The hottest Biotechnology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Immune engineering

The Century of Biology • 390 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
🔬 Science Genetic Engineering Cancer Treatment Biotechnology
  1. The immune system is a major frontier for the future of biotechnology and medicine.
  2. Engineered T cells, like CAR-T therapy, show promise in treating diseases like cancer by programming immune cells.
  3. Immune engineering, especially in combination with the 4-S stack, holds great potential for designing new therapies and advancing genetic engineering technology.

Letter to Mother Nature: Amendments to the Human Constitution

Extropic Thoughts • 78 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🔬 Science Transhumanism Biotechnology Evolution Genetics
  1. The essay discusses amending the human constitution to overcome limitations like aging and death.
  2. It proposes expanding human perceptual abilities and enhancing intelligence through biotechnology and neural improvements.
  3. The amendments aim to move humanity towards a posthuman condition, integrating technology into individuals for unprecedented innovation.

Gas Chamber: An Industrial Accident at a Poop Science Lab

Eat Shit and Prosper • 159 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🔬 Science Microbiology Research Healthcare Innovation Biotechnology
  1. Working with bacteria, especially in a lab, can lead to unexpected and funny situations. In this case, a vacuum chamber experiment led to an overwhelming smell due to fermentation gases.
  2. It's important to follow safety protocols, like weighing flasks, when handling materials in a centrifuge to prevent accidents.
  3. Despite the humorous mishap, the science behind using gut bacteria for mental health treatments shows promise and is an exciting field.

Miracle in Mainz

Diane Francis • 679 implied HN points • 05 Apr 21
🏥 Health Politics Health Policy Medical Research Vaccination Public Health Biotechnology
  1. mRNA technology is changing medicine, promising to extend life and improve health. Vaccines for COVID-19 showed how effective this approach can be.
  2. BioNTech and Moderna rushed to create vaccines quickly, successfully using their mRNA methods. This faster way of making vaccines works better than older methods.
  3. There are plans to use mRNA technology for cancer vaccines in the near future. This could transform how we treat cancer and save many lives.
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A Guide to Customer Analysis for Sequencing Kit Providers

LatchBio • 6 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Biotechnology Data Analysis Cloud Computing Software Development Customer Support
  1. Kit providers should create analysis packages that include tools to help customers understand their data better. This makes it easier for scientists to answer their research questions.
  2. Redeemable codes can be embedded in kits to give customers access to these analysis tools. This lets providers track which customers are using the tools and how.
  3. It's crucial for kit providers to monitor their customers' progress with the analysis tools. If customers can't get the insights they need, they are less likely to buy more kits.

Clive's Departure from Oxford Confirmed

ASeq Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Startups Leadership Innovation Biotechnology Company Culture
  1. Clive has left Oxford Nanopore, and Rosemary Sinclair Dokos and Lakmal Jayasinghe are taking over his roles. They seem like good choices for the company.
  2. Clive's leadership was important to the company's vision and success, and many believe it could have struggled without him.
  3. There have been several senior departures from Oxford in the past year, which might have changed the company's culture, but product and strategy changes are still unclear.

Making Money From Lignin

The Polymerist • 215 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🔬 Science Chemistry Biotechnology Materials Enzymes
  1. Lignin can be a valuable source of aromatic structures for creating synthetic polymers and other materials.
  2. MetGen's enzyme-based technology allows for efficient depolymerization and refining of lignin in alkaline conditions.
  3. MetGen's advancements in lignin processing could make it a viable alternative to petroleum-based feedstocks for creating chemicals and materials.

Unlocking Precision Fermentation Via Protein Engineering

Splitting Infinity • 39 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🔬 Science Biochemistry Biotechnology Genetics Protein engineering Synthetic Biology
  1. Yeast, especially in precision fermentation, can be genetically modified to produce a wide range of chemicals, biologics, and medicines by augmenting their genes.
  2. The main challenge in precision fermentation is reducing costs, particularly in the purification process where proteins are separated from complex solutions.
  3. Novel techniques like self-cleaving tags and self-aggregating proteins offer promising solutions for purifying proteins in a cost-effective and efficient manner, potentially eliminating the need for expensive purification methods like column chromatography.

Commentator

Castalia • 119 implied HN points • 04 Nov 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health Media Government Biotechnology International relations
  1. There is strong evidence suggesting that COVID-19 may have originated from a lab leak, specifically from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, rather than from animals, as was widely believed.
  2. Some voices are calling for 'pandemic amnesty,' suggesting that we should forgive each other for mistakes made during the crisis, but others argue it's too soon because many issues remain unaddressed.
  3. The pandemic exposed major failures in public health institutions, the media, and the pharmaceutical industry, leading to a loss of trust and revealing how susceptible they can be to political pressures.

Rationalizing The Illumina Instrument Lineup

ASeq Newsletter • 51 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Biotechnology Instruments
  1. Illumina has a variety of sequencing instruments in their lineup, which includes different models and variations.
  2. The cost of production for these instruments varies based on the technology and components used.
  3. Rationalizing the Illumina instrument lineup could involve withdrawing some current models and introducing new, more cost-effective options.

Brammer Bio

axialdaily • 39 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
💼 Business Startups Investing Biotechnology
  1. Axial partners with inventors and invests in early-stage life sciences companies
  2. Brammer Bio was formed through a merger and acquired by Thermo Fisher
  3. Structured finance is crucial for building successful biomanufacturing startups

4 Reads Per Cluster! Simultaneously Paired End-Sequencing!

ASeq Newsletter • 36 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics Bioinformatics Sequencing Biotechnology
  1. Illumina has a method to potentially double their instruments' throughput, but it may come with a slight decrease in accuracy.
  2. By simultaneously reading both the forward and reverse strands, Illumina can achieve four reads per cluster, doubling the throughput.
  3. Implementing the simultaneous paired-end sequencing approach may be challenging without sacrificing accuracy, but it opens up opportunities for increased throughput in the future.

Codon Digest: GPT-4 Controls a Robot

Asimov Press • 90 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetic Engineering Bioinformatics Microbiology Biology
  1. GPT-4 controlled a lab robot to conduct chemical reactions, showcasing the potential of using natural language to automate experiments.
  2. Skin microbes were engineered to activate the immune system to fight tumors when applied to the skin, offering a novel cancer treatment approach.
  3. Tobacco plants were genetically modified to produce moth sex pheromones, providing a natural way to repel male moths from crops and protect them.

Phage-assisted evolution and protein engineering yield compact, efficient prime editors

Axial • 37 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetics Research Evolution Engineering
  1. New optimized prime editors called PE6 variants improve editing outcomes in mammalian cells
  2. Phage-assisted continuous evolution enhances the efficiency of compact reverse transcriptases
  3. Combining evolved Cas9 domains with engineered RTs creates efficient prime editors for installing DNA sequences in vivo

What The H*ll Is PPMSeq?

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genomics Sequencing Bioinformatics
  1. PPMSeq is a duplex sequencing technique that ensures high accuracy reads by reading both forward and reverse strands of a double-stranded sequence.
  2. Ultima's PPMSeq works by amplifying both strands on the same bead and utilizing a tag to identify their presence, with errors causing radical dephasing which is taken care of by downstream software.
  3. Approaches to implementing PPMSeq on Ultima's platform involve reading both strands in both directions simultaneously or keeping the product on beads in the same orientation, each with its own challenges and considerations.

The Coming War Over The Technosphere

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Cybersecurity Biotechnology Automation Innovation
  1. There is a growing concern about dangerous technologies being created by individuals, which could pose serious threats to society. We need to be aware of these risks and create systems to protect ourselves.
  2. As technology advances, there will be a divide between people who see tech as a danger and those who believe it can solve problems. This conflict will shape how we approach technological progress.
  3. A strong defense against harmful technologies and agents is essential. We should develop protective measures, like intelligent filters, to keep ourselves safe from potential dangers in the technosphere.

Digest 5/19/23

axialdaily • 19 implied HN points • 20 May 23
💼 Business Innovation Investment Biotechnology Healthcare
  1. Axial invests in early-stage life sciences companies with great founders and inventors
  2. Doximity was founded to create a LinkedIn for doctors and now covers over 80% of physicians in the US
  3. Regeneron's formula focuses on having the best science and following it diligently for success

The Cloud for Biology

LatchBio • 39 implied HN points • 29 Aug 23
🔬 Science Biology Data Management Cloud Computing Biotechnology Research
  1. Storing and transferring large sequencing files in biology can be challenging due to the lack of user-friendly storage solutions like AWS S3.
  2. Integrating and tracking sample metadata in biology is vital but often hindered by unintuitive systems and lack of system integrations.
  3. Setting up data pipelines and computational workflows for biology data analysis is labor-intensive, requiring user-friendly interfaces and tools.

Ultima Unpatterned Flowcells

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genomics Technology Research Innovation
  1. Ultima has transitioned to using unpatterned flowcells, which are cheaper and possibly work well with minor drawbacks.
  2. Ultima's manufacturing using unpatterned flowcells involves surface treatment and spin coating to attach and shrink beads for better identification and access.
  3. The occupancy and loading efficiency of Ultima's unpatterned flowcells suggest a potential capacity for 8 billion reads per run, showing advancements since their 2022 preprints.

Bringing Up An Old EBay MiSeq

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🔬 Science Biotechnology
  1. Bought an old MiSeq on eBay, faced issues like getting reagents from Illumina and shipping to Japan but managed to resolve them
  2. Had to reset the password for the MiSeq, managed it by using a Linux system to reset and configure passwords
  3. Prepped PhiX control, ran a sequencing run with over-clustered results, but was able to get 20+ bases aligned to PhiX

GPCRs in kidney disease

Axial • 7 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetics Healthcare Research Pharmacology
  1. Kidney disease, particularly autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD), has been underinvested compared to other conditions like oncology and diabetes.
  2. The development of drugs targeting GPCRs PC-1 and PC-2 in PKD could significantly improve the quality of life for patients by reducing cyst size.
  3. Business models in drug development are shifting towards rare disease candidates like PC-1/2, emphasizing treatments that exceed the current standard of care.

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics

Axial • 7 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Biotechnology Clinical Trials Drug Development
  1. MoonLake Immunotherapeutics is developing a tri-specific nanobody therapy called Sonelokimab (SLK) that has shown significant efficacy in treating inflammatory diseases like HS, PsA, and PsO.
  2. SLK offers unique benefits like blocking all IL-17 pro-inflammatory dimers, enabling tissue penetration, and maintaining high response rates in patients with moderate-to-severe conditions.
  3. MoonLake's SLK has the potential to become a best-in-class IL-17 inhibitor in a multibillion-dollar market, with its innovative structure, clinical success, and competitive advantages over existing treatments.

VSRF LIVE Tonight: Episode 149 - Self-Amplifying MRNA with Dr. Jessica Rose, PhD.

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 2 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Medical Ethics Public Health Biotechnology Health Safety
  1. Self-amplifying mRNA vaccines can create more copies of mRNA, which might increase immune responses and protection duration even with smaller doses.
  2. Some people are worried that these new vaccines could be very dangerous and lead to unexpected health issues, calling them 'doomsday machines.'
  3. There are concerns that self-amplifying mRNA could pose risks not just to vaccinated individuals, but also to people who are unvaccinated.

Setting the Scene for Genetic Breakthroughs

Superfluid • 13 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🔬 Science Genetics Gene Therapy CRISPR Biotechnology
  1. Gene therapy has the potential to treat and cure genetic diseases, but it is a complex process requiring expertise in biology and manufacturing.
  2. The gene therapy value chain involves steps like target identification, payload design, delivery vehicle design, translation development, manufacturing, and clinical trials.
  3. Companies are working on breakthroughs in gene therapy technology, such as improving AAV vectors and refining CRISPR-Cas9 systems, but face challenges in experimental processes and data availability.

🌿 Algae domestication program wins Seaweed Ideathon

paxtier • 2 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🔬 Science Aquaculture Biotechnology Marine Biology Sustainability
  1. An algae domestication program won a Seaweed Ideathon, focusing on sustainable agriculture practices and biostimulant production.
  2. Investors are showing interest in aquaculture technology, with significant funding rounds announced for seaweed-derived products and sustainability initiatives.
  3. Job opportunities in the seaweed and microalgae industry are on the rise, with companies like PhycoWorks and GreenWave actively recruiting for various positions.

McKinsey Employees More Likely To Raise VC Funds In Healthcare Than Stanford PhDs

Golden Pineapple • 4 HN points • 03 Jul 23
💼 Business Healthcare Biotechnology Manufacturing Artificial Intelligence Fintech
  1. Ex-McKinsey employees are founding more venture-backed businesses compared to Google and Microsoft alumni across various sectors.
  2. In the Healthcare sector, ex-McKinsey employees topped the list with 106 companies founded by them.
  3. Ex-McKinsey employees are excelling in founding venture-funded companies in sectors like Biotechnology, Manufacturing, and Artificial Intelligence.

Coding Cells - Computational tools for Protein Design

Kesav’s Lab • 1 HN point • 20 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Biotechnology Cloud Computing Software Development Machine Learning
  1. Artificial intelligence and synthetic biology are changing how we interact with biology. They can help us design new food, medicine, and materials more effectively.
  2. AlphaFold is a powerful tool that predicts protein structures, which is crucial for understanding how proteins work. This insight can lead to breakthroughs in drug discovery and other medical applications.
  3. The author is building a user-friendly tool for protein design using AlphaFold on Google Cloud to help protein engineers. The goal is to create a platform where they can easily make predictions and visualize protein structures.

🌊 200% increase in blue economy investments

paxtier • 1 implied HN point • 18 Mar 24
🔬 Science Investments Aquaculture Biotechnology
  1. There has been a 200% increase in investments in the blue economy between 2018 and 2022, signifying a growing interest and momentum.
  2. Challenges in the sector include a massive global unmet financing gap, concentration of investments at market launch phase, and investor hesitancy.
  3. Recent developments highlight collaborations in seaweed cultivation, funding raises for startups like KAS, and advancements in sustainable aquafeeds.

TechBio Adventures

Kesav’s Lab • 1 HN point • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Biotechnology Artificial Intelligence Bioengineering Health tech
  1. TechBio combines biology and technology to make advancements in healthcare. This approach allows for faster and more efficient drug development.
  2. Understanding DNA and using software tools are key parts of TechBio. This lets us design new biological systems to solve complex problems.
  3. There are two main areas in TechBio: industrial and clinical applications. Both aim to improve health outcomes and automate biological processes.