Biochemical Engineering

Five ways ‘green’ carbon policies damage forests – and how we can fix the problem

The Conversation: Off-setting our carbon footprint is a way for many of us to feel we are doing our bit to save the planet from the ongoing climate emergency. Tree…

Organic Optogenetics Tool Shines Light on Brain’s Communication Pathways

Photonics.com: Light-sensing proteins called rhodopsins are used in optogenetics to control neuronal activity, but existing rhodopsins can have low efficacy, especially when they are used to control synaptic activity…

Inovio’s Electrical Device Zaps a COVID-19 Vaccine Into the Body

IEEE Spectrum: It took a global pandemic to accomplish one of the most significant advances in the history of vaccinology: widespread, commercial deployment of vaccines derived from nucleic acids. As of this writing, hundreds of millions of people have been vaccinated…

Bio-inspired scaffolds could aid injured skeletal muscle

Futurity: To promote the regeneration of injured skeletal muscle, bioengineers are making and testing tunable electrospun scaffolds completely derived from decellularized skeletal muscle. A paper in Science Advances shows how natural extracellular matrix can mimic native skeletal muscle and direct…