Recent News

By Category: Biotechnology

Opinion: The Dark Side of Science

(The Scientist) Within the burgeoning field of synthetic biology, teams of biologists and engineers are making great strides in understanding the cell and its functioning. (See The Scientist’s recent feature on the topic.) However, there is more that should be discussed than the triumphs. There are also the dark purposes to which science (and synthetic Read More »

November 17, 2011
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, and Research
Share

Cost, need questioned in $433-million smallpox drug deal

(Los Angeles Times) Reporting from Washington— Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work. Senior officials have taken unusual steps to secure the contract for New York-based Siga Technologies Inc., whose controlling shareholder is Read More »

November 14, 2011
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, Biotechnology, and Research
Share

Scientists building ‘computer operating system’ for synthetic biology

(FierceBiotech IT) In the field of synthetic biology, for example, there's an iterative process to develop a man-made organism. Researchers often have to start from scratch each time they build an organism, and that can require huge amounts of time and money. …

November 8, 2011
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, and Research
Share

Amerithrax review: Lessons for future investigations

(Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) When the National Academy of Sciences issued its review of the FBI anthrax investigation earlier this year, the press fixated primarily on one point: The report found no conclusive evidence that Bruce Ivins, the Army scientist the government contends was responsible for a series of anthrax-laced letters mailed in 2001, Read More »

November 2, 2011
| Filed under North America, Biological Weapons, Biotechnology, Bioterrorism, and Policy & Initiatives
Share

Educating the life scientists

(Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) There are increasing signs that state parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) realize that the lack of biosecurity awareness and education among life scientists represents a serious gap in the overall web of policies designed to prevent bioterrorism and biowarfare. Without such awareness and education, how can practicing life Read More »