synthetic biology

Can you make fuel out of tobacco? Apparently you can if they’re genetically engineered tobacco plants.

According to Alternative Energy,

“Researchers from the Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University have developed a new method to increase the quantity of oil in tobacco leaves. So that oil in tobacco leaves can be utilized as biofuels in future.

This week BIO announced a distinguished panel of judges who will evaluate nominations for The Biotech Humanitarian Award and select the 2010 Honoree. BIO created the Award to recognize an everyday hero who has helped to heal, fuel or feed the planet through their work in biotechnology. BIO is accepting nominations for the 2010 Award via www.iambiotech.org/award through January 31, 2010.

Dr.

This week Farmer Gene talks about World Food Day 2009.

This week Health Reform Watch wonders if the biosimilars debate is over.

"Two months ago, I discussed possible federal legislation intended to balance the competing need for scientific and medical innovation with the costs to patients for biosimilars.

This week,

“To continue the state life science industry's record-setting growth rate, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, with the help of statewide partners, is building an addition to its Research Triangle Park headquarters.”

To find out more about this check out the Web site of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

Also this week, Patent Docs wrote about a media briefing we (BIO)

This week it’s the week of biofuels and synthetic biology.

India’s Northern Voices Online (NVO), writes,
“Animal Cloning may prove to be boon for Dairy Sector.” NVO goes on to explain that,

“India is the world?s largest milk producer with 104.9 million tonnes milk production per year. Milk production in India is growing at 4% per year, and at present India contributes 15% of the total global milk production. Out of this, 55% is contributed by buffalo.

When I went into the World Congress breakout session today on "A Global Perspective on Synthetic Biology" I thought I would get a mixed bag of presentations that would fall both within my communications perspective and those that would be more of a scientist-to-scientist talk. Indeed that was what I got, but as we recently developed our own project on Synthetic Biology I was determined to take it all in and squeeze out what I could.

BIO hosted a roundtable discussion with leading-edge companies on technical and commercial advances in applications of synthetic biology.

Drew Endy, assistant professor, Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, discusses the opportunities and challenges of establishing a new university-level curriculum in the new field of synthetic biology, what students want to learn and the biotech tools available to them. The presentation was given at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy in Vancouver on Sept. 11.