Navigation Links
Better beer: College team creating anticancer brew
Date:10/16/2008

College students often spend their free time thinking about beer, but a group of Rice University students are taking it to the next level. They're using genetic engineering to create beer that contains resveratrol, a chemical in wine that's been shown to reduce cancer and heart disease in lab animals.

Rice's "BioBeer" will be entered in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition Nov. 8-9 in Cambridge, Mass. It's the world's largest synthetic biology competition, a contest where teams use a standard toolkit of DNA building blocks -- think genetic LEGO blocks -- to create living organisms that do odd things.

Notable past iGEM creations include sheets of bacteria that behave like photographic film and bacteria that smell like mint while they're growing but like bananas when they stop growing. Rice's student-led iGEM team -- the Rice BiOWLogists -- are returning for a third year. Their entry last year, a bacterial virus that fought antibiotic resistance, was well-received but finished out of the prize running.

"After last year's contest, we were sitting around talking about what we'd do this year," said junior Taylor Stevenson. "(Graduate student) Peter Nguyen made a joke about putting resveratrol into beer, but none of us took it seriously."

But when the team began looking in earnest for a new project this spring, they discovered a good bit of published literature about modifying yeast with resveratrol-related genes. When they looked further, they found two detailed accounts by teams that had attacked both halves of the metabolic problem independently.

"That was when we said, 'You know, we could actually do this,'" said junior Thomas Segall-Shapiro.

Ironically, most of the team's undergraduate members aren't old enough to legally drink beer. But the reality is that with less than a month to go until the competition, the team has yet to brew a drop. All their work to date has gone into c
'/>"/>

Contact: David Ruth
druth@rice.edu
713-348-6327
Rice University
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Caltech scientists engineer supersensitive receptor, gain better understanding of dopamine system
2. Efavirenz-based initial therapies associated with better outcomes in HIV-infected adults
3. Army can boost mission success by better managing
4. Better understanding of blood vessel constrictor needed to harness its power for patients
5. Monitoring outcomes of suicide attempts in pregnancy can better assess drug dangers
6. Gaining a better understanding of kidney diseases
7. At risk for peripheral arterial disease? Simple quiz provides key so you can circulate better
8. Fujitsu Scanners Selected as Editors Choice in Better Buys for Business 2008 Scan-to-File Guide
9. A better way to make hydrogen from biofuels
10. Blood pressure response to daily stress provides clues for better hypertension treatment
11. Stent grafts: a better way to treat blunt trauma injuries
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/22/2013)... biodiversity of pollinating insects and wild plants have slowed ... Researchers led by the University of Leeds and the ... of dramatic reductions in the diversity of species in ... 1980s. , But the picture brightened markedly after 1990, ... among bees, hoverflies and wild plants. , ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... shows that the nation,s land and water resources could ... up to 25 billion gallons of algae-based fuel a ... yearly needs. , The findings come from an in-depth ... to grow significant amounts of algae in large, specially ... May 7 issue of Environmental Science and Technology ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Michigan Water Center today awarded 12 research grants, ... and protection efforts. , The two-year grants of ... efforts to track the remediation of harmful algae ... non-native weedy plant invasions; study chromosomal damage in ... restoration activities. , The grants were awarded to ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Encouraging signs for bee biodiversity 2Encouraging signs for bee biodiversity 3Going green: Nation equipped to grow serious amounts of pond scum for fuel 2Going green: Nation equipped to grow serious amounts of pond scum for fuel 3Going green: Nation equipped to grow serious amounts of pond scum for fuel 4U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 2U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 3U-M Water Center awards $570K in Great Lakes restoration grants 4
... indigenous people, the roughly 3 million caribou in the ... while hunters and scientists alike have long expressed concern ... the causes of change have differed. ... their knowledge of how ecosystems have functioned in the ...
... The American Institute of Physics (AIP) announced the winners of ... scientist, a journalist, a children,s book author, and three radio ... Windsor chair, and certificates of recognition. , The winners ... 2007 AIP Science Writing Award in the Journalist category for ...
... research group of the University of Granada has ... leaf and the olive skin wax extracted from alpeorujo (crushed ... as regulating apoptosis in carcinogenic processes., Maslinic acid is a ... regulating cell growth. It is useful for cancer treatment, as ...
Cached Biology News:Seeking sustainability in a world of instability 2Quantum weirdness, parallel worlds, dinosaur poop, and the ultimate fate of the universe... 2Quantum weirdness, parallel worlds, dinosaur poop, and the ultimate fate of the universe... 3Quantum weirdness, parallel worlds, dinosaur poop, and the ultimate fate of the universe... 4A compound extracted from olives inhibits cancer cells growth and prevents their appearance 2
(Date:5/21/2013)... Austin, TX (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 ... and outdoor security solutions, today announced that Genzyme, a ... more units of Door Detective® CL for a multi-use ... already installed in four other Genzyme buildings, this latest ... had with the tailgate detection device improving ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... As the R&D sector becomes ... the industry to deliver better products, faster. Collaborations ... companies often means turning big ideas into reality, ... collaboration with Sensidose AB and Recipharm, is one ... to market sooner. The partnership resulted in the ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 Emerson ... announced that Dr. Charles Signorino, the Company’s Chief Executive ... 1, 2013 after 32 years of service. As part ... Emerson’s current President, has been named as Dr. Signorino’s ... in the pharmaceutical industry, having made a significant contribution ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... , May 21, 2013  Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE ... and treatment of serious infectious diseases, announced today that ... 2 nd Annual Marcum LLP MicroCap Conference on Thursday, ... at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Mr. Riley is scheduled ... live webcast of Synthetic Biologics, presentation can be accessed by ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Door Security at Genzyme, a Sanofi Company, Enhanced with Door Detective from Smarter Security 2Door Security at Genzyme, a Sanofi Company, Enhanced with Door Detective from Smarter Security 3The Development of an Innovative Microtablet Dosage Form, a Success Story: Live Webinar Hosted by Xtalks 2Emerson Resources Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of Successor 2Emerson Resources Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of Successor 3Synthetic Biologics to Present at the 2nd Annual Marcum LLP MicroCap Conference 2
... ... and Genedata Expressionist® at Evonik for Industrial Biotechnology R&D Processes , ... Basel, Switzerland (PRWEB) ... industrial biotechnology R&D, today announced an extended partnership with Evonik, a leading life ...
... ... ... , ... , , , ...
... in the development of practical phonon lasers, which emit sound ... The development should lead to new, high-resolution imaging devices and ... countless, ubiquitous devices, a phonon laser is likely to be ... Two separate research groups, one located in the US and ...
Cached Biology Technology:Evonik Extends Long-term Research & Development Partnership with Genedata 2Evonik Extends Long-term Research & Development Partnership with Genedata 3Evonik Extends Long-term Research & Development Partnership with Genedata 4Sanaria Inc. Receives Multi-Year U.S. NIH Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Grant to Develop a Genetically Attenuated Whole Parasite Malaria Vaccine 2Sanaria Inc. Receives Multi-Year U.S. NIH Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Grant to Develop a Genetically Attenuated Whole Parasite Malaria Vaccine 3Sanaria Inc. Receives Multi-Year U.S. NIH Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Grant to Develop a Genetically Attenuated Whole Parasite Malaria Vaccine 4Quantum leap for phonon lasers 2
...
... deliver critical performance for all vacuum requirements. ... pump performance to suit all applications. The ... checking of proper oil levels at a ... designed to work with all Thermo Savant ...
... The IITC Life Science Rotarods are used ... motor coordination or fatigue resistance on mice and ... humane way. Extremely user friendly; the animals are ... an animal drops onto the individual sensing platforms ...
... 8-iso-13,14-dihydro-15-keto Prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF2α) is ... (8-iso PGF2α), in rabbits, monkeys and ... product of non-specific lipid peroxidation. In ... 8-isoprostane is converted primarily to metabolites ...
Biology Products: