In a country where more than 80% of medical devices are imported, IIT Bombay researchers have developed India’s first biodegradable bone screw. The screw is made of a polymer-based biomaterial which contains Magnesium Oxide nanoparticles and silk fibres, and its mechanical strength can be tuned to match the target tissue.

BioAsia, one of the largest annual biotechnology conferences in Asia, was held at Hyderabad from 25^th -27^th February 2019. With this year’s theme being “Life Sciences 4.0 – Disrupt the Disruption”, BioAsia addressed roadmaps, policies and economic changes required for the progress of biotechnology, particularly with regards to applications like digital healthcare, personalized medicine and new-age therapeutics.

The MANAV Project aims to create an open and interactive atlas of human biology by compiling, curating and synthesizing data at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organismic level from scientific literature and public databases. The project was launched in New Delhi on 10 May 2019.

Zebrafish have the remarkable ability to regenerate their retinas upon damage, which makes them ideal candidates to study possible ways to restore vision following retinal injury. A new study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, has found a new mechanism via which epigenetic factors regulate retinal regeneration in zebrafish.

Gallbladder cancer has a high rate of incidence in Indian populations and a heavy mortality rate. Now, researchers from ACTREC, Mumbai, have pinpointed a pair of genetic mutations in gallbladder cancer patients, which may serve as potential drug targets for treatment.

The coffee plantations of Chikmagalur in Karnataka have a healthy mix of crops and trees, a practice known as agroforestry. These plantations are inhabited by several species of insectivorous bats, which act as a natural pest-control system. A new study investigates the present diversity of such bat species under changing habitat conditions.

Since their initial discovery several decades ago, stem cells have faced intensive study due to their potential medical applications and fascinating biology. A question that has long interested scientists is how do stem cells continue to remain in an undifferentiated or 'uncommitted' state, unlike every other cell type in the body? Now, a new study from researchers at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) sheds light on this unique problem.