Biotechnologies harnessing microbes might enable us to extract rare elements and minerals, chemicals and fuels from wastewater

Repair Biotechnologies develops therapies targeting toxic excess free cholesterol in cells, a hallmark of aging and obesity. The company is advancing a lead drug for accelerated atherosclerosis, with ARDD providing opportunities to connect with brilliant minds and showcase groundbreaking research.

A review study reveals diverse metabolite families containing atypical atoms, including fluorine, selenium, arsenic, and boron, with distinct biological functions and properties. These elements shape natural products with structural and functional versatility, paving ways toward sustainable biotechnologies.

The University of Utah has launched a new Institute for Critical and Strategic Minerals (ICSM) to address the US's growing reliance on foreign critical minerals. The institute aims to expand sustainable, domestic sources and production of critical minerals through education, workforce development, and cutting-edge research.

Researchers have discovered concentrated rare earth elements in coal mines and adjacent formations in Utah and Colorado. The findings could enable the extraction of these critical minerals from domestic sources, supporting the transition to renewable energy.

Scientists have developed a new approach to purify rare earth elements using atomic channels, separating them from each other without the need for toxic chemicals. The method has been shown to be competitive with existing separation methods and can differentiate similar pairs of rare earth elements.

Researchers found that fungi can extract valuable metal palladium and platinum group elements from meteorite material in microgravity. The study suggests that microbial biomining could have terrestrial benefits for efficient resource extraction and create sustainable biotechnologies.