Good Day BIO: A ‘tiny segment’ of DNA can save pigs from death

“Some very clever people near Edinburgh have managed to stop pigs from succumbing to a respiratory illness,” says a Great British News reporter—but what’s not so clever is that the technology can’t be commercialized yet. 

ICYMI: Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute developed pigs resistant to deadly Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and they’re partnering with Genus PLC, a British animal genetics company (and BIO member), to continue to develop and commercialize them.

They removed a “tiny segment” of the pigs’ DNA to make them resistant to the disease—“an opportunity made possible by a technique called CRISPR,” science writer Matt Ridley told Great British News. 

CRISPR has great potential for “transforming the prospects for both medical research and agricultural productivity,” he continued. “It’s extraordinary what can be done just by very precisely snipping out little bits of DNA and rendering organisms slightly different as a result.” 

But this technology cannot yet be commercialized in the U.K. Even though it’s more precise than older technologies, such as using gamma rays in plant breeding, it’s “more heavily regulated.” 

Read: Gene Editing 101

Luckily, the U.K. is considering new rules on gene editing,now that they’re no longer constrained by the EU’s rules, and is moving forward with easing restrictions on R&D. 

The bottom line: We can’t afford to miss out on the “welfare, economic, and environmental benefits” of gene editing technology—in the U.K. or U.S. 

Learn more about biotech innovation in animals. 

Today is World Thrombosis Day, so we’re sharing resources on the warning signs of deadly blood clots and how you can join the race to stop the clot. 

“Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel,”explains the World Thrombosis Day campaign. The blood clot can be venous (in a vein) or arterial (in an artery).

100,000 people in the U.S. die from blood clots each year—more than the total number who will die from AIDS, breast cancer, and motor vehicle crashes combined. 

But many blood clots can be treated and prevented—if you know the risk factors and the signs and symptoms of clots. 

Join the race to stop the clot. The National Blood Clot Alliance begins the virtual Race to Stop the Clot today to raise funds and awareness. Choose your own 10K, 5K, or one-mile fun run anytime over the next five days—register now!

Join the World Thrombosis Day Twitter #ClotChat at 11 AM ET. Global experts will answer questions about risk factors for clots, the connection between clots and COVID-19, and more—get the details. 

More Health Care News:

The New York Times: First, impressive vaccines for COVID. Next up: the flu.
“Vaccine makers are betting that the mRNA technology powering two successful Covid vaccines will help curb the tragic global death toll from the flu.”

In case you missed it… We’re so honored the Colorado BioScience Association awarded BIO the 2021 Business Partner of the Year during yesterday’s Innovation Forward: Forum & Awards Celebration in Denver. The award recognizes BIO’s leadership and support for Colorado BioScience’s advocacy initiatives. We look forward to continuing to work with Colorado BioScience Association and all of our state affiliates nationwide to support America’s incredible biotechnology sector.

Dr. France Córdova is an astrophysicist who served as the 14th director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Previously, she was the first woman President of Purdue University. Córdova served as NASA chief scientist from 1993 to 1996, where she received its highest honor: the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

Meet more Hispanic and Latinx scientists and innovators you should know.

President Biden’s Wednesday: Looks like a quiet day. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House passed the bill raising the debt ceiling by $480 billion, sending it to President Biden for signature, per CNBC.