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News from DTU

2019
Why software is like a puppy
29 MAR

Why software is like a puppy

Software is like a puppy – it needs attendance, maintenance and care, or it dies. This and many other points were on the agenda at a 2-day workshop called “Software in the life sciences: development, usability, sustainability”.

Photo credit: KAIST
14 JAN

Bio-map charts production routes for industrial chemicals

Researchers now present a very detailed map on metabolic engineering routes for the production of a wide range of sustainable chemicals. This map will ease the construction of engineered microorganisms that can produce bio-chemicals. The research is published in Nature Catalysis.

Making Colours with biology - ShikiFactory100 Photo by Pascal Volk/Flickr
08 JAN

Creating flavours and fragrances from “shiki” cell factories

A big new EU project called SHIKIFACTORY100 aims at producing more than 100 high value compounds and chemicals such as flavours and fragrances biologically. This will be done using genetically optimized cells, designed to produce the desired compounds through the cellular pathway called ‘shikimate’.

2018
Lipid composition in cell membranes might hold promise to curing diseases like type 2 diabetes.
26 OCT

Tampering with cellular fats holds great promise

Researchers have found a way to engineer the lipid composition of cell membranes. The method described in Science makes it easier to investigate how cells are regulated by their membrane composition. This could lead to optimized cell factories and better understanding of the role of lipids in metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes...

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Synthetic biology
Tilmann HTS
09 OCT

Professor Tilmann Weber on High Tech Summit: I look forward to extending my network!

High Tech Summit is being launched tomorrow. Professor Tilmann Weber is giving a Tech Talk and hopes to extend his network amongst the 4000 visitors.

Biotechnology and biochemistry Biological systems Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
2017
Antibiotic resistance
15 JUN

Scientists solve 30-year old mystery on how resistance genes spread

Scientists have revealed that certain disease-causing bacteria get their resistance genes in a complex process involving bacterial ‘sex’. This new knowledge can potentially lead to a more targeted effort in counteracting the spread of antibiotic resistance

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Project Discovery
15 MAY

Sci-fi computer gamers help scientists analyse big data

Why not make thousands of gamers do your (insurmountable) data analysis, instead of trying to do it yourself? It may sound crazy, but nevertheless, this was exactly what biotechnologist Emma Lundberg from KTH did – with great success.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Penicillin Flavigenum
11 APR

Study of penicillin fungi reveals great potential for new antibiotics

Even though the penicillin fungus provided the world with its first commercial antibiotic – penicillin – the fungus most likely still has a few tricks left up its sleeve, according to new research.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Click chemistry - 2017 Coverpage Musiol-Kroll ACS SYNBIO
04 APR

Scientists discover how to make ‘click-on’ antibiotics

An international team of scientists have shown that they can modify a well-known antibiotic into new derivatives. The technique paves the way for new antibiotics, which can easily be assembled inside microbes using so-called “click chemistry”.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
E. coli riboswitch
24 MAR

Aging: The environment affects the genome

A new study of aging E. coli bacteria shows that cells mutate with age. With this knowledge, scientists will be able to make vulnerable genes more robust in order to avoid cancer. The study also suggests that the environment affects the genome.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
P450, credit: Jag123 from .en
20 MAR

'Chemical warfare' plant enzymes could produce medicine in bacteria

Special enzymes from plants can produce valuable drugs and chemicals when introduced to bacteria, new research shows. Both anti-malarial, anti-cancer drugs, and psoriasis medicine could be produced using this technique.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Berries
06 MAR

The first steps towards strawberry pills against Alzheimer's

In a few years, you could probably take a strawberry pill to prevent Alzheimer's or red wine pills against heart diseases. Researchers have studied the beneficial molecules of berries and figured out how to produce the molecules on a large scale in bacteria.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Small bioreactors
30 JAN

New pre-pilot plant will develop cell factories for industry

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has granted almost 118 M DKK for the establishment of a fermentation plant at DTU Biosustain. The plant will make it possible to test so-called cell factories at greater scales and to optimize purification processes and thus accelerate the production of sustainable chemicals and medicine.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Tilmann Weber
26 JAN

Research program on new antibiotics receives 58 M DKK

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has granted 58 Million DKK for a big research program aiming at discovering new antibiotics. The battle against antibiotic resistance is on.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Biochemicals
09 JAN

Important bio-chemical produced on a large scale by E.coli

E. coli cells have now been engineered into producing large quantities of serine, which is used in detergents, tube feeding formula, and as building blocks for many important chemicals. Using the evolutionary technique ALE, scientists managed to develop this robust and commercially interesting cell line.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
2016
Chinese hamster
01 DEC

New computational model provides a tool for improving the production of valuable drugs

An extensive study involving partners from five continents has resulted in a model describing the metabolism of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). This model can be used to improve and accelerate the production of biotherapeutics, cancer drugs, and vaccines.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Heat map Adam Feist et al
24 NOV

Take a closer look at your E. coli

Researchers from the The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability have discovered that different E. coli strains, often thought to be very similar, actually differ in their ability to produce certain chemicals. The results uncover which bacterial work horse is the best choice for the production of 40 commercially interesting...

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Bacteria
23 NOV

Growth switches make bacteria better at producing chemicals

A set of new molecular switches enable researchers to “push” bacteria to produce higher amounts of desired chemicals and proteins. The trick is to limit cell growth while maintaining the cells’ ability to produce chemicals.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Bernhard Palsson Novozymes award in Biochemical and Chemical Engineering
18 NOV

The Novozymes Award in Biochemical and Chemical Engineering 2016 goes to Bernhard Palsson

Professor Bernhard Palsson received this year’s Novozymes Award within Biochemical and Chemical Engineering. As a young scientist, he was told that trying to compute biology was “professional suicide”. Luckily, this turned out not to be the case – quite the contrary.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology
Inauguration at DTU Biosustain
17 NOV

HRH Prince Joachim was impressed with DTU Biosustain

On November 17, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim cut the ribbon to the new home of The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability – DTU Biosustain. The Prince was very interested in hearing about biotech and the center’s research. He even revealed his biology grade from school.

Bacteria and microorganisms Biological systems Cells Enzymes and proteins Fermentation Genes and genomes Synthetic biology