Animal derived materials remain an important part of biological research. Progress is being made to replace these with better defined non-animal alternatives. This is a huge task. The goal of developing alternatives to materials such as FBS and Matrigel® remains elusive.
According to the RSPCA, more than 100 million live animals, mostly mice, rats, fish and birds, are used in scientific research procedures each year. Although this is modest compared to the huge number of animals killed globally for food, which includes 50 billion chickens and 1.4 billion pigs, there is a strong drive to reduce the number of animals used in research. As well as experimentation on live animals, animal-derived materials (ADMs) are used to maintain cells cultured in-vitro.
Adoptive T cell therapies such as CAR-T cells have proven effective in treating some leukemias but have struggled to be useful in solid tumours. A recent study reported in PNAS explores a way of easily functionalizing adoptive cells so that they become decorated with a cytokine of choice. In the melanoma mouse model tested, this approach led to significantly improved efficacy.
A research article published recently in Nature suggests that, at least in some cases, reducing the amount of protein in a diet can help tip the balance in favour of normal cells and suggests ways to modify macrophages to out-compete cancer cells.
In recent years, the field of synthetic biology has emerged as a revolutionary branch of science, blending engineering principles with biology to reshape the way we understand and interact with living organisms. This groundbreaking discipline combines the power of genetics, biochemistry, and computer science to design, construct, and optimize new biological systems. With its vast potential to address critical global challenges, synthetic biology has garnered immense attention from researchers, innovators, regulators and policymakers alike.
Many components of the biotechnology and medical toolbox have their origins in pathogenic microorganisms. These have been adapted to generate useful tools and therapies for research and medicine. Now, Caf1 proteins, also known as Cytotoxic Associated Factor 1, a group of proteins with pathogenic origins are emerging as a new building block due to their unique properties and potential applications in fields including medicine, biotechnology, and bioengineering.
Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic polymeric networks capable of absorbing large amounts of water or biological fluids. Due to their unique properties, such as high water content, biocompatibility, and tunable mechanical properties, hydrogels have emerged as a promising material for various biomedical applications, including drug delivery. In recent years, hydrogels have gained significant attention as drug carriers due to their ability to encapsulate and release a wide range of therapeutic agents, including small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids. Here we take a look at the role of hydrogels in drug delivery.
In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in exploring new applications of growth factors and cytokines in various fields, such as regenerative medicine, cancer therapy, and tissue engineering. Awarded grant proposals provides an insight into the ongoing development of novel applications
Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, one of the major challenges in transplantation is the immune-mediated rejection of the transplanted organ by the recipient's immune system. Cytokines, a group of small proteins secreted by immune cells, play a crucial role in the immune response and are involved in the process of organ rejection.
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging technology that enables the fabrication of complex, biomimetic tissue constructs for applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug testing. Hydrogels, which are hydrophilic polymeric networks capable of absorbing large amounts of water, have emerged as promising bioinks for 3D bioprinting due to their biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and ability to support cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation.
