This week we will look at a new development in CRISPR that allows genes to be turned off and back on again. We also discover a new way to encrypt data and an AI that can transform your drawings into the style of a range of famous artists. Finally we look at developments in Personalized Vaccines.
An on/off switch for CRISPR
CRISPR is a gene editing tool that was initially described in 1987 when Osaka University researcher Yoshizumi Ishino accidentally cloned part of the CRISPR sequence. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (or CRISPR) are a family of DNA sequences.
Work since 1987 has lead to the CRIPR-Cas9 gene editing tool (for which Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry). The tool can be used in basic biological research, development of biotech products and the treatment of some diseases.
The tool cuts DNA strands and inactive gene sequences in plants and animals. It has been used in food and farming to enhance yield, improve drought tolerance and nutritional values. It is also a diagnostic tool used in molecular testing.
To date the tool has been used to cut DNA sequences which can be hard to control and can result in unwanted genetic changes. Now MIT researchers have developed CRISPRoff. This version of CRISPR acts as a simple off switch for genes and it is easily reversible if required. The new technique recreates the benefits of CRISPR-Cas9 without damaging cells’ genetic material. The tool can work on multiple genes at the same time.
If an unexpected consequence is encountered from turning a gene off, it is important that the gene can be turned back on. The tool that enables this is called CRISPRon. The majority of the genes in the human genome can be controlled with this on/off switch. The change that is made is then passed down during cell divisions.
It is early days in the research however this ability has massive implications for treating and controlling multiple genetic diseases.
The Future of Encryption
A team in China have developed a new method for using the infrared radiation emitted from our hands to decrypt data and passwords. This would be a power free decryption system that would not become obsolete.
Our hands reflect some infrared radiation which is invisible to the naked eye. We see this in night vision goggles where we “see” people based upon their heat signature.
The researchers used a low reflectivity spray to encrypt a hidden message onto a piece of aluminum at ambient temperature. When extra infrared radiation was added via the hand the hidden message was revealed.
They also discovered that this process could be used to work at different depths meaning that the fingerprints on each individual’s hand could be used as a non-copiable encryption key. The future of passwords and our information security might be right at our fingertips.
Personalized Melanoma Vaccine
A group of researchers lead by Harvard Medical School have examined the immune responses of 8 people who have been inoculated with the personalized NeoVax vaccine. The vaccine was designed to be effective against each individuals specific Melanoma.
Most tumors are unique to each individual (some are the same across patients however they are the exception). The personalized cancer vaccine is encoded with mutations present in the individual’s tumor. The vaccine therefore behaves like a viral antigen, which is something that the immune system can recognize as foreign and attack. The vaccine is targeted at an individual tumor not a tumor type. If a patient has multiple tumors they will likely require multiple vaccines.
The patients in the study had high risk melanomas. The tumors were surgically removed and then they were given the vaccine to prevent a reoccurrence. The study showed safety, feasibility and robust immune responses. Weeks after the treatment, genes that are important in killing tumor cells were upregulated, several months after they resembled memory T-cells. This is the body’s normal immune response process.
Cancer vaccines have been around for some decades however the personal neoantigen vaccine is unique in the body’s responses have been more robust and consistent. There is a truly durable response over several years. Companies working in this space include BioNTech and Moderna (two companies that developed mRNA Cover vaccines, BioNTech developed the vaccine being marketed by Pfizer).
There are still challenges before these vaccines will be available. The time and cost of manufacturing needs to be reduced and the most suitable vaccine platform for this personalized approach needs to be identified. It may well be an RNA or DNA vaccine that will be most appropriate. The initial studies are based upon Melanoma, lung and bladder cancers.
AI that transforms any image into the style of a famous artist
If you are like me, you are lacking the art gene that most famous artists have in abundance. AI is here to help. The Chimera method was created by computer artist Glenn Marshal to transform any image into the style of a famous painter.
The system morphs an input image towards the suggestion of a text prompt, e.g. “Andy Warhol art”. Over many iterations of each frame the AI gradually discovers the features and shapes that match the text description until it produces a final composition in the style of the artist requested. These are two examples of a photo of the Statue of David morphed into an Andy Warhol painting and a Matt Groening (the creator of the Simpsons) drawing.
You can watch a video of the system in action developing the same Statue of David photo into a range of artists here.
Paying it Forward
If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.
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Till next week.