Ross Wilson

We're thrilled to share the new paper from Heather Maynard's group at UCLA! Their latest work, titled "Comparison of Cyclic and Linear PEG Conjugates," has been published in Bioconjugate Chemistry. The research demonstrates how cyclic PEGs can enhance the stability and pharmacokinetic properties of protein therapeutics, potentially revolutionizing biologic treatments. Key Highlights: 🔬 First bioconjugation of cyclic PEG to a model protein, T4 lysozyme. 🔬 Comparative analysis shows cyclic PEGs reduce hydrodynamic radius, potentially offering lower viscosity formulations. 🔬 Molecular dynamics simulations reveal promising stability and activity profiles for cyclic PEG-protein conjugates. Read the full paper here: https://bit.ly/4dbfIkO #Research #Bioconjugation #ProteinTherapeutics #CyclicPolymers #UCLA #Innovation #Science

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Exciting new gene editing technique from the lab of Alexis Komor at UC San Diego. "Current methods to model or correct mutations in live cells are inefficient, especially when multiplexing — installing multiple point mutations simultaneously across the genome. Researchers from the University of California San Diego have developed new, efficient genome editing tools called multiplexed orthogonal base editors (MOBEs) to install multiple point mutations at once. ... Instead of CRISPR, Komor’s lab uses a base-editing technique she developed, which makes a chemical change to the DNA, although only one type of edit (C to T or A to G, for example) can be made at a time. So rather than scissors that cut out an entire section at once, base-editing erases and replaces one letter at a time. It is slower, but more efficient and less harmful to cells." https://lnkd.in/gYBD5Dks

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Excellent synthesis of the current state of gene therapy 🤓🧬

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#TBT 🧬 In 2003, SFI featured a profile on resident faculty — now President — David Krakauer on his origins as an evolutionary biologist. “What drives Krakauer as a biologist is the infinite problem of how and why cells communicate, how they organize, transmit information, and select and make decisions.” To read more about Krakauer’s early journey to SFI 👉 https://ow.ly/jjGU50RHm4K

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New diffractive camera hides images from view: https://lnkd.in/g2z4hUUY IOP Publishing UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA ECE Department #DiffractiveProcessors

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Israeli-led consortium publishes cell atlas of the human body: The first draft of the Human Cell Atlas, a comprehensive database of human cells, has been published. The project, launched in 2016, aims to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells as a basis for understanding human health and for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease. https://lnkd.in/gD4idDbZ

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The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has awarded $14M to four cell biology research collaboratives to develop technology for better understanding cells. The multi-year grants will bring together regional labs in California, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Research Triangle in North Carolina to explore the frontiers of genomics, cell biology, and synthetic biology by developing new measurement technologies. These projects will focus on developing technologies to engineer cell and tissue models, exploring cellular responses to genetic and environmental stressors, understanding the role of #RNA in metabolism, and more. More on each project below: Exploratory cell networks to decode and program cellular behavior: Caltech, UCLA, and the University of Southern California will engineer, manipulate, and analyze complex multicellular systems, starting with muscle and immune cells. Findings from the project could help unlock a variety of cell and gene therapies to treat diseases such as #cancer, #musculardystrophy, and #autoimmune conditions. Innovative approaches for charting state-dependent RNA metabolic networks: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Scripps Research, and UC San Diego will create a set of technologies to research RNA and cellular metabolism. These methods will clarify how cells respond and adapt to genetic and environmental stresses, including aging and diseases linked to RNA dysregulation, such as #Alzheimer’s disease. Revealing the hidden topologies of the human kinome: Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will develop a suite of new tools capable of monitoring and manipulating protein kinases, which are not only key biological regulators but also a frequent target for therapeutic intervention. This work will help researchers better understand cellular organization, nervous system function, and neurological diseases. Technologies for mapping RNA/protein flux, assembly, and aging through condensates: Princeton University, The Rockefeller University, and the University of Pennsylvania will develop technologies to clarify how RNA and proteins move and are metabolized within cells, with a specific focus on membrane-less compartments in cells. These new tools will fill a gap in foundational biology and may be helpful for understanding a core process impacting disease diagnosis and aging. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gBngZ2_R

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UC San Diego HUMANOID: Center of Excellence in Human Organoid Research just released its updated website (👇). Our #biobank operates under a expansive IRB that covers all #organs, #diseases, and ages ranging from the #cradle to the #grave. But what we do best is #benchmarking #organoids for their use in Phase '0' #human trials (#drugdiscovery, #genetherapy, #target and #biomarker validation, #foundational research into cell #state, #shape and #fate). Let us know how we can help you in your #organoid (and primary cell-based) #research. Link to website: https://lnkd.in/gCPurB_P Link to services & recharge: https://lnkd.in/gXfMrHkC Contact Us: Courtney Tindle [[email protected]]

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May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth! Join the conversation by sharing how you prioritize moments of well-being. Whether it's a walk, a good book, a new tune or practicing mindfulness, let's show that mental health matters every day! - Keith, UW Postdoc Fellow #TakeTheMoment

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Could Digestive Enzymes Contribute to Aging? UCSD researchers have hypothesized a mechanism of aging called “autodigestion”- where digestive enzymes like trypsin, normally confined to the small intestine, leak into peripheral organs as we age. This leakage causes significant tissue damage, resulting in higher levels of collagen damage within organs linking this autodigestion to aging. Using Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHPs) to detect damaged collagen, the study revealed how this enzyme leakage accelerates aging and harms vital tissues. Here are their key findings:  Older rats showed higher collagen damage across multiple organs, including the liver, lungs, heart, brain, skin, and kidneys. This damage was closely linked to the presence of leaked digestive enzymes. When older rats were treated with a serine protease inhibitor for just two weeks, enzyme leakage and collagen damage were significantly reduced, offering a potential therapeutic approach. Implications: These findings imply that dietary habits, such as meal frequency and caloric intake, could influence the rate of enzymatic leakage and associated tissue damage, shedding a light on new avenues for therapeutic and lifestyle interventions to preserve tissue integrity and metabolic health. Learn more by reading our full blog and the paper itself here: https://lnkd.in/eHKegbDU

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Team of Physics, Math and CS engineers are solving complex molecular biology problems in AI. Almost no biologists 👏 Chai Discovery team is excited to release Chai-1, a new multi-modal foundation model for molecular structure prediction that performs at the state-of-the-art across a variety of tasks relevant to drug discovery. Chai-1 enables unified prediction of proteins, small molecules, DNA, RNA, covalent modifications, and more. Chai-1 model achieves a 77% success rate on the PoseBusters benchmark (vs. 76% by AlphaFold3), as well as an Cα LDDT of 0.849 on the CASP15 protein monomer structure prediction set (vs. 0.801 by ESM3-98B). #Math #AI #Biology https://lnkd.in/gTJEgVBY

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🎙️ New episode on Getting to Know Your Research! 🎉 In episode seven, Dr. Dawn Eichenfield and Dr. Jennifer Sui discuss their 2022 PeDRA Research Fellowship project titled Characterization of non-coding genetic loci and transcription factors that drive the development of linear morphea. Listen to learn about the many collaborations needed to propel a study like this. 🎧 Listen on PeDRA Pearls or click here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eG5Atjeg #PeDRA #pedraresearch #dermatology #pedsderm #dermresearch #dermnerds #academicdermatology #dermpodcast #morphea

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All-optical phase conjugation using diffractive wavefront processing https://lnkd.in/gcC8KQF2 UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA ECE Department UCLA Bioengineering #diffractiveprocessors

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That anonymous reader was Mu Yang, an assistant professor of neurobiology at Columbia University, in New York City, who started emailing the journal about problematic papers in January 2023. On May 16th, the journal notified Yang of the following retractions: “Exercise ameliorates hippocampal damage induced by Wi-Fi radiation; a biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study,” [2023] “Neuroprotective potential of Ginkgo biloba on alteration of rat cerebellum following prenatal exposure to cyclophosphamide,” [2023] “The effects of myricitrin and chebulinic acid on the rat hippocampus exposed to gamma radiation: A stereological, histochemical and biochemical study,” [2023] “TGN020 application against aquaporin 4 improved multiple sclerosis by inhibiting astrocytes, microglia, and NLRP3 inflammasome in a cuprizone mouse model,” [2023] “Anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and memory enhancement potential of Phyllanthus amarus in potassium-dichromate induced neurotoxicity of male Wistar rats,” [2023] “Aerobic exercise training reduces deep-frying oil-induced apoptosis of hippocampal tissue by reducing oxidative stress in male rats,” [2023] “Astrocyte response to melatonin treatment in rats under high-carbohydrate high-fat diet,” [2024]

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We sat down with Yuzhong Liu, PhD, an assistant professor at Scripps Research, to discuss her work in sustainable vaccinology. Traditionally, QS-21—a highly sought-after molecule that improves vaccine effectiveness—has been sourced from soapbark trees. Liu’s research uses synthetic biology to produce QS-21 in yeast, reducing environmental impact and increasing vaccine availability. Learn how Liu’s innovative approach bridges environmental sustainability and public health in our exclusive Q&A: https://ow.ly/UwZu50SnzaO

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🌟 Exciting Update! 🌟 I just uploaded a new video on my YouTube channel about preparing PBS (Phosphate-Buffered Saline) solution. Whether you're a beginner in the lab or need a quick refresher, this video covers everything you need to know. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g9vzMWke Feel free to check it out, and share your thoughts or questions in the comments! #Research #Science #LabSkills #PBS #Biotech #YouTube

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Happy to share that work led by graduate students Zack Harmer and Jaron Thompson, with significant contributions from David Cole, is now out in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology. This work developed out of a productive collaboration with the research groups of Victor M Zavala and Ophelia Venturelli. Optogenetics leverages genetically encoded light-sensitive proteins to precisely control cellular behavior in response to light. An emerging limitation of optogenetics is that available wavelengths to stimulate these systems are limited, with many systems responding to blue light. In this work, we leverage Zack Harmer's previously published high-throughput optogenetics platform Lustro (https://lnkd.in/g6a5KrWA) and machine learning tools to enable multiplexed control over blue light sensitive optogenetic systems. We do this by leveraging the intensity and the dynamics of light delivery (rather than simply wavelength) as inputs to differentially control optogenetic split transcription factors. Lustro allowed rapid characterization of the response of 15 blue light-sensitive split transcription factors to different intensity, duty cycle, amplitude, and period of light delivery. From this initial characterization we were able to empirically identify pairs of split transcription factors that can be sequentially activated (where a first light program preferentially activates one optogenetic system and the second program activates both). We were also able to identify pairs of split transcription factors suitable for multiplexed control (where one system is more highly activated than another with one light condition, but under a different light condition, they switch and the second optogenetic system is more highly activated.) Using the high-throughput data that Lustro can generate, the Zavala lab built a Bayesian optimization framework that incorporates data-driven learning, uncertainty quantification, and experimental design to enable the prediction of system behavior and the identification of optimal conditions for multiplexed control. This work lays the foundation for more advanced synthetic biology driven by controllable optogenetic systems. For example, multiple synthetic biological circuit programs could be controlled using bespoke light induction programs. This has broad implications for biotechnology and bioengineering, by expanding how much biology can be controlled by a limited number of available inputs. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Army Research Office, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.  More details can be found in the research article (https://lnkd.in/gkEkc3mM) or in the press release from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering (https://lnkd.in/gXEMzMm7) #syntheticbiology #machinelearning #bioengineering #datascience

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Please check our latest publication in JITC: https://lnkd.in/dyjaKsfk In our recent study, we developed a novel small molecule library screen to identify compounds that enhance NK cell activity for cancer immunotherapy. We identified Cbl-b inhibitors as a key class of compounds that restored the effector functions of dysfunctional NK cells in tumor environments. Notably, Cbl-b inhibition rejuvenated NK cells from cancer patients, and when combined with TIGIT blockade, further boosted NK cell activity. These findings highlight the potential for combining Cbl-b inhibitors with checkpoint blockade therapies to enhance cancer immunotherapy. These results are the outcome of a collaborative effort between Roche and Alfred ZIppelius lab at University of Basel. A special thanks to all collaborators who contributed to this work! #Immunotherapy #NKCells #CancerResearch #JITC

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