Research Highlights

What do computers and cells have in common? Can cells function as computers or recording devices? Can a bacterial computer be built? Synthetic biologists have recently developed a platform called SCRIBE (Synthetic Cellular Recorders Integrating Biological Events) to convert genomic DNA into a “tape” for recording and memorizing information. This article explores many interesting aspects of autonomous cellular memory and the potential applications of such living computational systems.

Suzanne Topalian was recognized in 2014 by Nature as one of “Ten People Who Mattered This Year” for her contributions in pioneering nivolumab, a programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitor that was recently approved in Japan for advanced melanoma treatment and that shifts the paradigm for a wide range of cancer therapies.

The 2014 West African Ebola outbreak has been an unprecedented public health emergency, with thousands infected across multiple countries and cases spreading internationally. This article examines the science behind this deadly hemorrhagic fever, including its pathogenesis, detection, the challenges it presents in the field, and research into new therapies such as monoclonal antibodies.

What is stain-free technology? How does it work in electrophoresis and western blotting? How does it compare with existing staining techniques? What are its advantages and possible concerns? Here is a technical review of this rapidly growing technological advance.

What does automated protein purification mean today? What might it look like tomorrow? Bioradiations talks to a variety of users about what they’re doing now to implement automation in their purification processes, and what possibilities they envision that will improve chromatography in the near future.

Bio-Rad’s groundbreaking Droplet Digital^™ PCR technology can be applied in a variety of applications to glean precious information that cannot be obtained by any other method. Find out more about how this technology has been used in applications such as quantification of cancer biomarkers, validation of next generation sequencing, distinguishing genomic variation, and more.

Can we construct molecules that will interfere with disease pathways? Dan Mitchell of the University of Warwick and his colleagues wanted to apply new synthesis techniques to interrupting HIV infection. Find out what they learned about the potential of these novel molecules using Bio-Rad’s ProteOn™ XPR36 System.

The QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system gives researchers an improvement in PCR precision and sensitivity. See how this innovative digital PCR system is enabling companies to create better products, improve workflow efficiencies, and validate results with greater accuracy than previous methods allowed.

This year the California Separation Science Society will present its annual Scientific Achievement Award to Professor Stellan Hjertén of Uppsala University. The award dinner will be held November 3, 2011 at the Waterfront Hotel in Jack London Square.

Rossi considers the discovery of RNAi as pivotal to antiviral discovery. “RNAi has become another important, powerful genetic tool we can use to further our antiviral work,” he says. Rossi’s lab became the first to publish research demonstrating the expression of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to inhibit HIV replication in human cells. Various aspects of RNAi and siRNAs continue to play a key role in his research on viral diseases and lymphomas.