Animal experiments at Kao Co. have shown that the addition of glucosyl hesperidin lowers blood pressure and triglycerides in blood. As a consequence, “umami rich soy sauce” of Kao obtained the FOSHU status by the consumer agency. Nikkei Biotech news release, Dec. 27, 2014
Group at Osaka University finds amelioration of MS in experimental animals after ingestion of Candida kefyr
The group of Yuji NAKATSUJI at Osaka University Medical School studied the effect of 18 types of yeasts contained in fermented food on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in experimental animals by analyzing the intestinal microflora and the systemic immune states. It turned out that administration of Candida kefyr (an emerging pathogen) had a beneficial effect […]
NIAS team uses piggyBac transposon technology to obtain insect-resistant rice
The group of Seiichi TOKI at the Biological Laboratory of NIAS has applied Transposagen’s footprint-free piggyBac transposon technology to obtain insect-resistant rice by genomic modification. This is the first application of this technology to plants, and the authors comment on the wide use of this method, even for tomatos NIAS news release, Dec. 25, 2014
Fujifilm introduces “Cellnest”, an extracellular matrix for cell growth and proliferation
“Cellnest” is an artificial collagen exposing RGD sequences. It is produced by recombinant yeast and offered as a freeze-dried powder. Fujifilm news release, Dec. 25, 2014
NEDO starts new program on power generation from the ocean
The program includes a) vertical axis straight airfoil tidal power generation (Ohshima Shipbuilding and others), and b) water-floating ocean current power generation (IHI, Toshiba and others). NEDO news release, Dec. 25, 2014
NEDO and State of California start demonstration project on Electric vehicle (EV) range expansion.
Within this project, rapid chargers will be installed along main roads that connect major cities and analyze the behavior of EV users. Partners are Nissan Motor, Nissan North America and Kanematsu Co. NEDO news release, Dec. 24, 2014
RIKEN abendons claims for STAP procedure
After 8 months of experiments to reproduce the technology on “stimulus triggered pluripotent cell” formation (STAP), RIKEN representatives admittedly were not able to reproduce the findings published in “Nature” earlier this year. The main author of the Nature Paper, Ms Haruko Obokata (31) resigned from RIKEN’s Kobe Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) which is being […]
Immuno-Biological Laboratories plans pilot-plant for recombinant products expressed in silkworms
The pilot-plant will be built in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, and allow for the production under GMP regulations. At present, IBL does joint research with Astellas Pharma for the production of human fibrinogen from the silkworm cocoon and studies the expression of recombinant antibodies and enzymes in this organism. IBL news release, Dec. 19, 2014
Fuji Oil to open Asia R&D Center in Singapore
The center will focus on market development in Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East but will also view the African market. In the beginning, it will host about 20 employees. Fuji Oil press release, Dec. 18, 2014-12-21
University of Tokyo announces clinical trial for cancer treatment using recombinant Herpes virus
The virus used in the experiments will be G47Δ, a third-generation recombinant Herpes simplex type I virus, and the target will be patients suffering from advanced glioblastoma. Clinical studies on patients suffering from advanced olfactory neuroblastoma and from hormone treatment-resistant recurrent prostate cancer are also underway. University of Tokyo press release, Dec. 18, 2014