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Groundbreaking study reveals oral microbiome’s role in immune response and COVID-19 severity
La Jolla, California—April 18, 2024—The human mouth is teaming with organisms collectively referred to as “the oral microbiome.” A growing body of evidence shows that in healthy individuals, the oral microbiome acts as a critical first line of defense against unwanted bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that enter our mouths, including the virus that causes COVID-19. The human microbiome has a direct relationship with the immune system. In a newly published study, a team of...
Scientists develop method to efficiently construct single-copy human artificial chromosomes (HACs)
Philadelphia, PA—March 21, 2024—Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), and the University of Edinburgh have developed a method to efficiently construct single-copy human artificial chromosomes (HACs). The ability to control the construction of HACs gives synthetic biologists a powerful tool for delivering DNA directly to the nucleus of a human cell. In the near term, synthetic biologists, spanning disciplines, will use HACs to advance...
SynBYSS
The International SynBYSS Conference is focused on bringing together the synthetic biology community with the explicit goal of developing young scientists worldwide. As early-career synthetic biology researchers begin their own research, there are few conferences that provide an opportunity for them to express their ideas, network effectively, or collaborate widely. Moreover, these young practitioners are an increasingly diverse group without obvious representation. The 2nd International...
Opentrons Announces New Robotics Education Initiative Demonstrating Commitment to Laboratory Automation for Students
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Opentrons Labworks, Inc., a leader in lab automation and makers of accessible lab robotics, today announced the launch of Opentrons® for Education, an exclusive offering for educators to bring lab automation to the classroom. Opentrons is building a first-of-its-kind ecosystem for teaching with automation, which includes education pricing and support, along with access to a community of educators already teaching with Opentrons. Our goal is to make lab automation a...
12th Build-a-Cell Workshop hosted at J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla
J. Criag Venter Institute is hosting the 12th Build-a-Cell Workshop March 29, 2024 at its campus in La Jolla, California. The purpose of the workshop is to synergize research in the synthetic cell community. This includes both efforts to make non-living synthetic cells as well as efforts to construct the first living synthetic cell entirely out of non-living parts. Build-a-Cell workshops are held twice yearly, free, and include breakfast and lunch. Event cost: free Registration deadline:...
New LongCOVID research launched by PolyBio’s global consortium of scientists
Medford MA, February 22, 2024 – PolyBio Research Foundation, a global collaboration convening the world’s leading chronic disease scientists, today announced the second phase of its LongCovid Research Consortium (LCRC), including the distribution of $15M to fund scientific research, treatment innovation, and clinical trials for LongCOVID. Founded and run by scientists with expertise in microbiology and neuroscience, PolyBio connects the world’s leading researchers in...
J. Craig Venter Institute contracted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to rapidly construct synthetic influenza genes
Rockville, MD—January 30, 2024—J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), led by Sanjay Vashee, Ph.D., has been contracted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to rapidly build highly accurate influenza genes for use by the CDC to help design seasonal or pandemic flu vaccines. Using synthetic genomics techniques to build these genes reduces the overall time to develop flu vaccines. The base period for the contract is one year with an additional four option years. “Our team is...
Culture
Culture J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) culture is founded on the principles of respect and collaboration. We are focused on creating a community where everyone can share, learn, grow, and develop together in a productive manner. This is achieved by gathering feedback from our staff, providing learning and outreach opportunities, building awareness, and sponsoring employee engagement activities. Since our formation more than three decades ago, we have been...
Coastal upwelling regions threatened by increased ocean acidification
La Jolla, CA—November 10, 2023—Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego have for the first time shown that increased acidification of ocean water in an upwelling region reduces the availability of iron for phytoplankton, thereby threatening to reduce overall phytoplankton productivity. Given that phytoplankton sit at the base of the oceanic food web, acidification is a concern to all life in these...
1st Minimal Cell Workshop
View complete playlist for the workshop on YouTube. Day 1 — September 20, 2021 Time PDT Video Title Presenter Organization PI 5:00 - 5:15 Welcome and introduction John Glass 5:15 - 5:27 Restoring complete pyruvate hydrogenase gene to JCVI-syn3A increases growth rate as predicted by FBA whole cell computational model ...