Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

If you are seeking a naturally lower calorie wine, look for dry wines with a lower ABV, such as Prosecco (brut or extra dry), dry Riesling, or Gamay. These wines typically fall on a spectrum of 80 to 120 calories per glass.

Q: Karen S. from Margate asks, Whats the difference between a natural wine and an organic wine?

A: Hi Karen! Natural wines and organic wines have a lot in common. Most significantly they share a concern for the earth and sustainable practices, but there are also several key differences.

To be certified organic by the USDA, a wine must be made without genetic engineering, and it must undergo a rigorous process of inspections and assessments. The grapes must be grown organically without synthetic fertilizers, and all other ingredients such as yeast and fining agents must be certified organic, as well. While sulfites are commonly added to wines as an additional preserving agent or to enhance flavor, organic wines cannot have added sulfites. Wines labeled as made with organic grapes have slightly less restrictions, but it is still a feat for winemakers to achieve this certification.

Natural wine, on the other hand, is not a legal certification. Rather, its a loose term that refers to wines made with little to no intervention by the winemaker. This means grapes are grown without the assistance of pesticides, grapes are handpicked, and juice is fermented into wine using only native yeasts. These yeasts occur naturally on the fruit, and winemakers allow fermentation to start spontaneously, rather than controlling fermentation with the addition of cultured yeasts. While natural wines wont necessary be certified organic, one could argue that they exemplify the most ancient, non-invasive method of winemaking.

Excerpt from:
What you need to know about natural, organic and vegan wines - Atlantic City Weekly

By Brandon Diep, Apr. 12, 2022

What would you change about yourself? Would you change your eye color, hair type, height or the sound of your voice? Maybe you want to become smarter? Funnier? Imagine you could. With human genetic engineering, all the physical and mental traits you desire could become a reality. The only question is: is it morally right?

I believe gene editing or engineering should only be used to cure illnesses and diseases. Designer babies, the ability to change the superficial features of a child, are unethical and should not be conducted. Humans should not change the physical and mental characteristics of their children, but love them as they are.

Human genetic engineering is already possible, and it will soon change the way we think of childbirth and human health. Using a technology called CRISPR, also known as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindrome Repeats, which is defined by Live Science as, a powerful tool for editing genomes, meaning it allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function, humans will then have the ability to aesthetically edit the genetic characteristics of an unborn child.

This technology holds unimaginable possibilities. As reported by Tides, a social charity foundation, a person can give a fertility clinic a checklist of characteristics and features they want for their child, scientists then use CRISPR to edit the genes of an embryo accordingly, implant the embryo into the mother for pregnancyand finally, the designer baby is born.

Gene editing was developed for the eradication of diseases and curing of cancer, but it can also be used for creating the child of your dreams. The science is unbelievable and is already being used in controversial ways.

On Nov. 25, 2018, the impossible became possible. A biophysics researcher from China, He Jiankui, shocked the world with the first gene-edited humans. He revealed that he had altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatmentswith one resulting pregnancy. He was trying to bestow a trait that few people naturally have an ability to resist future infection of HIV, the AIDS virus, according to Associated Press.

Babies Lulu and Nana were the results of Hes gene-editing experiment. Born from an HIV-positive father and HIV-negative mother, the twins are now resistant from contracting the illness their father has. Controversy soon followed the researcher. He is scrutinized by the public for conducting the experiment in secret. Some praised him and called He, the rogue scientist, Chinas Dr. Frankenstein, and a mad genius, as written in the South China Morning Post. The Peoples Court of Shenzhen disagreed with his work, they sentenced him to three years of imprisonment and held him financially responsible for any future genetic complications that might occur in the babies lives. He may have had the best intentions, but he crossed the line of regulated science.

Although Lulu and Nana are the first of many genetically engineered human experiments, gene editing has shown its benefits. The tool has unveiled great opportunities in correcting the course of unfair diseases placed in humans. However, the regulation of gene editing should be a high priority.

The ethics of designer babies needs to be debated. I believe gene editing could negatively affect our future if it is used to aesthetically change children. U.S. News found in 2021 that there are companies offering parents the means of selecting better embryos, although in the form of superficial features has yet to be done. There are some who may use genetic engineering virtuously to prevent hereditary diseases while there are others who may abuse gene editing to design their child with the best attributes. I think it is likely that people will create humans with perfect symmetrical faces and ideal physiques for sports. A child will unfortunately grow up to think that their physical features are what creates their success. These exploitative fantasies could be manipulated into actuality.

Gene editing might also cause major repercussions for religion. There may be some who will find gene editing of a persons exterior to be a defiance against Gods creation. A few branches of Judaism prohibits members from trimming their hair because their body belongs to God and therefore they cannot alter it. I do believe there is a higher being and even though I dont practice this rule, I understand the sentiment. Like many religions, I hold the strong belief that one should not change themselves outwardly but inwardly. Changing the body of a healthy child before they are born is disrespectful toward their creator and their lineage.

Parents considering changing their children to look different from them is also flawed. The traits inherited from previous generations should not be seen as ugly or a mistake. This mindset will only further indoctrinate artificiality and self-hatred into future generations. We all hold a part of our parents within ourselves, we cannot let that go. If we change these genetics, then we are changing something special that connects us with our family. Your genetic material is inherited from hundreds to thousands of previous generations. Genetically modifying it for a superficial reason would counter all of the meaning and history behind that from your ancestors. The gifts of our familys pasts remind us of who were from.

The future reaps the consequences of today. Gene editing is still in its infancy. Going forth with designer babies may give birth to abominable effects on our descendants. One enhancement to the length of our arms could inadvertently mutate the body in a harmful way unknowingly passed down the generations. The harm would only be discovered after it is too late. It is too risky to change the genetic makeup of the most precious thing in life: ourselves.

What needs to be changed is our mentality. Our different eye colors, curly or straight hair, tall or short limbs arent what make us. The power to change these superficial features will not help. As humans, we should not change our children to conform to body standards, but instead, change body standards to conform to us. When you can stop caring about vain appearances, it is only then that we can start caring about what matters. Whats important are the things youve done and the things you are going to do. You arent your body, a shell your soul was born in. You are only who you think you are.

The rest is here:
Designer future: Human intervention is crossing the line of creation - The Poly Post

New Zealands genetic engineering laws face a tough challenge from new technology, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.

Theres a hole in the wall keeping genetically modified organisms out of New Zealand and its shaped like an impossible burger.As Chris Schulz wrote for The Spinoff, the lab-designed meat is the biggest name in the plant-based craze.However, the impossible burger would be impossible without genetic engineering. The core of the burger is a heme molecule that gives the meat its taste and bleeding character.The Listener (paywalled) also looked at the growth of consumer interest in plant-based alternatives.Aotearoas food safety regulator had to approve the impossible burgers sale here, giving it an exemption to the countrys ban on GMOs. While its not the first genetically engineered technology allowed into the country, its a sign of the growing pressure on Aotearoas laws.

There hasnt been a review of New Zealands laws covering GMOs in over two decades.RNZ reports that the Productivity Commission now warns that current regulations dont reflect 20 years of breakneck technological advances.The commission has recommended that regulations should accomodate new technology and not stifle innovation. The government responded that Aotearoas brand is GMO-free and it wants to maintain a proceed with caution approach to genetic engineering. Theres also little public interest in changing regulations. However, the Productivity Commission is not alone. The Climate Change Commission also recommended last year that the government consider allowing genetic engineering that could cut emissions from agriculture.

GMOs can be a passionate topic and theres no easy way to define the arguments on both sides.Prem Maan, the executive chairman of Lewis Road Creamery and Southern Pastures, wrote a defence of current laws last year.He warned of possible massive damage to the environment from uncontrolled spread of GMOs and said the current ban keeps New Zealands food exports premium, wholesome products. Similar arguments are made every few years, when a new report comes out.Mia Sutherland, a former school strike forclimate organiser, wrote for Stuff that GMOs are the climate option.With the country facing a serious challenge to rapidly slash climate emissions this decade, some genetically engineered grasses could help cut agricultural emissions by nearly half.Newsroom also looks at the advances in science and argues this goes far beyond GMOs, with New Zealand also strictly limiting gene editing.

Its possible that youll be reading a newsletter in another 20 years that also covers the countrys largely GMO-free status. But its unlikely. While theres been tremendous technological change in the 20 years since the countrys last GMO review, the next two decades promise to be even more transformative.Biology is the most important technology of this century, Wired argues in a recent review of whats to come.In ways that already seem unthinkable, technology is being used right now to edit and rewrite life. The future, for better or worse, will be increasingly synthetic.

See the original post here:
The future of the GMO ban - The Spinoff

The term genomics sounds quite interesting, although it is mainly confused with genetics. Genetics refers to the study of genes, whereas genomics is a broader term which encompasses the study of an organisms entire set of genes (genome).

Some facts to know

Do read: What is genetic engineering and how can it benefit healthcare?

Exploiting genomics in medicine

Genomic medicine is a speciality of medical science that uses an individual's genomic information to make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Some of the recent advances in genomic medicine are discussed below:

Image source: Vadimgozhda | Megapixl.com

Precision medicine

Precision medicine exploits an individual's genetic information for disease diagnosis and treatment. However, it doesn't only consider the genome but utilises other factors such as the environment of a person and their health history.

Precision medicine bypasses the 'one size fits all' approaches that are the same for everyone and develops individual-specific approaches.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)

CRISPR is a gene editing tool and can be simply compared with a text editor, for a clear understanding. Also known as 'molecular scissors', the technique is used to edit genetic code. CRISPR shines a ray of hope in treating fatal diseases, including cancer and HIV.

Despite its great potential in medical science, the technique holds several apprehensions and questionable applications. Due to this reason, CRISPR is currently considered non-ethical in human beings and is banned in several countries, including the USA.

Gene therapy

Gene therapy involves the insertion of a healthy foreign genetic material into a person's cell to treat a disease. It is a one-shot cure as it corrects the underlying genetic cause of disease.

The first CAR T-cell-based gene therapy got approval in 2017 in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Gene therapies also hold a promising future for cancer treatment.

Concerns regarding gene-based techniques

Also read: Telix (ASX: TLX) adds new asset in its cancer treatment pipeline

Link:
The role of genomics in medicine: A look at pros and cons - Kalkine Media

REHOVOT, Israel, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CollPlant (NASDAQ: CLGN), a regenerative and aesthetics medicine company developing innovative technologies and products for tissue regeneration and organ manufacturing, today announced that Dr. Jasmine Seror, CollPlant's Head of Aesthetic Medicine and Exploratory Products, will deliver a presentation at the Aesthetics Innovation Summit 2022, to be held in San Diego, California, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

Dr. Jasmine Seror, CollPlants Head of Aesthetic Medicine and Exploratory Products

The presentation, entitled "Novel photocurable rhCollagen implants for regenerative aesthetics applications," will be delivered virtually at the spotlight session on regenerative medicine & cell therapy at 11:20 AM EST.

Presentation title: "Novel photocurable rhCollagen implants for regenerative aesthetics applications"

Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Time: 11:20 AM EST

Registration Link: click here

About CollPlant

CollPlant is a regenerative and aesthetic medicine company focused on 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, and medical aesthetics. The Company's products are based on its rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen) produced with CollPlant's proprietary plant based genetic engineering technology. These products address indications for the diverse fields of tissue repair, aesthetics, and organ manufacturing, and are ushering in a new era in regenerative and aesthetic medicine.

At the beginning of 2021, CollPlant entered into a development and global commercialization agreement for dermal and soft tissue fillers with Allergan, an AbbVie company, the global leader in the dermal filler market. Later in 2021, CollPlant entered a strategic co-development agreement with 3D Systems for a 3D bioprinted regenerative soft tissue matrix for use in breast reconstruction procedures in combination with an implant.

For more information about CollPlant, visit http://www.collplant.com

Safe Harbor Statements

This press release may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to CollPlant's objectives plans and strategies, as well as statements, other than historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that CollPlant intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believes," "hopes," "may," "anticipates," "should," "intends," "plans," "will," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "positioned," "strategy" and similar expressions and are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Many factors could cause CollPlant's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's history of significant losses, its ability to continue as a going concern, and its need to raise additional capital and its inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the Company's expectations regarding the timing and cost of commencing clinical trials with respect to tissues and organs which are based on its rhCollagen based BioInk and products for medical aesthetics; the Company's ability to obtain favorable pre-clinical and clinical trial results; regulatory action with respect to rhCollagen based BioInk and medical aesthetics products including but not limited to acceptance of an application for marketing authorization review and approval of such application, and, if approved, the scope of the approved indication and labeling; commercial success and market acceptance of the Company's rhCollagen based products in 3D Bioprinting and medical aesthetics; the Company's ability to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties and its reliance on third party distributors and resellers; the Company's ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the Company's reliance on third parties to conduct some or all aspects of its product manufacturing; the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights and the Company's ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; the overall global economic environment; the impact of competition and new technologies; general market, political, and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; projected capital expenditures and liquidity; changes in the Company's strategy; and litigation and regulatory proceedings. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting CollPlant is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" included in CollPlant's most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC, and in other filings that CollPlant has made and may make with the SEC in the future. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and reflect CollPlant's current views with respect to future events, and CollPlant does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Contact at CollPlant:Eran RotemDeputy CEO & CFOTel: + 972-73-2325600Email: Eran@CollPlant.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1796342/CollPlant.jpg

Cision

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SOURCE CollPlant

Link:
CollPlant To Present at the Aesthetics Innovation Summit 2022 - Yahoo Finance

image:Supports the work of researchers, clinicians, academics, and policymakers to address barriers to care and advance efforts to improve the health, wellbeing, and clinical outcomes of all LGBT and other sexual and gender minority persons. view more

Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

In a new study, providers of care to transgender youth were against the rising tide of legislation restricting participation of transgender youth in gender-segregated sports. Nearly all providers voiced concern that legislation banning transgender youth from sports participation would lead to worsening discrimination and stigmatization, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed journalLGBT Health. Click here to read the article now.

Landon Hughes, from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and coauthors, analyzed the responses of 103 providers of pediatric gender-affirming medical care from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Whereas participation in organized sports can benefit physical and mental health, the providers believed that restrictive legislation would increase the number of mental and physical health morbidities among transgender youth. Specifically, providers believed these bills would increase the risks of suicide, depression, nonsuicidal self-injury, anxiety, and gender dysphoria.

All providers in this study believed that these bills should not be passed. Most providers believed that it was their duty to advocate against these bills and educate lawmakers and the public about their harmful effects, stated the investigators.

This study draws attention to a critical current issue. Numerous pending state bills lack nuance and flexibility and will cause much harm if enacted. States should follow California's example in protecting transgender student athletes. While California allows for decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis, its Assembly Bill 1266 stipulates that a pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupils records, says LGBT Health Editor-in-ChiefWilliam Byne, MD, PhD, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.

About the JournalLGBT Health, published 8 times a year online with open access options and in print, facilitates and supports the work of researchers, clinicians, academics, and policymakers to address barriers to care and advance efforts to improve the health, wellbeing, and clinical outcomes of all LGBT and other sexual and gender minority persons. Led by Editor-in-ChiefWilliam Byne, MD, PhD, Columbia University, New York, NY, the Journal spans a broad array of disciplines and publishes original research, review articles, clinical reports, case studies, and legal and policy perspectives. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on theLGBT Health website.

About the PublisherMary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is known for establishing authoritative medical and biomedical peer-reviewed journals.A complete list of the firms more than 100 journals, newsmagazines, and books is available on theMary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website

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Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

More here:
Sports participation by transgender youth: Providers' perspectives - EurekAlert

Soybeans play an increasingly important role in the feed and food sector in Germany, as it is one of the leading non-GMO food markets, particularly for dairy products.

The expansion project is expected to be complete in Q3 2023 and will provide further incentives for local farmers to grow more non-GMO soybeans and to incorporate soy into crop rotation farming, said ADM.

ADMs long stated strategy is to expand its network of European soy processing facilities and support local farmers in increasing the regions soybean acreage. Flexible crush capacity, scale and carefully managed production costs per unit all remain key to it achieving that objective.

In 2017, the company began crushing non-GMO soybeans at its facility inSpyck, north-western Germany. Located close to the Dutch border, the site was previously only used to crush rape and sunflower seeds.

Switch capacity allows a facility to process more than one crop. The groups rapeseed crushing plant in Straubing in Germany also saw switch capacity put in place a few years ago, with non-GMO soybean crushing getting underway there in June 2016.

An ADM spokesperson said at the time that adding switch capability to its plants allows ADM to utilize its assets more towards the protein markets when EU oil markets are under pressure. We believe we are best placed in our industry to further grow our crush capacities organically and keep our production costs in line with or lower than our origin crushing operations.

Last month, we heard that Germany had sufficient supplies of non-GMO feed to tap into despite the war in Ukraine. ADM Straubing reported then that its site was fully operational and that it considered non-GMO soybean supplies largely secure at that point, according to the Association of Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG), the group behind the non-GMO Ohne Gentechnik (OG) standard in Germany.

See more here:
ADM to expand its non-GMO soy crushing capabilities in Germany - FeedNavigator.com

If youve ever scanned a field looking for a lucky four-leaf clover, then perhaps youve wondered why they are so rare. It turns out scientists arent exactly sure about the mysteries of four-leaf clovers, either.

The jury is on out why, said Vincent Pennetti, a second-year doctoral student at the University of GeorgiasCollege of Agricultural and Environmental sciences. Pennettis work in theInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomicsfocuses on genetic engineering inturfgrass, but hes also an amateur clover breeder who has gotten pretty good at spotting them in the wild (see more below).

For clovers to produce four leaves, Pennetti said, it takes a combination of genes and environment, but the precise interplay of those two and other factors is still unsolved.

A decade ago, UGA researcherWayne Parrottand his research teamidentified the genetic markersassociated with the four-leaf trait in white clover (trifolium repens), a prevalent species in yards across the U.S.

Parrott, a Distinguished Research Professor incrop and soil sciences, also found the location of other genes that canadd red coloringto white clovers leaves.

But even with markers that could be associated with the four-leaf clover trait, it isnt exactly easy to make your own luck. The four-leaf trait doesnt always show up when expected, even if the genes are present.

Its been a really tough trait to do, Parrott said. If daylight or temperatures arent right, you wont see it. But at other times, five, six, or as many as eight leaves will show up.

Pennettis longtime fascination with clover started while playing little league in Long Island, New York.

My parents really wanted me to be good at baseball, Pennetti recalled. I wasnt. I am not built for sports.

So coaches sent him to the outfield, where he would be less of a defensive liability.

No one was hitting there, he said. I had nothing to do. I was just standing around looking for four-leaf clovers.

But he wasnt having any luck at that either.

Eventually, as a high schooler waiting for the bus, he finally spotted a pair of four-leaf clovers.

And he wanted more.

Thats around the time he learned about Parrotts research concerning multifoliate clover genetic markers at the University of Georgia. Pennetti reached out for advice from Parrott, who in turn gave him pointers on plant breeding over Skype.

Pennetti has been breeding clover ever since. That passion eventually brought him down to Georgia to pursue his doctorate.

While his research focuses on creating better turfgrasses for the consumer market, he remains committed to white clover. He tends to a variety of ornamental clover plants at a UGA greenhouse that have been bred for decorative shapes and leaf markings; some even grow pink flowers

Finding a four-leaf clover isnt easy, but one UGA doctoral student is on a mission to research, find, and breed this mysterious plant. Pennettis personal line of clover, bred from some of the first plants he discovered nine years ago, grow in his basement under an LED lamp. As a side hustle, he preserves and sells four-leaf clovers on Etsy for people who want them as novelties or wedding gifts.

One guy last year ordered $300 worth of clovers just to give out at a senior living community for St. Patricks Day, he said.

Gene-editing technology has opened the door for all sorts of advances in crop sciencesnot to mention the fight against deadly diseases.

With enough research funding and todays CRISPR technology, Pennetti said, it could be possible to create a four-leaf clover in the lab one day. But Pennetti doesnt want to be the one to make that happen.

It would be kind of fun, but on the other hand, I dont want to ruin the search for everybody else, he said. It is nice that its still kind of a mystery.

There is only one four-leaf clover for every 5,076 three-leaf clovers, according to an estimate from the website Share the Luck. But with some strategy and a lot of patience, it is possible to find your own lucky charm. Over the years, Pennetti has gotten good at spotting them.

Here are a few tips for novice four-leaf clover hunters.

1. Find a break in the pattern

Finding multifoliate clovers is really just a pattern game, said Pennetti. Looking at a patch of clover, youll see the typical three-leaf plants create a triangle shape with the whites of their leaves. Look for that triangle pattern to be interrupted.

Most of the time, its going to be three-leaf clovers stuck right next to each, not a four-leaf clover, he said. But sometimes, its a square. And thats actually a four-leaf clover.

2. Grab a good vantage point

Its best to hunt for four-leaf clovers on your feet. That will give you the distance from the ground you need to spot breaks in the pattern when trying to distinguish from your typical shamrock.

Never go on your hands and knees, Pennetti said. Youre going to waste so much time.

3. Keep moving

Dont linger in any one patch of clover. Instead, keep moving during your search.

Dont spend too much time in one area, Pennetti said. Its either going to be there or it isnt.

Happy hunting. And good luck.

Sponsored Content on AGDaily

Link:
The science and secrets of four-leaf clovers - AGDAILY

[Illustration: ipopba/iStock]

Our capital, Austin, has a reputation for attracting businesses at the cutting edge of the sciences, but it is hardly the only bright spot for innovation in the Lone Star State. In fact, venture capital funding is flowing into Dallas-Fort Worth at a faster rate than any other area in the nation. When it comes to the biotech industry, our region is leading the U.S. in key metrics of job growth and investment.

This success in North Texas is not a coincidence, but the result of strategic collaborative efforts and a shared ambition of key players across this regions biotech ecosystem. The collective efforts of government, nonprofit, academic, and industry partners have brought together the necessary ingredients to enable sustainable long-term growth.

Emblematic of this collaboration is the forthcoming Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building, a joint partnership between UT Southwestern Medical Center and The University of Texas at Dallas. By integrating biomedical engineering with advances in related fields such as artificial intelligence, molecular imaging, robotics, and genetic engineering, this collaboration will further solidify North Texas reputation as a hot market for biomedical innovation.

The quality of innovation emanating from our nationally ranked hospital systems and research centers can be credited in a large part for growing investor interest. But good science alone isnt enough. DFW produces, attracts, and retains the skilled workforce our industry partners need to scale up operations. This has paved the way for companies like Taysha Gene Therapies and Caris Life Sciences to make the strategic decision to headquarter and innovate here.

Another indicator of our regions long-term stability is Biolabs selection of Dallas as its ninth location in the U.S. This brand-new 32,000-square-foot flexible lab, training, and office space at Pegasus Park has addressed a previously critically deficient element of our healthcare innovation ecosystem. DFWs historic lack of available commercial laboratory space has been a recognized hindrance to the growth and retention of the early-stage startups that are the lifeblood of this industry. This available lab space is in high demand and is on track to achieve full occupancy in the short term.

Kendall Square (in Cambridge, MA), South San Francisco, and La Jolla (north of San Diego) are all power clusters that have pulled away several of our regions innovators and their startup companies through the undeniable allure of easy flow of venture capital dollars and access to a highly skilled workforce. These same regions are now facing their own challenges, from unaffordable housing to urban congestion, that are causing real reductions in quality-of-life metrics. In that respect, our timing couldnt be better to support critical elements that will enable continued biopharma and healthcare innovation growth.

In fact, we possess another enormous asset that those other innovation hubs do not. Dallas Fort Worth International Airports cold chain logistics capabilities enable the distribution of fragile biologic and pharmaceutical medicines to anywhere in the world in a matter of hours while maintaining essential and highly specific conditions. Only one other airport in the U.S. possesses logistics close to this scale.

DFW further benefits from fantastic state and local government partners in driving sound economic development choices that are supporting our growth as a biotech hub. These capabilities and our famously business friendly environment attracted McKesson, the nations largest pharmaceutical distributor, to relocate to North Texas four years ago.

The rapid rise of Pegasus Park as the center of our regions life sciences hub now equips North Texas with its own hugely scalable version of the clusters found on the coasts. Similarly, plans have been announced for Texas A&M to expand their Fort Worth presence with a research campus that will advance medical innovation and drive business development. In order to maintain this momentum and realize significant industry growth, we must continue to build and improve access to ready capital for investment in all stages of biopharma innovation.

Other national partners like MassChallenge have begun to make an impact by creating the environment needed to promote and attract access to funding and entrepreneurial resources. BioNORTHTEXAS is also developing our own Investor Forum that will soon attract national funding partners as we match them with researchers and startups.

With government, industry, and academia working together, there is not a problem that we cannot solve. This is an exciting time for our industry and region as we drive towards a more innovative and prosperous future.

Views and opinions expressed by Voices contributors are their own.

Kathleen Otto (left) and George Goodno

Kathleen Otto is the CEO at BioNORTHTEXAS. She previously served as executive director of New York Citys Science and Technology Center at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and as Vice President of Business Development and Programs at Bio New Jersey.

George Goodno is a Senior Advisor for the ENTENTE Network, providing communications and management consulting services to biopharma and healthcare clients. Previously he served as the Director of Industry Relations for UT Southwesterns Office for Technology Development and Director of Communications for the national trade group Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Goodno presently serves on advisory councils for BioNTX and Healthcare Think Tank.

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BioLabs at Pegasus Park shared space and state-of-the-art lab is slated to open in December. It's a place where entrepreneurial innovators can test, develop, and grow their ideas.

Rare is not that rare, says the RDCC. One in ten people lives with a rare disease, and the new coalition will unify life science companies dedicated to developing treatments. The goal? To inform policymakers of the unique challenges in the space. Signature Biologics joins Dallas-based Taysha as a member of the RDCC.

The summit is an innovation multiplier for capital, collaboration, and commercialization. Plus, you can meet 2021 NTX Rising Starsand the new companies moving to BioLabs at Pegasus Park. Here's an updated agenda for the annual iC3 Life Science Summit on September 30 and October 1.

Now valued at more than $7.8 billion, Caris specializes in AI-powered genetic sequencing for personalized cancer treatments. The massive capital raise follows a $310 million round in October and boosts the 13-year-old company's total funding to about $1.3 billion.

The agreement will involve the two companies providing educational programs and connections for scientist entrepreneurs located at the Biotech+ Hub at Pegasus Park.

As the former CEO of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science from 2002 to 2014, Nicole Smalls passion for philanthropy and STEM education firmly prepared her for her current role as president of the Lyda Hill Foundation and CEO of LH Holdings Inc.

Biotechnology is alive and growing in DFW. The region recently ranked 6th on a list of top ten emerging life science clusters in the U.S.

Pharma relocations, venture capital, and $6 billion in the State of Texas CPRIT Fund are priming North Texas to be a life sciences mecca, says Transwestern's John Huff.

Alcon gave rise to a startup ecosystem in North Texas that is spreading into all parts of how drugs, medical devices, and more are created.

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Polybion bacterial cellulose membrane, ready for stabilisation and tanning to make Celium ... [+] 'leather-alternative'

The response to this series of next-gen materials articles has been feverish. It seems to have flung open the doors of labs and manufacturing facilities across the globe, sending a deluge of materials innovations and technology platforms my way, which all have a role to play in replacing toxic and resource-hungry incumbent materials. As a result, this series will be extended, but today, we journey to Polybion HQ in Mexico, to unravel natures most elegant and effective integrated recycling and material production unit: bacteria.

In a world where industrial recycling infrastructure is fragmented and ill-equipped to deliver material circularity, a solution in nature has been staring us in the face, literally, forever. Bacteria are Earth's most abundant species and simplest organisms, evolving for 3.5 billion years, surviving mass extinctions and extreme environmental swings along the way. This has made them highly resilient and efficient at conducting biochemical reactions in symbiosis with nature. Such reactions include metabolizing waste back into the building blocks of natureno industrial infrastructure needed.

Bacterias simplicity as single-celled organisms makes them microscopic powerhouses that produce useful substances (including cellulose) during their natural metabolic processes. Guanajuato-based startup Polybion leverages this, adding a layer of bioengineering to re-code bacterias genes to orchestrate specific metabolic outputs, thereby creating new biomaterials. The first of these is a cellulose membrane, which the bacteria bio-assembles into a skin that can be tanned and used as a leather alternative, which they call Celium.

On the subject of leather alternatives, Mycelium, which is grown from fungi, has experienced a surge in interest, winning the favor of brands including Allbirds who are working with NFWs Mirum, and Hermes with Mycoworks Fine Mycelium. So why is Polybion using bacteria instead of fungi, and what is the difference between the material outputs?

During a video interview with the Polybion team, co-founder and CEO Axel Gmez-Ortigoza explained bacteria have simpler genomes and are easier to genetically engineer than fungi. And taking natures lead, he added that cellulose is the most abundant (and perhaps versatile) polymer on the planet; so with bacteria producing it, the potential for scalable, modular, and high-yielding biomaterials is immense. Bacterias high yield is the deal-breaker, he added, offering faster scaling and more predictable, repeatable material outputs than fungi-based alternatives.

Polybion uses local agro-industrial food and water to feed their engineered bacteria in an industrial fermentation unit. The bacteria grows the cellulose membrane on the surface of the water by consuming glucose and fructose from the food waste and polymerizing it into cellulose, which takes 20 days.

Bacterial cellulose fermentation in industrial unit

The membrane is removed and transported to a nearby tannery where it is stabilized (to halt the live decay process) and tanned using a chrome-free method that is REACH and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliant. Importantly, the stabilization and tanning of Celium requires no new infrastructure, just optimized chemistry and water usage within existing tanning facilities. This entire process, from raw material to finished skin happens within a 30-mile radius of Irapuato, in Guanajuato, Mexico.

In December 2021 Polybion launched the first industrial-scale, bacterial cellulose textile, biomanufacturing facility in the world: a 14,500 sq. ft solar-powered, carbon-neutral facility. Production volumes of Celium at this pilot factory are currently 350,000 sq. ft. per year, rising to 1.1 million by Q4 2023.

Production volumes are partially dependent on locally available waste, but of this, there is no shortage (as is true of any location on the planet with both people and industrial agriculture). The fruit waste within a 30-mile radius of FOAK I (Polybions pilot facility) could produce 165 million sq. ft. Celium per year: equivalent to 1% of the global leather market.

During the video interview, Axel and his co-founder, CFO, and brother, Alexis Gomez-Ortigoza, forecast that the technology will scale 10X after pilot capacity is reached in 2023, supported by licensing of the technology to drive rapid (and probably European) expansion.

Finished Celium 'canvases'

Its important to note that the R&D to reach this stage of production took 6 years, and was achieved with, incredibly, only 4 million ($4.4 million). This CapEx is tiny compared to similar next-gen material innovations, so how did they manage so much with so little? The brothers say this is a result of strictly prioritizing the development of the technology and focusing on science-based problem-solving, and avoiding marketing and promotional spending during development stages. Axels excellence in bioengineering, and Alexiss finance background, added to the nearby leather industry knowledge and infrastructure have also helped, no doubt. A key takeaway from this interview, I believe, is the promise of ingenuity and persistence, even in the face of modest financial resources. Its also a fair, and probably overdue, reminder that critical innovation is happening all over the globein every corner, in every region, and every culture.

Celiums sustainability gains are commensurate with adopting biological processes in place of synthetic ones. Microorganisms do not require land clearing, nor do they need daily water replenishment. They are not methane emitters, in contrast to livestock, and avoid PU and PVC which cause microplastic pollution. In fact, Celium is a holistically designed biomaterial, as opposed to the vast array of plant-based and plastic based leather alternatives on the market that are composites of plant fibres and plastic polymers that rendering them marketable as vegan but environmentally suspect.

Polybion provided some headline resource consumption figures to flesh out the impact reduction: cowhide tanning uses approximately 30 liters of water per square foot. By comparison, the stabilization process of Celium uses about 5 liters; Its tanning also avoids heavy metals including chrome.

Regarding up-cycling, 1,200 metric tons of fruit waste will be processed per year at maximum capacity, helping prevent around 3000 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Celium's carbon footprint arises wholly from transportation and logistics and stands at 0.792 kilograms of CO2eq per square foot. I balk at material impact comparisons, but to share the information they provided for context, Polybion places Celium at around half the emissions impact of animal and plastic leathers. Celiums calculated impacts will be revealed in detail upon receipt of the final Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

Polybion FOAK I pilot facility for Celium production

The startups strategy for collaboration and expansion is to target affordable luxury and premium global brands that produce high volumes. We are working with forward-thinking, global consumer brands across multiple sectors ranging from affordable luxury to premium and high-end shares their Head of Communication and Culture, Gabriela Irastorza Dragonn. Their brand partners span fashion, accessories, shoe, and automotive sectors, and the technology they have developed is suitable for materials spanning food and pharma industries too.

With a series A funding round under their belt, led by Blue Horizon, next on Polybions agenda is genetically engineering bacteria strains to boost Celiums performance, the hand feel, and overall appearance. They are pursuing recombinant materials (from organisms with recombined genetic material) never seen before by mankind, designed and grown using lifes molecular palette. The output? Hybrid Organic Metamaterials. Meta indeed, thanks to 3.5 billion years of natures wisdom combined with advanced technology and human ingenuity: perhaps the best recipe for the next generation of environmentally responsible materials.

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Bacterial Leather From Food Waste: Next-Gen Circular Materials Are Alive (And Ready To Scale) - Forbes