Summer 2024
Synthetic Biology is in Fashion
Scientists are pulling on the protein threads that bind textiles and cosmetics together.
Features
Infographics
Infographic: Synthetic Biology is Transforming Clothes and Cosmetics
Recombinant proteins usher in an era of sustainable fashion.
Infographic: Exploring Habitability on Europa
Europa Clipper will characterize many features of the icy moon orbiting Jupiter to determine whether or not it offers a good place to search for life.
Infographic: Chemical Versus Enzymatic DNA Synthesis
Polymerase-driven synthesis is gaining traction as scientists look to generate longer oligonucleotides and cut back on hazardous waste.
Flow Cytometry: Scattering Light to Measure Cells
Scientists analyze and quantify characteristics of cells and other particles with the power of lasers.
Methods
Enzymatic DNA Synthesis: Going to Great Lengths
When chemical approaches for synthesizing longer DNA oligonucleotides plateaued, scientists turned to a one-of-a-kind enzyme.
How Flow Cytometry Spurred Cell Biology
The ability to rapidly count and measure features of cells opened the research flood gates.
Editorial
Back to the Basics to Break Boundaries
Armed with cutting-edge technologies, scientists find innovative ways to better use biological systems.
Foundations
From Code to Creature
A happenstance collaboration between biologists and roboticists led to the birth of a strange creation: living machines derived from frog stem cells.
Engineered Rabies Virus Illuminates Neural Circuitry
Scientists turned a deadly virus into a crucial tool for understanding the wiring of the brain.
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Reveals DNA-Protein Interactions
Proteins interact with DNA to regulate many vital processes in cells. Nearly 40 years ago, researchers developed a way to map these molecular connections.
Profiles
Building Cells from the Bottom Up
To understand the molecular blueprint for life, Cees Dekker is starting from scratch, building fully synthetic cells that are capable of cell division.
A Voyage of Curiosity and Vision
Parasitologist Luísa Figueiredo uncovered key elements of the secret life of African trypanosomes inside their hosts.
Herding Innovation in Livestock
Alison Van Eenennaam uses genome-editing technologies to aid beef cattle production and animal welfare.
Contributors
Meet the Team: Ashleigh Campsall
A chance trip to a graphic design studio set Ashleigh Campsall on a path of putting the life in life science stories through art.
Speaking of Science
Cell Centered
Put on your thinking cap, and take on this fun challenge.