Scientists have discovered a way to activate dormant predatory centers in mice using optogenetics, causing them to go rogue and revert to hunter-associated behavior. This was achieved with stimulation of a specific pair of neurons in the brain, providing a glimpse of how the predatory behavior could have evolved over millions of years.
An international collaboration of scientists successfully produced a stable artificial strain of bacteria with an extended “genetic alphabet”. The microbe encompasses two additional “X” and “Y” nucleotides, which enable it to store increased information within its genome, laying foundations for new forms of life.
USDA approved the sale of genetically modified (GM) apples that “stay fresh” up to three weeks after being sliced or bruised, which are expected to enter stores by March. This comes as an answer addressing the major problem of wasting apples, with nearly 40% of them being discarded due to superficial bruising and browning.
Developer of NGS devices Ilumina claims its new NovaSeq instrument will soon manage to sequence a person´s entire genome for less then $100 in as little as 60 minutes. This would represent a marginal improvement from the current benchmark, which stands at roughly $1,000.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University successfully modified mosquitoes to render them highly resistant to dengue virus – a disease responsible for nearly 25,000 deaths each year. Their breakthrough could lead to even more resistant mosquitoes in the future, potentially ending the war on mosquito-transmitted diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a new experimental vaccine proved 100% effective against Ebola based on preliminary results. In a large study the organization conducted in Guinea, where Ebola is still at large, not a single vaccinated individual developed the disease.
Researchers from Ireland discovered that a part of our digestive tract called the mesentery, long considered merely as a tissue connecting the abdomen to the intestine, is actually a full-blown body organ. The new classification is suspected to open up a whole new medical field and improve our understanding of gut diseases.
Researchers at the University of Michigan developed an impressive new way of delivering customized therapeutic cancer vaccines using antigen-carrying nanodiscs. The treatment showed excellent success in mice, drastically decreasing the occurrence of colon and melanoma tumours.
Scientists have discovered an effective stem cell treatment to battle bone loss, that could help regenerate bones of osteoporosis patients and even astronauts. The novel therapy showed remarkable results in mice and is expected to enter human clinical trials in the next two years.
The end of the year marks the time, when we take a look back at the memorable moments that make each year unique and think about what lays in store ahead. With the festivities reaching their peak, Splice would also like to review the important milestones that made 2016 a very special year.
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