Industry News
Accurate age estimation with DNA methylation
Using cutting-edge artificial intelligence, scientists created a tool that can determine a person's chronological age with a margin of error as small as 1.36 years for individuals under 50. [ + ]
Blood test predicts future development of MS
The test allows the identification of individuals at risk for developing multiple sclerosis with a high degree of certainty, years before the onset of symptoms. [ + ]
Brain biomarkers for Alzheimer's can be detected in middle age
Until now, brain biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease have mainly been studied in older individuals. [ + ]
Lightning used to make ammonia out of thin air
Researchers have harnessed human-made lightning to develop a more efficient method of generating ammonia — one of the world's most important chemicals. [ + ]
Algae unlocks a more ethical way to grow cells
Researchers have combined a new type of Queensland algae, Chlorella sp. BDH-1, with mammalian cells to improve the process of growing tissue cells. [ + ]
Oral drug shows promise for treating Barth syndrome
An oral drug called MA-5 can improve both heart and muscle problems in Barth syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting one in 300,000 births worldwide. [ + ]
Billion-dollar deal for UQ's molecular clamp vaccine tech
Sanofi has entered into an agreement to acquire Vicebio, a biotech company formed in 2018 to develop UQ's molecular clamp technology to make vaccines against life-threatening respiratory infections. [ + ]
Director of scandal-ridden Forensic Science Queensland resigns
Dr Linzi Wilson-Wilde resigned from her position one month after being suspended by Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington, after contamination issues were identified in the FSQ lab. [ + ]
New route into cells found for gene therapy viruses
Scientists have identified a previously unknown gateway into human cells — a receptor called AAVR2 — that gene therapy viruses can use to deliver therapeutic genes. [ + ]
Link between oestrogen and heart health found in women
Scientists found that oestrogen helps increase the ANXA1 protein, and when ANXA1 is missing, the heart is more vulnerable to damage due to poor mitochondrial function. [ + ]
Southern Ocean losing ice fast as decades-long trend reverses
Surface salinity is increasing south of 50° latitude, stratification is weakening, and sea ice has reached multiple record lows, according to new research. [ + ]
Not all PFAS are equal — some are essential to medical devices
While certain PFAS are harmful for human and public health, fluoropolymers are not considered environmental contaminants and are indispensable for use in medical devices. [ + ]
Frequent nightmares accelerate aging, increase risk of death
Nghtmares independently predict faster biological aging and earlier mortality — even after accounting for other health issues — according to new research. [ + ]
Cardiac organoids bring hope for treating heart disease
Australian scientists have developed lab-grown, three-dimensional heart tissues known as cardiac organoids that mimic the structure and function of real adult human heart muscle. [ + ]
A golden opportunity to recover precious metal from waste
Researchers claim to have found a safer and more sustainable approach to extract and recover gold from ore and electronic waste. [ + ]
