Best in Biotech 26 Dec 2023
The best biotech movies to watch this winter
Dive into the world of biotech cinema this holiday season! Our list of biotech movies offers the perfect blend of science and entertainment.
About
Freelance science and health journalist with lots of experience writing about all aspects of life sciences and biotech. Recovering geneticist and evolutionary biologist. I am half German and half British and spend most of my time in Berlin while not hiding out in the Norfolk countryside in the UK. When not writing or editing, I like to spend my time taking photos, knitting, reading fiction, eating and making good food and travelling (when global conditions allow!).
Articles by Helen Albert
In Depth 10 Jan 2023
Innovative biomaterials are revolutionizing tissue regeneration
Scientists are increasingly realizing the potential of biomaterials to help with many tasks. A key area biomaterials are being used in is tissue engineering and regeneration, something several biotechs and academic labs are currently exploring. Biomaterials are materials or substances designed to function in a biological environment, which may or may not be made of […]
Best in Biotech 6 Oct 2022
15 biotech companies shaking up the scene in Cambridge
Cambridge has a large biotech scene that is starting to rival that of its U.S. namesake. Here are 15 biotech companies in Cambridge you should know about. The U.K. is home to several biotech hubs, including the golden triangle of London, Oxford and Cambridge, as well as Bristol and Stevenage. Cambridge is a small but […]
Interview 29 Aug 2022
Making a success out of technology transfer at UCLB
Having a good relationship with the technology transfer office at your university can be key to creating a successful startup. Anne Lane, CEO of University College London’s (UCL’s) commercialization company UCLB, discusses recent successes and shares insights on how to advance new innovations. Anne Lane began her career as a scientist, completing a PhD at […]
In Depth 4 Jul 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven RNA therapeutics into the mainstream
As messenger RNA vaccines save lives around the world, and RNA interference drugs are greenlit for rare diseases, the field of RNA therapeutics is now moving faster than ever before. The COVID-19 pandemic proved a turning point for the biotech companies BioNTech and Moderna, which specialize in developing technology based on messenger RNA (mRNA). The […]
In Depth 23 May 2022
The coming of age of European synthetic biology
Within a few years, synthetic biology has evolved from being a new player in the molecular biology and biotech arena to being a front-row contender with multiple industrial advances and large amounts of investor money. There have been a number of definitions of synthetic biology, also known as synbio. Generally, it involves redesigning genetic systems […]
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Best in Biotech 28 Mar 2022
The Top 10 Insect-Powered Biotech Companies
Insects are often seen as pests, but many species can provide new sources of food, materials, and even ways to clean up plastic waste. Here are 10 companies in this space that we think are worth watching. Many people think of insects simply as pests that eat crops and carry diseases such as malaria. While […]
In Depth 31 Jan 2022
Nature’s Painters: Making Sustainable Colors with Microbes
The production of textile dyes and food colorants can have a big environmental footprint. Biotech startups are rising to the challenge by engineering bacteria, fungi, and algae to sustainably produce natural colors. Eight years ago, University of Cambridge researcher Jim Ajioka was in Nepal helping to produce a biosensor to detect arsenic in drinking water […]
Interview 13 Oct 2021
Thinking About Risk Early on Is Key for Cell Therapy Success
For cell therapy to become mainstream, important issues such as management of risk and quality control need to be addressed, argues Duncan Borthwick, Global Marketing Manager at cell therapy manufacturing firm Solentim. Research and development of cell therapies, along with other advanced medicines like gene therapies, has increased exponentially over the last few years. According […]
News and Trends 17 Sep 2021
Cell Therapy Firm Raises €64M to Revolutionize Manufacturing
This week’s €64M Series B fundraise from the French firm TreeFrog Therapeutics is the latest in a thriving movement to make the manufacture of gene and cell therapies easier and cheaper. Cell and gene therapies offer huge potential to treat a wide range of diseases including cancer, neurological, and genetic diseases. They have even shown […]
News and Trends 8 Sep 2021
As J&J Vaccine Fails Phase II, the Quest for an HIV Vaccine Continues
Johnson & Johnson became the latest company to have a failed vaccine trial against HIV last week. While it was a great disappointment to many, efforts continue in this space, helped by recent Covid-19 vaccine advances. HIV has been around for decades. While antiretroviral treatments have improved enormously, turning what was once a death sentence […]
In Depth 6 Sep 2021
Why We Desperately Need to Develop New Antifungals
While serious fungal infections are rare, there is a limited number of approved drugs to treat them, and they may not always work due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Despite the challenges, researchers are starting to add new weapons to the arsenal to protect us against these microscopic invaders. Developing effective antifungals is a […]
ADVERTISEMENT