Researchers uncover new agents

Mayo Clinic researchers have uncovered three new agents to add to the emerging repertoire of drugs that aim to delay the onset of aging by targeting senescent cells – cells that contribute to frailty and other age-related conditions. A recent study of human cell cultures shows that the drugs, fisetin and two BCL-XL inhibitors – A1331852 and A1155463 – cleared senescent cells in vitro.

Researchers reveal ‘alien’ life using synthetic DNA

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, introduced DNA molecules not found in nature to a common bacterium The E. coli bugs are able to grow and reproduce as normal despite containing two extra letters in their genetic code In the future the research could lead to creation of microbes capable of manufacturing entirely new proteins that could be used in medicine Some people are worried that the rapid advance of ‘synthetic biology’ could lead to the worrying prospect of new life-forms escaping from labs The modified E.coli bacteria was made by scientists who introduced DNA molecules not found in nature to a common bacterium.