Ingredients for life on Saturn’s moon may be ‘tip of the iceberg’

Saturn moon Enceladus

There are likely to be many more ingredients for life on Saturn’s moon Enceladus than those identified so far, says Dr Frank Postberg from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, the lead author of a paper published on 27 June which revealed the presence of complex carbon-based molecules in the moon’s core. He says a fresh mission could … Read more

Removing barriers to healing

Fat has a higher ratio of stem cells than other tissues such as bone marrow.

by Natalie Grover Severe inflammation caused by a patient’s immune system can be deadly, but stem cells found in human fat could provide new ways to protect against this toxic reaction. The work is part of a subset of regenerative medicine that aims to tackle disease and disability by removing the natural barriers that prevent the body from healing itself. … Read more

‘Radical collaboration’ is shaking up the pharmaceutical industry – Carlos Moedas

The Innovative Medicines Initiative was set up at a time when Europe was in danger of falling behind in pharmaceutical innovation.

by Frieda Klotz ‘Radical collaboration’ where multinational companies work together and share data instead of keeping it secret is helping to change the model of the pharmaceutical industry and solve problems more quickly, according to Carlos Moedas, the EU’s commissioner for research, science and innovation. He was speaking at an event in Brussels, Belgium, on … Read more

Electronic wool to take wearable tech from the catwalk to your wardrobe

Sandwiching doped zine sulphide between graphene in textiles can create glowing clothes.

Engineers are threading circuitry into clothes to create comfortable devices that could make electronic fashion the future of the textiles industry. Smart textiles, where electronics are incorporated into fabrics, have been around for some time, from sensor-laden shirts that keep you cool, to dresses packed with LEDs. Despite these innovations, even the most determined shopper … Read more

Europe is in danger of being out-innovated in regenerative medicine – Prof. Ton Rabelink

With the right environments, stem cells can potentially be reprogrammed to grow kidney tissue.

by Frieda Klotz Regenerative medicine should be governed, firstly, by the principle of do no harm, but a better balance between risk and regulation is required to bring innovations to market more quickly, according to Ton Rabelink, professor of internal medicine and head of nephrology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He says that Europe is in … Read more

Plant-based molecules company wins EU’s women innovators prize

First prize was awarded to Dr Gabriella Colucci, whose companies identify active plant-based molecules for the cosmetics industry.

Dr Gabriella Colucci, the founder of two biotechnology companies that discover new plant-based molecules for industrial use, has won the top award of €100,000 in the 2018 EU Prize for Women Innovators, which was presented at a ceremony in Brussels, Belgium on 21 June. Dr Colucci, whose businesses have filed 14 patents for newly discovered … Read more