Polio outbreaks have ‘scientists on alert’
Polio is back in several wealthy countries, we reported—a reminder that “no country in the world is immune,” global health researcher Zulfiqar Bhutta of Pakistan’s Aga Khan told Nature. Read Nature’s helpful explainer on the state of polio right now and why a few cases of paralysis “suggest that many other people…have been infected.”
Where’s the corn?
Across the U.S., drought is hitting another crop: corn, reports Bloomberg, with “shriveled” crops, reduced yield, and disease nationwide. All the more reason to deploy biotech solutions, ASAP—such as genetically modified corn that’s resistant to pests, and gene editing to improve photosynthesis and crop yield.
Not seeing the forest—or the trees
Meanwhile, a new study finds 11-16% of all tree species in the U.S. are facing extinction due to “invasive pests and diseases,” reports The Hill. Case in point: the spotted lanternfly, which feeds on trees, fruits, and other plants and—thanks again, climate change!—may now be impossible to eradicate here, according to another report. (P.S. Biotech can make trees resistant to pests, too.)
It's not magic—it’s science
A new study led by NYU Langone found psilocybin—the key ingredient in “magic mushrooms”—when combined with psychotherapy led to “robust decreases” in heavy drinking in adults with alcohol abuse disorder. Ahead of National Recovery Month, it’s “a promising development for the understanding and treatment of alcohol abuse—which has few effective medication options—as well as addiction more generally,” says Axios.
More stories you might have missed:
We know the Inflation Reduction Act will harm drug R&D and innovation—but there are silver linings for vaccine access and agricultural biotech, Bio.News reported.
A new deadly bacteria is making a home on the U.S. Gulf Coast as warmer conditions allow it to thrive—and it won’t be the last, explains Bio.News.
Nigeria is changing the way Africa treats cancer and addressing unmet health needs—Bio.News explores in this exclusive story.
The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs have been key to commercializing new biotech innovations—yet the programs expire on September 30. Read our Bio.News exclusive about the importance of these programs—then register for BIO’s September 13 webinar on the importance of reauthorization.
Do you like long walks on the beach? Catch up on the I am BIO Podcast before the new season launches in September!
Need more? Keep an eye on Bio.News for breaking news, deep dives from the BIO International Convention, and more stories you might have missed.
