder and chief technology officer, 3D Systems. "We believe 3D printing to be a key technology for regenerative medicine, and this collaboration is one of many we are entering to play an integral role in this exciting field.Combining our innovative 3D printing technologies with CollPlant's rhCollagen based BioInks has the potential to make a significant impact in bioprinting and regenerative medicine."

"We strongly believe that our proven rhCollagen is the finest building block for regenerative medicine tissues and scaffolds available today," Yehiel Tal, chief executive officer of CollPlant, stated. "As the leading additive manufacturing printing solutions company, 3D Systems is the perfect partner for us. Together, we can offer the best combined technology for 3D bioprinting. We are honored to have established this important collaboration and we look forward to working together to advance 3D bioprinting technology to the commercial phase."

About 3D Systems

More than 30 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading AM solutions company, it empowers manufacturers to create products and business models never before possible through transformed workflows. This is achieved with the Company's best-of-breed digital manufacturing ecosystem - comprised of plastic and metal 3D printers, print materials, on-demand manufacturing services and a portfolio of end-to-end manufacturing software. Each solution is powered by the expertise of the company's application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform manufacturing environments. 3D Systems' solutions address a variety of advanced applications for prototyping through production in markets such as aerospace, automotive, medical, dental and consumer goods. More information on the company is available atwww.3dsystems.com.

About CollPlant

CollPlant is a regenerative medicine company focused on 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, and medical aesthetics. Our products are based on our rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen) that is produced with CollPlant's proprietary plant based genetic engineering technology.

Our products address indications for the diverse fields of organ and tissue repair, and are ushering in a new era in regenerative medicine. Our flagship rhCollagen BioInk product line is ideal for 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs. In October 2018, we entered into a licensing agreement with United Therapeutics, whereby United Therapeutics is using CollPlant's BioInks to develop the manufacture of 3D bioprinted lungs for transplant in humans.

For more information about CollPlant, visit http://www.collplant.com

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to CollPlant's and 3D Systems' objectives, plans and strategies, as well as statements, other than historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that CollPlant and 3D Systems each intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believes," "hopes," "may," "anticipates," "should," "intends," "plans," "will," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "positioned," "strategy" and similar expressions and are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Many factors could cause CollPlant's and 3D Systems' actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the CollPlant's history of significant losses and its need to raise additional capital and its inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; CollPlant's and 3D Systems' expectations regarding the timing and cost of commencing clinical trials with respect to tissues and organs which are based on its rhCollagen-based BioInk; the CollPlant's and 3D Systems' or its business partners ability to obtain favorable pre-clinical and clinical trial results; regulatory action with respect to rhCollagen-based BioInk, including but not limited to acceptance of an application for marketing authorization, review and approval of such application, and, if approved, the scope of the approved indication and labeling; commercial success and market acceptance of the CollPlant's rhCollagen-based BioInk and 3D Systems' technologies; CollPlant's ability to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties and its reliance on third-party distributors and resellers; the CollPlant's and 3D Systems' ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; CollPlant's and 3D Systems' reliance on third parties to conduct some aspects of its product manufacturing; the scope of protection CollPlant and 3D Systems are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights and the companies' ability to operate their business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; the overall global economic environment; the impact of competition and new technologies; general market, political, and economic conditions in the countries in which the companies operate; projected capital expenditures and liquidity; changes in the companies' strategy; and litigation and regulatory proceedings. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting CollPlant and 3D Systems is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" included in CollPlant's most recent annual report on Form 20-F and 3D Systems' most recent annual report on Form 10-K, and in other periodic filings, that CollPlant and 3D Systems have filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and reflect CollPlant's and 3D Systems' current views with respect to future events, and neither company undertakes, and each company specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

3D Systems Corporation 333 Three D Systems Circle Rock Hill, SC 29730 http://www.3dsystems.com NYSE:DDD

Investor Contact: Email: investor.relations@3dsystems.com Media Contact: Nicole York,Email: press@3dsystems.com

CollPlant 4 Oppenheimer StreetRehovot7670104 Israelwww.collplant.com NASDAQ:CLGN

Investor & Media Contact: Eran Rotem, Deputy CEO Email: Eran@CollPlant.com Tel: +972-73-2325600

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3d-systems-and-collplant-biotechnologies-join-forces-to-accelerate-breakthroughs-in-regenerative-medicine-300985546.html

SOURCE CollPlant

Link:
3D Systems and CollPlant Biotechnologies Join Forces to Accelerate Breakthroughs in Regenerative Medicine - P&T Community

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Can an AI Be an Inventor? Not Yet.Angela Chen | MIT Technology Review[Ryan Abbott] believes there will be more and more cases where AI should be considered a genuine inventor and that the law needs to be ready. At stake in this discussion is the future of innovation, he says. Not allowing AI be recognized as an inventor is not only morally problematic, he says, but will lead to unintended consequences.

The Superpowers of Super-Thin MaterialsAmos Zeeberg | The New York TimesAs researchers like [Toms Palacios] see it, two-dimensional materials will be the linchpin of the internet of everything. They will be painted on bridges and form the sensors to watch for strain and cracks. They will cover windows with transparent layers that become visible only when information is displayed. Increasingly, the future looks flat.

Panasonics VR Glasses Support HDR and Look Pretty SteampunkSam Byford | The VergeThe problem with VR headsets is that they still all look like VR headsetsglorified ski goggles that shut you off from the world. my main takeaway from the demo was that hey, turns out its possible to make VR glasses that are both better qualityand with a better form factor.

Why the Quantum Internet Should Be Built in SpaceEmerging Technology From the arXiv | MIT Technology Review[Sumeet Khatri and colleagues have] studied the various ways a quantum internet could be built and say the most cost-effective approach is to create a constellation of quantum-enabled satellites capable of continuously broadcasting entangled photons to the ground. In other words, the quantum internet should be space-based.

The Gene Drive Dilemma: We Can Alter Entire Species, but Should We?Jennifer Kahn | The New York Times MagazineA new genetic engineering technology could help eliminate malaria and stave off extinctionsif humanity decides to unleash it.

Bots Are Destroying Political Discourse as We Know ItBruce Schneier | The AtlanticSoon, AI-driven personas will be able to write personalized letters to newspapers and elected officials, submit individual comments to public rule-making processes, and intelligently debate political issues on social media. They will be replicated in the millions and engage on the issues around the clock, sending billions of messages, long and short. Putting all this together, theyll be able to drown out any actual debate on the internet.

Image Credit: Karlis Reimanis /Unsplash

Originally posted here:
This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through January 11) - Singularity Hub

DetailsCategory: More NewsPublished on Sunday, 12 January 2020 11:23Hits: 1134

LEVERKUSEN, Germany & FARMINGTON, CT, USA I January 10, 2020 I Bayer and Azitra Inc., a clinical-stage medical dermatology biotech company, today announced a joint development agreement to collaborate in the identification and characterization of skin microbiome bacteria. The partnership will leverage Azitras proprietary panel of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains to identify potential candidates for the treatment of adverse skin conditions and diseases. Based on the results of the research partnership, Bayer plans to develop selected Staphylococcus epidermidis strains into new natural skin care products under a future License Agreement. Prospective areas of application include medicated skin care products for sensitive, eczema-prone skin as well as therapeutic products for skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

Recent scientific publications suggest that microorganisms such as bacteria and especially skin-friendly bacteria, commonly referred to as skin microbiome, can significantly contribute to the protection of the skin from hostile invasions. Additional positive effects include supporting the recovery from skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, acne, and rosacea, and may also accelerate wound healing.

The skin microbiome offers a promising platform for the development and commercialization of natural skin care products more and more people are looking for. As Bayer is committed to the development of science-based consumer health products through our own research as well as external partnerships, were delighted to collaborate with Azitra. The company has already demonstrated tolerability of a selected Staphylococcus epidermidis strain in healthy volunteers and is now planning to start the clinical demonstration of efficacy, Heiko Schipper, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of Bayer Consumer Health, comments on the new partnership.

Bayer, a global leader in innovative and trusted skincare solutions, will actively contribute to the research collaboration by providing suitable topical formulations that are able to maintain Staphylococcus epidermidis viability while showing excellent skin compatibility and sensorial performance.

"We are strongly committed to the potential of the microbiome to provide significant benefits for improved skin health and appearance and by working together with Bayer I am confident we can deliver on the promise of this technology," states Richard Andrews, President and CEO of Azitra.

Azitras versatile platform technology offers further screening options for beneficial strains appropriate for the treatment of dermatological diseases such as atopic dermatitis, acne or psoriasis. In addition, Bayer will review the use of Azitras genetically modified bacteria in Dermatology and other Consumer Health areas such as Nutritionals and Digestive Health.

About Azitra

Azitra, Inc. is a clinical-stage medical dermatology company that combines the power of the microbiome with cutting-edge genetic engineering to treat skin disease. The company was founded in 2014 by scientists from Yale University and works with world-leading scientists in dermatology, microbiology, and genetic engineering to advance its pharmaceutical programs to treat cancer therapy associated skin rashes, targeted orphan indications and atopic dermatitis. Learn more at http://www.azitrainc.com

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2018, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of 39.6 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.6 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.2 billion euros. For more information, go to http://www.bayer.com.

SOURCE: Bayer

More here:
Bayer and Azitra partner to harness the human skin microbiome as a source for new natural skin care products for sensitive and eczema-prone skin |...

Agricultural practices have the potential to address climate change by sequestering carbon,witnesses told a Housesubcommittee Thursday at a hearing focused on regenerative agriculture and ag technology.

David Potere, head of GeoInnovation at Indigo Agriculture,outlinedhow his company is creating a new market for a different type of crop: carbon. The company, which was founded in 2014, has begun an initiative to sequester 1 trillion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide in farmland around the world, and through Indigo Carbon is offering farmers the opportunity to get paid for increasing the carbon content of their soil.

Bringing farmers into the solution can be a definitive part of the solution for climate change because of the potential of ag soils to absorb carbon, Potere told members of the House Innovation and Workforce Development Subcommittee.

Potere pointed totheEnergy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, which contains a provision allowing oil companies to receive a tax incentive for carbon sequestration when they pull oil out of the ground. The way the act is currently written, farmers don't get the same incentive.

If there is broad bipartisan support for federal policy that incentivizes corporate, industrial and energy producers to sequester carbon, why cant the same support be there when farmers try and do the same?Potere said.

When asked about other ways growers can employ ag technology to make their farms more sustainable, witnesses offered a variety of suggestions.

Roberto Meza, co-founder of Emerald Gardens Microgreens in Bennett, Colo., touted the importance of channeling funding into regenerative agriculture practices to help develop innovative models for producing food.

Interested in more climate changecoverage and insights? Receive a free month of Agri-Pulse or Agri-Pulse West by clickinghere.

Kevin France, president and CEO of SWIIM Systems in Denver,said instead of asking the government to create somethingnew, it should make programssuch as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program more accessible to farmers.

Douglas Jackson-Smith, professor and assistant director of the school of environment and natural resources at Ohio State University, brought up the missed opportunity and regulatory hurdles surroundinggenetic engineering. He said there are many technologies that could benefit farmers and consumers but havent hadthe opportunity to enter the marketplace because of the current regulatory process set in place on genetic engineering.

Witnesses and members of Congress also used the occasion to call for improved rural connectivity. Subcommittee chairman Jason Crow, D-Colo., called connectivitythe backbone of ag tech," noting the ability ofbroadband to makeit possible for farmers to aggregate and analyze data in real time. He emphasized the need forgreater deployment of high-speed internet in rural communities to help ag technology thrive.

Potere commented on the impact rural broadband access has had on his company, sayingIndigo has had tobuildmobile technology that is resilient to the lack of internet connectivity. Creating this technology for farmers has required Indigo to increase itsdevelopment cost, something Potere said puts unnecessary financialpressure on the company, especiallywhen a simple solution such as rural broadband already exists.Farmers, he said, just lack access to it.

For more news, go to http://www.Agri-Pulse.com.

Here is the original post:
Rural broadband and regenerative ag make waves in subcommittee hearing | 2020-01-09 - Agri-Pulse

Dont get an education for the sake of a degree; learn your lessons by heart

Noted nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Fakhar-e-Pakistan, has urged students to gain knowledge by learning it by heart and not for the sake of getting degrees.

He advised the youth to realise the importance of education, and to realise that they will not be able to accomplish anything in their lives without an education. He warned that there is no future for the people who ignore education.

Dr Khan made these remarks as the chief guest on the final day of a four-day 5th Dr AQ Khan Winter School Workshop that was held at the Jinnah Auditorium of the University of Karachis Dr AQ Khan Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (KIBGE).

Rather than spending five years in universities to get degrees and cram in the syllabus, students should work hard, and besides learning the theories, they should spend sufficient time in laboratories to learn how to operate different tools, said Dr Khan.

He said that students should also focus on conducting valuable research, and learn from the experiences of their teachers, class fellows and seniors. He added that the KIBGE is providing all necessary facilities required for conducting quality research, and its labs are equipped with modern tools and technologies.

Dr Khan said that he always takes pleasure in seeing faces of young researchers and scholars at the KIBGE. He said people frequently used to ask him to do something for Karachi and its youth, so he built the institute that is providing the highest standard of education in the entire country.

He advised the students that after completing their MPhil from the KIBGE, they should go abroad and take an admission in a PhD programme, and those who have done their PhDs must complete their post-doctorate from foreign universities, and then return to Pakistan to serve their beloved motherland.

Dr Khan suggested that young researchers and scholars gain knowledge and information from the experienced faculty of the KIBGE and use what they have learned from this institute in their practical lives so that the country can benefit from them. He also advised researchers to equip themselves with the latest information and seek perfection in their research.

KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said the university has given admissions to over 10,000 students this year in different programmes being run in morning and evening shifts.

He said KU has more than 19 institutes and research centres in the campus, including the KIBGE, and they are contributing a lot in promoting the research culture in the academia. He added that students and young researchers are quite lucky to get an admission in the university.

Dr Iraqi congratulated the researchers on the completion of their workshop and said that he hoped students have taken advantage by interacting with seasoned trainers and by doing on-hand work in the labs that are equipped with the latest tools and technologies.

He advised them to share what they have learned from the workshop with others and keep participating in such programmes. He mentioned that these events provide a lot of facilities under one roof and also give a chance of networking with field professionals.

Earlier, KIBGE Director General Prof Dr Abid Azhar shared that this institute provides equal opportunity to students across the country, and the whole faculty is so proud that their students are performing extraordinarily around the world.

National Centre for Proteomics Director Prof Dr Shamshad Zarina emphasised the dire need for such workshops, as these events are significant for the practical and scientific training of students. She applauded the syndicates decision of naming the centre after former KU VC and scientist Dr Zafar H Zaidi.

On the occasion, Dr Iraqi also distributed certificates among the participants. Later, computerised draws for Umrah and Hajj were conducted by Dr Khan, selecting Ghulam Fareed Gabool for Hajj, and Muhammad Hussain and Dr Sitwat Zehra for Umrah.

See original here:
Dont get an education for the sake of a degree; learn your lessons by heart - The News International

Field trials in the Northwest and Southwest show that poplar trees can be genetically modified to reduce negative impacts on air quality while leaving their growth potential virtually unchanged, says an Oregon State University researcher who collaborated on the study.

The findings, published . in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are important because poplar plantations cover 9.4 million hectares globally more than double the land used 15 years ago. Poplars are fast-growing trees that are a source of biofuel and other products including paper, pallets, plywood and furniture frames.

A drawback of poplar plantations is that the trees are also a major producer of isoprene, the key component of natural rubber and a pre-pollutant.

Increases in isoprene negatively affect regional air quality and also unbalance the global energy budget by leading to higher levels of atmospheric aerosol production, more ozone in the air and longer methane life. Ozone and methane are greenhouse gases, and ozone is also a respiratory irritant.

Poplar and other trees including oak, eucalyptus and conifers produce isoprene in their leaves in response to climate stress such as high temperatures.

A research collaboration led by scientists at the University of Arizona, the Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology in Germany, Portland State University and OSU genetically modified poplars not to produce isoprene, then tested them in three-year trials at plantations in Oregon and Arizona.

They found that trees whose isoprene production was genetically suppressed did not suffer any ill effects in terms of photosynthesis or biomass production they were able to make fuel and grow as well as trees that were producing isoprene.

Steve Strauss, distinguished professor of forest biotechnology in the OSU College of Forestry, said there are a couple of possible explanations for the findings.

One is that, without the ability to produce isoprene, the modified poplars appear to be making compensatory protective compounds.

Another is that most of the trees growth takes place during cooler times of the year, so heat stress, which triggers isoprene production, likely has little effect on photosynthesis at that time.

Our findings suggest that isoprene emissions can be diminished without affecting biomass production in temperate forest plantations, Strauss said. Thats what we wanted to examine can you turn down isoprene production, and does it matter to biomass productivity and general plant health? It looks like it doesnt impair either significantly. In Arizona, where its super hot, if isoprene mattered to productivity, it would show up in a striking way, but it did not. Plants are smart theyll compensate and do something different if they need to.

In this study, scientists used a genetic engineering tool known as RNA interference. RNA, ribonucleic acid, transmits protein coding instructions from each cells DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, which holds the organisms genetic code.

RNA interference is like a vaccination it triggers a natural and highly specific mechanism whereby specific targets are suppressed, be they the RNA of viruses or endogenous genes, Strauss said. You can also do this with CRISPR at the DNA level, and it usually works even better.

CRISPR, short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, targets specific stretches of genetic code for DNA editing at exact locations.

You could also do the same thing through conventional breeding, Strauss said. It would be a lot less efficient and precise, and it might be a nightmare for breeders who may need to reassess all of their germplasm and possibly exclude their most productive cultivars as a result, but it could be done.

Corresponding author Russ Monson of the University of Arizona said the study lays the groundwork for future isoprene research, including in different growing environments.

The fact that cultivars of poplar can be produced in a way that ameliorates atmospheric impacts without significantly reducing biomass production gives us a lot of optimism, Monson said. Were striving toward greater environmental sustainability while developing plantation scale biomass sources that can serve as fossil fuel alternatives. We also need to keep working toward solutions to the current regulatory and market roadblocks that make large-scale research and commercial uses for genetically engineered trees difficult.

Sustainable forest management systems and their certifying bodies operate under the assumption that genetically modified equates to dangerous, Strauss said.

If something is GMO, its guilty until proven safe in the minds of many and in our regulations today, he said. These technologies are new tools that require scientific research to evaluate and refine them on a case-by-case basis. We have a huge need for expanded production of sustainable and renewable forest products and ecological services, and biotechnologies can help meet that need.

Original article: Poplars genetically modified not to harm air quality grow as well as non-modified trees

Continued here:
Genetically engineered poplar trees slash air pollution in 3-year field trial - Genetic Literacy Project

FT516 IND Application Cleared by FDA for Advanced Solid Tumors in Combination with PDL1-, EGFR- and HER2-targeting Therapeutic Antibodies

Published Preclinical Data Demonstrate iPSC-derived NK Cells Engineered with High-affinity, Non-cleavable CD16 Enhance the Efficacy of Antibody Therapy

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed its second Investigational New Drug (IND) application for FT516, the Companys off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell product candidate derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel CD16 Fc receptor. This is the Companys fourth IND from its proprietary iPSC product platform cleared by the FDA, and enables the clinical investigation of FT516 in combination with monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy across a broad range of solid tumors.

While monoclonal antibodies are proven therapeutic agents that are often used early in the treatment of many cancers, the functional status of the patients NK cells has been shown to play an important role in mediating clinical activity and prolonging survival, said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. In particular, stable expression of the NK cell activating receptor CD16, and its binding affinity to therapeutic antibodies, are critical to promoting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Our first-of-kind, off-the-shelf approach with FT516 enables administration of multiple doses of CD16-engineered NK cells, and we are excited to investigate the potential of FT516 to augment the clinical efficacy of monoclonal antibody therapy in the setting of solid tumors.

FT516 expresses a novel high-affinity, non-cleavable variant of CD16 (hnCD16) that enhances its binding to therapeutic antibodies and prevents its down-regulation, which can significantly inhibit anti-tumor activity. A publication by scientists from the Company, the University of Minnesota, and the University of California, San Diego in the journal Blood (https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019000621), entitled Pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells with high-affinity non-cleavable CD16a mediate improved anti-tumor activity, highlights preclinical proof-of-concept data for FT516.

In the published studies, iPSC-derived NK cells expressing hnCD16 were shown to have superior therapeutic properties in vitro, including maintenance of CD16 expression and increased levels of cytokine production upon activation, compared to peripheral blood NK cells sourced from healthy donors. In an in vivo systemic tumor model of human lymphoma, treatment with iPSC-derived hnCD16 NK cells plus anti-CD20 mAb resulted in a significant improvement in survival (median survival exceeding 100 days) compared to treatment with anti-CD20 mAb alone or in combination with peripheral blood NK cells sourced from healthy donors (each of which showed median survival of 35 days). Additionally, iPSC-derived hnCD16 NK cells plus anti-HER2 mAb also conveyed a survival benefit in a xenograft model of SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma.

FT516 is the first-ever cell therapy in the world derived from a genetically engineered pluripotent stem cell cleared for clinical testing. The Company intends to initiate clinical investigation of FT516 in combination with tumor-target antibody therapy in solid tumors later this year. The Company is currently conducting an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial of FT516 as a monotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-directed mAbs for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma.

About Fate Therapeutics iPSC Product PlatformThe Companys proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that can be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with cycles of other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Companys first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Companys platform is uniquely capable of overcoming numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 250 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.

Story continues

About FT516FT516 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies. CD16 mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. ADCC is dependent on NK cells maintaining stable and effective expression of CD16, which has been shown to undergo considerable down-regulation in cancer patients. In addition, CD16 occurs in two variants, 158V or 158F, that elicit high or low binding affinity, respectively, to the Fc domain of IgG antibodies. Numerous clinical studies with FDA-approved tumor-targeting antibodies, including rituximab, trastuzumab and cetuximab, have demonstrated that patients homozygous for the 158V variant, which is present in only about 15% of patients, have improved clinical outcomes. The product candidate is being investigated in an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-directed monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma (NCT04023071).

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Companys immuno-oncology product candidates include natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell cancer immunotherapies, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The Companys immuno-regulatory product candidates include ProTmune, a pharmacologically modulated, donor cell graft that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease, and a myeloid-derived suppressor cell immunotherapy for promoting immune tolerance in patients with immune disorders. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.fatetherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the safety and therapeutic potential of the Companys NK cell product candidates, including FT516, its ongoing and planned clinical studies, and the expected clinical development plans for FT516. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company may cease or delay planned development and clinical trials of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including any delay in enrolling patients in current and planned clinical trials, requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the conduct of clinical trials or to support regulatory approval, difficulties in manufacturing or supplying the Companys product candidates for clinical testing, or the occurrence of any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during development), the risk that results observed in preclinical studies of its product candidates, including FT516, may not be replicated in ongoing or future clinical trials or studies, and the risk that its product candidates may not produce therapeutic benefits or may cause other unanticipated adverse effects. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Companys actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Companys most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Companys press releases and other investor communications.Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:Christina TartagliaStern Investor Relations, Inc.212.362.1200christina@sternir.com

See more here:
Fate Therapeutics Announces Expansion of FT516 Clinical Investigation and Publication of Preclinical Data in the Journal Blood - Yahoo Finance

Few academics eagerly engage the public on controversial scientific topics, content to quietly focus on their research. Agricultural economist and author Stuart Smyth isnt among them. No stranger to social media and a frequent contributor to the Genetic Literacy Project, Smyth has consistently worked to translate his detailed books and scholarly publications about crop biotechnology into digestible educational content geared toward a general audience.

In recent years, Smyth has taken on popular myths about GMOs, called for sensible regulation of biotechnology and faced down the activist groups that have attempted to smear him for daring to teach consumers not to be afraid of their food.

On this episode of the Talking Biotech podcast, Smyth joins plant geneticist Kevin Folta to discuss his views on the risks and benefits of GMO crops, arguing that genetic engineering is a safe and thoroughly studied tool that has made our food supply more bountiful. Smyth also answers some tough questions about the ever-present threat posed by pesticide-resistant insects and weeds and how farmers are working to outsmart them.

While pests have always hassled farmers, government biotech rules, especially those in Europe, have created a significant burden in the last few decades for the people who grow our food. Smyth discusses the current situation in the European Union and how scientists are working at a hurried pace to reverse the situation as new technologies come online, most notably tools like CRISPR gene editing.

Stuart J. Smyth is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and holds the Industry Funded Research Chair in Agri-Food Innovation at the University of Saskatchewan. Follow him on Twitter @stuartsmyth66

Kevin M. Folta is a professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida. Follow professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta and email your questions to [emailprotected]

The Talking Biotech podcast, produced by Kevin Folta, is available for listening or subscription:

Apple Podcasts|Android|Email|Google Podcasts|Stitcher|RSS|Player FM|Pod Directory|TuneIn

Read more here:
Podcast: Agricultural economist Stuart Smyth explains the risks and benefits of GMOs and the future of crop biotechnology - Genetic Literacy Project