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

glanbia ireland agrichemwhey dairy whey biorefinery 1

News and Trends 13 Feb 2019

First Plant in the Works to Turn Dairy Byproducts Into Plastics

The company Glanbia Ireland is planning to construct the first industrial biorefinery that transforms dairy waste products into lactic acid, a building block for biodegradable plastics. Supported by the EU project AgriChemWhey, Glanbia Ireland plans to scale up biorefinery technology that ferments dairy waste, like whey permeate, into lactic acid, using a group of bacteria […]

February 13, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 12 Feb 2019

First Industrial Plant to Turn Waste into Chemicals Will Open in France

The French company Afyren has received up to €60M to commercialize a technology that uses bacteria to produce industrial chemicals from recycled plant waste instead of fossil fuels. Afyren takes sugars from the waste byproducts of agriculture, food, and other industries, and ferments the sugars into industrial chemicals using bacteria. With this new funding, the […]

February 12, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

grey wolf therapeutics cancer immunotherapies

News and Trends 11 Feb 2019

Series A to Fund Therapy That Exposes Cancer to Immune System

The UK biotech Grey Wolf Therapeutics has raised €11.4M (£10M) to fuel the development of a cancer therapy that flushes tumor cells out of hiding from the immune system. Many approved cancer immunotherapies, such as CAR-T cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors, have made a big difference for many people with cancer. However, a common problem with […]

February 11, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

equi nom israel genomics selective breeding legume

Startup Scout 8 Feb 2019

This Biotech Uses Genomics to Breed Super Peas

This week’s biotech, Equi-Nom, is based in Israel. With its genomics and computer modeling technology, the company helps plant producers to breed pulses that contain more protein without any genetic modification. Mission: To boost the protein content in pulses, such as peas, without editing their DNA. Instead, the company speeds up traditional breeding by […]

February 8, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

CRISPR Cas9 bacteriophage anti CRISPR gut microbiome 1

News and Trends 8 Feb 2019

Anti-CRISPR Proteins Could Improve Gene Editing Precision

A research group in Denmark has found proteins in gut and soil microbes that can inhibit the action of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, a finding that could help to control the technology with more precision and less risk. Bacteria and viruses have fought an evolutionary arms race for millions of years. Bacteria evolved CRISPR systems to […]

February 8, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

breast cancer metformin klefstrom checkpoint inhibitor thumbnail

News and Trends 6 Feb 2019

Combo of Immunotherapy and Diabetes Drug Could Beat Breast Cancer

A Finnish research group has combined two cancer drugs with the diabetes drug metformin, making mice with breast cancer survive for longer than when given the treatments individually. The combination therapy included metformin, which can inhibit tumor growth; the cancer drug venetoclax, which causes cancer cells to commit suicide; and a checkpoint inhibitor antibody, which […]

February 6, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

elypta renal cell carcinoma kidney blood cancer

News and Trends 4 Feb 2019

Swedish Biotech Receives EU Grant for High-Accuracy Kidney Cancer Test

The Swedish biotech Elypta has received a Horizon 2020 grant of €2.4M to fund a clinical trial of a blood and urine test that provides an accurate diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. The clinical trial aims to validate Elypta’s technology as a monitoring tool in patients who have been treated for the kidney cancer renal […]

February 4, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 1 Feb 2019

This Biotech Links the Gut Microbiome to Diseases Using Norwegian Poo

In Norway’s capital city of Oslo, the biotech Bio-Me can rapidly screen for specific gut bacteria, gathering data from thousands of Norwegian stool samples to link the gut microbiome to diseases. Mission: To rapidly screen thousands of stool samples from a Norwegian population study and link the gut microbiome with disease. Client companies will then […]

February 1, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

CRISPR wageningen netherlands gluten wheat

News and Trends 31 Jan 2019

CRISPR Gene Editing Could Make Gluten Safe for Celiacs

A Dutch research group is using the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to modify wheat gluten, letting people with celiac disease eat gluten without experiencing debilitating symptoms. In celiac disease, the immune system attacks gluten, causing damage to the intestine. This forces sufferers to stick to expensive gluten-free versions of foods such as bread, which […]

January 31, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 31 Jan 2019

Novozymes Signs Deal to Develop Biodegradable Plastics

The Danish enzyme manufacturer Novozymes has launched a joint development collaboration with the French biotech Carbios to commercialize biodegradable plastics. Under the agreement, Novozymes is to use its manufacturing muscle to scale up and produce Carbios’ plastic-degrading enzyme technology for Carbios’ subsidiary company Carbiolice. Carbiolice is to embed these enzymes into single-use plastics, such as […]

January 31, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

orphazyme niemann pick type c disease rare metabolic disease molecules

News and Trends 30 Jan 2019

Danish Biotech’s Drug for Rare Metabolic Disease Aces Clinical Trial

A drug, developed by the Danish biotech Orphazyme for a rare metabolic disease, has shown promising results in a phase II/III trial, reducing the disease’s progression by 74%. The 50 patients recruited into the trial suffered from Niemann-Pick disease type C, a metabolic disease in which proteins crucial for storing fat molecules such as cholesterol […]

January 30, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

destiny pharma mrsa antibiotic resistance

More News! 29 Jan 2019

Antibiotic Nasal Gel for Surgical Infections Cruises Through Phase I

An antibiotic nasal gel, developed by the UK company Destiny Pharma to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections, has shown no adverse effects in healthy volunteers in a phase I trial. Destiny’s antibiotic nasal gel is designed to prevent post-surgical infections of the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, which can come in the dangerous drug-resistant strain MRSA. “About […]

January 29, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Knowledge hub

Categories

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

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Approaches

Therapeutic areas

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

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

R&D

BD

World biotech leaders

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Company

Join Us

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

Jonathan Smith

About

Articles by Jonathan Smith

First Plant in the Works to Turn Dairy Byproducts Into Plastics

First Industrial Plant to Turn Waste into Chemicals Will Open in France

Series A to Fund Therapy That Exposes Cancer to Immune System

This Biotech Uses Genomics to Breed Super Peas

Anti-CRISPR Proteins Could Improve Gene Editing Precision

Combo of Immunotherapy and Diabetes Drug Could Beat Breast Cancer

Swedish Biotech Receives EU Grant for High-Accuracy Kidney Cancer Test

This Biotech Links the Gut Microbiome to Diseases Using Norwegian Poo

CRISPR Gene Editing Could Make Gluten Safe for Celiacs

Novozymes Signs Deal to Develop Biodegradable Plastics

Danish Biotech’s Drug for Rare Metabolic Disease Aces Clinical Trial

Antibiotic Nasal Gel for Surgical Infections Cruises Through Phase I

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

About

Articles by Jonathan Smith

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the latest biotech news directly to your inbox!

Newsletter Signup - Footer

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest biotech news!