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LyoWave licenses Purdue freeze-drying innovations, enters collaboration with Millrock Technology
- LyoWave is commercializing innovative microwave heating technologies developed at Purdue University that improve upon traditional lyophilization
- LyoWave licensed the intellectual property through the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization.
- CEO and co-founder Drew Strongrich said LyoWave’s microwave energy innovations open new possibilities for a variety of products.
- Alina Alexeenko, LyoWave President, said lyophilization extends the shelf life of pharmaceuticals, including vaccines, and stabilizes them throughout the supply chain.
- The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals awarded a team of Purdue researchers almost $1 million to advance lyophilization technologies.
- LyoWave’s technology enables alternative and emerging lyophilization technologies - in response to the growing demand for lyophilized products.
- LyoWave has entered into a collaboration agreement with Millrock Technology, which allows users to increase their throughput with minimal changes to existing installations.
- Regular microwave designs often use a turntable to counteract hot spots; LyoWave found a way to rapidly rotate the electromagnetic field in random directions, resulting in uniformity throughout the product chamber.
- LyoWave was founded by researchers at Purdue University’s College of Engineering.
- The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S.
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Bioengineer
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AI predicts tumor-killing cells with high accuracy
- Ludwig Cancer Research scientists have used artificial intelligence to identify the cancer-killing immune cells for personalized cancer treatments with a new predictive model.
- This new model, called TRTpred, can rank T cell receptors (TCRs) based on their tumor reactivity.
- TRTpred can learn from one T cell population and create a rule which can then be applied to a new population.
- The AI-driven predictive model from TRTpred and additional algorithms can be used to personalize cancer immunotherapies to the unique cellular makeup of each patient's tumors.
- TRTpred can predict the reactivity of tumor cells and identifies the tumor-reactive TCRs with roughly 90% accuracy.
- A third filter Groups TCRs based on similar physical and chemical characteristics to pick within each cluster one TCR, which is then amplified to maximal the different antigen targets.
- The researchers have demonstrated that T cells flagged by TRTpred and the secondary algorithm as tumor-reactive and having high avidity were more often found embedded within tumors rather than in adjacent supportive tissue known as stroma.
- The researchers have validated AI-based approach by cultivating human tumors in mice and eliminating tumors when transferred into the mice.
- This method promises to overcome shortcomings of current TIL based therapy and enhance T cell therapy.
- This study was supported by Ludwig Cancer Research, the Swiss National Science Foundation, and the Cancera Foundation.
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Bioengineer
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Exploring lysosomal biology: current approaches and methods
- Lysosomes are crucial for cellular degradation, characterized by their acidic pH and hydrolytic enzymes.
- They play a role in recycling essential components by degrading materials through various processes.
- Dysfunction in lysosomes contributes to diseases such as lysosomal storage diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer.
- Research methods and tools have been developed to study lysosomes in cultured cells, C. elegans, and mice.
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Bioengineer
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How a ‘conductor’ makes sense of chaos in early mouse embryos
- Early embryonic development is tumultuous, involving rapid cell division, differentiation, and compartment movement.
- A new study highlights the crucial role of protein NKX1-2 in coordinating and timing genetic instructions for embryo development.
- Inhibiting NKX1-2 function in mice affected the nucleolus and disrupted ribosome production and chromosome distribution.
- The findings provide insights into developmental problems and could help understand causes of miscarriages.
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Neuroscientist from Göttingen receives prestigious research grant
- Neuroscientist Ayuno Nakahashi has been awarded a three-year fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program.
- She will study social interactions and decision-making in rhesus monkeys at the German Primate Center.
- Her research aims to understand neurological conditions like autism.
- The grant is highly prestigious, with only eleven percent of applicants receiving funding.
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Bioengineer
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Decoding development: mRNA’s role in embryo formation
- A new study at Hebrew University reveals insights into mRNA regulation during embryonic development.
- The study combines single-cell RNA-Seq and metabolic labeling in zebrafish embryos to quantify mRNA transcription and degradation rates within individual cell types.
- Varied regulatory rates across genes and cell-type-specific differences in degradation were observed.
- Understanding mRNA regulation during embryonic development helps decipher how genes are turned on and off in specific cells at precise times.
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Bioengineer
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Enabling rapid screening of poly(2-oxazoline)-based nanomedicine through divergent synthesis; towards alternative mRNA-vaccines
- A new way to quickly and reliably diversify the reactive end-groups on poly(2-oxazoline)s, a biocompatible polymer class, has been developed.
- This allows for quick exploration of poly(2-oxazoline)s in nanomedicine applications as it can replace poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG).
- Reactive end-groups are frequently used in the synthesis of nanomedicine to improve stability and blood circulation time, and poly(2-oxazoline)s can be fine-tuned to modulate pharmacokinetics and -dynamics.
- The authors employed commercially available initiators for the polymerization, enabling easy end-group diversification of POx.
- Their approach allowed the rapid synthesis of POx-lipid conjugates for use in liposomes and LNP-mediated mRNA delivery.
- POx-based lipid nanoparticles were compared to their PEGylated counterparts for administration of SARS-COV-2 spike mRNA, with both displaying robust immune responses and POx showing potential as a PEG alternative.
- Their approach enables synthetic diversification with a large number of substrates with excellent end-group fidelity and control over molecular weight distribution.
- This study is important as it facilitates the rapid development of POx-based nanomedicine platforms through a straightforward end-group diversification strategy.
- The synthesized products conform to the strict quality criteria of commercial PEG products and allow for careful tuning of pharmaceutical properties through the selection of polymer structures.
- The study has significant implications for the future of nanomedicine and could lead to improvements in drug/gene delivery and safety profiles.
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First effective treatment found for spitting cobra snakebite
- Scientists have discovered a groundbreaking new snakebite treatment to prevent the devastating tissue damage caused by African spitting cobra venom.
- Spitting cobra venom causes dermonecrosis, which results in rapid destruction of skin, muscle, and bone around the bite site, leading to permanent injuries and disfigurements.
- The repurposed small molecule drug varespladib effectively blocks one of the major dermonecrosis-causing toxins in spitting cobra venom, preventing skin and muscle damage.
- This discovery holds promise to improve the treatment of tropical snakebite cases, as current treatments are ineffective, and the tissue damage caused by spitting cobra bites remains high in Africa.
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Bioengineer
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Study sheds light on cancer cell ‘tug-of-war’
- Understanding how cancerous cells spread from a primary tumor is crucial for assessing the disease's aggressiveness and metastasis.
- A study conducted by researchers from Germany and Spain focused on different cellular contractility modes in breast and cervical cancer.
- The study found that more aggressive cells pull strongly on the extracellular matrix (ECM), while noninvasive cells pull more on themselves, due to different structures within the cells.
- The interplay between these contractility modes determines a cell's potential for escape and tumor aggressiveness.
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Bioengineer
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Transfected SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA suppresses cancer cell response to chemotherapy
- A research paper published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 reveals that transfected SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA can suppress the response of cancer cells to chemotherapy.
- The study shows that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein disrupts the interaction between p53 and MDM2 proteins in cancer cells, leading to the inhibition of p53 transcriptional activity.
- This suppression of p53-dependent gene activation may impact tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and chemotherapy sensitivity.
- Further investigation is needed to understand the effects of SARS-CoV-2 spike and other viral proteins on DNA damage sensing, response, and repair mechanisms in cancer cells.
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Bioengineer
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Asthma education is key to reducing deaths worldwide, say respiratory health associations
- Asthma education is key to reducing deaths worldwide, say respiratory health associations.
- The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) emphasizes the importance of education in empowering people with asthma to manage their condition effectively.
- FIRS urges healthcare professionals to enhance their awareness of preventable morbidity and mortality from asthma and provide reliable information and optimal treatment.
- Key universal issues in asthma education include under- or inaccurate diagnosis, underuse of inhalers, overuse of short-acting inhalers, and poor recognition of patients requiring specialist assessment.
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Wetter recognized for exemplary leadership in cancer equity initiatives
- David W. Wetter, a senior director at Huntsman Cancer Institute, has received the Society of Behavioral Medicine Senior Investigator Award for his contributions to cancer prevention and control.
- Wetter's work focuses on reducing health disparities and improving accessibility to cancer healthcare, particularly for underserved communities.
- He has made significant contributions in areas such as evaluating nicotine replacement therapy, studying the impact of smoking on sleep disorders, and implementing healthcare system changes for treating tobacco use.
- Wetter has also established collaborations with community organizations and academic institutions to address cancer risk behaviors and improve health outcomes.
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Bioengineer
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60% of women with disabilities view cannabis as a ‘harmless’ drug
- Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have studied the perception of risk of harm associated with weekly cannabis use in women of childbearing age by disability status, using data from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
- The study found that approximately 60% of women with disabilities who used cannabis in the past 12 months perceived no risk of harm from weekly cannabis use.
- 37.9% of women with any disability perceived no risk associated with weekly cannabis use, compared to 26.1% of those with no disabilities.
- More than one-quarter (27.4%) of women perceived no risk of harm associated with weekly cannabis use, with those aged 21 to 29, never married, living in poverty, who experienced a past 12-month major depressive episode, and using both alcohol and tobacco showing higher likelihood.
- Women with disabilities and cannabis use in the past 12 months had 2.9 times higher odds of perceiving no risk associated with weekly use of cannabis compared to women without any disability and no cannabis use.
- This study suggests that living in states that have legalized medical cannabis was associated with a decreased likelihood of perceiving no risk from using weekly cannabis, relative to states without legalized use of medical cannabis.
- Exposure to cannabis use during pregnancy has been associated with adverse birth outcomes including low birth weight, preterm delivery, small for gestational age, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, and infant death.
- There is an urgent need for effective cannabis screening and subsequent dissuasion of cannabis use for reproductive-aged women at risk of substance use, as health policies should include holistic programs to proactively educate the population, pharmacists, medical and public health professionals of the associated benefits and risks of cannabis use among reproductive-aged women with disabilities.
- Obstetrician-gynecologists can play an important role by informing patients about healthy behaviors and encouraging long-term adoption and identifying patients abusing drugs for proper referral to addiction treatment professionals.
- The study was published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
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Bioengineer
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Finly Zachariah, M.D., named as an Emerging Leader in Hospice and Palliative Care 2024
- Finly Zachariah, M.D., FAAFP, FAAHPM, FAMIA, was named an Emerging Leader in hospice and palliative care by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).
- Dr. Zachariah provides symptom management, pain control, and palliative care for adult and pediatric patients.
- AAHPM asked its more than 5,000 members to nominate individuals who are the best and brightest new leaders in the field.
- Dr. Zachariah is one of the physicians recognized by his peers for innovation in and dedication to the medical specialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and AAHPM.
- Hospice and palliative medicine is the medical specialty that focuses on improving quality of life and relieving pain and other symptoms in seriously ill patients.
- Dr. Zachariah is board certified in family medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, and clinical informatics.
- He combines his training in tropical medicine with his humanitarian values and volunteers significant time to underserved parts of the world to teach palliative care and help patients.
- He currently serves as an associate chief medical information officer at City of Hope and supports his colleagues in the adoption of clinical technologies, refining the electronic health record system to improve care delivery.
- His programmatic and academic foci include tailoring patient care to individual values and goals, advance care planning, and leveraging technology to enhance the coordination and delivery of patient-centered medical care in serious illness.
- The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) is the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine (HPM), as well as nurses, social workers, and other health and spiritual care practitioners committed to improving quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families.
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Bioengineer
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SwRI evaluates reliability of pressure relief valves for liquid natural gas tanks in train derailment scenarios
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has conducted a study demonstrating that pressure relief valves for liquid natural gas tanks work to prevent overpressurization and explosion in train derailments.
- The study was conducted for the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), as trains derail on average more than 1,000 times each year.
- The valves are designed to vent the headspace of the liquid natural gas in the event of a derailment or fire.
- Using liquid nitrogen as a substitute to simulate a railcar derailment, sensors were used to measure pressure, temperature, and flow rate, and the data together determined that the valves would vent fluid at a high enough rate from inside a container if it rolled onto its side, to prevent overpressure and then explosion.
- The second stage of the study evaluated the impact of a pressurized natural gas flame on the objects, such as the next tank, surrounding a pressure relief device in emergency operation.
- This fire testing data will be used to validate computer modeling calculations and for investigation of different accident scenarios.
- The project was conducted by the FRA-sponsored team, led by prime contractor Friedman Research Corporation, over 13 months between 2022 and 2023.
- For more information, click on the link https://www.swri.org/flow-component-testing/gas-flow-testing.
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