Stemloop, Inc.

?? Happy Thanksgiving from Stemloop! ?? This Thanksgiving, we’re reflecting on the connections that drive innovation and progress. From groundbreaking discoveries to everyday collaborations, science reminds us how much is possible when we work together. We’re deeply grateful for our team, partners, and everyone who inspires us to push the boundaries of biosensor technology. Here’s to a season of gratitude, curiosity, and shared breakthroughs. Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving filled with connection and discovery! #Thanksgiving #Gratitude #Innovation #Collaboration #Teamwork #ScientificDiscovery

Stemloop Reads: New Platform for aTF Biosensors ?? Last week, Kyle Nishikawa, Jackie Chen, Vatsan Raman, and collaborators published an article in Nature Communications detailing their development of a new platform, Sensor-seq, to design allosteric transcription factors (aTF) for non-native ligands. Using Sensor-seq, they screened over 17,000 TtgR variants against 2 native and 7 non-native ligands to identify new aTFs of varying specificity with activity on 8 out of the 9 ligands tested. The activity of several of these variants was confirmed with secondary and tertiary testing. To gain structural insights, the team applied unsupervised learning to identify key amino acid residues responsible for ligand specificity profiles. The authors also obtained a crystal structure of one variant to better understand the structural features driving specificity. Finally, the authors developed two cell-free biosensors using TtgR variants identified in the study for important small molecules in the pharmaceutical space with sensitivities in the nM range. The first targets naltrexone, a molecule with applications in detecting opioid use. The second focuses on quinine, offering potential for monitoring water safety. Here at Stemloop, we are always excited to hear about new ways scientists are expanding upon the aTF toolkit that nature started for us. With more high-throughput techniques, we get closer to the possibility of being able to make a biosensor for anything! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g3AWHKEB ?#SyntheticBiology #Biosensors #Biotechnology #Innovation

???Exciting News: A New Biosensor for Monkeypox Detection!???? A new paper just dropped, introducing a?label-free optical biosensor?that makes detecting Monkeypox virus (Mpox) faster, simpler, and more affordable. Meet?Pixel-Diversity IRIS (PD-IRIS)?— a game-changer in point-of-care (POC) diagnostics!????? Here’s how it works: PD-IRIS uses light interference to detect the virus. When light hits a thin film on the sensor chip, it creates patterns that change depending on whether a virus particle is present. These changes are captured in an image — no labels or extra steps needed! The result? A clear “optical signature” that lets scientists identify Mpox virus in minutes. It’s not just fast — it’s?super sensitive, detecting Mpox at just?200 PFU/mL?(that’s incredibly low!) and outperforming traditional ELISA tests. Plus, it’s super smart, distinguishing Mpox from other viruses like Herpes simplex and Cowpox. This makes PD-IRIS perfect for quick, accurate diagnostics in clinics, outbreaks, or remote settings.????♀??? This paper shows the incredible potential of biosensors to tackle real-world problems. PD-IRIS isn’t just about Monkeypox — it’s a modular platform that could be adapted to detect all kinds of pathogens. The future of diagnostics is here, and it’s looking?bright!???? ???If you want to dive into the full paper, check it out here: https://lnkd.in/giASnPbM ???What other diseases or applications do you think biosensors like this could be used for? Let’s discuss in the comments! #Biosensors #Monkeypox #PointOfCare #Diagnostics #InfectiousDiseases #Innovation #ScienceForGood

Stemloop Reads: Science Communication ??? Science is complex, and communicating it to the public is harder than ever. An editorial published in Nature earlier this month highlights these challenges and explores solutions to improve how scientific results are shared with the general public. The internet has made us more connected than ever, expanding how scientists engage with audiences—through podcasts, blogs, and social media. However, challenges remain, such as effectively communicating study limitations and uncertainty within results. This editorial links to several resources that offer guidance. Rhys Morgan advocates for applying research integrity principles to public communication, while Dora-Olivia Vicol suggests strategies for discussing uncertainty clearly. What do you think? How can scientists ensure they are communicating their research effectively to the public? ?? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gRRkC87N #ScienceCommunication #ResearchIntegrity #ScienceEducation #PublicEngagement

Tech That Heals: The Role of Biosensors in Organ Transplants??? Imagine a world where technology not only monitors our health but actively helps our bodies heal themselves.????This is exactly the role biosensors are starting to play in regenerative medicine, tracking tissue health, guiding healing, and even detecting early signs of rejection in transplants.?Biosensors are more than just diagnostic tools—they’re becoming essential to personalized medicine??. One of the most groundbreaking applications is in transplant medicine, where biosensor-embedded patches can now monitor signs of organ rejection in real-time.???These patches use electrical impedance to detect changes in tissue health without invasive biopsies, giving doctors and patients peace of mind. For heart transplant patients especially, this kind of monitoring can make all the difference in catching early signs of rejection and improving recovery outcomes???. By providing doctors with real-time data, these tiny sensors help ensure the best outcomes for transplant patients, bringing us closer to more responsive, personalized healthcare. To dive deeper into how biosensors are changing transplant monitoring, check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g2snd8af #Biosensors #OrganTransplants #RegenerativeMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #PersonalizedMedicine

Stemloop Reads: Synthetic Transcriptional Regulators ?? Last week, Mingming Zhao and collaborators published an article in Journal of Biological Engineering on constructing gene circuits using de-novo-designed transcriptional regulators. Their work focuses on switchable transcription terminators (SWTs), which are RNA-based elements that control transcription through targeted RNA interactions. This design enables more scalable, responsive, and modular gene circuits. The researchers developed a design strategy for these SWTs by investigating key sequence domains in vitro. Then, they incorporated these principles with NUPACK algorithms to evaluate secondary structures to design a library of orthogonal SWTs. Using these methods, they were able to design an SWT with a maximum fold change of over 280! They were also able to design a three-layer cascade circuit and a two-input OR gate. These innovations mark a big step for RNA-only synthetic biology, potentially leading to powerful tools in biotechnology and programmable cell-free systems. Here at Stemloop, we are always excited to hear about new advancements in transcription-based tools. We are excited by these new developments in synthetic biology! ??Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gbwYJE_b #SyntheticBiology #Innovation #RNA?

???Feature Friday: Spotlight on Dr.?Marie M. Daly?? Dr. Marie M. Daly’s legacy in biochemistry is profound and inspiring. As the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry in the United States???, her achievements laid critical foundations in science and broke down barriers???. After earning her undergraduate degree from Queen’s College and her Ph.D. at Columbia University, Dr. Daly delved into research that would change how we understand the chemistry of life???. Her doctoral work, under Mary L. Caldwell, investigated digestive enzymes like amylase, setting the stage for a lifetime of scientific contributions that spanned across fields. Dr. Daly made groundbreaking discoveries in cholesterol metabolism, showing its role in cardiovascular health????by identifying how high cholesterol contributes to artery blockage. This early work was essential in developing our current understanding of heart disease and preventive healthcare???. Her insights into lipid metabolism and cell membrane structures advanced our knowledge of cellular health and disease???. But Dr. Daly’s research went beyond cholesterol—she was equally fascinated by the cell nucleus, working to decode the mysteries of nucleic acids and histones, proteins that help structure DNA and influence gene regulation???. Her early studies on nuclear molecules laid the groundwork for modern epigenetics, influencing research into diseases like cancer. Beyond her research, Dr. Daly was a passionate advocate for diversity in science, championing opportunities for underrepresented groups. She taught and mentored at institutions like Howard University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine????, encouraging minority students to pursue careers in STEM. Dr. Daly also established scholarship programs to help students from diverse backgrounds access higher education?????????????, building pathways for future scientists and leaders. Today, her pioneering work continues to impact areas from lipid research to gene regulation and protein synthesis. As we celebrate her contributions, let’s also honor Dr. Daly’s commitment to knowledge and inclusion in science—a legacy that lives on in the researchers inspired by her remarkable achievements??????. #MarieDalyLegacy #WomenInScience #BiochemistryPioneer #DiversityInSTEM #TrailblazingChemist #STEMHistory

??Stemloop Reads: Challenges for AI Protein Design AI is transforming protein design, offering exciting prospects for creating bespoke proteins. But we’re not there yet! Sara Reardon’s latest piece in Nature highlights five key challenges that stand in the way: Binding: Although binding algorithms between proteins have been successful, predicting binding with small molecules remains challenging. ?? New catalysts: Designing enzymes for new functions is challenging since structure doesn’t always correlate directly with function. ?? Modeling conformational changes: Proteins change shape, making it hard to capture all active forms computationally. ?? Complex Protein Structures: Designing multifunctional proteins or machines is limited by data on known molecular structures. ?? Learning from Design Failures: AI often “hallucinates” invalid structures, with few mechanisms to learn from design errors. ?? ??Read more about these challenges and potential solutions here: https://lnkd.in/gKvz4gHM #ProteinDesign #ArtificialIntelligence #Biotech #Innovation

???Zombie Genes: The Secrets of Life After Death!???♂?? Spooky but true: some genes don’t seem to know when to quit! Zombie genes actually “wake up” after death, showing a strange surge in activity in tissues like the brain and liver. As other cells go quiet, these genes start switching on, and researchers are still uncovering exactly why. ? Less than a decade ago, researchers discovered that gene expression doesn’t stop at death! Some genes, dubbed "zombie genes," awaken and start functioning days later, often mirroring those active during early development.????♂??? ? These genes play crucial roles in cell survival, stress responses, and even cancer. One key player is the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), a transcription factor that regulates hundreds of genes in response to low oxygen—a vital part of embryonic development and cellular survival. ? But why do these genes come alive after death? The phenomenon, known as the thanatotranscriptome, might help us in fields like forensics (predicting postmortem intervals) and organ transplantation (improving donor-recipient matches).??? ? In honor of Halloween, it’s a fitting time to ponder these “living” secrets of the dead.????So, what’s the takeaway? Zombie genes may hold the molecular keys to understanding the continuum of life and death. What do you think—can science illuminate the mysteries beyond the veil???????Share your thoughts below! ? Link to full article ? https://lnkd.in/gm28mcay #ZombieGenes??#GeneExpression #TranscriptionFactors??#Forensics #OrganTransplant #CellBiology?#ScienceMysteries #Biotechnology

Stemloop Reads: Cell-Free Protein Synthesis ?? Last month, Zachary Sun of Sepia Biosciences shared a fascinating look into Kangma Healthcode, a company in China focused on revolutionizing cell-free protein synthesis. They claim to have solved two major challenges: synthesizing complicated proteins and scaling production. As a eukaryotic organism, yeast is able to produce more complicated proteins than traditional E. Coli systems. Previously, others have had difficulty getting a good yield from these systems, but Kangma has reported yields up to 1 mg/mL! As for scaling, Kangma has reported hitting 100,000 L scale production in 2024, with apparent GMP-like processes. This far surpasses the typical Western standard of 1,000 L scales. Here at Stemloop, we are excited by this news out of China on developments in the cell-free protein synthesis space! We are also excited to read more from Zachary, so be sure to check out his post below! ??: https://lnkd.in/g_c2P9Zb #Innovation #CellFree #Yeast #Biotechnology?