Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Nobody knows when the Covid-19 pandemic will come into an end. This unprecedented era surely brings a new world order in every aspect of life. Like other countries, Bangladesh is also facing the harsh attack of the coronavirus. From the richer country to the poorest counterpart, the health management system couldnt work smoothly and our country is also not an exception. Despite limited resources, our front-line Covid-19 fighters e.g. doctors, nurses, medical staff, civil administrations, law enforcement personnel, and others are trying to manage the pandemic. We should give our heartfelt gratitude towards these heroes. Besides this, we would like to point out another pool of front-liners who have worked very silently in Covid-19 situation and they are none but biotechnologists.

Test, Trace, Isolate and Support is the public health intervention in entire Covid-19 management throughout the world. The test increased in the last couple of months enormously comparable to the first two months of the onset of the virus in this country, though test frequency towards one million people is still insignificant. Besides this, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Techniques is one of the most sophisticated molecular biology tools where skilled personnel are a must.

Any limitations in the procedure of the test could result in a false positive or negative outcome, which would be very unfortunate for the suspect cases. Containment level of laboratory Covid-19 test includes following issues like the biosafety level of the laboratory, standard sample collection, sample preparation, and analysis of the results as well as troubleshooting in any stage of the procedures. A graduate of the biotechnology discipline with having a master's degree could easily be a great option to tackle the challenge as PCR is routine work in their lab courses and research.

Profound theoretical knowledge with hands-on training turns biotech personnel into a capable workforce for performing the test and leads the managing of the laboratories soundly. A very recent press release from Bangladesh Association of Biotechnology Graduates (BABG) has represented that more than sixty young biotechnology graduates from different universities are working as a voluntary manner as a corona fighter in different testing laboratories. Some of them are directly incorporated in establishing Covid-19 laboratories while some of them are integrated into performing and troubleshooting the tests. Additionally, a pool of expert young biotech graduates is moving throughout the country to train medical staff as well.

Young biotech graduates have accelerated the pace of work of establishing Covid-19 laboratories in their departments in some public universities i.e. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, University of Chittagong and performing the Covid-19 test very smoothly while they also put tremendous contribution to the other laboratories of the different universities, medical colleges and so on. It should be pointed out that all of them are working in a completely unpaid manner without health insurance or any other incentive guarantee. Some scientific officers who belong to the biotech community are also come forward to contribute to these pandemic situations.

National Institute of Biotechnology (NIB), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), and some other institutions reveal the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2, where biotech graduates play a pivotal role in scientific work. Besides this, faculty members of genetic engineering and biotechnology along with young researchers are engaging themselves in research regarding the dynamics of the coronavirus in our country as well as epitope-based vaccine design through in silico approaches. Their research result has been published in a different peer-reviewed journal which also presents the scientific face of Bangladesh. Some others also participated in stay home awareness campaign during this pandemic as well as some others are writing articles for the mass people that could get rid of misinformation.

Though biotech graduates are working from the very beginning of this pandemic, they are not considered as a temporary molecular biologist post in a recent circular which is undoubtedly frustrating. Moreover, genetic engineering and biotechnology graduates are excluded from the list of trained laboratory personnel in a recent press release for the private medical college Covid-19 laboratory containment list. Along with other graduates from life sciences like biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology, and other subjects, biotechnology graduates are as competent as others.

They have proved their credentials for the last three months. So, biotech graduates should be integrated into the laboratory trained personnel for Covid-19 tests as well as any future appointment in molecular biology or medical biotechnologist post in the recent future. Each year, the country has produced almost eight hundred biotech graduates who could play an essential role in Covid-19 testing as well as management of the pandemic.

BABG has made a volunteer list of biotech graduates who want to put their contribution in Covid-19 testing facilities as other sectors if needed. Besides this, they have made an expert pool of graduates who could be able to train the medical staff and establish biosafety level containment in the laboratories. Covid-19 is a situation that opens all of our eyes to fact that except the combinatorial effect of a multidisciplinary approach, there is no escape. This is not only the issue for the doctors or medical staff but also the trained personnel like biotechnologists, microbiologists and biochemists, and others. An integrated approach could bring a light of hope in coronavirus management in our country.

The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jagannath University. Email: mmhasansohag@geb.jnu.ac.bd

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Biotech graduates in the time of Covid-19 - theindependentbd.com

Peers are preparing plans to legalise the gene-editing of crops in England, a move that scientists say would offer the nation a chance to develop and grow hardier, more nutritious varieties. The legislation would also open the door to gene-editing of animals.

The change will be proposed when the current Agriculture Bill reaches its committee stages in the House of Lords next month, and is supported by a wide number of peers who believe such a move is long overdue. At present, the practice is highly restricted by EU regulations.

The plan would involve introducing an amendment to the bill to give the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs the power to make changes to the Environmental Protection Act, alterations that would no longer restrict gene-editing in England. The rest of the UK would need separate legislation.

Gene-editing of plants and animals is controlled by the same strict European laws that govern genetically modified (GM) organisms. However, scientists say gene-editing is cheaper, faster, simpler, safer and more precise than GM technology.

As they point out, GM technology involves the transfer of entire genes or groups of genes from one species to another while the more recently developed techniques of gene-editing merely involve making slight changes to existing genes in a plant or animal and are considered to be just as safe as traditional plant breeding techniques.

Early benefits for UK agriculture could include gluten-free wheat, disease-resistant sugar beet and potatoes that are even healthier than those that we have now, said plant scientist Professor David Baulcombe of Cambridge University.

This enthusiasm is also shared by peers who have argued that the wide use of gene editing of crops could give the nation a key advantage in agriculture and in the food industry after Brexit.

Peers have argued gene editing could give the nation a key advantage after Brexit

I would like [to send] a clear message in this bill that we will move forward to allow gene editing in our research programmes, said Lord Cameron during last weeks reading of the bill. This is a way of speeding up the natural methods of farm breeding to ensure that we can improve the environmental and nutritional outcomes of feeding our ever-expanding human population.

And there was clear evidence that the government would also be sympathetic to such a move. On gene editing, the government agrees that the EU approach is unscientific, said Lord Gardiner, who was responding for the government.

By freeing gene-editing from the expensive restrictions imposed by the EU on the growing of GM plants it will also be possible for small and medium-sized enterprises to set up new projects, say supporters.

At present only major corporations can pay the costs of the rigorous trials required when growing GM plants. We are looking for a brighter, greener, more innovative future, and this bill helps farmers produce that, said Conservative peer Lord Dobbs last week.

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Lords seek to allow gene-editing in UK 'to produce healthy, hardier crops' - The Guardian

As businesses and schools seek to reopen, most public health experts agree that Covid-19 testing is needed more than ever.

The team behind Ginkgo Bioworks, a genetic engineering start-up, is going all in.

Using equipment from Illumina, a maker of DNA sequencing machines, the company which made CNBC's 2020 Disruptor 50 list is working on technology to run a half million tests per day, said Jason Kelly, Ginkgo's co-founder and CEO.The technology, if approved by federal regulators, will be saliva-based, which in theory would make it easier for consumers to get tested than using the nasal swabs most tests employ today.

"We didn't initially have enough tests, but now we've ramped up to about 400,000 per day," he said. "That's enough for our clinical diagnostics needs. ... However, we are now entering phase 2 of this thing."

Ginkgo, a darling of the burgeoning synthetic biology sector, got its start in 2009 when a group of MIT scientists got together to develop biotechnology tools for industries including agriculture, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In essence, it develops custom microorganisms that aim to replace technology with biology. Think of it as a way to program cells, a bit like you'd program computers.

"We program DNA and cells to make them do new things," said Kelly, who describes the company as the largest designers of "printing DNA" in the world.

The Boston-based company has raised close to $1 billion to date, as investors clamor to throw money into companies at the intersection of health care and technology. Kelly maintains that enthusiasm is warranted. The cost of sequencing DNA data is coming down faster than the cost of processing data on computers,outpacingMoore's law.

As Kelly puts it, "the chips aren't getting that much faster," but in biology things are "exponentially improving."

Right now Kelly believes Ginkgo can best apply its technology to help ramp up coronavirus testing in the U.S.

As the CEO explained, the initial crop of tests were primarily used to determine if people experiencing Covid-19 symptoms did, in fact, have the virus. But now, as people are going back to their lives, there will be an increasing need for regular testing of people who don't have symptoms.

For instance, Amazon plans to test its fulfillment center workers every two weeks, as well as monitor outbreaks in the community.

That means the country is going to need a lot more coronavirus tests.

Ginkgo started surveyingthe various techniques to scale up testing back in the spring, including antigen (a technology that looks for viral surface proteins), CRISPR-based (a genome editing technique) and next-generation sequencing approaches. Companies have only recently been granted emergency-use authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for these types of tests. All of them, if ramped up, could theoretically augment the polymerase chain reaction tests that are currently the gold standard for Covid-19.

Ginkgo has decided to focus on next-generation sequencing with Illumina, which has already been granted an emergency-use approvalfor its Covid-19 test that is designed to sequence the full genome of the virus.

"Beyond diagnostic testing, Illumina and a number of our customers are exploring NGS-based workflows to enable high-volume screening to support a return to work and school," Illumina CEO Francis deSouza said in a statement.

In May Ginkgo announced it had raised another $70 million, including from Illumina, to fund its expansion in the diagnostics field. It is also using the money tobuild out its own testing facility in its highly automated Boston Seaport labs.

More from Disruptor 50:Moderna CEO sees success with Covid-19 vaccineThe technology that will dominate daily life on the other side of coronavirusCLEAR poised to lead in biometric screening for Covid

Kelly can't predict exactly when the company will be rolling out its tests, but it hopes to get FDA approval this summer. He said the company is already starting to work with businesses to help advise them as they determine how to safely get employees back to work. Many are concerned about a potential second shutdown if there's another outbreak in their area.

He believes that testing and contact tracing, where government officials track down and warn people who might have been exposed to Covid-19, are key to reopening the economy.

"I'm also sensing that a lot of people don't have a ton of hope," Kelly said. "Now we have to really try. If we try, we can win."

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Ginkgo Bioworks CEO on scaling up Covid-19 testing: 'If we try, we can win' - CNBC

Genome Engineering Market report involves all together a different chapter on COVID 19 Impact. The Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is impacting society and the overall economy across the world. The impact of this pandemic is growing day by day as well as affecting the supply chain. The COVID-19 crisis is creating uncertainty in the stock market, massive slowing of supply chain, falling business confidence, and increasing panic among the customer segments. The overall effect of the pandemic is impacting the production process of several industries including Life Science, and many more. Trade barriers are further restraining the demand- supply outlook. nicolas.shaw@cognitivemarketresearch.com or call us on +1-312-376-8303.Download The report Copy form the webstie: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/medical-devicesconsumables/genome-engineering-market-report

The major players profiled in this report include: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA, Horizon Discovery, Genscript USA, Sangamo Biosciences, Integrated DNA Technologies, Origene Technologies, Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Lonza Group, New England Biolabs

Market segment by type can be split into: CRISPR, TALEN, ZFN, Antisense, Other Technology

Market segment by the application can be split into: Cell Line Engineering, Animal Genetic Engineering, Plant Genetic Engineering, Other

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As government of different regions have already announced total lockdown and temporarily shutdown of industries, the overall production process being adversely affected; thus, hinder the overall Genome Engineering globally. This report on Genome Engineering provides the analysis on impact on Covid-19 on various business segments and country markets. The report also showcases market trends and forecast to 2027, factoring the impact of COVID-19 situation.

Genome Engineering Market report provide an in-depth understanding of the cutting-edge competitive analysis of the emerging market trends along with the drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the market to offer worthwhile insights and current scenario for making right decision. The report covers the prominent players in the market with detailed SWOT analysis, financial overview, and key developments of last three years. Moreover, the report also offers a 360 outlook of the market through the competitive landscape of the global industry player and helps the companies to garner Genome Engineering Market revenue by understanding the strategic growth approaches.

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Report provides industry analysis, important insights, and a competitive and useful advantage to the pursuers. The report analyzes different segments and offers the current and future prospects of each segment. Furthermore, this research report contains an in depth analysis of the top players with data such as product specification, company profiles and product picture, sales area, and base of manufacturing in the global Genome Engineering market. The impact on the supply and demand of the raw materials, due to the COVID-19 is also analyzed in the global Genome Engineering market.

Additionally, report consists of product life cycle, which discus about the current stage of product. Further, it adds manufacturing cost analysis as well as complete manufacturing process involved. Report also adds supply chain analysis to ensure complete data of market.

Objectives of Genome Engineering Market Report:To justifiably share in-depth info regarding the decisive elements impacting the increase of industry (growth capacity, chances, drivers and industry specific challenge and risks)To know the Genome Engineering Market by pinpointing its many sub segmentsTo profile the important players and analyze their growth plansTo endeavor the amount and value of the Genome Engineering Market sub-markets, depending on key regions (various vital states)To analyze the Global Genome Engineering Market concerning growth trends, prospects and also their participation in the entire sectorTo inspect and study the Global Genome Engineering Market size form the company, essential regions/countries, products and applications, background information and also predictions to 2027Primary worldwide Genome Engineering Market manufacturing companies, to specify, clarify and analyze the product sales amount, value and market share, market rivalry landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans for the next coming yearsTo examine competitive progress such as expansions, arrangements, new product launches and acquisitions on the market

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Follow is the chapters covered in Genome Engineering Market:Chapter 1 Genome Engineering Market OverviewChapter 2 COVID 19 ImpactChapter 3 Genome Engineering Segment by Types (Product Business)Chapter 4 Global Genome Engineering Segment by ApplicationChapter 5 Global Genome Engineering Market by Regions (2015-2027)Chapter 6 Global Genome Engineering Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 7 Company (Top Players) Profiles and Key DataChapter 8 Global Genome Engineering Revenue by Regions (2015-2020)Chapter 9 Global Genome Engineering Revenue by TypesChapter 10 Global Genome Engineering Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 11 North America Genome Engineering Market Development Status and OutlookChapter 12 Europe Genome Engineering Market Development Status and OutlookChapter 13 Asia Pacific Genome Engineering Market Development Status and OutlookChapter 14 South America Genome Engineering Market Development Status and OutlookChapter 15 Middle East & Africa Genome Engineering Market Development Status and OutlookChapter 16 Genome Engineering Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 17 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/ TradersChapter 18 Global Genome Engineering Market Forecast (2020-2027)Chapter 19 Research Findings and ConclusionGet detailed TOC for Genome Engineering Market Report @ https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/medical-devicesconsumables/genome-engineering-market-report#table_of_contents.

Customization of the Report:This report can be customized to meet the clients requirements. Please connect with our sales team, who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs. You can also get in touch with our executives on to share your research requirements.nicolas.shaw@cognitivemarketresearch.com or call us on +1-312-376-8303.

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GlobalGenome Engineering Market Report 2020 Sales Forecast to Grow Negatively in Western Regio post COVID 19 Impact Analysis Updated Edition Top...

While Pfizer's CEO aims for a vaccine by year's end, according to Forbes, USC experts have outlined what is involved with the vaccine development. Experts on the vaccine progress include Professor Pin Wang of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Wang is an expert in using molecular engineering to understand immune system responses and develop new targeted treatments, including vaccines, for diseases.In a statement, Wang says: "Right now, were on an accelerated path to vaccine development for coronavirus, while paying sufficient attention to the potential side effects, Wang said. We are cutting a lot of corners because we are desperate, so theres urgency. We have to be sure the product doesnt cause harm. Its a very challenging task, but thats the only option right now. We dont have much choice."While the path to vaccine development is complex and challenging, Wang is of the view that a workable vaccine will be unveiled by the end of 2020. This optimistic appraisal is based on an assessment of data collated from preclinical studies.A further reason relates to the strategy of approaching vaccine development from different tangents, where the coronavirus vaccine research is running across four platforms. The four platforms are taking different trajectories to stimulate immunity to the virus. Involved in the development of the vaccine are advanced technologies, such as genetic engineering and gene sequencing.One platform centers on examining coronavirus antigens, which can be introduced by a DNA/RNA. Other platforms include delivery via protein, hybrid viruses, or inactivated coronaviruses. In each case, the aim is the same in terms of seeking to trigger a response from the bodys natural defenses.There are issues to resolve however, in that even when a successful vaccine is developed it may not entirely counteract all the coronavirus infections or symptoms.

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Coronavirus vaccines are coming, but when will they arrive? - Digital Journal

(MENAFN - Swissinfo) Swiss men have targeted an ideal lifespan of 108.5 years, while women are content with an average of 93.4 years of life. A survey of 2,000 people by the health insurer Sanitas found that many people are making changes to their lifestyle to secure a longer life.

(zh) 108.5

(pt) Os homens na Sua pretendem viver at 108,5 anos de idade

Two thirds of respondents said they are physically active and eat healthy food while more than half refrain from smoking and a fifth abstain from alcohol.

The ''Health Forecast'' survey, which aims to come out annually, found that 40% of people currently use an app to monitor their health. More than a quarter of respondents would employ blood and DNA tests to determine optimal nutritional supplements and other tailor-made fitness measures.

Young men, in the 18-29 age range, appear keener than anyone else to actively boost their health and fitness levels. A third of male respondents in this age group (compared to 20% of all ages and genders) would consider ''biohacking'' a buzzword that involves enhancing health via diet, exercise, wearables and sometimes implants, such a microchips, or genetic engineering.

1848 saw the creation of the Swiss federal state and a unique democratic island in the sea of monarchist Europe.

Only half as many women in this age group said they would be prepared to go to such lengths.

The survey also reveals more detail on attitudes to genetic science. Some 58% support gene therapy to treat cancer, 54% are in favour of gene diagnostics to diagnose hereditary diseases and 44% welcome prenatal screenings.

But three-quarters of respondents said this science should stop short of active intervention by altering genes or producing clones.

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Swiss men aspire to live to 108.5 years old - MENAFN.COM

A new business intelligence report on Global Bioengineered Protein Drugs market by Player, Region, Type, Application and Sales Channel is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The Global Bioengineered Protein Drugs market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled various governments to impose strict lockdown which in turn has halted the operations and processes of several firms as well as manufacturing facilities, thereby affecting global economy. Additionally, numerous enterprises across the globe are witnessing scarcity of labor along with insufficient raw materials owing to the disease outbreak, which is estimated to result in modification in the growth of Bioengineered Protein Drugs market in the forthcoming years.

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Bioengineered Protein Drugs Market Professional Survey 2020 by Manufacturers, Share, Growth, Trends, Types and Applications, Forecast to 2026 -...

Seth Murray, Texas A&M AgriLife Research corn breeder, has been selected as a Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists finalist for a second time.

Texas A&M Agrilife

As the human population booms, we hear the term sustainable food supply a great deal. OneTexas A&M AgriLiferesearchers efforts to make corn production, whether for human or livestock consumption, more sustainable has earned him national recognition.

Texas A&M AgriLife Research corn breeder Seth Murray, the Eugene Butler Endowed Chair in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences in College Station, is among the finalists for the prestigiousBlavatnik National Award for Young Scientists.

Murray determined that individual genes poorly predict corn yield, so he began to evaluate the physical and spectral traits, the phenome of corn instead. Through the innovative use of statistical analysis of images collected from drones, he along with colleagues and students on his team examined the physical traits of corn over time and modeled them to predict the highest yielding plants, optimizing breeding and selection.

While innovative breeding strategies have mostly focused on developing higher yielding and more stress and aflatoxin resistant corn, Murray is also in the process of creating perennial varieties of corn that could revolutionize agricultural practices and ensure the sustainability of corn production.

Dr. Murray is leading the way in crop breeding and the use of advanced technologies that will allow growers to benefit from higher yields and increased stress resistance in corn, said Patrick J. Stover, vice chancellor of Texas A&M AgriLife, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciencesand director ofAgriLife Research. His pursuit to contribute to a safer and more secure food supply for our nation epitomizes the spirit of a land-grant university.

The Blavatnik award is presented by the New York Academy of Sciences and recognizes Americas most innovative young scientists and engineers. Thirty-one of the nations rising stars in science were announced June 17 as 2020 finalists of the prestigious award, the worlds largest unrestricted prize for early career scientists.

Murray was chosen from 305 nominations from 161 academic and research centers across 41 U.S. states, and is competing to be one of three Blavatnik National Awards Laureates, one in each of the award categories: Chemistry, Physical Sciences and Engineering, and Life Sciences. Each Laureate will win $250,000. The three 2020 Blavatnik National Awards Laureates will be announced on July 22.

Launched in 2007 by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the awards were created with the New York Academy of Sciences to enhance research funding opportunities and emphasize the work of promising scientists under the age of 42 in three disciplinary categories of science and engineering.

Murray focuses his research on solving large-scale problems in crop production through plant breeding and technology, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs or drones, in agricultural decision making.

Murray, a world-renowned expert on crop field phenotyping, co-led a project of 40-plus faculty across disciplines in developing procedures for scaling UAV technology for breeding and precision agriculture. This project led to his programs focus on crop characteristics and use of high-throughput measurements to select the most promising varieties in a breeding program.

Murrays research program focuses on both quantitative genetic discovery and applied corn breeding for Texas and the southern U.S. Last year he released five new corn hybrids bred for the southern U.S.s longer growing season and multiple stresses, characterizing them as foundational to our future inbred and hybrid production and breeding efforts.

Breeding trait research in his program includes improved aflatoxin resistance, drought tolerance and nutrient-use efficiency. It also addresses incorporation of novel genetic diversity for perennial, blue and quality protein corn.

Corn is a tremendously productive crop, and through scientific discoveries farmers have increased yields eight-fold over the last 100 years, he said. That means one-eighth of the land is needed to get the same production, freeing up land for recreation, urbanization, wildlife or simply producing additional crops needed to feed a growing population.

The next generation of UAVs and phenomics research will allow further improving crop yield while also improving the economic and environmental sustainability of growing them, Murray said.

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Texas A&M Researcher Creating Better Corn Yields, Quality On Less Land - Texas A&M University Today

But theres no questioning the artistic credentials behind this Latin American co-production: Argentine director Juan Pablo Zaramella (Luminaris, The Tiniest Man in the World) and Chilean production company Zumbastico Studios (Paper Port) are behind some of the most innovative stop-motion projects on the continent. Zaramella describes his approach to Coda as a kind of UPA style, but translated into stop motion, with minimal post-production.

Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Producer: Zumbastico Studios

Status: Looking for development funding

Murder, drugs, femmes fatales, cigarette smoke Eugne has all the trappings of the film noir genre to which it pays homage. But theres a twist: its protagonist is a transgender man, and this secret forms the crux of the drama. Eugne is a historical figure who lived in Sydney in the 1920s, and his life story formed the subject of the Annecy-winning tv mini-series The Man-Woman Case.

Its creators Anas Caura and Jolle Oosterlinck reunite here, as the films director and writer respectively. The teaser shown in the pitch suggests that Caura, in her feature directorial debut, has a firm grasp of noir visual language. The design is mostly monochrome, with bursts of watercolor hues; the animation mixes traditional 2d with rotoscoping. The project is shaping up as an entertaining, innovative genre offering.

Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Producer: My Fantasy

Status: Looking for distributors, sales partners, broadcasters, co-producers

Walt Disney was a genius storyteller, said producer Ahmed Hamouda in his presentation, but so was my grandfather. And as a child I wondered, How come I never get to watch his stories onscreen? Therein lies the core pitch of this project, which presents a family fantasy adventure in the context of Egyptian society and folklore.

Afraid of being mocked, ten-year-old Leila conceals her passion for puppetry, but when alone she delves into her rich imagination. Some of the design riffs on hieroglyphs, and the story follows the contours of a well-known Egyptian puppet show, but Cairos Giraffics studio is taking care to give its first feature a universal appeal. We dont see many animated films from North Africa lets hope this one makes it to release.

Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Producer: Giraffics

Status: Looking for co-producers, distributors

A 27-year-old woman, condemned by the housing crisis to living with her parents, finds an outlet for her frustrations by masturbating, clubbing, and taking acid. Hungarian director Flra Anna Buda wryly notes that the film is based on her own life; the films claustrophobic world also resonates, perhaps inadvertently, with the experience of lockdown.

That world is rendered in painterly tableaux, the murky browns and burgundies of the urban nightlife contrasting with the bright palettes of the womans sexual fantasies. The film is strong on design, which wont surprise anyone whos seen Budas graduate film Entropia.

Running time: 15 minutes

Producer: Miyu

Status: Looking for financial and broadcasting partners

The second short from French filmmaker Camille Monnier is about adolescence and the end of the world, no less. Two young female cousins guard a deserted motel in the baking heat, until a natural disaster causes them to flee.

Inspired by the wildfires in California and Australia, Monnier takes a tragicomic view of environmental apocalypse, while deftly drawing an analogy with the upheavals of teenagehood an end of a world, in another sense. The concept artwork we saw showed a striking approach to lighting: the two women, angry and afraid, are colored gray, and their surroundings are bleach-white until the fire hits.

Running time: 12 minutes

Producer: Novanima

Status: Looking for co-producers, broadcasters, residencies

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Annecy Pitches: 5 Film Projects That Caught Our Eye - Cartoon Brew

The rush to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 has extended to Italy and Israel, where scientists are using the tools of genetic engineering to develop algae-based edible vaccines against the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

As I explained ina previous reportabout work under way in Mexico to develop an edible COVID-19 vaccine delivered through a tomato, plants have numerous advantages mainly sanitary, storage and transport over conventional methods for obtaining recombinant vaccines. In the bibliographic search for that report, I observed that microalgae a type of small, unicellular algae is another way to obtain recombinant proteins and edible vaccines, with notable results so far.

Under this approach, a series of experimental developments have already been carried out in oral vaccines against pathogens such as hepatitis B, malaria, human papilloma virus (HPV), hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), classical swine fever (CSF) and Staphylococcus aureus, with some successful pre-clinical trials. Most of these works use Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a small unicellular and eukaryote algae, as a model for research and production of drugs and vaccines due to its practical laboratory management and genetic transformation.

With this background, it wasnt surprising to find that not only aredetection kits, nasal sprays and potential drugs for COVID-19 being developed with algae, but two scientific groups are also working to develop algae-based edible vaccines for the same virus. Before delving into the details of both investigations, my initial doubt fell on the technical and management differences that algae could have compared to field or greenhouse crops.

Their cultivation can be carried out on land infertile or unsuitable for cultivation, because they are capable of using residues as a source of nutrients and transforming them into a large quantity of high-quality molecules, explained biotechnologist Daniel Garza, the Mexican scientist who leads the tomato-vaccine research for COVID, in an email exchange. Garza previously developed an environmental biotechnology project for air decontamination through microalgae in Mexico, so I took advantage of his expertise before continuing to investigate on algae-based vaccines.

Its also a sustainable process, because during cultivation they are able to use atmospheric carbon (CO2), removing it and transforming it into high-value biomass, Garza added. They have an important cost advantage derived from their high growth rate and low cultivation cost, which makes them ideal for expressing new vaccines and replacing those that are expensive.

The first work to develop an algae-based vaccine comes from Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the research is being carried out by the Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy of the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Verona, directed by professors Roberto Bassi and Luca DallOsto.

This laboratory works with a wide range of phototrophic organisms, including unicellular algae, mosses and higher plants, and also has a strong line of genetic engineering in model plants and unicellular algae to express recombinant products and enzymes with industrial and renewable energy applications.

The ability to perform genetic engineering, especially on the single-celled alga of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, has provided the basis for contributing to the development of an oral vaccine against the recently emerged SARS-VOC-2 viral strain responsible for the current pandemic threatening the global health, stated Dr. Edoardo Cutolo in a detailed interview (supplemented by valuable bibliography) with the Alliance for Science. This pioneering project involves Cutolo and his colleague, Dr. Max Angstenberger, in addition to the support of Dr. Simone Barera.

The scientific team applied two different approaches to introduce a DNA sequence that encodes an antigen derived from SARS-COV-2 into the microalgae genome. Remember that the antigen, in this case, is a protein or a protein portion that produces a response immune in our body, finally generating antibodies against the virus. The inserted DNA sequence corresponds to a portion of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein from the famous virus, required to bind to the ACE2 receptor and thus enter and infect host cells.

We use both conventional nuclear transgenesis and chloroplast transformation. In the second case, we aim at integrating the transgene inside the semi-autonomous polyploid genome of the photosynthetic organelle, Cutolo said. In the case of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the chloroplast represents the largest cell compartment, and since it is made of multiple copies of a circular chromosome, it leads to the accumulation of higher levels of recombinant proteins compared to transgenesis in the nucleus.

Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the chloroplast not only allows greater accumulation of the antigen necessary for a vaccine due to its large size in the microalgae, but also facilitates a more stable integration of the transgene, avoiding the random integration problems that most common when the nucleus is genetically modified. But on the other hand, the cell nucleus has a machinery that allows subsequent modifications, such as glycosylation, of the new protein (or antigen), giving it functionality to generate adequate immunization.

Of note, in this project we employ selection methods that dont rely on antibiotic resistance genes, Cutolo said in reference to a supposed risk widely cited by critics of this technology. But we exploit the metabolic flexibility of this organism and a novel selectable marker strategy based on the selective metabolism of an essential nutrient to produce algae that comply with both health and environmental related concerns.

One of the great advantages of algae is that they grow and multiply quite quickly. According to Cutolo, if contamination is prevented, it is possible to accumulate up to 1 mg of the recombinant antigen for each gram of biomass of dried algae. Subsequently, the dehydrated/lyophilized algae can be encapsulated to generate an oral vaccine.

The cell wall from the dry algae protects the antigens from the harsh acidic and protease-rich gastric environment, enabling the bioactive molecule to reach the intestinal immune system where it can stimulate cellular and humoral responses, hopefully, leading to effective immunization, Cutolo explained.

When could they have an oral vaccine ready to test on animals? Very soon, according to Cutolo: Six weeks is a probable date.

Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean Sea, TransAlgae, abiotech company based in Rehovot, Israel, established itself in just over a decade as a development platform for oral animal vaccines, the aquaculture sector and pest-control in agriculture. A few months ago, the company embarked on applying this technology in a vaccine for COVID-19. To achieve this, they have opened a US$5 million investment round to support the development of an oral vaccine based on genetically modified algae, according to Eyal Ronen, vice president of business development of the company.

When asked about further technical, regulatory and obstacle details for this new oral vaccine, the company preferred not to respond or provided only brief answers to questions, citing the need for confidentiality.

However, in an informative publication by company President Daniel Gressel, a strategy similar to that of Italian scientists can be elucidated. For example, they would also be using the DNA sequence from a portion of the SARS-COV2 spike protein as transgene to insert into algae, and according to various previous company patents for vaccines in animals and fish, its very likely that they are using the same algae model C. reinhardtii for genetic modification and accumulate large amounts of the antigen modified algae that would be lyophilized to generate an oral capsule.

Ronen claims that the algae are genetically engineered to grow in a fermenter. This increases production rate 30-fold over wild algae. And we can control all the inputs in an accurate way for consistency, he added.

With this high speed, they calculate that they will begin animal trials in a few months, and in addition, they would seek collaborations and partnerships with companies in the United States to advance the development of the vaccine.

In general, microalgae have all the advantages of producing vaccines in land plants, with some additional benefits.

Microalgae thrive in very simple cultivation media, dont require complex infrastructure and their cultivation doesnt compete with crops for arable lands, Cutolo said. Anotherimportant detail to highlight is that microalgae are much more efficient than higher plants to convert sunlight into biomass.

As in plants, the recombinant antigen obtained from the collected algae biomass doesnt require purification or extraction, since it can dry out and the algae cell wall protects the antigens with a long useful life of up to 20 months without loss of efficacy at room temperature. This is very practical for developing countries, which often have problems with cold chain in storage/transport for conventional vaccines.

Perhaps the main advantage is the microalgae fast multiplication speed, which facilitates the work of the researchers. From a pure technical perspective, algae are preferable since the development of a new algal strain requires approximately one month, while the establishment of a GM plant can last up to one year, Cutolo said.

TransAlgaes Gressel also emphasized reproduction speed as a clear advantage in one of the few responses he gave me by email. Algae double every day if you start with 1 gram, in 32 days you have 8.8 billion grams, which in the case of coronavirus is enough for the world, Gressel said.

However, difficulties arent unrelated to this approach. According to Cutolo, a major drawback in the cultivation of algae resides in the omnipresent risk of culture contamination by outcompeting parasites, which occurs both in closed photobioreactors and open high-rate speed systems.

This issue makes algal biotechnology cost-inefficient because of high management costs to prevent that, Cutolo said. However, we are employing a recently introduced sustainable technology that enables the management of target monoculture of algae in non-sterile conditions, making this production system very attractive.

Regarding biological containment risks, in Cutolos experience, these wouldnt be a problem. Most of the naturally occurring (wild type) algal strains used for genetic engineering lack essential genes required for nitrogen assimilation (nitrate reductase), making them strictly dependent on the nitrogen source provided in the cultivation medium, thus making their survival in the wild impossible, he said.

There is no containment problem because the algae lack nitrate reductase and therefore die outside the photobioreactor.

Before entering the market, algae-based oral vaccine would face regulatory obstacles similar to those discussed in my earliertomato vaccine report. Transalgae had no previous problems when it worked with oral vaccines using GM microalgae for the aquaculture sector, as the final product was a deactivated algae powder (dead material). Due to this, the material is considered GMO-derived, not a GMO, a distinction that has allowed the company to successfully operate in markets with strict GMO regulations.

Meanwhile, neither the scientists in Verona nor in Revohot are resting on their laurels. If TransAlgae succeeds with a COVID-19 edible vaccine, its planned next step will be to produce an influenza oral vaccine by rapidly growing antigens against a wide variety of strains of the pathogen. The Italian scientists are working in parallel with gene editing, a tool that would allow them to introduce additional modifications to the algae nuclear genome, which could improve the productivity of its biomass.

Given the urgency dictated by the current situation, but also due to the very likely possibility that similar pandemics will hit our global society in the future, its of paramount importance to develop technologies that afford a rapid production of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals that are safe and easy to deliver, especially in those areas which have limited access to medical infrastructure, Cutolo concluded.

Undoubtedly, the versatile genetic manipulation, speed of reproduction and minimal resources necessary for the growth of algae make it a viable and sustainable alternative and candidate for urgently needed medical and environmental solutions across the globe.

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Italy and Israel bet on GM microalgae to develop edible COVID vaccine - Alliance for Science