Biotechnology

 

Endogenex nets $50M to carry intestinal diabetes procedure to the FDA

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/endogenex-nets-50m-carry-intestinal-diabetes-procedure-fda?utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl&utm_campaign=LS-NL-FiercePharma&oly_enc_id=2170I9070434G3S  

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41657119/

The pancreas, fat, muscles, and other tissues help regulate insulin in the body.   We can also add the duodenum to this list.  Pulse  electric field application can also alter cell physiology in some tissure.  This team has demonstated the PEF rejuvinated duodenum function resulting in diabeties reversal.    

Functional integration of an autologous engineered esophagus in a large-animal model

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03043-1     

Researcherss generated esophageal grafts  by microinjecting autologous  mesoangioblasts  fibroblasts and neural crest cells that were grown in bioreactors prior to successfully transplanting the graft into a minipig model

Scientists create cancer-fighting immune cells right in the body

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-scientists-cancer-immune-cells-body.html 

There are 3 main approaches to CAR-T development, autologous, allogenic, and in vivo (in the body).  The latter is likely to be the most risky, but if successful could simplify treatment and manufacturing.

Nature Anomalies

Evidence  suggest that burrowed bumble bees survive flooding by extracting oxygen from water

https://www.sciencealert.com/we-finally-know-how-bumblebee-queens-can-survive-underwater-for-days

Colossal Biosciences is a biotech company dedicated to resurrecting extinct species.  Their portfoliio includes the dire wolf, Tasmanian tiger, and the dodo bird.: possibly the mammoth as well.   Some scientist argue that their methods are not really resurrection, but extensive genetic editting.   Others question the value and ethics behind these projects.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/15/colossal-biosciences-resurrects-dire-wolf      

 

No doubt about it, the platypus is one of the weirdest animals around.  Scientist discovered that their melanosomes are hollow, a characteristic previously only thought to have existed in birds.   Read about this and other oddities about this so-called mammal at: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/platypus-melanosomes 

Scientist found a species of fungus that thrives in high levels of radiation at Chernobyl.  One theory that is being investigated is that they have evolved a mechanism ("radiosynthesis") to harness the radioactivity as an energy source.   Editors note:  if proven here on earth, we could get one step closer to conceptualizing how extra-terrestrial life could exist.

 

https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability