Most Noticeable Biotech Breakthroughs of the Year

The field of biotech research and development is dynamic and works to advance medical knowledge and solve scientific and medical problems. It covers disciplines including genetics, molecular biology, and drug development. Gene editing, customised medicine, bioprinting, and the creation of novel pharmaceuticals are current areas of focus. In the past year, AI has picked up, and more discoveries have been made on its basis. Here, we review some of them as well as other astonishing breakthroughs of this year.

AlphaFold Team at DeepMind Releases Open-Source AlphaFold Database

The AlphaFold team at DeepMind has strengthened their work by recently releasing the AlphaFold database in addition to developing and making the AlphaFold code open-source. In order to track and organise proteins, scale up AlphaFold for protein structure predictions (using DeepMind), and store and display database structures, the AlphaFold database required the expertise of three types of engineers (Protein Data Bank in Europe team at EMBL-EBI).?

AI Helps Develop New Antimicrobials to Combat Drug Resistance

Drug-resistant bacteria are a major cause of death, making antimicrobial resistance a serious global problem. AI is starting to play a crucial role in the creation of new medications that can combat resistance and refill potent antimicrobials. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences used machine learning techniques to find antimicrobial peptides. 181 possible peptides that have antimicrobial activity were proven so, and nearly half of these were completely new and had the ability to circumvent current resistance mechanisms. In mice with bacterial pneumonia, three of the novel peptides were successful in curing it. These discoveries could hasten the creation of novel therapies for harmful pathogenic threats.

Revive Pig Organs with OrganEx System

A group of researchers at Yale University developed a system called OrganEx that pumped a mixture of blood and nutrients through the circulatory system of pigs, reviving their organs after death. This technology can potentially extend the lifespan of human organs for transplantation.

Svante P??bo Wins the Nobel Prize for Research on Hominin Ancestry

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Swedish geneticist Svante P??bo for his research on the genetic connections among hominin ancestors. He has created methods for examining ancient DNA. In addition to discovering the Denisovan species of hominid, P??bo and his team were able to decode the DNA of Neanderthals. According to the findings, early humans interbred with these extinct species, giving rise to features that are still present in some modern individuals, such as the capacity for high-altitude survival and susceptibility to diseases like COVID-19.

AI-based Gene Therapy Reduces Negative Side Effects

An AI-based gene treatment created by Dyno Therapeutics uses cutting-edge targeting vectors to target a specific part of the body, lowering the possibility of unfavourable side effects. A patient’s medical history is taken into account in this individualised approach to treatment, which strives to reduce both short-term and long-term negative effects.?

Prometheus Develops 3D Printing Technique for Human Tissues Using Living Cells

A 3D printing technique for human tissues utilising living cells has been developed by the Italian start-up Prometheus. Bioprinting, a method that enables the fabrication of structures like bone, skin, and muscle, may be able to help those who need prosthetic limbs or have tissue damage. The field of medicine could be completely changed by bioprinting, and many people's lives could be enhanced. Bioprinting enables the development of customised tissue replacements with a lower risk of rejection or problems in the body. It might also be used in generating human tissue models for testing and studying the drug development process.

With the rapid development of AI, we expect even more discoveries in the coming year. As always, we will keep you updated with the latest trends and developments in BioTech and MedTech in our analytical reports and Dashboard!