大农化

The year was 2022. Chris Norn, PhD, was wrapping up his time as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) at University of Washington (UW). AlphaFold was taking the field by storm, while a new generation of deep learning tools was rapidly advancing de novo, or from-scratch, protein design with unprecedented success rates validated at atomic resolution. Within just a few years, these AI breakthroughs,  widespread applications across  pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, biosensors, and more,  would help earn Norn’s mentor, David Baker, PhD, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.   

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Nantes Université in France have designed 3D-printed scaffolding trays that will reportedly allow scientists to produce larger versions of functional human gut organoids twice as fast as previous methods—and these organoids grow their own nerve cells.

Taking a “full-stack” approach to precision fermentation, India’s StrainX Bioworks has exited stealth mode with a $13M funding round that will advance its goal of bringing novel proteins and molecules to market.

Can grass be the next protein frontier?It’s a question being explored by scientists at Munster Technological University (MTU) in Ireland, who are leading the Grass4Value project to reshape the country’s grasslands and bioeconomy.

After years of developing its 3D-printed meat manufacturing technology for B2B clients, Steakholder Foods is expanding into the consumer market.

Yeast in your lip care? That is now a reality thanks to a new collaboration between a Californian vegan beauty brand and a New York-based biotech firm.