Chris Mason

Professor of Cell & Gene Therapy, University College London | Senior Editor: 'Cell & Gene Therapy Insights' + 'Regenerative Medicine'

[Chris Mason @Prof_ChrisMason]

https://t.co/wo3bXMBxNW

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

View from atop the tower at liftoff

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting second integrated flight test of Starship!

Starship successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster and made it through stage separation

[Arbor Biotechnologies @arbortx]

Arbor is excited to announce the appointment of Deanna Petersen as our Chief Business Officer! Deanna has experience in global business, corporate development and strategic planning. She will be key as we continue to identify unique applications for our next-gen gene editors.

[Elliot Hershberg @ElliotHershberg]

Implementing neural networks... in DNA 🧬

Neural networks are an example of a bio-inspired algorithm. We used neuroscience as an intuition pump for making learning systems.

But what if we took our C.S. innovation in neural nets, and... implemented that using biology?

How would we do it?

A preprint led by Ryan Lee from the lab of @leochou0814 attempted to answer this question.

They tried to unify three advances to make better modular DNA-based units for implementing "biomolecular neurons:"

1. enzymatic synthesis to encode a greater number of input-output connections on a 76 single DNA strand
2. solid-phase immobilization to spatially segregate DNA computing units into 77 network layers
3. universal addressing to enable the assembly of different circuits from the 78 same DNA components

Using this framework, they showed a proof-of-concept for more efficiently encoding neural networks into DNA constructs.

You might be asking yourself.... Why?

Honestly, I'm not sure! The authors say this may enable "portable computing power for applications such as portable diagnostics, compact data storage, and autonomous decision making for lab-on-a-chips."

At this stage, it's a really interesting basic demonstration of a concept. Who knows how we might figure out how to use this type of functionality if it becomes even easier and cheaper to do?

Could synthetic cells some day operate on a combination of logic (explicit regulatory circuits) and fuzzier predictive models (like this DNA-encoded neural nets)? This would be similar to how computer programming has evolved.

It's another example of how rich the intersection between biology and computation is.

Link to full study:
https://t.co/v8Wba79VYQ

[UCL Engineering @UCLEngineering]

Today we are celebrating International Women in Engineering Day! #INWED23

We're taking this opportunity to spotlight some of our amazing female students, researchers and academics 💡

Find out how we're changing the world 🌍⬇️

@INWED1919 #MakeSafetySeen

[PCE3 @PCE3_Sci]

Want to learn more about the prebiotic synthesis of nucleotides? Check out the talks by Yuta Hirakawa and Nick Green at the upcoming PCE3 seminar Thursday June 8th at 2 pm PT/5pm ET. Register here: https://t.co/xRb9TXxdcU.

[Krystal Biotech @KrystalBiotech]

The FDA's approval marks the arrival of a new and the first treatment option for patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a #raredisease that can have devastating consequences.

For more information, please visit: https://t.co/q1XItkngqF

#EpidermolysisBullosa #DEB

[Krystal Biotech @KrystalBiotech]

The FDA has approved our treatment for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare, genetic disease as the first treatment option for this condition.

For more information, please visit: https://t.co/q1XItkngqF

#dystrophicEB #DystrophicEpidermolysisBullosa #DEB #genetherapy

[Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) @alliancerm]

The approval represents several ‘firsts’ in #genetherapy.

➡️ 1st GT approved for a skin condition

➡️ 1st approval of a GT for a rare genetic disease that uses a viral vector other than AAV or lentivirus

➡️ 1st approval of a redosable gene therapy for a rare genetic disease

[Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) @alliancerm]

A new gene therapy approval was just announced! 🧬✅

@KrystalBiotech's therapy to treat dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa was approved by the FDA, becoming the sixth gene therapy for a rare genetic disease approved by the agency.
https://t.co/4lc2YI6M6F

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

First fully integrated Starship lifting off for the first time!

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

Liftoff of Starship!

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Congrats @SpaceX team on an exciting test launch of Starship!

Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months.

[Bruce Booth @LifeSciVC]

💯 agree with Mark

Take a deep breath. @SVB_Financial is a great long term partner for the startup ecosystem.

Any financial risk is way oversold here, real risk is contagion.

Reality: SVB has liquidity, passes stress tests, has a low loan to capital ratio. Stay calm.

[Oribiotech @OriBiotech]

If we are to reduce costs, achieve high quality therapies & increase patient access we must rethink manufacturing processes.

This was the key topic of discussion when Deanna M. Peterson, CBO at @avrobio joined @Ori_JCFoster on the Ori Spotlight #podcast➡️https://t.co/h1lLrzVxgh

[Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine @WFIRMnews]

WFIRM is happy to announce a warm welcome to Steve Bauer, PhD, former FDA official, to oversee regulatory aspects for WFIRM’s Translational Core and join the Regenerative Medicine Hub (RegenMed Hub) endeavor with partner ReMDO. https://t.co/uK8XCzAGBm

[Neil Shubin @NeilShubin]

New preprint...new Tiktaalik reconstruction! The full scan of the type specimen and reconstruction by @TomDoesScience. Something very unexpected...specialized sacral ribs that may have supported the hind fin.

[AVROBIO @avrobio]

Have you heard about the Guard1 study? You may be able to participate in a Phase 1/2 gene therapy clinical trial for people with #GaucherDisease Type 1. Call 1-877-330-5214 or visit https://t.co/aPv86kdZ5f for details about this trial.