Bio-Link News


	Biotech in the News

	Bio-Link Newsletters BIO 2007 Community College Program

	Biotech by State

Biotech in the News

05/01/08
Researchers find gene defect that boosts glucose
LONDON (Reuters) - An international research team has pinpointed a genetic mutation that can raise a healthy person's blood sugar to harmful levels, putting them at higher risk of serious problems like heart disease.

04/30/08
New type of stem cells coaxed into heart tissue
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new type of powerful stem cell made from ordinary skin cells has been coaxed into becoming three different types of heart and blood cells in mice, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

04/29/08
New genes for osteoporosis may help guide treatment
LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers looking for genes that raise the risk of osteoporosis found seven different sequences associated with the bone-thinning disease, and one team found two that might predict the risk for 20 percent of people.

04/29/08
Global consortium to hunt for cancer genes
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists from around the world are joining forces to hunt for key genetic mutations involved in cancer.

04/28/08
Gene therapy improves sight in near-blind patients
LOS ANGELES/LONDON (Reuters) - Gene therapy for a rare type of inherited blindness has improved the vision of four patients who tried it, boosting hopes for the troubled field of gene repair technology, scientists said on Sunday.

04/27/08
Experts see boost to genetic testing from U.S. bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans may be much more willing to get genetic tests showing predisposition to diseases with this week's expected final passage by Congress of a bill barring discrimination based on one's genetics, experts say.

04/23/08
U.S.-Brazilian venture to turn cane into biodiesel
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - U.S. company Amyris Biotechnologies and Brazilian sugar and ethanol group Crystalsev have formed a joint venture to produce and sell the first commercial diesel made from sugar cane instead of oilseeds like soy and canola., both sides said on Wednesday.

04/17/08
Tiny magnets used in anti-cancer gene therapy
LONDON (Reuters) - Tiny magnets have been used to deliver anti-cancer gene therapy in mice in a development that could make the treatment much more effective, scientists said on Thursday.

04/11/08
German lawmakers ease limits on stem cell research
BERLIN (Reuters) - German lawmakers voted on Friday to ease restrictions on stem cell research although the approved changes did not go as far as many scientists had hoped.

04/07/08
No end in site for animal cloning moratorium: USDA
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Monday it will not lift a voluntary moratorium on selling meat and milk from cloned animals to consumers any time soon.

04/02/08
British scientists make human-cow embryos
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British researchers say they have created embryos using human cells and the egg cells of cows, but said such experiments would not lead to hybrid human-animal babies, or even to direct medical therapies.

04/02/08
Scientists smoke out genes behind lung cancer
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found important genetic differences between people that may help explain why some smokers get lung cancer and others do not.

04/02/08
Japan to study safety of cloned animals for food
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will study the safety of cloned animals for food, after a report concluded there is no biological difference in the meat and milk of cloned and non-cloned cattle, officials said on Wednesday.

03/30/08
Researchers find six more diabetes genes: study
LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. and European scientists have found six more genes that make people more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes, in a study they say may help prevent and treat the chronic condition.

03/23/08
Cloned cells treat Parkinson's in mice
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers who used cloned embryonic stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice said on Sunday they worked better than other cells.

03/20/08
Booster patch helps bird flu vaccine: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A skin patch helped boost a bird flu vaccine so well that people appear to be protected by a single dose, researchers at biotechnolgy firm Iomai said on Thursday.

03/16/08
New method finds networks of genes behind obesity
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Overeating disrupts entire networks of genes in the body, causing not only obesity, but diabetes and heart disease, in ways that may be possible to predict, researchers reported on Sunday.

03/12/08
U.S. organic food industry fears GMO contamination
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Widespread contamination of U.S. corn, soybeans and other crops by genetically engineered varieties is threatening the purity of organic and natural food products and driving purveyors of such specialty products to new efforts to protect their markets, industry leaders said this week.

03/09/08
South Korea clips astronaut's wings after rule-break
SEOUL (Reuters) - The man intended to be the first South Korean in space has been grounded for violating security protocol and will be replaced by a female biotechnology engineer, the science ministry said on Monday.

03/07/08
Mexico farmers quietly plant banned GM corn
EJIDO BENITO JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - In the dry state of Chihuahua, south of the Texas border, 68-year-old Amado Trevizo became an accidental outlaw last year when his son planted 10 sacks of seeds of GM corn, banned in Mexico.

02/28/08
Trawl of two groups' genes shows differences
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A trawl through the genes of white people in Utah and Yoruba people in Nigeria shows a significant number of differences that can explain why some groups respond differently to drugs than others.

02/27/08
Argentine firm to export bovine genetics to China
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina, a country famous for its steaks, will start exporting bovine genetics this year to China, which is trying to improve its meat production as consumption surges.

02/24/08
China gene experts search for answers on diabetes
SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Chinese scientists are trying to find out which errant genes are responsible for diabetes and certain forms of cancer that have long plagued Chinese populations, a geneticist said.

02/18/08
EU clashes over authorizing GMO maize types
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union farm ministers fell short of a consensus agreement on Monday to allow imports of five genetically modified (GMO) products, paving the way for default approval by legal rubberstamp, EU officials said.

02/14/08
Genes that conquered cold blamed for fat
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Genes that helped early humans adapt to cold climates may be driving metabolism-related diseases such as obesity or diabetes in many countries, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

02/14/08
Germany considers changing stem cell laws
BERLIN (Reuters) - German lawmakers are considering changes to laws on stem cell research as pressure grows for an easing of restrictions that local scientists complain prevent them from keeping up with global advances.

01/31/08
Pope says some science shatters human dignity
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Thursday that embryonic stem cell research, artificial insemination and the prospect of human cloning had "shattered" human dignity.

01/31/08
Cloned food? Not in our kitchens, chefs say
MILAN (Reuters) - If pizza maker Simone Padoan saw a slab of cloned meat in his local supermarket, the Italian chef says he would be too scared to bring it into his kitchen.

01/25/08
FDA downplays long-term impact of animal cloning
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Meat and milk products of offspring from the 600 cloned animals in the United States most likely have not entered the nation's food supply, an official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday, as the agency downplayed the long-term impact of cloning.

01/23/08
Biotech critics challenging Monsanto GMO sugar beet
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Opponents of biotech crops said on Wednesday they were filing a lawsuit to challenge the USDA's deregulation of Monsanto Co's genetically engineered sugar beet because of fears of "biological contamination" and other harm to the environment.

01/18/08
Vatican condemns cloned human embryo research
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Friday condemned the cloning of human embryos, calling it the "worst type of exploitation of the human being."

01/17/08
Company claims cloned humans and made stem cells
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A California company said on Thursday it used cloning technology to make five human embryos, with the eventual hope of making matched stem cells for patients.

01/17/08
Bye, bye dark sheep due to genes
LONDON (Reuters) - The declining number of dark sheep among a wild herd in Scotland comes down to genes, researchers said on Thursday.

01/15/08
FDA approves cloned meat, milk: newspaper
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration report finds that meat and milk from cloned animals is, for the most part, safe to eat, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

01/13/08
Biotech companies race for drought-tolerant crops
JOHNSTON, Iowa (Reuters)- Outside the headquarters of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc, the pavement is iced over and workers arriving for the day are bundled up against the cold.

01/13/08
French govt move to ban Monsanto GMO draws fire
PARIS (Reuters) - French government moves to ban the country's only genetically modified (GMO) crop drew fire on Sunday from the speaker of the country's parliament, farmers and biotechnology industry groups.

01/11/08
Cloned meat and dairy products step closer to EU supermarkets
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Meat and milk from cloned animals moved a step closer to European Union supermarket shelves on Friday after the bloc's top food safety agency said cloned food products are safe to eat.

01/10/08
Cloning-for-food growth seen slow if FDA approves
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regulatory approval could catalyze the nascent U.S. cloning industry, but leading firms say growth would come slowly as they battle to win consumers over to the concept of food from cloned animals.

01/09/08
Japan researcher proposes stem cell bank
TOKYO (Reuters) - Creating a bank to store a new type of stem cell produced from donors' ordinary skin cells could help reduce time and money for treating patients with regenerative medicine in the future, a Japanese researcher said on Wednesday.

01/08/08
China experts identify drug addiction genes
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists in China have identified about 400 genes that appear to make some people more easily addicted to drugs, opening the way for more effective therapies and addiction control.

12/19/07
Cloning companies set database to track animals
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new database will allow food companies to identify a cloned animal as it moves through the food supply chain from farm to slaughterhouse, two of the largest U.S. livestock cloning companies said on Wednesday

12/18/07
Lawmakers and consumers ask FDA to delay cloning ruling
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Food and Drug Administration should delay a decision on whether milk and meat from some cloned animals are safe to eat until additional safety studies can be conducted, a Democratic lawmaker and consumer groups said in separate statements on Tuesday.

12/18/07
Italians crack open DNA secrets of Pinot Noir
LONDON, Dec 19 (Reuters Life!) - Italian scientists have cracked open the genetic make-up of Pinot Noir, responsible for the great red wines of Burgundy, in a breakthrough that may lead to hardier vines and cheaper fine wines.

12/12/07
Stem-cell patch may fix damaged hearts
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have made two significant advances in developing a stem-cell patch to repair the damage caused to the heart after an attack.

12/11/07
BASF calls for EU approval of biotech "hot potato"
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - German chemicals group BASF aims to secure European Union approval in the next few weeks for farmers to grow its genetically modified (GMO) potato in April, the first EU approval for GMO cultivation in a decade.

12/11/07
Singapore biotech drive loses star Dolly-creator scientist
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - British scientist Alan Colman, who helped clone Dolly the sheep, is leaving Singapore, dealing another blow to the city-state's biotech ambitions.

12/06/07
Researchers use new stem cell method to treat mice
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Using a new type of stem cells made from ordinary skin cells, U.S. researchers said on Thursday they treated mice with sickle cell anemia, proving in principle that such cells could be used as a therapy.

11/23/07
Stem-cell advance opens up the field
Colonies of tiny cells flourishing in petri dishes in the US and Japan are reshaping the political and ethical landscape surrounding human stem-cell research.

11/21/07
Embryonic stem cells made without embryos
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have transformed ordinary human skin cells into batches of cells that look and act like embryonic stem cells -- but without using cloning technology and without making embryos.

11/20/07
Scientists decode genes of resistant TB
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have decoded the gene map of a strain of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis and said on Tuesday their work has identified mutations that may help develop better treatments.

11/14/07
Researchers get stem cells from cloned monkeys
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have cloned monkeys and used the resulting embryos to get embryonic stem cells, an important step towards being able to do the same thing in humans, they reported on Wednesday.

11/07/07
On your head right now! Dandruff's genes sequenced
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First, researchers grew enough fungus to give dandruff to 10 million people.

10/24/07
Scientists Envision Growing Human Eyeballs
A genetic switch that gives tadpoles three eyes could allow stem-cell scientists to eventually grow human eyeballs or at least create replacement parts needed for repair jobs.

10/24/07
EU allows imports of four GMO crop products
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has authorized imports of four genetically modified (GMO) crop products for sale across its 27 national markets for the next 10 years, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

10/16/07
Genetically modified plants vacuum up toxins
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Scientists have figured out a way to trick plants into doing the dirty work of environmental cleanup, U.S. and British researchers reported on Monday.

10/15/07
Monsanto increases investment in Mendel
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Monsanto Co said on Monday that it had increased its investment in Mendel Biotechnology Inc in a deal that will boost the privately held company's work in cellulosic biofuels like grasses and food crop waste.

10/14/07
Genes found that slow both aging and cancer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have identified a batch of genes that not only prevent cancer but slow the aging process in worms, and say they are now looking to see if the genes have the same properties in humans.

10/08/07
"Designer mice" pioneers win Nobel for medicine
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The researchers who pioneered the creation of "designer mice" to track the role of different genes in human development and disease have won the 2007 Nobel medicine prize, Sweden's Karolinska Institute said on Monday.

10/04/07
Clinton pledges to overturn limit on stem cell R&D
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton vowed on Thursday to lift President George W. Bush's restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

09/21/07
Singapore biotech drive loses star UK scientists
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Top scientists David and Birgitte Lane are set to leave Singapore to take up new positions at Scotland's University of Dundee, which could complicate the city-state's multi-billion dollar biotechnology ambitions.

09/14/07
Genetic "barcodes" may cut illegal trade
OSLO (Reuters) - New genetic tests could help crack down on illegal food or timber trade, fight malaria or even give clues to how to stop bird strikes with planes, scientists said on Friday.

09/14/07
Sick? Lonely? Genes tell the tale
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lonely people are more likely to get sick and die young, and researchers said on Thursday they may have found out why -- their immune systems are haywire.

09/10/07
Africa gets biotech boost against killer diseases
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South African President Thabo Mbeki opened an international biotechnology centre on Monday that aims to develop vaccines for HIV/AIDS and other diseases that kill thousands of Africans daily.

09/10/07
Germany boosts non-embryonic stem cell research
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government said it would allocate 5 million euros ($6.9 million) over three years for non-embryonic stem cell research.

09/07/07
EU to clear new GMO beet
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU ministers and national experts are due to approve a genetically modified (GMO) sugar beet variety this month despite a long running dispute over the use of biotechnology.

09/04/07
One man's genes show DNA is still a mystery
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first detailed map of a man's genes shows the genetic code is even more complex than anyone thought. For instance, science still cannot pinpoint what makes a person's eyes blue.

08/26/07
Don't trust the label? Genes show wine's pedigree
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wine grapes have extra copies of genes that confer flavor and aroma, as well as extra DNA coding for a health-giving compound, researchers reported on Sunday.

08/16/07
Blood thinner to carry gene test info, FDA says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prescribing instructions for the generic blood thinner warfarin will carry new information advising doctors to consider adjusting the dose for people with certain genes, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.

08/16/07
India allows first large trials of GM food crop
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has approved the first large-scale field trials of a genetically modified food crop, a senior government official said on Thursday.

08/03/07
No GMO from feed found in meat or eggs: EU agency
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Animals that have eaten genetically modified (GMO) feed show no residual traces in their eggs or meat, the EU's food safety agency said.

08/02/07
S. Korean stem cells derived from eggs alone: study
CHICAGO (Reuters) - An analysis of a now-discredited South Korean stem cell line suggests the scientists may have inadvertently created the first human embryonic stem cells derived from human eggs alone, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

08/01/07
U.S. biotech industry awaits Europe approval speedup
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. biotechnology industry is awaiting this fall's deadline for Europe to speed up its approval of new biotech food and crops -- a process Washington has long complained is woefully slow -- in the hope of increased access to a major market.

07/29/07
Research identifies new genes linked with MS
CHICAGO (Reuters) - After decades of dead ends, scientists have identified two genes that may raise the risk of multiple sclerosis, lending insight into the causes of the debilitating disease.

07/17/07
Tortilla-hungry Mexico setting rules on GMO corn
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico, widely considered the birthplace of corn, is close to finalizing rules governing experimental planting of genetically modified corn strains, a senior biosecurity official said on Tuesday.

07/16/07
EU ministers pave way for biotech potato crops
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU farm ministers clashed on Monday on whether to approve a genetically modified (GMO) potato for growing, passing the final say to the bloc's executive and thus paving the way for the first new "live" GMO crop for years.

07/13/07
U.S. to mull changes to oversight of biotech crops
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. oversight of genetically modified crops, which critics charge is insufficient, may be overhauled following a series of proposed changes released on Thursday by the Agriculture Department.

07/12/07
Malaysia mulls cloning rare turtles
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysia is studying a plan to clone leatherback turtles, an endangered species that scientists believe once swam with dinosaurs, an official said Thursday.

07/10/07
Large scale animal cloning unlikely: scientists
LONDON (Reuters) - Cloning animals will not be useful on a large scale but the technology offers farmers an important tool to increase food production and protect animals from disease, scientists said on Tuesday.

06/29/07
Scientists swap genes in bacteria
WASHINGTON - Talk about identity theft: Scientists changed one species of bacteria into another by performing a complete gene swap.

06/27/07
"Missing link" stem cells may speed race for cures
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have discovered a new type of embryonic stem cell in mice and rats that should speed up research into regenerative medicine and help in the hunt for cures to a range of diseases.

06/26/07
Intercytex artificial skin heals wounds in tests
LONDON (Reuters) - A British biotechnology company has developed a long-lasting artificial skin that has produced promising results in healing wounds in early clinical trials.

06/22/07
U.S. company says grows embryo-safe stem cells
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers at a U.S. company trying to push the margins of stem cell research said on Friday they had grown human embryonic stem cells using a non-controversial method that did not harm the embryos.

06/22/07
Gene therapy treatment offers Parkinson's relief
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two studies published on Thursday offer new hope for Parkinson's disease -- one using gene therapy to treat the symptoms and another investigating a drug that might stop the incurable disease in its tracks.

06/20/07
Scientists move closer to human therapeutic cloning
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Human therapeutic cloning has moved a step closer after U.S. researchers said they had successfully created embyonic stem cells from monkey embryos.

06/16/07
British body backs inter-species clones
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Making human-animal embryos for scientific experiments should be allowed because of the benefits to science and medicine, British experts said in a report released for Sunday.

06/14/07
Stand by science on GMO foods, EU trade chief says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - It's time for Europe to reassess its skepticism towards genetically modified (GMO) foods and trust scientists who have deemed them safe -- or risk more international lawsuits, the EU trade chief said on Thursday.

06/12/07
'Dolly' Scientist: Make Human Stem Cells From Animal Eggs
Stem cells from human embryos are seen as the future of medicine, but a major ethical question surrounds the research: Should federally funded scientists be allowed to extract the cells from embryos, a process which destroys them? Current U.S. laws clearly say �no.� Ian Wilmut, who made history when he cloned Dolly the sheep in 1996, is now calling on scientists to inject human DNA into animal egg cells as a workaround to ethical and legal roadblocks. His commentary appears in Nature Reports Stem Cells, an online stem cell resource created by the journal Nature.

06/07/07
Humans Had Help Finishing Off Woolly Mammoths
Humans might have finished off the woolly mammoths, but the genetics of the giants apparently helped them decline well beforehand, scientists now find. The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) was coated in hair up to 20 inches long and possessed extremely long, curved tusks up to 16 feet in length. The giants lived for tens of thousands of years, apparently going extinct roughly 12,000 years ago, around the end of the last ice age. For years, scientists suspected that ancient human tribes hunted the mammoths and other ice age giants to oblivion.

06/06/07
Mass study finds record haul of disease genes
LONDON (Reuters) - The largest ever study of genes in disease has found 24 genetic risk factors -- half of them completely new -- linked to seven common conditions, British scientists said on Wednesday.

06/05/07
More EU states wary on GMO maize
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Several influential EU states have dug in their heels on whether their farmers may grow one of Europe's oldest genetically modified (GMO) crops, raising the stakes in the EU's long-running stalemate over biotech policy.

06/05/07
UK scientists plan stem cell cure for blindness
LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists plan to use stem cells to cure a common form of blindness, with the first patients receiving test treatment in five years.

06/01/07
Scientist gets own personal genome map
HOUSTON (Associated Press) - The Nobel Prize-winning scientist who helped discover the molecular structure of DNA has become the first person to receive his own personal genome map.

05/30/07
Dems plan vote on stem cell research
WASHINGTON (Associated Press) - Congress intends to send President Bush legislation next week to ease restrictions on federally funded embryonic stem cell research, inviting his second veto in as many years on the subject.

05/30/07
Schwarzenegger, Ontario premier in stem cell deal
TORONTO (Reuters) - Ontario and California will work together to develop new stem cell therapies to help conquer cancer, and will cooperate on curbing greenhouse gas emission, the leaders of the two regions said on Wednesday.

05/30/07
EU authorizes import of GMO carnations
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union authorized Australian biotech company Florigene on Wednesday to import and market carnations whose color has been genetically modified, its Official Journal said in its latest edition.

05/27/07
Researchers find big batch of breast cancer genes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A genetic mutation that raises the risk of breast cancer is found in up to 60 percent of U.S. women, making it the first truly common breast cancer susceptibility gene, researchers reported on Sunday.

01/11/07
New molecular pathway could reveal how cells stick together
(EurekAlert!) - Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found a new pathway by which cells change their adhesive properties.

01/10/07
Plant 'vaccines' may combat viruses in crops
(SeedQuest) - Plants might not get colds, but they do get viruses — and viral diseases in crops cause enormous economic damage each year. New research, however, suggests that plant “vaccines,” developed at Rockefeller University , may be a new way of helping fend off viral attackers.

01/10/07
Plants Point The Way To Coping With Climate Change
(Science Daily) - Scientists studying how plants have naturally evolved to cope with the changing seasons of temperate climates have made a discovery that could help us to breed new varieties of crops, able to thrive in a changing climate. It is an important step forward as it reveals how a species has developed different responses to different climates in a short period of time.

01/10/07
Stem Cells Found in Amniotic Fluid; Extraction Not Harmful to Fetus or Mother
(RedNova) - By Paul Elias Scientists reported Sunday they had found a plentiful source of stem cells in the fluid that cushions babies in the womb and produced a variety of tissue types from these cells - sidestepping the controversy over destroying embryos for research.

TOP

Bio-Link Newsletters

If needed Download Acrobat Reader

National Newsletters - "The Bio-Link Connection"