Articles in 2009

Similar to outsourcing in the corporate world, technology incubators are beginning to look beyond their own borders to find technology.

Combining microdroplet PCR with flow-cell technologies provides a novel approach for sequencing thousands of genomic targets.

Steve Reed believes the organization he has founded has the potential to radically increase the developing world's access to vaccines for neglected diseases. The efforts of the Seattle-based Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), which operates as a not-for-profit biotech company, may start to pay off during the H1N1 'swine' flu pandemic. IDRI developed an adjuvant to boost the effectiveness and supplies of flu vaccines and is making the technology available to vaccine manufacturers in developing nations. Charlotte Schubert talks to Reed about how IDRI, a 90-person operation with a $19 million annual budget, could have such a big impact.

Duplicated genomic regions are accurately resolved using an optimized algorithm for mapping reads from next-generation sequencers.

As a differentiated cell proceeds toward the pluripotent state, markers turn on and off in an orderly fashion.

Large-scale perturbations unravel the complex networks of activated dendritic cells.

Most drugs withdrawn from the market because of serious toxicities never make it back. But Biogen Idec succeeded in getting its multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Tysabri reintroduced in less than 16 months.

Patents may not establish clear property and use rights and this may promote biodiversity destruction and decline. What is needed are schemes for patents to suit conservation and sustainable-use objectives.

As the first commercial ventures are formed around induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell research, who will have the freedom to operate commercially remains a big unknown. Sarah Webb reports.

Agribusiness is taking another run at transgenic wheat after shelving its programs five years ago because of concerns from farmers, trade organizations and even state governments about market acceptance. Will there be a market this time? Jeffrey Fox investigates.

Cho et al. reconstruct the regulatory and functional architecture of the E. coli genome by integrating data from several high-throughput measurements. The detailed map will allow the development of improved models of the networks that control the bacterium's transcription and translation.