ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR AN INSTRUMENT ON MY OWN

In ‘Wild Design,’ Vintage Illustrations Expose the Patterns and Shapes Behind All Life on Earth

CRISPR/Cas Just Got About One Hundred Million Dollars Hotter

CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced  that they will be entering into a 105 million USD strategic research collaboration focused on developing therapeutics for genetic disease.

In more detail, what does that mean? A number of genetic mutations are responsible for inherited diseases, and two examples of this are cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anaemia.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations within the CFTR gene which lead to a broken or non-folding protein, this in turn prevents the proper dilution of mucosal secretions and thus leads to numerous pathologies. Sickle cell anaemia/disease, by contrast, is due to mutations within the gene coding for haemoglobin leading to protein aggregation and disruption of red blood cell structures. It is predominantly found in descendants from malaria-prone areas, as the mutation – at least in heterozygotes – provides innate resistance against malarial infection.

The collaboration between Vertex and CRISPR will initially focus on developing therapeutics for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anaemia, with other unspecified genes also on the target list

Full Story: Syniobeta

Structures from Nature

Image Gallery by David Walker, UK

source: microscopy-uk.org.uk

My window is smarter than yours…

Finishing up a project in lab, which involved culturing bacteria to test our products on. Also, we discovered some very large crystals had formed overnight in our flask.

[Like Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing] I am also besotted with mathematics… I am absolutely struck with the power of mathematics, and that’s why I’m a theoretical physicist. If I want to answer questions, I love that we can all share the mathematical answers. It’s not about me trying to convince you of what I believe or of my perspective. We can all agree that one plus one is two, and we can all make calculations that come out to be the same, whether you’re from India or Pakistan or, you know, Oklahoma.

Magnificent On Being interview with cosmologist and theoretical physicist Janna Levin, who studies black holes, is the author of a bewitching novel about Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing, and has written beautifully about the relationship between genius and madness. (via explore-blog)

Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell

my graduate school professor

Yes, even in graduate school, we are still being told this

(via misbehavedscientist)

Sometimes I get lucky on the rotovap and end up with beautiful crystals.

(I am now realizing that all of my coolest chem lab pictures are related to crystallization...)

Sooooo satisfying!