Month: January 2023

2023/01: A 1 µm green microalgae, Medakamo hakoo, holds promise for synthetic biology

https://www.jst.go.jp/pr/announce/20230127/pdf/20230127.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-04367-9 A team from the University of Tokyo and the Tokyo University of Science has cultured a new type of microalgae from the water in a tank where goldfish and killifish were kept, and identified its genome sequence. The photosynthetic microalgae has only 7629 genes, the lowest number of genes among all freshwater green […]

CureApp launches phase 3 of an alcoholism treatment app in Japan

CureApp began developing Digital Therapeutics (DTx) to assist in the treatment of alcoholism by non-specialists. By expanding opportunities for alcoholism treatment outside of specialized medical facilities, CureApp aims to improve access to treatment and achieve early intervention. The app is designed to help people get sober. The app is intended for mildly alcoholic patients who […]

NUProtein supplies growth factors to Singapore Umami Meats for cultured fish meat

https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/23/01/25/10342/ Singapore’s Umami Meats is developing cultured fish meat such as eel, tuna, and snapper using cell culture technology. The development targets mainly high-end fish that cannot be farmed. NUProtein, a Tokyo startup, excels in growth factors for cell-free protein synthesis. Umami Meats has a research system that uses digital models of cultured fish meat with artificial […]

Graphite enhances catalytic oxidation of methane: Nagoya University

https://www.jst.go.jp/pr/announce/20230112-2/index.html Graph: Structure of a methane oxidation catalyst with two-story molecules adsorbed on graphite in a stacking configuration and its reaction active species. A team around Yasuyuki Yamada at Nagoya University has dramatically increased the methane oxidation activity of catalytic molecules by utilizing their interaction with graphite, and achieved a catalytic activity for methane oxidation comparable […]

Keio University: Bacteroides uniformis are abundant in microbiome of Japanese long-distance runners

https://www.jst.go.jp/pr/announce/20230126-3/pdf/20230126-3.pdf A research team around Kinji Fukuda at Keio University has found that Bacteroides uniformis was abundant in the intestines of Japanese long-distance runners and was associated with their running times. Bacteroides uniformis produces short-chain fatty acids such as acetic acid and propionic acid in the intestine, which may contribute to endogenous glucose production in the liver, […]

A 1 µm green microalgae, Medakamo hakoo, holds promise for synthetic biology

https://www.jst.go.jp/pr/announce/20230127/pdf/20230127.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-04367-9 A team from the University of Tokyo and the Tokyo University of Science has cultured a new type of microalgae from the water in a tank where goldfish and killifish were kept, and identified its genome sequence. The photosynthetic microalgae has only 7629 genes, the lowest number of genes among all freshwater green […]

FAST thermoelectric materials may offer an environmental friendly option for roadside sensors in autonomous driving: NEDO

https://www.nedo.go.jp/news/press/AA5_101604.html Meti’s project house Nedo is sponsoring a collaborative project to improve the performance and reduce the cost of thermoelectric modules made of iron (Fe), aluminum (AI) and silicon (Si) (FAST materials) that do not use rare and toxic metals. The consortium has now unveiled a 2 cm2 ceramic thermoelectric module that harvests enough power […]

IDDK Spacelab develops biotech test formats for space

https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/22/12/21/10284/ https://iddk.co.jp/app-def/S-102/iddk_wp/?page_id=3846&lang=en The Tokyo-based startup IDDK has developed and commercialized a new microscope that combines optical and semiconductor technologies. A sample is placed on the black part in the center for observation. In the back is the base for controlling the microscope including peripheral devices. With a resolution of 1.2 µm, it is said to […]

2022/12 Japanese team wins first prize in European competition on artificial photosynthesis

https://www.nedo.go.jp/news/press/AA5_101598.html The University of Tokyo and INPEX Co., partners in NEDO’s project “Technology Development for the Production of Key Chemicals Using Carbon Dioxide as Raw Material” and with the support of the Research Association for Artificial Photosynthetic Chemistry Process Technology (ARPChem)  have won the first place out of 22 teams  in the competition “Fuel from […]

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