The biotech bi-weekly: technologies and partnerships driving virology research forward, a generative AI platform and ELRIG keynote speakers
Check out the latest biotech industry news, from hydrogels supporting patient-derived xenograft studies and NGS panels capable of detecting MRD, to a generative AI platform for biology and chemistry and expansion of sample storage for biomedical research.
Products
Defined hydrogel enables reproducible culture of cancer cells in xenograft models
AMSBIO (Abingdon, UK) has launched MatriMix for PDX, a fully defined extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel comprising collagen, laminin-511 E8 fragments and hyaluronic acid optimized to support patient-derived xenograft (PDX) studies. A PDX model uses a patient’s tumor tissue to create a growing tumor in an immunodeficient mouse. They retain the histological and genetic characteristics of the patient’s original tumor, offering a superior platform for studying cancer biology and drug responses, allowing researchers to develop new treatments through drug screening and toxicology studies.
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OGT delivers superior MRD detection capabilities with new SureSeq Myeloid MRD Panel
OGT (NY, USA) announces the North American launch of its new next-generation sequencing (NGS) SureSeq™ Myeloid MRD Panel, which provides a flexible NGS workflow for the detection of ultra-low frequency measurable residual disease (MRD)-associated biomarkers in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This ultra-sensitive NGS panel leverages OGT’s expertise in hybrid capture to enhance the detection of the largest and most complex AML-associated variants in key genes, such as large FLT3-ITDs, that often go undetected by previous generations of PCR-based enrichment technologies.
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Bio-Rad extends range of Vericheck ddPCR Empty-Full Capsid Kits to optimize AAV vector characterization
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (CA, USA), a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostics products, announced the launch of Vericheck ddPCR™ Empty-Full Capsid Kits for adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes 2 and 8, enabling determination of capsid titer, genome titer and percentage of full capsids in purified or unpurified (crude lysate) samples.
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NIH freezes rock the research world
NIH reviews, travel and communications have been frozen until 2 February at least. How has the scientific community responded?
Partnerships and publications
UK Biocentre partners with Azenta Life Sciences to expand sample storage for biomedical research
Azenta, Inc. (MA, USA) announced that it has been selected as the technology provider by UK Biocentre (Milton Keynes, UK) as they expand their large-scale sample storage in support of the preservation of internationally significant sample collections. This new system is in addition to the seven Azenta BioArc™ Flex™ automated sample store systems already in place at the facility. UK Biocentre will utilize the new BioArc Ultra™ to deliver on critical research projects including the United Kingdom’s largest health research program – Our Future Health (London, UK).
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ASM and Gesellschaft für Virologie partner to support the global virology community
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM; DC, USA) is joining forces with the German-speaking (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) Society of Virology, Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV; Erlangen, Germany), the largest virology society in Europe, to broaden the reach of virology research. Under this new partnership, ASM’s Journal of Virology (JVI) will become a GfV-affiliated journal, providing GfV members with discounts on JVI individual subscriptions and JVI publication fees.
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Artificial Inc. proof-of-concept data demonstrates platform capabilities with NVIDIA’s BioNeMo
Artificial, Inc. (CA, USA), a technology company providing cloud-based solutions to streamline laboratory operations and accelerate life science discoveries, announced proof-of-concept data demonstrating the Artificial Platform’s workflow and model integration capabilities in collaboration with NVIDIA’s BioNeMo, a generative AI platform for chemistry and biology.
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New software tool visualizes the inside of 3D images
A new open-source software tool helps see the inside of 3D and 4D images, providing insight into embryonic mouse heart development.
People
Theromics Inc. appoints experienced industry leader Suman Lal as chief executive officer
Theromics Inc. (MA, USA), a biotechnology company developing next-generation thermal accelerant technologies for enhanced ablation procedures and more precise and effective drug delivery, today announced the retirement of its Chief Executive Officer, Ron Murphy, and the appointment of Suman Lal, MBBS, PhD, MBA, as his successor.
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ELRIG announces Jue Wang and Robert Grundy as keynote speakers at Research & Innovation 2025
The European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group (ELRIG), a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization for the drug discovery community, announced the keynote speakers for Research & Innovation 2025 (10–11 March; London, UK). Jue Wang, Research Scientist and Co-lead of the Protein Design Team at Google DeepMind (London, UK), and Robert Grundy, CEO of Intelligent OMICS (Nottingham, UK), will lead this year’s event focused on ‘Big molecules to big data…thinking BIG to drive innovative research’.
