Biotechnological Aspects Research Articles

Hairy root culture: a potent method for improved secondary metabolite production of Solanaceous plants.

Secondary metabolites synthesized by the Solanaceous plants are of major therapeutic and pharmaceutical importance, many of which are commonly obtained from the roots of these plants. 'Hairy roots', mirroring the same phytochemical pattern of the corresponding root of the parent plant with higher growth rate and productivity, are therefore extensively studied as an effective alternative for the in vitro production of these metabolites. Hairy roots are the transformed roots, generated from the infection site of the wounded plants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. With their fast growth, being free from pathogen and herbicide contamination, genetic stability, and autotrophic nature for plant hormones, hairy roots are considered as useful bioproduction systems for specialized metabolites. Lately, several elicitation methods have been employed to enhance the accumulation of these compounds in the hairy root cultures for both small and large-scale production. Nevertheless, in the latter case, the cultivation of hairy roots in bioreactors should still be optimized. Hairy roots can also be utilized for metabolic engineering of the regulatory genes in the metabolic pathways leading to enhanced production of metabolites. The present study summarizes the updated and modern biotechnological aspects for enhanced production of secondary metabolites in the hairy root cultures of the plants of Solanaceae and their respective importance.

Functional characterization of microbes and their association with unwanted substance for wastewater treatment processes

Nowadays, microorganisms can be used to eliminate a variety of pollutants such as toxic metal ions from wastewater. These emergences of harmful elements in wastewater, high-priced cultivation of microbes and technical hitches in industrial scale production appeared as main challenges for thriving coupling of microbes with wastewater. These microbes serve as potential sorbents by following suitable adsorption mechanisms. There are some photobioreactors have been also mentioned in this review which is based on microbial biofilm and emerged as an alternative technology to predictable photosynthetic systems for treatment of wastewater based on biomass production at low cost. Bioremediation using different microbes showed contrast results to remove heavy metals from wastewater. Microorganism such as Nostoc sp., Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus lentulus and Aspergillus niger remediate 99.6, 99.89, 99.7 and 98 % of Pb, Cr, Cu and Ni, respectively. In this review, mechanistic approaches and distinct pathways of the microbes for removal of various inorganic and organic compounds from wastewater have been methodically discussed. We have also discussed some major commercial production challenges such as techno-economic feasibility genetic engineering research and biorefinery approach. Overall the review discussed the microbial biodiversity in wastewater and their role in remediation of wastewater and their ability to be a potent candidate headed for sustainable industrial wastewater treatment applications through different approaches such as phytoremediation and bioremediation. This article provides valuable insights into multiple aspects of environmental biotechnology, including photobioreactors, metal uptake capacity of microorganisms, heavy metal contamination and its effects and bioremediation using molecular approaches and wastewater treatment through phytoremediation. Moreover, it contributes to our understanding of these topics and can help in the development of sustainable solutions for environmental remediation and pollution control in wastewater though microorganisms.

Behavior, risk, and bioremediation potential of heavy metals/metalloids in the soil system

The application of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture and industrialization occasioned in meagre soil quality, which has a serious global concern. The most prevalent type of soil pollutants is inorganic contaminants, metals–metalloids, and organic pollutants like herbicides, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Even though heavy metals are essential for sustaining soil health, a slight increase in their concentration beyond the permissible limit can harm the soil. These metals cannot be degraded entirely but can be changed from highly toxic to less poisonous by chemical or biological methods. Further, the mobility of pollutants in soil-based environments might be increased due to competition among other heavy metal species for their available adsorption on the soil matrix. These heavy metals are hazardous in high concentrations to plants and animals. In addition to hindering nutrient uptake and limiting seed germination, excessive metal exposure also causes shoot growth to slow down, and lipid peroxidation occurs. In the present article, we see how these heavy metals accumulate continually in the soil and are later absorbed by plants. To appraise the impact of contamination and toxicity by the heavy metals in soil, their fate, transport, and toxicity mechanisms in soil systems have been described. The bioremediation strategies such as biosorption, siderophore formation, phytoremediation, phytovolatilization, and phytostabilization have also been discussed to understand the biodegradation of metalloids. Also, microbial remediation and genetic transformation are the biotechnological aspects employed to increase the degradation efficiency of heavy metals.

Antibacterial Activity of Bioactive Compounds Extracted from the Egyptian Untapped Green Alga Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum

Finding alternative powerful antibacterial drugs of natural origins is, today, a crucial prerequisite due to the resistance of some bacterial strains to commercial and widely-used medications. Algae are characterized by their bioactive constituents and have a wide spectrum of biotechnological aspects, particularly antibacterial implications. During this study, four concentrations (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg mL–1) of the Egyptian untapped green microalga Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum (Chlorophyta) were prepared using the polar solvents ethanol, methanol, and acetone. The antibacterial activity of the above-mentioned extracts was assessed, using the agar disc diffusion technique against three pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, which was compared to standard antibiotics. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were also assessed and determined using a broth dilution assay. Our findings revealed that the R. hieroglyphicum ethanolic extract exhibited the most potent antibacterial effect and its MICs values were 0.533, 2.25, and 5.34 mg mL–1 against P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and S. aureus, respectively. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) approach to the crude R. hieroglyphicum ethanolic extract uncovered 30 different bioactive constituents, mainly including long-chain polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids such as myristic (C14:0), palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), α-linolenic (C18:3; ω–3), and oleic (C18:1, ω–9) acids, which synergistically make this potent antibacterial action. The mechanism of action of these fatty acids was also discussed. Conclusively, R. hieroglyphicum could be a good candidate for the production and development of promising antibacterial agents.

Quorum Sensing as a Trigger That Improves Characteristics of Microbial Biocatalysts.

Quorum sensing (QS) of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae) today attracts the attention of researchers mainly from the point of view of clarifying the biochemical basics of this general biological phenomenon, establishing chemical compounds that regulate it, and studying the mechanisms of its realization. Such information is primarily aimed at its use in solving environmental problems and the development of effective antimicrobial agents. This review is oriented on other aspects of the application of such knowledge; in particular, it discusses the role of QS in the elaboration of various prospective biocatalytic systems for different biotechnological processes carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (synthesis of enzymes, polysaccharides, organic acids, etc.). Particular attention is paid to the biotechnological aspects of QS application and the use of biocatalysts, which have a heterogeneous microbial composition. The priorities of how to trigger a quorum response in immobilized cells to maintain their long-term productive and stable metabolic functioning are also discussed. There are several approaches that can be realized: increase in cell concentration, introduction of inductors for synthesis of QS-molecules, addition of QS-molecules, and provoking competition between the participants of heterogeneous biocatalysts, etc.).

Approaches for in vitro propagation and production of plumbagin in Plumbago spp.

The genus Plumbago (family Plumbaginaceae), commonly known as leadwort, is a sub-tropical shrub that produces secondary metabolite plumbagin, which is employed by pharmaceutical companies and in clinical research. Plumbagin is a potent pharmaceutical because of its anti-microbial, anti-malarial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-fertility, anti-plasmodium, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and other effects. This review documents the biotechnological innovations used to produce plumbagin. The use of modern biotechnological techniques can lead to a variety of benefits, including better yield, increased extraction efficiency, mass production of plantlets, genetic stability, increased biomass, and more. Large-scale in vitro propagation is necessary to minimize over-exploitation of the natural population and allow the use of various biotechnological techniques to improve the plant species and secondary metabolite production. During in vitro culture, optimum conditions are requisites for explant inoculation and plant regeneration. In this review, we provide information on various aspects of plumbagin, depicting its structure, biosynthesis, and biotechnological aspects (both conventional and advanced) along with the future prospects. KEY POINTS: • Critical assessment on in vitro biotechnology in Plumbago species • In vitro propagation of Plumbago and elicitation of plumbagin • Biosynthesis and sustainable production of plumbagin.

Nanobiotechnological basis of an oxygen carrier with enhanced carbonic anhydrase for CO2 transport and enhanced catalase and superoxide dismutase for antioxidant function.

This is a mini review on the biotechnological aspects of the most extensively developed hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers The emphasis is on the most recent Polyhemoglobin-catalase-superoxide dismutase-carbonic anhydrase (PolyHb-CAT-SOD-CA), which is a nanobiotechnological complex that is being investigated and scaled up with the potential for clinical use as nanobiotherapeutics. Hemoglobin, a tetramer, is an excellent oxygen carrier. However, in the body it is converted into toxic dimers. Diacid or glutaraldehyde can crosslink hemoglobin into polyhemoglobin (PolyHb) and prevent its breakdown into toxic dimers. This has been developed and tested in clinical trials. A bovine polyhemoglobin has been approved for routine clinical use for surgical procedures in South Africa and Russia. Clinical trials with human PolyHb in hemorrhagic shock were effective but with a very slight increase in non-fatal myocardial ischemia. This could be due to a number of reasons. For those conditions with ischemia-reperfusion, one would need an oxygen carrier with antioxidant properties. One approach to remedy this is with prepared polyhemoglobin-catalase-superoxide dismutase (PolyHb-CAT-SOD). Another reason is an increase in intracellular pCO2. We therefore added an enhanced level of carbonic anhydrase to prepare a PolyHb-CAT-SOD-CA. The result is an oxygen carrier with enhanced Carbonic Anhydrase for CO2 transport and enhanced Catalase and Superoxide Dismutase for antioxidant functions. Detailed efficacy and safety studies have led to the industrial scale up towards clinical trial. In the meantime, oxygen carriers are being investigated around the world for use in ex vivo biotechnological fluid for organ preservation for transplantation, with one already approved in France.

Physicochemical and microbiological properties of Arabic flatbread produced from wild natural sour starters

Background and objectivesExtensive research studies worldwide have discussed and analyzed the sourdough nutritional, chemical, and biotechnological aspects of western types of bread. However, the literature on sourdough usage in Arabic bread processing is very limited. The present study aimed to come up with a new fermentation technique at the bakery level. The new technique is hoped to reveal the traditional nostalgic characteristic flavor of Arabic bread produced using natural sourdough instead of the traditional yeasted dough and study its effect on the resulting bread. Three types of flour (straight grade, whole wheat, and rye) that are ordinarily used in Jordan were used to prepare three natural sour starters using the backslopping technique. FindingsDominant yeast species isolated from the traditional sour starter of the local Jordanian whole wheat were Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida glabrata, and Zygosaccharomyces spp., while rye and straight-grade starters showed different domination patterns. The dominant species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the traditional sour starter of the local Jordanian whole wheat (Horani cultivar) were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum2, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp bulgaricus, and the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ssp paracasei3, while mixed strains of LAB isolates were obtained for the rye and straight-grade flour starters on day 7 of preparation.The pH results showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the three types of sour starters, while the total titratable acidity (TTA) results showed a significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) in whole wheat sour starters with a TTA value of 11.17 ± 0.11 ml 0.1 N NaOH/10g dough. The 20% and 30% straight-grade sour bread samples and the control exhibited the highest scores in terms of acceptability and total quality scores. ConclusionsThe incorporation of sourdough in Arabic flatbread processing showed remarkable results in extending the shelf life by using natural ingredients, improving the quality, and providing tastier and more convenient bread.

Biotechnological Aspects of Iodine Enrichment of Bakery Products

In case of potential radiological contamination of territories, preventive intake of iodine-containing products before the arrival of iodine radionuclides is effective. The paper presents the results of the influence of changes in the recipe composition of the bakery product, namely the use of the additive iodocasein on the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of bread. The use of iodocasein for bread enrichment is justified. The influence of technological parameters on the preservation of the iodine trace element in bread is investigated. Doses of iodine-containing additives are calculated in the technological process. It is proved that the iodine in bread is preserved in the product for 90 hours. The nutritional value of the developed bread recommended for preventive nutrition is evaluated.

Biotechnological Interventions for Reducing the Juvenility in Perennials

During shoot apex development, the plants undergo a very complex transition phase of flowering for successful reproduction, seed/cone setting and fruit development. The conversion of vegetative shoot meristems to floral meristems depends upon numerous endogenous, exogenous factors and flowering genes for the development of floral parts. The perennial crops suffer from the limitation of the innate ability to keep some meristems in the vegetative state for the polycarpic growth habit leading to the long juvenile phase. Conventional breeding approaches viz. selection of early flowering parental lines, flower thinning and grafting are time-consuming requiring more time for the release of a new cultivar which is undesirable for rapid crop improvement. The best way to accelerate the perennial plant breeding improvement programs and to reduce the long juvenile phase is the induction of early flowering through the utilization of biotechnological approaches. The ability to allow the transmission of an early flowering gene to the progeny in a Mendelian fashion is the major advantage of biotechnological interventions. The introgression of early flowering traits from non-commercial germplasm or sexually compatible species to perennial species through the biotechnological aspects will act as a boon for crop improvement in future studies. The present review gives an overview of various flowering genes in perennial crops accompanying the implementation of biotechnological approaches including overexpression studies, RNA interference, Virus-induced flowering and CRISPR-Cas approaches that will help in reducing the period for induction of flowering in perennial crops.

Application of Aroma Precursors in Food Plant Raw Materials: Biotechnological Aspect

The article is devoted to the analysis of the main factors accompanying the use of aroma precursors, in particular, of a lipid nature, in food raw materials. The prerequisites for the impact on the precursors of aroma with the help of plant enzymes are given. The purpose of the article is to analyze the biotechnological aspect, which is based on enzymatic reactions with aroma precursors and enzymes of plant origin. Features of the mechanism of action of lipid precursors are highlighted, their diversity causing various characteristic reactions is analyzed, and possible end products of reactions with certain odors are noted. The attention is paid to the issue of the status of the naturalness of flavor precursors in food products, which varies in different countries. A scheme of factors influencing the formation of aroma from lipid precursors has been developed. The influence of pigments of carotenoid nature on the aroma is considered, namely: examples of instantaneous change of watermelon aroma to pumpkin one due to isomerization of carotenoids are given. The main factors of enzymatic formation of aroma from precursors of polyunsaturated fatty acids for their effective use by creating micromicelles are summarized. A way to overcome the barrier of interaction between lipid precursors of a hydrophobic nature and hydrophilic enzymes has been substantiated. It is proposed to accelerate enzymatic reactions under in vitro conditions and use the vacuum effect to overcome the barrier between enzymes and precursors. To explain the effect of vacuum in a system with enzymes, ideas about disjoining pressure and the reasonable expediency of its use are considered. A schematic process flow diagram for the restoration of aroma lost during the technological processing of raw materials is given; it demonstrates the factors for ensuring interfacial activation conditions for enzymes and aroma precursors.

Fungal Contamination in Microalgal Cultivation: Biological and Biotechnological Aspects of Fungi-Microalgae Interaction.

In the last few decades, the increasing interest in microalgae as sources of new biomolecules and environmental remediators stimulated scientists’ investigations and industrial applications. Nowadays, microalgae are exploited in different fields such as cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals and as human and animal food supplements. Microalgae can be grown using various cultivation systems depending on their final application. One of the main problems in microalgae cultivations is the possible presence of biological contaminants. Fungi, among the main contaminants in microalgal cultures, are able to influence the production and quality of biomass significantly. Here, we describe fungal contamination considering both shortcomings and benefits of fungi-microalgae interactions, highlighting the biological aspects of this interaction and the possible biotechnological applications.

BORIS KORSANTIA - Bibliography

The bio-bibliography of the Georgian famous physicians, MD, Ph.D., Doctor Med. Sciences, Professor, Boris Korsantia, contains the materials of 1987-2020 years: scientific works, articles, works published under her editorship and other. Boris Korsantia is the author of more than 270 scientific publications devoted to immunological, virological and biotechnological aspects in various diseases. Under his leadership, about 60 candidate dissertations were defended. He was the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, vice-president of the Georgian Physicians Postgraduate Association, an expert of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, a member of the dissertation council. The material is arranged in chronological-alphabetical order. The bio-bibliography is prefaced by a short review of scientific, pedagogical and public activities of B. Korsantia. Indexes of names are applied in alphabetical order.

Genetic diversity assessment and biotechnological aspects in Aristolochia spp.

Aristolochia, belonging to the family Aristolochiaceae, has immense ecological significance due to its large size and huge geographic distribution. In the context of dealing with a genus with a huge number of species like Aristolochia, these markers come in handy to precisely identify a particular species and enumerate the genetic diversity. Also, certain species of Aristolochia are economically important due to the presence of secondary metabolites and vast use in traditional and modern medicine. But, the presence of profitable biochemical constituents in Aristolochia is very low and the breeding process of the plant is highly dependable on pollinators. Hence, identifying different biotechnological approaches to fasten the reproductive cycle of Aristolochia and increase the secondary metabolites is of great interest to the researchers. In this study, a comprehensive review has been established on different types of morphological/anatomical markers (starch grains with "Maltese cross"), phytochemical markers (aristolochic acid, triterpenoid, aristolactam etc.) and genetic markers (ISSR, SSR, DNA bar-coding) for various Aristolochia spp. We have also discussed the applications of different biotechnological tools in Aristolochia spp. which include discrete approaches to promote in vitro germination, in vitro shooting, root induction, somatic embryogenesis, synthetic seed production, acclimatization and hardening and sustainable production of secondary metabolites. In a nutshell, the present review is a first of kind approach to comprehensively demonstrate the genetic diversity studies and biotechnological aspects in Aristolochia spp. KEY POINTS: • Insights into the in vitro propagation of Aristolochia spp. • In vitro production and optimization of secondary metabolites. • Assessment of genetic diversity by molecular markers.

Biology and biotechnological aspect of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.): a commercially important tuber crop

This review highlights the economic importance of sweet potato and discusses new varieties, agronomic and cultivation practices, pest and disease control efforts, plant tissue culture protocols, and unexplored research areas involving this plant. Abstract Sweet potato is widely consumed in many countries around the world, including India, South Africa and China. Due to its valuable nutritional composition and highly beneficial bioactive compounds, sweet potato is considered a major tuber crop in India. Based on the volume of production, this plant ranks seventh in the world among all food crops. Sweet potato is considered a "Superfood" by the 'Centre for Science in the Public Interest' (CSPI), USA. This plant is mostly propagated through vegetative propagation using vine cuttings or tubers. However, this process is costly, labour-intensive, and comparatively slow. Conventional propagation methods are not able to supply sufficient disease-free planting materials to farmers to sustain steady tuber production. Therefore, there is an urgent need to use various biotechnological approaches, such as cell, tissue, and organ culture, for the large-scale production of healthy and disease-free planting material for commercial purposes throughout the year. In the last five decades, a number of tissue culture protocols have been developed for the production of in vitro plants through meristem culture, direct adventitious organogenesis, callus culture and somatic embryogenesis. Moreover, little research has been done on synthetic seed technology for the in vitro conservation and propagation of sweet potato. The current review comprehensively describes the biology, i.e., plant phenotypic description, vegetative growth, agronomy and cultivation, pests and diseases, varieties, and conventional methods of propagation, as well as biotechnological implementation, of this tuber crop. Furthermore, the explored and unexplored areas of research in sweet potato using biotechnological approaches have been reviewed.

Preface: 3rd International Symposium on the Frontiers of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (FBB 2022)

This proceeding includes original and peer-reviewed research papers from the 3rd International Symposium on the Frontiers of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (FBB 2022: http://www.fbbconf.org/), in Hong Kong, China during May 14-15, 2022.
 For thousands of years, humankind has used biotechnology in agriculture, food production, and medicine. Biotechnology is the research and development in the laboratory using bioinformatics for exploration, extraction, exploitation and production from any living organisms and any source of biomass by means of biochemical engineering. Bioengineering is the application of the principles of engineering and natural sciences to tissues, cells and molecules. FBB aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Biotechnology and Bioengineering. It also provides a platform for academic scientists, researchers and research scholars, doctors, doctoral students and related professionals to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Biotechnology and Bioengineering. All authors and participants are kindly encouraged to contribute to and help shape the conference through submissions of their research abstracts, papers and posters.
 FBB 2022 received 103 submissions, and more than 30 of them had been accepted by our reviewers in FBB 2022. By submitting a paper to FBB 2022, the authors agreed to the review process and understood that papers undergo a peer-review process. Manuscripts were reviewed by appropriately qualified experts in the field selected by the Conference Committee, who gave detailed comments and-if the submission was accepted the authors would submit a revised version that took into account this feedback. All papers were reviewed using a double-blind review process: authors declared their names and affiliations in the manuscript for the reviewers to see, but reviewers did not know each other’s identities, nor did the authors receive information about who had reviewed their manuscript. The Committees of FBB 2022 invested great efforts in reviewing the papers submitted to the conference and organizing the sessions to enable the participants to gain maximum benefit.
 Hopefully, all participants and other interested readers will benefit scientifically from the proceedings and also find it stimulating in the process.
 With our warmest regards,
 Wei He
 Conference Organizing Chair

Biotechnological Aspects of the Functional Marmalade Development Using Whey for the Gastrointestinal Diseases Prevention

The article reveals the development processes and scientific substantiation of the marmalade of functional use, that is a functional product formulation with biologically active bifidogenic properties contributing to the prevention of the gastrointestinal tract diseases. The research relevance is due to the need to prevent the incidence of a new type of coronavirus COVID-19, that affects many systems of the human body, reduces immunity, while using drug therapy often leads to the natural intestinal microflora violation. To prevent the complications development, it is worth using food products capable of stopping destructive processes in the gastrointestinal mucosa during rehabilitation measures. The researchers developed the cranberry marmalade formulations with the probiotic culture introduction of a different mass fraction: sample 1 with probiotics in a free state, sample 2 with introduced immobilized probiotics; sample 3 with pasteurized whey enriched with a bacterial concentrate containing 0.001 % acidophilus bacillus. The control sample were the recipe of fruit and jelly marmalade. A man obtained a juice concentrate by pressing using an enzyme preparations composition of cellulolytic and pectolytic action. The researchers used the vacuum evaporation method to concentrate the juice to a dry matter content of 52-55 %; prepared the marmalade mass under laboratory conditions using traditional technology with a change in prescription components: probiotic culture introduction at the stage of swollen pectin into the cooled syrup at a temperature below 45 °C. The authors used mathematical modeling of formulations in the technological process to establish the ingredients optimal ratios; identified the rational introduction methods of acidophilus bacillus depending on the organoleptic and rheological product properties after a five-fold measurements repeatability.

Islamic Ethical Principles to Protect Environment Affected by Modern Biotechnology

The Malaysian government strongly promotes research and development in modern biotechnology since it has the potential to bring economic benefits to the nation. Modern biotechnology has been associated with several ethical issues related to the environment. This leads to the need for having appropriate laws and guidelines for governance purposes. There is a legal vacuum in the existing Biosafety Act 2007. This Act focuses on scientific risk assessment concerning modern biotechnology and does not contain any provision in terms of the social and ethical aspects of modern biotechnology. The objective of this article is to identify and select the core ethical principles that are both acceptable, and capable of protecting the environment. By using a qualitative approach, a series of focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted consisting of four groups of stakeholders in biotechnology. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically. The research findings show that the stakeholders strongly agree on the importance of three ethical principles for protecting the environment. They fully support the adoption of these ethical principles as the guiding principles for developing Malaysian Ethical Guidelines for Modern Biotechnology in the future. This research links Islamic and Western-based ethical principles in relation to the environment and its protection.

The Current Landscape of mRNA Vaccines Against Viruses and Cancer-A Mini Review.

Both infectious viral diseases and cancer have historically been some of the most common causes of death worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic is a decidedly relevant example of the former. Despite progress having been made over past decades, new and improved techniques are still needed to address the limitations faced by current treatment standards, with mRNA-based therapy emerging as a promising solution. Highly flexible, scalable and cost-effective, mRNA therapy is proving to be a compelling vaccine platform against viruses. Likewise, mRNA vaccines show similar promise against cancer as a platform capable of encoding multiple antigens for a diverse array of cancers, including those that are patient specific as a novel form of personalized medicine. In this review, the molecular mechanisms, biotechnological aspects, and clinical developments of mRNA vaccines against viral infections and cancer are discussed to provide an informative update on the current state of mRNA therapy research.

A review of biovitroceramic PAW1 – Romanian bioactive implant material for ossiculoplasty

"A successful ossiculoplasty (reconstruction of the ossicular chain of the middle ear), even now, almost a hundred years after the first attempts and countless tested materials, remains a challenge through the complexity of the surgical act and through the repeated attempts to find the most adequate prosthesis to re-establish, in the long term, the sound conductive mechanism. In this article, we present a review of the main implanted materials, including the biotechnological aspects of ossicular chain reconstruction with an emphasis on the Romanian contribution to this field of study "