Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: biotech/medical – Page 2,562

7000 Year Old DNA Found in Artsakh Cave Matches Genes of Modern Armenians

AZOKH, Nagorno-Karabakh (People of Ar)—Scholars from Britain, US, Denmark and Armenia led by Professor Levon Yepiskoposyan have been examining prehistoric caves near the village of Azokh in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and found unique artifacts from different periods, among them a tooth from a human who lived 7000 years ago. Due to the cave’s climate DNA was preserved inside the tooth and was send to Copenhagen University’s genetics department (in Denmark) for examination. The results of this inquiry have revealed that the genetic makeup of the tooth belonging to an individual 7000 years ago perfectly matches with the genetic makeup of modern Armenians.

“This is the conclusion we’ve reached after numerous excavations carried out on the territory of Karabakh, where we examined more than a dozen caves, among them the cave of Azokh and Alexan Uzes,” Yepiskoposyan said.

Diabetes Drugs Being Tested For Anti-Aging Benefits

Acarbose and Metformin are commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, but now they are also being tested for anti-aging effects, and according to the researchers these two FDA approved drugs have big promise.

In mice testing Acarbose and Metformin were demonstrated to increase health, lifespan, and longevity of the animals. These two drugs are now being tested in monkeys that have a similar physiology, reproductive system, and aging pattern as humans, in research being conducted at Texas Biomedical Research Institute which is supported by a pilot grant provided by the San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center.

“I think this type of research can change what life is like for geriatric people,” said Corinna Ross, Ph.D, Associate Professor, Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas BioMed.

Skin and Mouth Biomarkers More Predictive Than Gut

Lifespan.io

 A new study published in mSystems, a journal from the American Society for Microbiology, shows that the skin and mouth microbiomes are better predictors of age than the gut microbiome.

A very broad study

The authors used a very large population that is highly impressive among studies of this kind. Previously, a team containing some of the same researchers had done a gut microbiome study of over four thousand people from multiple countries [1]. This time, the researchers took skin, saliva, and fecal samples from roughly 2,000, 2,500, and 4,500 people, respectively; this study was done with nearly 9,000 people in total, and the team stated that it was the most comprehensive microbiome study done to date. The team used a “random forest” machine learning approach to determine what microbiota were and were not predictive of age [2].

Going mobile: FDA clears world’s first bedside MRI scanner-on-wheels

The FDA has cleared the world’s first portable MRI system, designed to be wheeled to a hospital bedside for scanning a patient’s head and brain.

Developed by Hyperfine Research for people age two and older, the point-of-care imaging system weighs about one-tenth that of a conventional, fixed MRI system. About three feet wide and five feet tall, the device fits in an elevator and runs off an everyday power outlet to create both clinical contrast images and 3D renders.

“More than 40 years after its first use, MRI remains a marvel. Unfortunately, it also remains inaccessible,” Hyperfine Chief Medical Officer Khan Siddiqui said in a statement. “It’s time that MRI made the jump to point of need just like X-ray and ultrasound have before it.”

In vitro self-replication and multicistronic expression of large synthetic genomes

The generation of a chemical system capable of replication and evolution is a key objective of synthetic biology. This could be achieved by in vitro reconstitution of a minimal self-sustaining central dogma consisting of DNA replication, transcription and translation. Here, we present an in vitro translation system, which enables self-encoded replication and expression of large DNA genomes under well-defined, cell-free conditions. In particular, we demonstrate self-replication of a multipartite genome of more than 116 kb encompassing the full set of Escherichia coli translation factors, all three ribosomal RNAs, an energy regeneration system, as well as RNA and DNA polymerases. Parallel to DNA replication, our system enables synthesis of at least 30 encoded translation factors, half of which are expressed in amounts equal to or greater than their respective input levels. Our optimized cell-free expression platform could provide a chassis for the generation of a partially self-replicating in vitro translation system.

Biotech’s Wizard Of Wall Street : Fred Frank At The Forefront of Investment

Wall Street’s Biotech Investment Wizard — On this most recent ideaXme (http://radioideaxme.com/) episode, I was honored to be joined by my friend, and biotech / pharma / healthcare investment banker extraordinaire, Frederick Frank, to talk about his 50-year career history behind the industry’s mega-deals — #Ideaxme #Biopharma #Biotech #WallStreet #Mergers #Acquisitions #VentureCapital #Genentech #Roche #BristolMyersSquibb #PrivateEquity #Health #Wellness #Longevity #Regeneration #LifeExtension #Aging #IraPastor #Bioquark #Regenerage

Ira Pastor, ideaXme exponential health ambassador, interviews Fred Frank, Founder and Chair of Evolution Life Science Partners, an investment bank focused on the needs of life sciences and healthcare companies.

Ira Pastor Comments:

On several recent shows we’ve been discussing some of the novel, alternative funding pools that have been emerging in and around the biotech space, specifically related to some of the unmet medical needs of which we have been focusing on, on the ideaXme show, particularly related to the age-tech and longevity biotech fronts.

We have had guests join us from both the $125 Million Healthy Ageing Challenge program of UKRI (UK Research and Innovation)and the US$30 Million Healthy Longevity Global Grand Challenge of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. We’ve have also talked to folks at the XPrize Foundation, specifically related to their upcoming inducement prize contest for therapeutics for the diseases of aging.

Continue reading “Biotech’s Wizard Of Wall Street : Fred Frank At The Forefront of Investment” | >

/* */