Stronger Plants, Stronger Science, and Stronger Communication
Arcadia Biosciences has developed rice that uses nitrogen more efficiently, so the plants need less fertilizer. As described in the Guardian article Biotech firm plans to fund GM rice crops with carbon credits yesterday, Arcadia “is working with the Chinese government to reward farmers in China that grow the firm’s genetically modified (GM) rice, with…
In a study conducted by the University of Granada and Andalusian School of Public Health in Spain, 100% of people (387 volunteers) had at least one kind of pesticide in their adipose tissue. The researchers tested for “persistent organic compounds” (POCs), chemicals that can enter the body through food, water, or air. The chemicals accumulate…
Some pesticides are, frankly, frightening. As a DoD certified Pest Controller, I was taught the history, usage, and dangers of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc. so I say this with some authority. Our instructors would joke about “methyl-ethyl-death”, referring especially to fumigants that had been widely used on food crops in decades past. Pesticides frequent news…
Once a transgene is designed and created, getting it into plant cells is surprisingly simple. There are two main ways to transform plants: the gene gun and Agrobacterium tumifaciens. The gene gun literally shoots tiny gold particles coated in DNA into cells. Agrobacterium is a natural soil bacteria that incorporates some of its genes into…
I was very young when I first read Copernick’s Rebellion by Leo Frankowski. It captured my imagination, and is directly responsible for my thoughts on genetic engineering and my desire to become a genetic engineer. The author was ahead of his time, taking the (then fictional) idea of manipulating genomes to fantastic conclusions. The characters…
Fish as human food present a unique problem. The protein they provide is high quality and low in fat. People all over the world enjoy fish as a staple of their diet. Unfortunately, the demand for fish has overtaxed natural populations. Regulation has been successful in some areas (Alaskan salmon), yet failed miserably in others…
The review article Transgenic strategies for the nutritional enhancement of plants (to be published in vol 12, issue 12 of Trends in Plant Science) discusses each of the methods used to improve nutrition for human populations that depend on one grain as their primary food source (the conclusions of the paper are after the cut)….
Nanobots and nanodevices are fully formed in concept, but some of the pieces are harder than others to actualize. “One of the major limitations in making implantable, nanomedical devices is providing power to them,” said Travis, … of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine. [In Tethered To Chip, Energy Supply That Drives Sperm Could Power ‘Nanobot’…
New research from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign shows that pre-cooked entrees can be better preserved with grape-seed extract, as discussed in the SD article Natural Ingredient Preserves Meat Quality In Precooked Supermarket Offerings. The effect is attributed to phenolic compounds produced during fermentation. “I really think grape-seed extract is a viable, natural way…
Fried foods to become healthier: Proteins extracted from discarded fish muscle can create a protective barrier between food and oil. The food retains moisture, but doesn’t absorb the fat. From SD, Food Chemist Develops Protein-based Batter for Healthier Frying (click the link to see a video about the story). Going to the Proteus Institute website,…
Read More “Fish protein – ideal candidate for genetic engineering?” »