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

liver fibrosis alentis switzerland cirrhosis cancer

News and Trends 30 Apr 2019

Swiss Biotech Raises €11M to Develop Treatments for Liver Fibrosis

Founded in March this year, Alentis Therapeutics has bagged a Series A round of €11.1M (CHF 12.5M) to develop antibody drugs treating liver fibrosis, which currently has no approved treatments. Liver fibrosis is the scarring of liver tissue, which can happen as a consequence of aging, chronic hepatitis or conditions such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). […]

April 30, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Pepsico pepsi nestle carbios plastic recycling

News and Trends 29 Apr 2019

Nestlé and Pepsi Invest in French Plastic Recycling Biotechnology

The food companies Nestlé Waters, Pepsi and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe have joined an industrial consortium to fund the development of Carbios’ enzyme technology for plastic recycling. A garbage truck’s worth of plastic waste enters the oceans every minute, contaminating the environment and damaging ecosystems around the world. This is leading to more pressure […]

April 29, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

crispr cas9 cassava crop virus resistance

News and Trends 29 Apr 2019

Viruses Evolve to Defeat CRISPR-Cas9 in Genetically-Modified Plants

Researchers found that viral pathogens can quickly evolve to overcome transgenic cassava plants expressing the bacterial weapon CRISPR-Cas9, which could have major regulatory implications. Geminiviruses are pathogens that kill off crops such as beans, cotton and cassava plants. Past efforts to breed plants that are resistant to infection have not been successful. One potential method […]

April 29, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

episome biotech paper waste biorefining turkey

Startup Scout 26 Apr 2019

This Biotech Turns Paper Waste into Biogas Using Enzymes

In sunny Turkey, the company Episome Biotech is developing a fermentation technique that digests paper waste and turns it into useful products such as biogas, biofuel, and fertilizer. Mission: To transform paper waste from garbage into a metaphorical gold mine. The company’s enzyme-based method is designed to make it easy for paper mills to cut […]

April 26, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Apr 2019

UK Scientists Engineer Cell Membrane for Long-Lasting Cell Therapy

Scientists at the University of Bristol, UK, have made a cell therapy that produces a glue-like hydrogel, which could make stem cells last for longer in the body and help wound healing in conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Cell therapies have a lot of potential for healing wounds and regenerating tissue, but they also […]

April 25, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Apr 2019

Horizon Europe Scheme Gets EU Parliament Approval

The proposed Horizon Europe research funding scheme, the new Horizon 2020, has had approval from the EU parliament to launch in 2021. Since 2014, the EU research initiative Horizon 2020 has been providing funding for European innovation in biotech as well as other areas of research in academia and industry. The successor program of Horizon […]

April 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 19 Apr 2019

This Biotech Fertilizes Crops with Little Microbe Capsules

We’re zooming over to France this week. The biotech Kapsera makes capsules of microbes that present a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to traditional fertilizers and insecticides. Mission: To develop biodegradable capsules containing microbes. These treatments could control pests and fertilize crops in a more sustainable way than chemical treatments. Agriculture is facing tough challenges […]

April 19, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 18 Apr 2019

Hookipa’s €75M IPO to Fund Vaccines for Viral Infection and Cancer

The Austrian biotech Hookipa expects to raise €75M ($84M) in an IPO on the Nasdaq stock exchange to fund the phase II development of a vaccine for the virus cytomegalovirus, and the first clinical trials of its cancer vaccines. Based in Vienna, Hookipa develops vaccines based on engineered viruses called arenavirus. The company programs arenaviruses […]

April 18, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

genetic engineering caterpillar crop pest oxitec

News and Trends 17 Apr 2019

UK Biotech Uses Genetic Engineering to Control Crop Munching Caterpillars

Moth caterpillars attacking crops are the latest target of the UK company Oxitec, which uses genetic engineering to suppress the populations of crop pests and disease-carrying mosquitoes. The caterpillars of the soybean looper moth Chrysodeixis includens eat crops such as soybean, tomato and cotton across North and South America, causing problems for farmers. The caterpillars […]

April 17, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 16 Apr 2019

Researchers in Israel 3D Print a Personalized Heart from Donor’s Tissue

A group of scientists in Israel is the first to 3D print a vascularized heart using reprogrammed cells and biological material from a donor. The technology could one day provide printed hearts for transplants with low risks of rejection by a patient’s immune system. Organ bioprinting is a technique similar to 3D printing where you […]

April 16, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 16 Apr 2019

Male-Pattern Baldness Could See First New Treatment in over 10 Years

A skin cream developed by the Italian company Cassiopea has reduced male-pattern baldness for up to 12 months in a phase II trial. Androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male-pattern baldness in men, is a very common condition where excess male hormones (androgens) in hair follicles stop hair growing on the scalp. There are only two […]

April 16, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

promethera liver failure stem cell therapy

News and Trends 15 Apr 2019

First Stem Cell Therapy for Liver Failure Shows Promise in First Human Trials

A stem cell therapy developed by the Belgian company Promethera has improved symptoms, such as jaundice, in patients with acute liver failure, a condition with no effective treatments. A phase I/IIa trial of the therapy recruited 19 patients with chronic liver disease. Of these,12 patients had developed acute-on-chronic liver failure, a life-threatening syndrome where the […]

April 15, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Swiss Biotech Raises €11M to Develop Treatments for Liver Fibrosis

Nestlé and Pepsi Invest in French Plastic Recycling Biotechnology

Viruses Evolve to Defeat CRISPR-Cas9 in Genetically-Modified Plants

This Biotech Turns Paper Waste into Biogas Using Enzymes

UK Scientists Engineer Cell Membrane for Long-Lasting Cell Therapy

Horizon Europe Scheme Gets EU Parliament Approval

This Biotech Fertilizes Crops with Little Microbe Capsules

Hookipa’s €75M IPO to Fund Vaccines for Viral Infection and Cancer

UK Biotech Uses Genetic Engineering to Control Crop Munching Caterpillars

Researchers in Israel 3D Print a Personalized Heart from Donor’s Tissue

Male-Pattern Baldness Could See First New Treatment in over 10 Years

First Stem Cell Therapy for Liver Failure Shows Promise in First Human Trials

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest biotech news!

Catalonia: A biotech hub going from strength to strength, with Barcelona at its core

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Grab your free report on 3D organoids and explore their future potential

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Subscribe to our newsletter

Advertise with us

Catalonia: A biotech hub going from strength to strength, with Barcelona at its core

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Grab your free report on 3D organoids and explore their future potential

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Subscribe to our newsletter

Advertise with us

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

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