Media Watch
Scientists Use Human Urine To Make Dental And Bone Implants
NDTV -
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, collaborated with US and Japanese institutions to make a synthetic yeast system that converts urine into hydroxyapatite (HAp) - the main structural component of tooth enamel and bone mineral, which provides hardness. Notably, this biocompatible calcium phosphate mineral is widely used in bone and dental implants, archaeological restoration and biodegradable materials. Read More
Yellow to Green: Yeast Converts Human Urine Into Valuable Bone Material
Science Blog -
The new “osteoyeast” platform converts human urine into hydroxyapatite—the calcium phosphate mineral that forms bones and teeth—offering both environmental and economic benefits for waste management systems worldwide. … Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC Irvine, and the University of Illinois developed the synthetic biology approach by modifying Saccharomyces boulardii, a hardy yeast species that naturally stores minerals in specialized cellular compartments called vacuoles. Read More
Scientists turn human urine into dental and bone implant material using yeast
Interesting Engineering -
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, along with collaborators from U.S. and Japanese institutions, have engineered a synthetic yeast system that converts urine into hydroxyapatite (HAp). “This process achieves two goals at the same time,” said co-author David Kisailus, UC Irvine professor of materials science and engineering. “On the one hand, it helps remove human urine from wastewater streams, mitigating environmental pollution and the buildup of unwanted nutrients; and on the other hand, it produces a material that can be commercially marketed for use in a variety of settings.” Read More
Method turns urine into super valuable material
Futurity -
In a paper in Nature Communications, the researchers offer a techno-economic analysis of the technique to transform urine—which can seriously damage watersheds—into HAp, a calcium phosphate mineral projected to hold a market value of more than $3.5 billion by 2030. “This process achieves two goals at the same time,” says coauthor David Kisailus, a University of California, Irvine professor of materials science and engineering. Read More
SABPA OC/LA Hosted its 17th Annual Biomedical Forum in Irvine, CA
Gene Online -
Dr. Elliot Botvinick from UC Irvine introduced a next-generation implantable multi-analyte sensor, capable of monitoring a wide array of biomarkers — from glucose and lactate to potassium and insulin — every 13 seconds. Designed to function across all skin tones, the device promises to revolutionize chronic care and trauma response by offering real-time, continuous insights without the burden of frequent blood draws. The system’s foundation in spectroscopic sensing and miniaturized wireless technology points to the future where patient monitoring is both seamless and personalized. Read More
After the LA Fires, Scientists Study the Toxins Left Behind
Inside Climate News -
Chris Olivares Martinez, an aquatic pollution researcher … at the University of California, Irvine who also became part of the 50-home study, hopes the [LA Fire Health Study] Consortium will serve as a model for academic institutions to build a more collaborative framework for scientific research. “These disasters are happening so quickly, and they wreak havoc in so many domains,” he said. Read More
Creating macromolecules that could help hearts heal – Herdeline Ardoña
Chemical & Engineering News – Talented Twelve -
Little children often dream of becoming astronauts or deep-sea explorers, but at age 5, Herdeline Ardoña wanted to be a chemical engineer. … As a biomaterials engineer at the University of California, Irvine, Ardoña—who goes by the nickname Digs—creates materials that might one day solve the organ donor shortage or help scientists grow tissues that could be used to screen drugs or study diseases. Read More
Millions in the U.S. may rely on PFAS-contaminated drinking water
Environmental Health News -
Predictive models like these can assist agencies in prioritizing their limited resources, especially given the high costs associated with PFAS testing, Jialin Dong, a civil and environmental engineer at the University of California, Irvine, who studies PFAS contamination, told EHN. Dong was not involved in the study, but said that national-scale findings, paired with localized results from research like her California-focused PFAS contamination model, “can help the government to identify which area or what kind of area they should focus on first.” Read More
FDA Clears Makani Science’s Respiratory Monitor
Orange County Business Journal -
Makani Science is one step closer to commercial launch. The Irvine medtech company last month received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for its wireless, wearable respiratory monitor in adults. … Makani was co-founded in 2019 by Michelle Khine, a biomedical engineering professor at the University of California, Irvine, and her post-doctoral student Michael Chu, who is now chief technology officer. Read More
Researchers find drinking water is safe in Eaton, Palisades burn areas as utilities lift last ‘do not drink’ order
Los Angeles Times -
The utilities’ recommendation [is] to run all faucets in the entire house for at least five minutes to flush contaminants out of the lines before using the tap water. “I’m optimistic from these results,” said Chris Olivares, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine, who has led the tap water-testing part of the LA Fire HEALTH Study. “The major takeaway, I think, is the importance of flushing.” Read More