Researchers are working on bioengineering a new breed of mosquito that is incapable of carrying the Malaria virus.
A group of scholars and scientists met recently to discuss whether or not scientific research, specifically genetic and human cloning research, could be governed or controlled.
Stung by anthrax mailings after suicide skyjackings, the United States is hurrying to erect an electronic line of defense against further bioterrorism. At least five sophisticated biosurveillance systems are under development with federal funding to nonprofit and to proprietary ventures; two other groups already have products on the market. The goal is to install a national sentinel network that can detect suspicious trends in medical data and in illness behavior before diagnosis, to help contain a disease by identifying it soon after infections begin.
An overview of nanotechnology research from a life sciences perspective. The author takes a conservative view of nanotech, discounting some of the futurist scenarios of 'nanobots'.
A multiple-sponsor distributed computing project aims to derail anthrax's ability to enter human cells and eliminate the toxin as a terrorists' weapon.
In the wake of terrorist attacks, funding is increasing for life science companies engaged in virtually any area of biosecurity. Organizations that produce vaccines and antibiotics, as well as those developing therapeutics, detection systems, and diagnostics, are receiving much-needed attention from government and private sectors.
A discussion with Rita Colwell, the current director of the National Science Foundation on Biocomplexity or ' is understanding how components of the global ecosystem interact--biological, physical, chemical, and the human dimension--in order to gain knowledge of the complexity of the system and to derive fundamental principles from it'.
A group of virus researchers at a recent Nobel Conference discuss the future of viruses in terms of war and peace. The conference attendees concluded that rapid globalization and overpopulation would prevent any quick resolution to the "war".
Craig Venter of The Institute for Geonomic Research(TIGR) announces a private effort to map the human genome. Venter argues that the use of faster sequencing methods will allow TIGR to complete the project four years ahead of the government's effort (DOE's Human Genome Project) and at a fraction of the cost.