A scientific paper reviews the latest advancements in Amphotericin-B's new formulations. These advances will help with the treatment of human infections. Amphotericin-B (Am-B) is a well-known therapeutic drug for various human infections, such as fungal and parasitic pathogens. However, Am-B's new formulations have caused certain issues in their clinical application. That's why proper scientific design is necessary to produce safe and effective delivery systems.

A study published in Advanced Science describes a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated high-throughput mutant library used to identify insect-resistance genes in cotton. This highly efficient method provides substantial insights into the genetic engineering of insect resistance in cotton. Insect infestation poses a significant threat to the production of cotton. To address this, researchers have developed a large-scale mutagenesis library to help understand functional genomics research in cotton.

Awareness-building activities have been the cornerstone of knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives of various organizations in the country. These activities aim to promote an enabling environment for biotechnological innovations. As part of the ongoing efforts to promote biotech, ISAAA Inc. collaborated with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) to organize a webinar series about gene editing and gene drive.

The North Carolina State University (NC State) Christmas Tree Genetics program has spent more than four decades developing elite Fraser fir trees. Fraser firs are native to North Carolina's Appalachian mountains and represent more than 98% of all the Christmas tree species grown and sold in the state. Fraser Fir is one of the most popular Christmas tree species in the United States because of its symmetrical, conical shape.

COP28's Food, Agriculture, and Water Day closed the Presidency's two-week thematic program. The announcements made during the day follow those made during the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS) on December 1, when 134 countries endorsed the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action (the Declaration). Since then, 18 additional countries have stepped forward to endorse it, bringing total signatories to 152. COP28 Food, Agriculture

Scientists produced DNA barcodes for a medicinal plant found in India called Rishyagandha (Withania coagulans). Their study can be used by the pharmaceutical industry for plant collection and adulteration. Rishyagandha  is an essential medicinal plant in India that is usually misidentified with other Withania species. To address this issue, researchers have developed barcodes from samples of W. coagulans for molecular-based identification and authentication of the plant.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Casgevy and Lyfgenia, the first cell-based gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). Casgevy is the first FDA-approved treatment developed using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology, signaling an innovative advancement in gene therapy.

COP28’s Food, Agriculture and Water Day, 10 December, witnessed increased support for food systems transformation and cemented CGIAR’s key role in delivering that change through research and innovation. The announcements came alongside news that 152 countries have mobilized behind the COP28 UAE Declaration on Agriculture, Food Systems and Climate Action

The world’s largest publicly funded agri-food research organization called for greater ambition after food and agriculture received unprecedented attention during the UN’s annual climate talks.  The summit began with 134 countries signing the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action. However, the final text on the first Global Stocktake made only one reference to food systems, even as an additional 18 countries signed the Declaration by the end of the conference.

The Vietnam-Hau Giang International Rice Festival 2023, themed “Centennial Journey of Vietnamese Rice”, opened in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang on December 12. The four-day event takes place at a time when Vietnam is aiming to become a pioneering nation in high-quality, low emission rice production, green and sustainable development, in line with a project on the sustainable development of one million ha of high-quality, low emission rice farming linked with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030.