Jonathan Smith, Author at Labiotech.eu

About

Reporter for Labiotech. I hail from the UK. I was born in Bristol, studied Neuroscience in the University of Bristol, and trained mice in Eisai, Hertfordshire, for one year. I then tickled locusts for my Ph.D. at the University of Leicester, before eventually ending up here!
Out of the office, I travel, play video games and board games, drink beer and play the piano.

Articles by Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 10 Nov 2022

The five hottest biotech startup companies in Brazil

Brazil’s developing economy is supporting an emerging biotech startup scene. Catch a glimpse of the biotech companies causing a stir in Brazil. Over the decades, Brazil has grown into an agricultural powerhouse and has the biggest economy in South America. The nation is the world’s second-largest producer of biotech crops, with increasing land devoted to […]

November 10, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Interview 7 Nov 2022

AI could tackle pharmaceutical manufacturing bottlenecks

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making waves in the world of drug discovery. Rajiv Anand, founder and CEO of the firm Quartic.ai, explains how the tool could also make pharmaceutical manufacturing more efficient. The use of AI in drug discovery is attracting big investor interest; around $1.4 billion so far this year has gone to startups […]

November 7, 2022 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

In Depth 3 Nov 2022

What’s on the horizon for gene editing-based therapies?

Gene editing has come far in the past decade. However, the field is still finding its feet regarding challenges such as drug delivery, regulation and competition with first-generation gene therapies. Gene editing is a sizzling hot topic in the biotech industry, powered by advances in genetic tools such as CRISPR, TALENs and zinc-finger nucleases. Gene […]

November 3, 2022 - 8 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 2 Nov 2022

Breakpoint Therapeutics sabotages DNA repair in cancer cells

The Hamburg-based Evotec spinout Breakpoint Therapeutics is working on cancer treatments that block the ability of tumor cells to repair their own DNA. In the last decade, a new class of drugs known as DNA damage response (DDR) inhibitors has risen to prominence in the oncology space. These drugs are able to break down the […]

November 2, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Anastasiia Slynko biotech investment october 2022

In Depth 1 Nov 2022

The biggest private biotech investments in October 2022

The companies Tempus Labs, Oculis and VectorBuilder Biotechnology bagged the biggest biotech investments in October 2022. Oncology and biomanufacturing research attracted the biggest funding rounds. We’re heading for the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and biotech fundraising is still ticking away despite adverse market conditions. We’ve gathered the biggest biotech investments that went […]

November 1, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

longevity treatment bioAge Kristen Fortney

Interview 31 Oct 2022

AI and biobanks could open the way to longevity treatments

The development of longevity treatments is hampered by a lack of biomarkers and validated drug targets. BioAge’s co-founder and CEO, Kristen Fortney, explains how the firm is enlisting machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and biobanks to fill in the gaps. The quest for human longevity treatments is attracting big cash in the biotech industry. […]

October 31, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Persephone Bisociences Microbiome health

Startup Scout 28 Oct 2022

Persephone Biosciences studies the microbiome in baby poop

Disruption in the gut microbiome is linked to a wide range of health problems in newborn babies and patients with cancer. Persephone Biosciences is studying stool samples from these populations to devise bacterial treatments that improve gut health. Research into the gut microbiome has advanced a long way in the last decades. One major boost […]

October 28, 2022 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 26 Oct 2022

Singapore approves gas fermentation-powered protein

A food ingredient developed by the Finnish startup Solar Foods has earned its first market approval in Singapore. The product is brewed using microorganisms fed with carbon dioxide and electricity — a more sustainable alternative to conventional animal protein. Increasing numbers of fermentation-derived food products are reaching the market, including ingredients developed by Motif FoodWorks, […]

October 26, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

In Depth 20 Oct 2022

Opportunities and challenges for cell and gene therapy investments

Companies in the cell and gene therapy space are struggling to raise investments amid adverse market conditions. However, this could be an opportunity for the strongest companies and investors to shine. After several years of record-breaking investments, funding is hard to come by in the gene and cell therapy space. Part of this trend relates […]

October 20, 2022 - 9 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Anastasiia Slynko neobe therapeutics cancer

Startup Scout 19 Oct 2022

Neobe Therapeutics breaks down tumor defenses with bacteria

Many cancer patients cannot benefit from cancer immunotherapy because their tumors are protected from the immune system. Neobe Therapeutics’ bacterial therapy is designed to strip the tumors of their protective barriers. The immune system is very good at fighting tumors, and cancer immunotherapies are often able to supercharge our natural defenses to great effect. However, […]

October 19, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 18 Oct 2022

The hottest private biotech companies in Australia

Australia has a strong base in biotechnology, with many incentives for R&D and commercialization. Here are the top five private Australian biotech companies that have recently showcased the country’s credentials in the sector. Australia is a highly developed nation in the Southern Hemisphere. Famous for its huge wool trade and iron ore wealth, the country […]

October 18, 2022 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

In Depth 17 Oct 2022

UK grants that can give biotech startups a vital jump-start

Grants are a vital lifeline that help biotech startups get off the ground, especially for underrepresented entrepreneurs. The Women in Synthetic Biology (WiSB) network recently gave detailed advice for helping U.K. biotech founders access this funding. Women are a big source of talent in the biotech space, both in academic life sciences and in founding […]

October 17, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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RNA editing set to take off: could it outperform gene editing?

Future of cancer treatment: what will therapy look like in 2034?

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