Biohacking techniques, although popular, often rely on anecdotal evidence and lack rigorous scientific validation, suggesting that they may not be entirely supported by reliable scientific data from clinical research.

Biohacking, including methods like neurofeedback therapy, is considered experimental and not fully supported by reliable scientific data from clinical research, despite its growing popularity.

"The document lacks reliable scientific data on biohacking and shares a personal story of addiction to Nootropics, highlighting the potential risks and uncertainties associated with biohacking methods."

The document discusses the use of synthetic biology, a biohacking technique, to convert carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels and chemicals.

The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves modifying genes and redesigning metabolic pathways to produce desired outcomes.

The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves redesigning cells and modifying genes to create new functions.

The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves reengineering cellular metabolic pathways to produce complex molecules and cells.

"The document discusses synthetic biology research focused on converting carbon dioxide into fuel using microbes, with the goal of solving global warming."

The document discusses biopharmaceutical production, which involves the use of advanced technologies to improve health and well-being, but is distinct from biohacking.

The document discusses the application of advanced gene-editing techniques in biopharmaceutical companies to improve process productivity and product quality.

The document discusses biotechnology, specifically cell line development, using tools like the Berkeley Lights Beacon system and Ambr microbioreactors, and highlights challenges such as custom reagent development and supply chain issues.

The document discusses the application of technology to improve biomanufacturing processes, specifically cell-line development for vaccine candidates.

The document discusses the application of biotechnology techniques to improve vaccine development and production, specifically in the area of cell line development (CLD).

"The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR, which is used in DIY kits and classes for genetic engineering."

The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR, as indicated by the presence of a "CRISPR Kit" in the list of materials.

The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR.

Biohacking involves using strategies such as nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation to activate epigenetic modifications and enhance the body's resources, with the goal of improving health and longevity.

Biohacking is a strategy for well-being and longevity that focuses on improving the quality of life by reducing morbidity, rather than just increasing lifespan. It involves methods such as stress management, nutritional therapies, and diagnostic tests to regain possession of the body and mind.

Biohacking enthusiasts are using various methods, including extreme dieting and supplement intake, to improve their physical and mental health, but their focus is primarily on self-optimization and productivity.

Biohacking involves testing biotechnologies on oneself to improve human condition, cure diseases, and evolve the human condition, with some biohackers seeing themselves as pioneering doctors who test new treatments on themselves.

Biohacking involves using technology, such as cybernetic implants, to improve the human condition and overcome physical and intellectual limits. Some biohackers prioritize safety and use implants that do not pose a health hazard, while others are more extreme and willing to take risks to achieve their goals, including defeating diseases, aging, and death.

Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health, particularly for individuals with ADHD, trauma, and OCD.

Neuro-feedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health by re-training the brain to tackle issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, and OCD.

"Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health by training the brain to self-regulate and reinforce pathways, and although it is still experimental, it is believed to have beneficial effects on individuals."

Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health, as evidenced by Dean's experience of overcoming crippling fear and anxiety after completing 20 sessions.

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by reducing morbidity through stress management, nutritional therapies, and medical screenings.

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by combating ageing causes like inflammation and cardiovascular degeneration through methods including diet and supplements.

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by addressing the underlying causes of ailments and enhancing overall well-being through various methods and techniques.

Biohacking techniques aim to optimize metabolism, increase health, and longevity through strategies like intermittent fasting, improved sleep quality, hydration, and physical activity, as well as cognitive stimulation and continuous learning.

The goal of the biohacker's approach, besides prolonging life, is to improve the quality of life by lowering the rate of morbidity.

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize overall health and well-being, in addition to prolonging life, by improving physical strength, fertility, and epigenetics, and reducing the risk of age-related diseases.

Biohackers aim to not only prolong life but also maintain youthful bodies and minds by combating age-related issues like inflammation and cardiovascular degeneration.

The biohacker's approach aims to achieve optimal health and wellness by addressing the underlying causes of ailments and enhancing overall well-being, in addition to prolonging life.

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize health and longevity by activating dormant genes and enhancing the body's resources through strategies such as nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation.

The biohacker's approach aims to improve human health and condition by using biotechnologies to cure diseases and achieve happiness.

The biohacker's approach aims to improve the human condition and overcome physical and intellectual limits through the use of cybernetic implants and technology, with the ultimate goal of defeating diseases, aging, and death.

The biohacker's approach aims to achieve self-optimization and improved health through various techniques, including neuroscience calisthenics and cyborggainz, and promises to provide tips and tricks to upgrade the body, brain, and life.

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize health and promote longevity through everyday habits and lifestyle tweaks.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a means to achieve high mental performance, creativity, and productivity, particularly in competitive industries like tech, but also raises concerns about its safety and efficacy due to the use of unconventional and sometimes poorly researched methods.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, driven by societal pressure to be successful and productive, and can have both positive and negative consequences for one's health.

Biohacking is a controversial practice where individuals test biotechnologies on themselves to improve human condition, but it can be risky and has led to deaths.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, with some individuals using it to improve their health and well-being, while others push the boundaries of human enhancement, potentially at the risk of their health.

The practice of biohacking, including methods such as microchip implants, is perceived as having both potential benefits and risks, and its implications need to be carefully considered, including the potential for surveillance and the importance of ethics.

Biohacking involves using various strategies to optimize one's health and well-being, including nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation. Intermittent fasting, taking care of sleep and hydration, and engaging in physical training with recovery periods are some of the key pillars of biohacking.

Users of nootropics expect to achieve improved cognitive function, increased productivity, and enhanced intelligence.

Users of nootropics expect to improve their productivity and ability to focus, allowing them to work for longer periods without distractions.

Users of nootropics expect to achieve cognitive enhancements, such as improved focus, concentration, and productivity.

Users of nootropics primarily expect to achieve increased productivity, with only a small percentage seeking to improve their empathy or kindness.

Users of nootropics expect to achieve improved cognitive function, particularly in terms of focus, concentration, and memory, in order to gain a competitive edge in their academic or professional pursuits.

"Some entrepreneurs use certain substances, possibly nootropics or smart drugs, to enhance their cognitive abilities and improve mental performance."

Some entrepreneurs use nootropics, also known as "smart" drugs, for cognitive enhancement.

Some entrepreneurs use nootropics, which are substances originally designed to treat cognitive disorders, to enhance their cognitive abilities, such as learning, focus, and creative thinking.

Nootropics are used by some entrepreneurs for cognitive enhancement, allowing them to work and study for longer periods without distractions.

Nootropics are substances used by some entrepreneurs for cognitive enhancement, but they can have severe side effects like addiction.

Biohacking techniques, although popular, often rely on anecdotal evidence and lack rigorous scientific validation, suggesting that they may not be entirely supported by reliable scientific data from clinical research.

Title:

Content: I’m 58 but have a biological age of 21 – this is how I did it

After eight rounds of failed fertility treatments and a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, Leslie Kenny changed her lifestyle with the aim of reducing inflammation – the results, she says, were dramatic

Leslie Kenny was 39 and had endured eight rounds of failed fertility treatments, including IVF using a donor egg, when her doctor delivered even more bad news: the pain she’d been feeling in her wrists and fingers was rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and her blood tests showed signs of the disabling autoimmune condition lupus.

“The doctor prescribed me immunosuppressants and said, ‘You have five good years left’,” Kenny says. “I don’t know what that meant but I took it as ‘that’s all you’ve got’ – that this was the end. I was crushed.”

Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues and causes inflammation that can cause permanent damage to the skin, joints, heart, lungs, kidneys and even the brain. There is no known cure, although it may relapse and remit. RA, another autoimmune condition, affects the joints leading to inflammation and thickening in the joints, which causes pain and reduced mobility. Again, there are treatments available, but it cannot be cured.

That bombshell diagnosis came in 2004. Today, Kenny is 58 and a slim, healthy woman with boundless energy. Her arthritis and lupus – a diagnosis she now questions – have gone into remission. But more than that, she appears to have beat the ageing process: recent blood tests show her biological age is just 21.

She took the “GlycanAge” blood test while attending a conference on longevity in the US. It is offered by a London-based bioinformatics company and measures levels of inflammation in your body. The results are based on determining the process of ageing as an accumulation of damage to your body over time by over-activation of the immune system, leading to inflammation of the tissues and cells. The result generates an estimated “biological age” depending on the average level of inflammation observed in the body at various points during a normal lifespan.

“Inflammation is the thing that I have been paying attention to for the last 19 years, so I suppose it’s not a surprise,” Kenny says.

Kenny is likely one of only a handful of people who could achieve such results. She is one of a breed of ‘biohacking’ devotees who swear by putting cutting-edge research into cell rejuvenation into practice in their own lives to keep their bodies and minds young, and to fight off the common causes of ageing, including inflammation, high blood sugar and cardiovascular degeneration.

The most well known of these biohackers is Bryan Johnson, the American multi-millionaire entrepreneur and venture capitalist. At 46, he spends $2m (£1.5m) a year on treatments and techniques – including restricting calories, taking large amounts of daily supplements, a strict sleep schedule that involves early nights and very early mornings, and blood transfusions – in an attempt to stop the ageing process.

He claims to have reversed his heart age by five years and has the lung capacity of an 18-year-old. Of his particular quest, Kenny reflects: “That very British saying ‘horses for courses’ comes to mind… but he is biohacking for immortality, whereas I prefer to think of myself as ‘bioharmonising’ for a healthy lifespan.”

Kenny is the co-founder of a not-for-profit group, the Oxford Longevity Project, whose aim is to get the latest groundbreaking ideas and research findings on anti-ageing and longevity to the widest possible audience – and she’s testing them out on her own body.

She set up the organisation with Oxford biologist Professor Denis Noble; Dr Paul Ch’en, a GP with a special interest in the ageing process; and academic and multiple marathon runner Sir Christopher Ball. Kenny brings lived experience as a patient who has seen her own health transformed by putting the latest academic findings into practice.

It was the shock of such a devastating diagnosis at such a young age that prompted Kenny to start doing her own research into autoimmune conditions and inflammation. It encouraged her to turn away from the pharmaceutical answers given by her doctors and find a new approach.

“I did try immunosuppressants and I really hated them. You had to jab yourself in the tummy. There are lots of bruises and it hurts. I just felt I shouldn’t be doing this,” she explains. “I have more of an Asian philosophical orientation, of the idea of bringing the body into balance rather than ‘let’s squash this symptom’. What I wanted to do was bring the body back into harmony.”

Back in 2004 the internet was still in its relative infancy, but patient groups had already started forming to share information on common health conditions. Kenny searched for anything she could find about the link between autoimmune disorders and inflammation in the body. She found there were common causes of inflammation including poor diet, lack of sleep, stress and undiagnosed allergies.

Kenny quit her job (she was, at the time, running a matchmaking agency) to reduce stress and improve sleep, and then overhauled her diet. Allergy testing found she was reacting to wheat and dairy, so she cut both out, and also reduced her sugar intake.

“At the time the idea that sugar was bad for you was kind of a new thing, but I removed sugar from my diet as much as I could and then took lots of foods that were anti-inflammatory,” she says. This involved a largely plant-based diet, also including oily fish such as salmon, lots of extra virgin olive oil and plant milks. She followed guidance from Dr Barry Sears, whose bestselling book The Zone Anti-Inflammatory Diet, had been recently released.

Then, after much discussion with autoimmune sufferers in the US, Kenny took a very radical – and expensive – step: online patient networks in the US were recommending intravenous immunoglobulin, a treatment that resets the immune system by replacing antibodies in your blood but was not recommended on the NHS. Kenny underwent two eight-hour blood transfusions at a hospital in Denver, Colorado in the United States, costing £24,000 and funded by health insurance provided by her then-husband’s employer. It is offered as a treatment for some conditions on the NHS, but not for lupus or RA.

Six months later her blood results had been reversed. The three readings her doctor was monitoring – C Reactive Protein, cytokines and TNFalpha, all of which measure inflammation and the function of the immune system – had reduced rapidly. Her doctor reported that her lupus appeared to be in full remission and she was free of disease and in control of her arthritis symptoms.

Kenny’s rapid success at improving her health kicked off a passion for self-management of illness and ageing that has defined her last two decades. “I really feel that patients need to have a chance of a fair fight,” she says, adding that not everyone can afford expensive blood infusions, but there are many things we can all do cheaply to improve our health.

Living in Oxford and surrounded by academics, Kenny began discussing her results with local friends and neighbours, including Lachlan MacKinnon, who was working on commercialising biotechnology for the Oxford Science Enterprise. He introduced her to Prof Katja Simon and Dr Ghada Alsaleh, who were both working at the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology at Oxford University at the time, who had discovered something quite surprising – spermidine. “He [Lachlan] said, ‘It’s a terrible name, but it’s really interesting because it seems to be helping with the immune system’.”

In mice, spermidine – a polyamine found in high levels in plants such as mushrooms and fermented foods – was able to boost antibody levels in elderly subjects, keeping the immune system strong, and activate the process of autophagy: a natural cell rejuvenation process that usually happens during periods of fasting.

You may have heard the word recently due to Rishi Sunak’s commitment to a 48-hour fast every week. Consuming spermidine is believed to make the same cellular process happen, but without the inconvenience of starvation. Studies are ongoing but the first published papers also show the same effect in humans as mice.

Kenny has been taking a spermidine supplement ever since, and now promotes these findings alongside other new research through the Oxford Longevity Project.

Kenny also follows a ketogenic diet, very low in carbohydrate and higher in protein, which some academic research shows can help to preventing and treat diabetes, controlling blood sugar spikes and reducing inflammation.

Kenny’s daily routine also includes supplements of collagen, antioxidant-rich raw cacao, and glutathione, which helps repair tissues. She takes HRT to manage her body’s transition through the menopause and says the progesterone helps with restful sleep.

Two days a week she fasts for 16 hours, but she admits “I’m not slavish about it”. More important is the foods you do eat. “The Japanese drink and smoke like chimneys but they only lose four years of life to this, but in the UK we lose 10. It’s because they’re microdosing every day with green tea, they’re eating natto, which is full of spermidine; they’re eating fish full of Omega 3, and lots of fermented foods.”

Kenny walks her dog for at least 30 minutes a day and has an active life. She uses katsu bands, a product from Japan similar to a blood pressure cuff, which pulls the blood into one limb for 30 seconds then when it releases “the blood hits the pituitary gland and says ‘I’ve been lifting heavy weights’, and sends hormones to repair the body,” she explains.

She also uses an inversion chair – a small stool that makes doing a headstand easy for anyone, whatever their age – that trains the core and stimulates the vagus nerve, responsible for the regulation of organ functions such as digestion, heart rate and respiratory rate.

The efforts of figures like Kenny are being watched by experts. Vasa Curcin, professor of health informatics at King’s College London, says the “exciting work” going on among the global community of biohackers is “a huge opportunity to raise awareness and identify challenges for novel therapies and lifestyle tech interventions”.

But he adds: “We need to start considering pragmatic methods that would allow for these efforts to stop being just anecdotal evidence and start contributing to larger knowledge bases to support scientifically rigorous validation studies.”

So what is Kenny’s advice to the rest of us? “The most important thing is to get started and just do one thing. Whether that’s diet or putting a weight by the kettle and doing a bicep curl while you boil it. Just ask yourself to do it once a week, and the next week do it twice a week. Do it slowly and then it becomes a habit.”

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Biohacking, including methods like neurofeedback therapy, is considered experimental and not fully supported by reliable scientific data from clinical research, despite its growing popularity.

Title:

Content: NewsLocal NewsSummit County

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'It saved my life,' ADHD, trauma, OCD patients turn to neurofeedback therapy

Posted at 8:18 AM, Apr 05, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-05 08:18:12-04

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Cracking the code to wellness is now costing Americans $1.8 trillion annually.

For the average American, that breaks down to more than $5,300 per year.

Those numbers come from the Global Wellness Summit's 2024 trends report.

The report also shows that the global wellness economy, which generated $5.6 trillion in 2022, will continue to surge and reach $8.5 trillion within the next three years.

A driver of those staggering stats is ‘biohacking,’ which is the term for do-it-yourself biology.

It has generated 951 million views on TikTok and over on Google, there's been a 900% increase in searches for ‘biohacking.’

"The way that i like to describe it is using what we know about biology to help us become better versions of ourselves," said Britney Cirillo with Alternative Therapeutics.

‘Biohacking’ can be anything from using a smartwatch to track our heart rate to jumping in an ice bath and neuro-feedback therapy.

The idea behind neuro-feedback therapy is that we can essentially re-train our brain to tackle mental health issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, and OCD, which Emily Dean suffered from for about a decade.

"Was pretty afraid to even leave my house alone. At my worst, I was unable to care for my physical health," said Dean.

Dean ultimately needed to check into the hospital as her mental health declined.

After being discharged, she discovered neurofeedback therapy.

"It completely changed my life," said Dean.

Dean said the sessions at Alternative Therapeutics in Cuyahoga Falls provided relief that medications and traditional therapies could not.

"We're not your average counseling practice," said Cirillo.

Cirillo uses neurofeedback therapy to balance electrical activity in a patient's brain, regulating delta, theta, alpha, and beta levels.

"If any of those brainwaves are being overproduced or underproduced, that will correlate with symptoms that the client is experiencing," said Cirillo.

The goal is to essentially retrain the brain using operant conditioning, a learning process in which voluntary behaviors are rewarded.

"We tell the brain to do a certain thing when it does that certain thing, they're rewarded instantly by that video game that they're playing," Cirillo.

I was so interested in how it works that Cirillo gave me a taste of a typical session.

My goal was to keep the flames of a fire burning bright and the sound of the crackling strong while playing a game on a tablet.

Cirillo was checking to make sure my brain was in an ideal zone.

I only sat there with the tablet for a short time, but a typical therapy session lasts about 20 minutes.

"And so, with more and more practice, the brain starts to recognize what it's supposed to do and it reinforces that pathway, strengthens it to the point that that's their new normal," said Cirillo.

Despite gaining popularity during this ‘biohacking craze,’ neurofeedback therapy is still considered experimental.

"I think it's an interesting phenomenon," said Dr. Robert Lufkin with the USC School of Medicine.

Lufkin said regulating the brain could give people better outcomes when it comes to their mental health.

"I think in my opinion, this can have beneficial effects on an individual," said Lufkin.

Lufkin said regardless of what form of ‘biohacking’ people choose, it's shifting the balance of the doctor-patient relationship.

"It's certainly exploding in recent years, and I think it reflects the fact that all of us as, as patients are taking control of our own health," said Lufkin.

Dean is beyond grateful she gained control.

"Neurofeedback therapy and Alternative Therapeutics saved my life," said Dean.

After completing 20 sessions five years ago, Dean has been able to maintain her progress with a few booster sessions, along with some tools to help her navigate the world.

A world that, for years, Dean navigated with crippling fear.

"Before neurofeedback I was afraid to go to the grocery store alone. Last year, I went to California alone. That is something that I never thought would be possible for me," said Dean.

With insurance companies still considering neurofeedback therapy experimental it is not covered.

However, Cirillo said many of her clients have success when they submit for out of network reimbursement.

On average, people will need about 20 sessions to get the end results they're looking for.

"The document lacks reliable scientific data on biohacking and shares a personal story of addiction to Nootropics, highlighting the potential risks and uncertainties associated with biohacking methods."

Title:

Content: New superhuman brains.
About drugs that make you smarter and more miserable!
Entrepreneur and programmer Dave Asbury ’ s mornings may not seem different at first glance than anyone else ’ s.
Dave wakes up and takes his young children to school, then comes home and makes himself a breakfast of coffee and butter.
Then, he walks into his office, reaches out to a corner, pulls several capsules out of boxes that look like medicine, and then starts working.
[1] Here it is.
Everything is normal, until we discover that the capsules he takes are not really drugs, but drugs.
Dave ’ s use of these drugs cannot be considered strange: throughout human history, before civilizations even existed, drugs accompanied humans.
For the damage that may lead the individual to death, some found in them an escape from the worries and burdens of life, although the price they will pay for this is high.
What is really strange is that what Dave, and many others, want from taking a certain type of drug is the complete opposite of all this; he doesn ’ t want to get away with it every morning; he wants to indulge more in it and manipulate it to his advantage; he wants to become smarter, more productive, richer.
Dave ’ s drugs are neither weed nor opioid, nor are they similar to any other familiar drug, Dave taking nootropics, or “smart ” drugs.
The chemist C.C. didn't have a clue.
Giragia Yuma said that the word he invented as the name for the drug Pristam, which he installed in his laboratory one day in 1964, would become so popular 60 years later.
The name of this compound came from the combination of the Greek words "nos", which means brain, and "tropin", which means "me," and created in his laboratory the first drug that he hopes will succeed in bending the brain of those who use it.
[2] Like any medicine.
Another, Gergea designed the prestam as a treatment, and he hoped it would help patients with brain and cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer ’ s in the elderly and speech disorders in children.
But most Nutrobix users now are often completely healthy individuals with no brain abnormality, and do not aim to cure themselves of a disease.
[3]
Smart drug users are also different from any other type of drug users: they are not marginalized groups or young Magna people who dose drugs in dark dens or raucous parties; nootropics are some of the world ’ s finest college students and some of the brightest tech minds in Silicon Valley, the tech heartland of San Francisco.
By taking drugs that are mostly made for people with cognitive disorders as a result of mental illness, these brilliant students and programmers want to enhance their ability to learn, focus and think creatively to become smarter, which seems to be happening under the influence of these drugs.
Phoebe, a history student at a prestigious university in England, describes the impact of nootropics on her in an interview with The Guardian: “These drugs help you work, so you can study longer without distractions.
You feel like going to the library on your own, and you don ’ t even want to take a lunch break.
You look at the clock and it ’ s 7: 00 p.m., but you can still keep going. ”
Johnny, a student at the same university, describes his first experience with drugs: "I had a strange feeling, I remember sitting in the exam and thinking, 'This is terrible!
Oh, my God!
I feel as if I ’ m going to lose consciousness, ” but at the same time I could remember everything, whole paragraphs remembered word for word.
That was great. "[4]
It all sounds really cool, taking a few pills in the morning gives you an incredible ability to work and think.
But, as anyone who has ever taken a drug knows, every drug has side effects that range in severity, from mild things like a headache to symptoms as severe as the disease for which you took it, and additional drugs have to be taken to treat it.
So what are the side effects of entropy?
There aren ’ t enough studies to answer this question, but many people ’ s long-term experience with Nutrobox has never been promising.
Writer and journalist Kate Miller tells her story with those drugs that she started taking after a student in her final year of university, continuing with her after entering her career.
At first, everything seemed great, she found that she could concentrate for long hours and work tirelessly until late at night, and with all this, she was able to maintain a good social life.
But not long after, the ugly face of Nootropics revealed itself to her: Kate became an addict.
In her New York Times article, Kate recounts what she went through: “I was fooling myself when I thought I could stay balanced while taking these drugs, when I thought the benefits outweighed the harm.
I started to increase the doses I was taking, and then, I found myself spending long nights flipping over in bed and falling asleep, my mind racing and my heart beating violently.
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I did was reach out to take the pills again.
My body started getting used to these drugs, and then I lost their effect, so I started to increase the dose.
I would take it if I found myself yawning after I turned off the alarm.
I turned into a wreck, always angry and lost my ability to connect with the world. ”
Kate reached the point where she found her life was falling apart on all levels, and here came her decision to stop taking those drugs once and for all.
But what no one has told her is that stopping itself will be difficult, as nitrobix, like other drugs, leaves its users at the beginning of quitting defenseless in front of a barrage of painful withdrawal symptoms.
“I found myself sleeping during meetings and I couldn ’ t finish my work before the deadline.
I also began to feel very hungry and began to eat heavily.
This disorder left me with a very fragile and sensitive brain chemistry, and my weight gain and late work only made matters worse.
It was hard for me to understand at the time that what I was going through was withdrawal symptoms; no one had warned me about the side effects of these drugs. ”
Phoebe and Jonny, students who had been helped by Nootropics during the exam period, soon noticed the bad effect on them; Phoebe began to feel severe pain in her stomach, and Jimmy felt that he was becoming too dependent on her for everything, and he ate it every morning without really needing it.
Fortunately, before they went through Kate ’ s bad experience, the Taliban gave up Nutropics altogether.
Even Dave Asbury, an entrepreneur who takes huge amounts of nootropics every morning and founded a company that makes coffee mixed with the drugs, has developed a severe allergy to certain foods that he has been eating normally throughout his life.
In a paper in the journal Clinical Neuroscience, researchers Farid Taleh and Jane Aglotti found that many Nutrobix drugs cause side effects ranging in severity from diarrhea, headaches, dizziness and insomnia, to memory loss, identity disorders and motor system deficiencies.
The research also included a case study of four individuals between the ages of 17 and 28 who were taken to the hospital emergency room after a nervous breakdown. [6] Here, we find ourselves faced with a more important question: Why would people with high levels of intelligence resort to drugs that may add to their intelligence even deeper, but they may also have side effects that no one knows are serious?
[7]
Tim Farris, an entrepreneur and renowned author of human development books, has no real qualms about the long-term side effects of nootropics.
Speaking to CNN, after he started talking about the amount of pressure entrepreneurs are under today, he concluded: “Just like an Olympian who is willing to do anything, even if he reduces his age to five years, to win a gold medal, you ’ ll think about any drugs you take to become smarter. ”
[8]
Jeff Wu, a software engineer who set up a company that specializes in manufacturing nootropics, goes on to say, “Creativity and high mental performance are the only ways you can succeed in Silicon Valley.
I liken tech and finance to professional athletes, so the only way for your team, product or project to be successful is to have a comparative advantage over competitors. ”
It ’ s not just the tech industry, Wu adds: “To become smarter and more productive is to meet modern day standards of success. ”
If some people seem willing to swallow poorly researched drugs without suffering from a real disease just to increase their ability to produce something strange, you ’ ve never heard of the term and the practices that these drugs and many other strange practices include: body hacking, or “biohacking. ”
As a programmer or engineer might look at a computer looking for ways to develop it, biohackers are trying through methods that vary in extremes, from intermittent fasting to injecting themselves with stem cells, to make their bodies and brains better, stronger, healthier.
At first glance, this may not seem like a bad thing, so who wouldn ’ t want to be the best possible version of themselves?
But what ’ s interesting about this is that their desire to develop their bodies and brains stops at the point where these bodies and brains are more productive, and does not go beyond them to other areas of life, where none of the body hackers, for example, thought about creating a drug that by taking it more willing to help others in their distress.
Faced with the large number of people who are willing to take Nutropics to increase their production capacity, neuroscientist Anders Sandberg found in a study that only 9% of people are willing to take a drug that makes them more empathetic or kinder.
This increased use of nootropics and the willingness to manipulate the very composition of the body in order to increase production is itself a symptom of a civilizational disease that envelops our world today: the obsession with success at any cost.
The Guardian ’ s Carol Gadwallar says of this: “In the 1960s, sedatives were known as the little helper of mothers.
Today, however, Futropics is a small aid to capitalism.
“It ’ s just another symptom of a world dominated by competition where everyone is looking for a comparative advantage that puts them above others. ”
[10] Neuroscientist Anjan Chatterjee says: "Today, from the moment of their birth until their death, people only know about running in a rat race.
We are overwhelmed by the feeling that there are a limited number of prizes on the horizon and that everyone is competing for them.
It ’ s hard and you ’ re willing to do anything to win. ”
[11]
In this world governed by machines and numbers, we are also expected to become machines: machines that wake up in the morning and work tirelessly until evening falls, and everything is ultimately governed by numbers.
How successful you are depends on how much you produce each day, which at the end of the month will translate into how much you make.
Your salary or wealth is no longer just a means to provide you with a decent life, but has become a kind of obsession, everyone wants to be successful in a modern culture that values only material values, and defies those who fail the test of making money.
In such a culture, it is not surprising to find people willing to swallow drugs with unknown side effects in order to be better.
Isn ’ t that, in one way or another, what modern culture imposes on us all today, working to burn and losing some of life ’ s simplest pleasures just to live properly and escape the stigma of failure?
The question remains: Is there then a relentless pursuit of success, what kind of happiness?
Or is the summit nothing more than a glittering image of something really empty and cold and lonely?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Sources:
1.
I ’ m The Guy Who Created Bulletproof Coffee – This Is My Morning Routine
2.
Nootropic
3.
Under pressure, Silicon Valley workers turn to LSD microdosing
4.
Students used to take drugs to get high.
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The document discusses the use of synthetic biology, a biohacking technique, to convert carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels and chemicals.

Title:

Content: Transform bacteria, turn carbon dioxide into fuel!
- Liao Chun-chih and Synthetic Biology
Synthetic biology is based on the accumulation of knowledge from the past, modifying a large number of genes and creating new metabolic pathways.
This is like designing a new phone, starting with the old phone module, and drastically changing the internal semiconductor components and circuits to develop new features.
In other words, synthetic biology has ushered humanity into an era in which life can be “designed. ”
Toward a net-zero future with synthetic biology
Climate change is the most important environmental issue of the century. In order to achieve the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in addition to improving energy efficiency and producing renewable energy, it is bound to convert the greenhouse gases generated by fossil fuels into a form of reuse.
Under this premise, how can carbon dioxide be turned into a sustainable fuel? Academia Sinica ’ s “Research Ingredients ” interviewed Dr. Liao Junzhi, who and his team used synthetic biology to modify bacterial genes and redesign metabolic pathways so that bacteria can convert greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into fuels and chemicals, effectively reducing greenhouse gases.
Academia Sinica President Liao Chun-chih uses synthetic biology to create a sustainable carbon sequestration pathway to produce sustainable biofuels.
Recycling CO2 as a usable fuel
Imagine the following picture:
During the day you chat with your family in the living room, the exhaled carbon dioxide is absorbed by a special device, and the modified bacteria in the machine can convert the carbon dioxide into glucose.
When you ’ re ready to go, the car runs out of gas, and this time another modified bacterium absorbs carbon dioxide, which then directly produces usable fuel.
These scenes, like science fiction, are gradually coming true in the laboratory of Academia Sinica President Liao Junzhi.
Using synthetic biology techniques, the researchers modified the genes of bacteria and redesigned the metabolic pathways of cells, which can absorb greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to produce the fuel or chemicals we need.
What is synthetic biology?
Although synthetic biology also modifies biological genes, it is completely different from the scale of genetic modification in the past.
Traditional genetic modification can only increase or eliminate one or more genes, and is limited to optimizing or weakening certain specific functions of the cell, such as drought tolerance and insect resistance.
Synthetic biology, on the other hand, can design a new metabolic pathway, modify the complete genome required, and rewrite the function of the cell — the same as redesigning the cell!
For example: transforming E. coli into a bacterium that eats only methanol.
Cell metabolism refers to a series of chemical reactions within the cell, which can be the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy, such as the respiration of the cell, or the synthesis of molecules needed for synthesis, such as the photosynthesis of plants to synthesize glucose.
In the past, biologists worked hard to understand natural organisms, and genetic modification was just one of the techniques.
Today, humans have decoded the structure of cells, the components of living organisms, knowing that cells, under the command of different gene groups, create different metabolic pathways and perform various functions.
Synthetic biology is based on the accumulation of knowledge from the past, modifying a large number of genes and creating new metabolic pathways.
This is like designing a new phone, starting with the old phone module, and drastically changing the internal semiconductor components and circuits to develop new features.
In other words, synthetic biology has ushered humanity into an era in which life can be “designed. ”
Synthetic biology is about redesigning cells in terms of engineering concepts.
Design first, then evolve!
Specifically, scientists will first decide what new function (metabolic path) they want, but cell metabolism and its mechanism of controlling genes are very complex, and humans have not fully solved the mystery, and it is impossible to know all the genes that need to be modified in advance.
Therefore, synthetic biology modified genes, not as a past cut, but first designed, and then evolved.
In the design stage, some bacterial cells are selected, some genes are modified, so that the cells are very close to the intended target, and then the appropriate environment is given to allow the cells to evolve on their own to see which offspring of the plant will evolve to the desired function.
Liao Chun-chih's analogy is that if you want to cross the ocean, you have to have at least one boat before you can start, and then gradually improve the details on the voyage, such as transforming the hull into a streamlined shape.
For example, the following figure shows the research and development process of Liao Junzhi ’ s presentation of the results of synthetic methanophilic bacteria in 2020.
To transform Escherichia coli into synthetic bacteria that eat only methanol and produce reusable chemical raw materials.
Through design, directed evolution, imaging and gene sequencing, the research team successfully produced the world ’ s first methanophilic strain.
In Liao Junzhi ’ s research on synthetic methanophilic bacteria, in order to change the metabolic path of E. coli, the most important is the initial design and directional evolution.
The initial design was to modify the Escherichia coli gene to bring it closer to its intended function, while directed evolution was to allow bacteria with the same initial conditions to evolve separately until one strain of bacteria successfully achieved its intended goal, which is, "synthetic methanophilus".
(Source: Liao Chun-chih)
Using synthetic biology techniques to reengineer the metabolic pathways of cells, once successfully evolved, cells will be able to produce complex, precise molecules or cells that are difficult to produce by human chemical engineering.
At present, synthetic biology focuses on the fields of industry and medicine. The industry uses bacterial factories to produce different fuels or chemical molecules. For example, Liao Chun-chih ’ s team has successfully made fuels and chemicals by reinventing the metabolic pathways of various bacteria.
Carbon Dioxide Turns Fuel to Fight Global Warming Crisis
Looking at Liao ’ s research, the core concern has always been to solve the problem of global warming with synthetic biology.
Through several papers, he has demonstrated how to change the metabolic pathways of microbes to convert recycled raw materials into fuels and chemicals.
Among them, the direct conversion of carbon dioxide into fuel is undoubtedly one of Liao ’ s most original achievements!
In the past, people have been able to use bacteria to produce fuel, antibiotics or cancer drugs, but most of the raw materials are sugar, so the need to grow sugar cane and corn, not only expensive, using food as fuel is not ideal.
So Liao Junzhi thought, why not go back to the source and start with carbon dioxide? That is, using carbon dioxide as a raw material to create a new carbon cycle.
Because sugars are produced by photosynthesis after plants absorb carbon dioxide, he thought: can we directly modify photosynthesis, so that plants only absorb carbon dioxide, but do not produce sugar, change to fuel, and form a sustainable carbon cycle? This will not only solve the problem of raw materials, but also digest the huge amount of carbon dioxide that can only be stored and cannot be used.
Liao Junzhi spent ten years sharpening his sword and developing various experimental approaches. In 2012, he used electricity to indirectly drive microorganisms and perform biological reduction of carbon dioxide, and successfully stored electric energy in liquid fuel (isobutanol).
This is the world ’ s first case of combining solar cells with microbial biochemical reactions to produce fuel, and the research results are published in the international journal Science.
(Source: Liao Chun-chih)
The story begins with photosynthesis...
To understand Liao Chun-chih ’ s conversion from carbon dioxide to fuel, one must first understand what photosynthesis is.
Photosynthesis is divided into two steps: the first is the light reaction, the light energy into chemical energy; the second is the use of this chemical energy to fix carbon dioxide, and eventually produce glucose.
Photosynthesis is one of nature's carbon sequestration systems. Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy, which is then used to fix carbon dioxide and eventually produce glucose.
TITLE │ RESEARCH
Photosynthesis is the use of light to stimulate the leaves to release electrons to restore carbon in carbon dioxide.
Liao Chun-Chi modified the photoelectric effect of solar panels to generate electrons to drive carbon reduction, which can provide electrons more stably and efficiently than living organisms.
Another benefit is that the electricity generated by the solar panel can be converted into chemical energy storage, which solves the problem of low efficiency of solar energy storage.
With the electron source, Liao Chun-chih ’ s team chose R. eutropha bacteria as the modification target, which does not have chloroplasts, but when the electrode returns the carbon dioxide in the solution to formic acid (HCOO –), it uses formic acid to synthesize chemical energy (NADPH), paired with the carbon dioxide in the solution, to carry out the “carbon sequestration ” in photosynthesis, which is the Calvin cycle.
"Carbon sequestration" refers to the conversion of carbon dioxide into high-carbon compounds, so that it no longer escapes into the air and can be recycled again.
More importantly, using synthetic biology, the metabolic pathway of R. eutropha bacteria has been redesigned and evolved so that the final product of this “pseudo-photosynthesis ” pathway is not glucose, but isobutanol, a high-carbon alcohol that can be used as a substitute for gasoline or processed into aviation fuel.
Liao and his team transformed the microbial system: Through the synthetic reaction of bacterial cells, electrical energy is first converted to chemical energy, and chemical energy is then synthesized to produce fuel.
In order to protect bacteria from the free radicals produced by the electrodes, the research team added a ceramic partition layer to isolate the electrodes from the bacteria, so that these free radicals decay before they touch the bacterial cells.
Integrated Electromicrobial Conversion of CO2 to Higher Alcohols
The world 's first methanophilic strain
In addition to R. eutropha bacteria and photosynthesis, Liao ’ s team has also continued to try to design different artificial carbon cycles, opening up more possibilities for reducing carbon emissions.
As early as 2008, Liao Junzhi published in the journal Nature the synthesis of isobutanol from modified Escherichia coli, so that bioenergy will no longer be exclusive to ethanol fuel, and instead develop high-carbon molecular fuel.
This technology has been used by American energy companies in the manufacture of bio-fuels for the aviation industry.
In 2020, the Liao Junzhi research team has a new record!
The team successfully transformed Escherichia coli to create the world ’ s first “synthetic methanophilus ”, which specializes in eating methanol converted from greenhouse gases, producing reusable fuel, and even converting the bacteria into various daily chemical products, making the bacteria a real chemical factory.
The research paper was published in the journal Cell in August 2020 and has been hailed as a “new benchmark in synthetic biology ”.
Liao ’ s team transformed the metabolic pathway of E. coli to make methanol the only food source (carbon source), converting greenhouse gases into methanol and turning it into a reusable fuel (e.g. isobutanol).
(Source: Liao Chun-chih)
What is Synthetic Methanolophilus?
Methanol, which is toxic to general bacteria, is a metabolizable resource for methanophilic bacteria.
Scientists have long been studying whether these bacteria can be modified to absorb methanol and make human chemicals.
Unfortunately, natural methanophiles are difficult to modify.
So scientists turned their attention to the possibility of transforming other bacteria into methanophilic bacteria, but years later, no results have been achieved.
In 2020, Liao Junzhi ’ s team discovered that methanol enters common bacteria, causing DNA and proteins in cells to entangle each other, leading to cell death.
Therefore, the research team used an original theory to speculate on the key enzyme that Escherichia coli needs to be regulated, and launched more stringent gene regulation to avoid this death path, and finally transformed Escherichia coli into methanophilic bacteria, and the growth rate of natural methanophilic bacteria.
"This is the result of the Academia Sinica team's efforts alone.
"Liao Junzhi was gratified, but also pointed out that the research breakthrough came from the long-term enthusiastic investment of the outstanding personnel of the Academia Sinica, the clues to explore the problem in a flexible way, and the advanced core facilities of the Institute, which enabled such a significant achievement to be achieved.
For decades, adhering to the core concern of using synthetic biology to solve the problem of global warming, every paper published by Liao Junzhi in leading journals such as Nature and Nature has been a key piece of the journey towards this goal, and it is now getting closer and closer to the complete outline.
Although the road ahead is still full of unknowns, he believes: “It is impossible to solve all problems at once, but don ’ t worry, you can always think of solutions. ”
That ’ s the fun of science! ”
All solutions have a problem, but all problems have a solution.
Interview │ Hsiao-Chun Huang
Art Design │ Lin An
This article is reproduced by permission from the research object to modify bacteria, carbon dioxide into fuel!
- Liao Chun-chih and Synthetic Biology
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The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves modifying genes and redesigning metabolic pathways to produce desired outcomes.

The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves redesigning cells and modifying genes to create new functions.

The document discusses synthetic biology, a field of research that involves reengineering cellular metabolic pathways to produce complex molecules and cells.

"The document discusses synthetic biology research focused on converting carbon dioxide into fuel using microbes, with the goal of solving global warming."

The document discusses biopharmaceutical production, which involves the use of advanced technologies to improve health and well-being, but is distinct from biohacking.

Title:

Content: Introduction: Cell-Line Development Discussions at Biotech Week Boston

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The genetic sequence of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line first was published just over a decade ago (1, 2). As with the Human Genome Project, genomic knowledge of that and other biopharmaceutical production cell lines — both animal and microbial — has expanded greatly alongside dramatic increases in computing power (3–5). Meanwhile new and improved genetic engineering techniques have offered the potential for targeted rather than random integration of transgenes into production cells. And regulators began to emphasize monoclonality more, demanding evidence that cell banks are derived from single engineered cells. All the while, cell-line development (CLD) groups faced increasing pressure to shorten timelines associated with their workflows.

As presentations at recent BPI conferences have revealed, “big data,” next-generation sequencing (NGS), automation, and powerful analytical technologies are helping biopharmaceutical companies achieve all those goals in parallel. And despite the widespread popularity of certain instruments, the talks at Biotech Week Boston (BWB) and the BPI Conference US West (BPI West) demonstrated that there is no one way to do so. Combining some of the approaches mentioned herein just might take biopharmaceutical production to new levels that not long ago would have been deemed impossible.

Below we highlight discussions at BWB. Look for more in our BPI West postevent report later this year.

Clonality and Transgene Integration
In September 2022, the BPI Conference program within BWB included both a preconference workshop on CLD and topical talks within the upstream production track. Presenters often spoke about how advanced gene-editing techniques can increase process productivity without compromising product quality. For example, biopharmaceutical companies increasingly are applying transposase-based gene editing to increase gene-integration targeting efficiency and accelerate CLD workflows (see the “Transposases” box). This is helping them reduce the number of subcloning/pool-screening steps that programs require.

Presenters highlighted the importance of high gene-copy numbers for optimized expression. Many talks highlighted the industry’s needs for technologies that enable continuous and/or real-time control of cell-culture parameters, especially for truly on-line process analytical technology (PAT). Many current systems need to improve interfaces between bioreactors and automated samplers/analyzers. BioPhorum representatives announced publication of a risk-assessment guide for raw materials used in CLD and other upstream processes. And some presenters called for greater attention to compositional chemistry, highlighting how such factors influence cell growth, consumption of media nutrients, and other key parameters.

In “Microfluidic-Chip–Based Single-Cell Cloning To Accelerate Biologic Production Timelines,” Geneva Alok (Amgen) explained that after genetic engineering and transfection, CLD can take ~28 weeks. That begins with initial selection of candidate clones through amplification by methotrexate (MTX) or methionine sulfoximine (MSX) and progresses through pool screening, subcloning, large-scale subcloning, clone screening at small production scales, and ultimately, large-scale screening. Alok is one of many speakers at BPI conferences in the past few years reporting on her company’s use of the Beacon instrument from Berkeley Lights to expedite selection and cloning steps. Loaded with thousands of clones, the machine photophoretically sorts single cells into NanoPen chip segments, where they are cultured and monitored continuously. (If two cells end up in a pen, the system can unpen and reload them; usually, the number of single-clone cultures is enough for conclusive results.) The system performs real-time analytics on those single-cell cultures. A complete cloning process takes about five days rather than the two to three weeks needed for fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) methods. Even though the new technology is two to five times more expensive than the older one, large companies increasingly believe that its speed and throughput make up the difference. Amgen has replaced FACS-based screening with a Beacon instrument.

Alok highlighted that system’s Spotlight assay, which enables rapid screening to identify 10 highly productive clones (rather than the 96 productive clones typically identified by FACS). Monoclonality is documented by cell imaging, and CLD is accelerated by elimination of pool-screening steps. The Amgen team ran two different workflows to identify viable clones, then selected top candidates based on the results. When those findings were compared with results from fed-batch cultures of the same clones in Ambr microbioreactors, both performed comparably with similar stability based on parameters such as gene copy number and titer. Alok noted that the shortened workflow could generate clones with high genetic diversity after recovery, but that would require further study.

In “Cell-Bank Characterization and Retrospective Assessment of Clonality,” Guanghua Li (Merck) focused on test methods. Merck’s master cell bank (MCB) and working cell banks (WCBs) are produced according to good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards to reduce the possibility for introducing contamination. Li pointed out that no single testing regime can detect all potential contaminants (e.g., from culture media components). Cell-bank characterization typically entails assessment of a cell substrate’s identity, purity, and suitability for manufacturing applications. Such testing includes assays for viral contamination (often using minute virus of mice as a model) and in vitro/in vivo assays for adventitious agents (AAs).

Highlighting the revised ICH Q5A, which provides for application of NGS in AA testing, Li also summarized options for limit of in-vitro cell age (LIVCA) stability testing, noting that such testing usually is performed only once during cell banking. He noted that it is helpful to perform such testing at an intended production scale (e.g., 2,000 L) or simulation thereof. Doing so can help with study design and to demonstrate genotypic, phenotypic, and biosafety stability over the number of generations required for LIVCA testing. Li also summarized potential cloning strategies to use when demonstrating monoclonality, noting that adaptation to serum-free conditions (if applicable) should be performed before cloning steps are performed.

In “Use of Transposase-Mediated Integration To Reduce Screening and Shorten Cell-Line Development Timelines,” Hillary Warrington (Janssen) pointed to a primary pain point in CLD workflows: Clones can show variable success across transfections and preparations. “That needs to be optimized,” she said, adding, “Ideally, you want a high gene-copy number, which correlates positively with transfection success for expression titers.” Insertion efficiency for a gene of interest (GoI) can be increased in three ways, she said: through modification of transfection methods, gene-modification of host cells, and use of transposase mediators. She focused on the latter, describing her company’s application of ATUM Bio’s Leap-In transposase and transposon technologies.

The technology uses an RNA transposase to insert GoIs at different chromosomal sites and in high copy numbers — with more targeted genetic integration than a conventional plasmid system can offer. In Janssen’s study, ~95% of insertion sites used the transposon, and the resulting clones showed good stability with high copy numbers preserved across passages. The company’s historical data also show that application of Leap-In technology has increased monoclonal antibody (MAb) expression titers consistently since its adoption in 2018.

Warrington pointed out that less random integration enables CLD scientists to reduce the requisite number of subcloning steps, thus enabling earlier production of material for toxicology studies and other relevant activities. Moreover, subclones/populations do not require enrichment before sorting. Such benefits have helped Janssen to shorten its CLD timelines significantly by reducing clone-screening requirements. Other time savings have come from automation.

In “High-Throughput Characterization for IgM Cell-Line Development,” Christina Tsai (IGM Biosciences) reported on an accelerated testing approach. Increasingly, the sheer number of screening activities performed during CLD necessitates adoption of high-throughput instruments and methods. Tsai described her company’s collaboration with a technology supplier to improve and accelerate characterization studies for CLD activities toward production of IgM antibodies. Her company introduced PerkinElmer’s Lab Chip GX II system for high-throughput analysis of glycans, protein expression levels, and product characterization.

As a replacement for sodium-dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), the instrument performs a gel-electrophoretic method on a multiuse microfluidic chip: sodium dodecylsulfate microcapillary electrophoresis (µCE-SDS). Requiring at least 2.5 µL of material, the instrument can analyze each sample in about one minute, and a chip can be reused for 400 samples. IGM’s workflow requires about 1.5 hours of preparation, 50 minutes to run 50 samples, and under an hour for analysis. Tsai highlighted that the method can be performed 6× faster than affinity high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 25× faster than size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The system also can be used to assess titer levels and glycan profiles 50× faster than a system for hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) testing.

In “Growing Pains: The Ups and Downs of Building a CLD Platform Process from Scratch,” Allyn Spear (Elanco) chronicled successes and pitfalls from development of a host-cell line for production of a canine antibody product. Before 2000, he explained, biologics equated to vaccines in animal health — but that veterinary companies now are expanding into other modalities. Elanco is among the animal-health companies developing capabilities for biological products such as antibodies and other proteins.

Tasked with identifying a glutamine synthetase (GS)–knock-out host-cell line to express a canine antibody, Spear and his colleagues also needed to identify optimal culture parameters toward a long-term goal of producing that antibody at commercial scale. First, they experimented with the GS piggyBac and Leap-In transposon systems (from Lonza and ATUM, respectively) to identify an effective vector strategy. Elanco settled on a two-plasmid transfection approach but found significant variability in transfection efficiency and posttransfection viability. With too many variables involved to narrow down the root cause, the team needed to apply additional reagents to increase transfection consistency.

They used the Berkeley Lights Beacon system for early clone selection activities. Spear noted, however, that the project required custom reagent development because it involved nonhuman antibodies. The team used Ambr microbioreactors from Sartorius for final clone screening. He highlighted difficulties in CLD for start-ups and other small teams: e.g., supply chain problems with equipment availability and inconsistent quality across consumables from different suppliers.

In “Accelerating Cell-Line Development Processes Through Automation Platform Integration,” Woo Chi (Just–Evotec) explained that his company makes abundant use of automation technologies because of a preference for continuous biomanufacturing. He noted that his CLD team faced difficulties in implementing a robotic platform for cell transfer (passaging/retention in a perfusion process). Initially, the system was transferring only 10% of cells, but the team adjusted software scripts over several programming iterations to increase cell transfer to 90%.

In “Implementing Beacon Optofluidic Technology for Accelerated Cell-Line Development for Complex Subunit Vaccine Candidates,” Jishna Ganguly (GSK) pointed out that most reported applications of Beacon technology have been in antibody process development. GSK is the first company to use the photophoretic technology to accelerate CLD activities in production of antigens used in a subunit vaccine.
Ganguly shared a feasibility study that her company used in adopting the system. GSK previously used a 12-day workflow that combined application of a Cell Metric cell imager (Solentim) and an assay from Luminex. The Beacon system accelerated CLD considerably while generating results comparable to those from the previous workflow.

Ganguly concluded by highlighting continuing CLD needs of vaccine makers, who could benefit from solutions that reduce manual handling during testing and that minimize the number of instruments required for the many kinds of screening performed (e.g., for clone productivity, product quality, monoclonality). Although many choices are available, drug makers often apply many different technologies, increasing experimental effort and time along with the complexity of system integration.

In “Evaluation of Transposase Technology To Generate Highly Productive CHO Cell Lines,” Eric Lee (Biogen) explained that his company, like many other drug developers, is leveraging transposase-mediated gene editing to expedite CLD activities. His team accelerated CLD by two weeks through applying Lonza’s GS piggyBac transposon system and eliminating steps for MTX amplification. That allowed the program to move right into evaluation of material from recovered pools. Transfection recoveries were good, and although the transposon system generated considerably more random integration than Biogen’s legacy method did, pool-expressed material was comparable in quality, with aggregation and isoform levels that aligned with those from historical data. In subsequent studies, Biogen determined that the transposase system also was compatible with MTX amplification and that adding that step back into the workflow increased expression titers significantly. Ultimately, the company improved its CLD workflow to generate material for toxicology studies five months earlier than would have been possible with the legacy method.

In “Epigenetic Comparison of CHO Hosts and Clones Reveals Divergent Methylation and Transcription Patterns Across Lineages,” Meiping Chang (Merck) noted that genomic and epigenomic analyses are becoming critical to assessment of transgene integration and clone selection. The trick, she explained, is to evaluate epigenetic regulators of transcription without dismantling host-cell DNA, especially because epigenetic markers can be inserted or removed.
She explained that DNA-methylation patterns are passed down by parent cells, although new patterns can emerge during cloning. Underlying mechanisms of such changes include differential expression of epigenetic readers, erasers, and effectors. To demonstrate, Chang shared her team’s testing of two host-cell lines for genomic changes over several generations by searching for differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Most clonal cells showed inherited changes in methylation patterns. That, Chang explained, could indicate development of a trait for long-term genetic stability. Using such information could help CLD scientists to find ideal candidates for transgene integration.

Emphasis on Speed
The focused CLD workshop at Biotech Week Boston culminated in a panel discussion titled “Techniques and Technologies To Accelerate CLD and Solve Bottleneck Challenges,” with Allyn Spear, Woo Chi, Hillary Warrington, and William Rice (Nexcelom Bioscience). Panelists noted that companies increasingly are using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and optimize vector constructs. Both on the stage and in the audience, there was particular excitement for growth in libraries for human antibodies. One attendee asked whether it could be helpful to use a reporter gene during early CLD activities. Panelists explained that such genes are not secreted as antibodies are; thus, they might be useful for gauging transfection efficiency but not for expression titer.

Many participants questioned whether to use random or targeted gene integration during CLD. Panelists explained that pools from clones generated using the former technique often show more heterogeneity and experience epigenetic drift over time. Technologies for targeted integration can generate more homogenous pools that might show less drift. However, even minor epigenetic drift must be characterized, so drug makers using targeted integration would not be relieved of some associated regulatory burden for product characterization. One panelist noted that current technologies for targeted gene integration also result in some random integration and that such occurrences could cause regulatory questions. Considering the significant costs associated with targeted-integration technologies, developers should evaluate their needs carefully to help ensure that such solutions will be worth the investment.

Transposases
First identified by Barbara McClintock in the mid-20th century (work that earned her the 1983 Nobel Prize in physiology/medicine), transposase enzymes bind to the end of a transposon and catalyze its movement to another part of a cell’s genome, typically through a cut-and-paste or replicative mechanism. In nature, transposition is both useful for evolution and adaptation to changing environments and potentially dangerous to individual survival. Because genomic instability can lead to unhelpful mutations, most such genes are down-regulated. But transposases have great utility in genetic engineering.Further Reading
Aziz RK, Breitbart M, Edwards RA. Transposases Are the Most Abundant, Most Ubiquitous Genes in Nature. Nucl. Acids Res. 38(13) 2010: 4207–4217; https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkq140.Grabundzija I, et al. Comparative Analysis of Transposable Element Vector Systems in Human Cells. Molec. Ther. 18(6) 2010: 1200–1209; https://doi.org/10.1038/mt.2010.47.Gustafsson C, et al. Engineering Genes for Predictable Protein Expression. Prot. Expr. Purif. 83(1) 2012: 37–46; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pep.2012.02.013.Rajendra Y, Peery RB, Barnard GC. Generation of Stable Chinese Hamster Ovary Pools Yielding Antibody Titers of Up to 7.6 g/L Using the PiggyBac Transposon System. Biotechnol. Prog. 32(5) 2016: 1301–1307; https://doi.org/10.1002/btpr.2307.

Vics Z, Izsvák Z. A Whole Lotta Jumpin’ Goin’ On: New Transposon Tools for Vertebrate Functional Genomics. Trends Genet. 21(1) 2005: 8–11; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2004.11.008.

Cell-Line Engineering at BPI West
Held on 27 February through 2 March 2022, the BPI West program in San Diego, CA, included a full track devoted to cell-line development. Many themes followed from the BWB discussions a few months before, but the overall emphasis shifted toward applying advanced genetic engineering techniques to improve cell stability, productivity, predictability, and viability. Technological potentialities touted over recent years seem to be coming to fruition in big ways in the post-COVID era. Look for a full report on the program coming up later this year.

References
1 Wurm F, Hacker D. First CHO Genome. Nat. Biotechnol. 29, 2011: 718–720; https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.1943.

2 Xu X, et al. The Genomic Sequence of the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO)-K1 Cell Line. Nat. Biotechnol. 29, 2011: 735–741; https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.1932.

3 Lewis N, et al. Genomic Landscapes of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Lines As Revealed By the Cricetulus griseus Draft Genome. Nat. Biotechnol. 31, 759–765 (2013); https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.2624.

4 Rupp O, et al. A Reference Genome of the Chinese Hamster Based on a Hybrid Assembly Strategy. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 115(8) 2018: 2087–2100; https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.26722.

5 Lin D, et al. CHOmics: A Web-Based Tool for Multi-Omics Data Analysis and Interactive Visualization in CHO Cell Lines. PLOS Comput. Biol. 22 December 2020; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008498.

Brian Gazaille is managing editor, and corresponding author Cheryl Scott is cofounder and senior technical editor of BioProcess International (part of Informa Connect Life Sciences); 1-212-600-3429; cheryl.scott@informa.com; https://www.bioprocessintl.com.

The document discusses the application of advanced gene-editing techniques in biopharmaceutical companies to improve process productivity and product quality.

The document discusses biotechnology, specifically cell line development, using tools like the Berkeley Lights Beacon system and Ambr microbioreactors, and highlights challenges such as custom reagent development and supply chain issues.

The document discusses the application of technology to improve biomanufacturing processes, specifically cell-line development for vaccine candidates.

The document discusses the application of biotechnology techniques to improve vaccine development and production, specifically in the area of cell line development (CLD).

"The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR, which is used in DIY kits and classes for genetic engineering."

Title:

Content: DIY gene editing: This home use kit makes CRISPR accessible to all

Journalist Lana Schwartz used Jo Zayner's DIY kit to edit human kidney tissue at home.
DIY Bacterial Gene Engineering CRISPR Kit.

The ODIN

Genetic engineering for everyone!

Yes, this is possible thanks to biohacker and artist Jo Zayner's DIY kits and classes. It's possible that you met Zayner on Netflix through the documentary called "Unnatural Selections," which, released in 2019, revealed how DNA could be changed using CRISPR technology.

By establishing The ODIN, Zayner's genetic engineering education became accessible with kits such as the "DIY Bacterial Gene Engineering CRISPR Kit." Well, you may hesitate to use it, but Lana Schwartz from Vice didn't and shared her experiences.

As reported by Schwartz, she started to take Human Tissue Culture and Engineering 201 class, which aims to teach students how to edit DNA through an experiment that involves making HEK (Human Embryonic Kidney). Got the kit just a couple of days before the class, "it came with amateur science equipment, a "Biohacking is Not a Crime" sticker, the kidney cells I'd hoped for, and vials of brightly colored liquids for the DNA-editing experiment," she said.

"To edit the genome of kidney cells, students use pipettes to add a variety of liquids with funky names to the cells. One of them was a plasmid containing the DNA coding for an antibiotic-resistance gene. The other liquids were involved in, as I like to think about it, shoving the DNA into the cells.," she added.

According to Schwartz, she felt like she was cooking during the lessons and while working on the experiment kit, and she even said that she thought she could apply this experiment to her DNA after a while.

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CRISPR therapies could cause cancer

Even if CRISPR technology is a kind of revolution in genetic engineering, some experts emphasize CRISPR therapies could cause cancer or have unintended consequences. Some critics are concerned about environmental degradation, eugenics, and bioterrorism. But what exactly is CRISPR?

Acronym for "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats," CRISPR is a DNA sequence family found in the genomes of prokaryotic organisms like bacteria and archaea. These sequences are derived from bacteriophage DNA fragments that previously infected the prokaryote. They are used in subsequent infections to detect and destroy DNA from similar bacteriophages.

What about the kit?

You learn everything you need to know to practice bioengineering in the kit and class. Without prior experience. The class has eight lectures and experiments. The basic kit includes:

  • 0.5-10 uL pipette
  • 10-100 uL pipette
  • 100-1000 uL pipette
  • 0.5-10 uL tips
  •  10-100 uL tips
  • 100-1000 uL tips
  • Microcentrifuge tube rack
  • Petri dishes Scale and weigh boats
  •  Glass bottle
  • Nitrile Gloves
  • Orange film and Blue light
  • Microcentrifuge tubes
  • Inoculation Loops
  • LB agar
  • 50 mL tube for measuring
  • Colored water for pipetting practice
  • Bioluminescent Bacteria Grow Kit
  • GFP Bacteria Kit
  • CRISPR Kit
  • pDusk/ pDawn Biosensors Kit

Who is Jo Zayner?

Jo Zayner is a biohacker, artist, and scientist most known for their self-experimentation and work liberalizing CRISPR and making hands-on genetic engineering approachable to laypeople. At the NASA Ames Space Synthetic Biology Research Center in Mountain View, California, Zayner worked on the development of Martian colony habitats for two years. Zayner considers himself a biohacker and thinks it's important to involve the public in scientific research as opposed to keeping it confined to laboratories. In particular, Zayner found the academic biohacking community to be exclusionary and hierarchical in terms of the personalities who determine what is "safe."

SHOW COMMENT (1)

The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR, as indicated by the presence of a "CRISPR Kit" in the list of materials.

The gene editing technology mentioned in the document is CRISPR.

Biohacking involves using strategies such as nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation to activate epigenetic modifications and enhance the body's resources, with the goal of improving health and longevity.

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Content: Home » biohacking, reprogramming mind and body to live better

biohacking, reprogramming mind and body to live better

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It’s called “biohacking” and it comes from Silicon Valley. Listen: The long life diet: the longevity formula is calorie restriction …

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It’s called “biohacking” and comes from Silicon Valley.

A relatively new word that comes from the union of “biology” and “hacker” and indicates the attempt to positively influence the functioning of the organism, by hacking, ie trying to “force”, one’s genetic heritage. A strategy to live better and longer launched years ago by Californian top managers and which then spread throughout the world. How to upgrade the “operating system” of the human body? No manipulation, here we are talking about “reprogramming” and new lifestyles. “Our genetic heritage has enormous unexpressed potential that can be activated,” he explains Fabio Piccinidoctor and psychoanalyst, researcher of Food Sciences of theMarche Polytechnic University, author of the book “Biohacking Techniques: how to optimize metabolism to increase health and longevity”. “Biohacking aims to activate epigenetic modifications by awakening dormant genes to enhance the body’s resources.” While genetics studies the structure of DNA, epigenetics the way genes express themselves, i.e. how much they are turned on or off. “We’re talking about a set of strategies that aim to strengthen the body from a physical and mental point of view, first of all through nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, cognitive stimulation”. One of the pillars of biohacking and the intermittent fasting, Piccini adds, which plans to concentrate the diet in a precise time span of the day (to be followed always under medical supervision). «But it is equally important to take care of sleep, we know very well that sleep debt accelerates aging and that 30-40 percent of people sleep too little. Just as it is essential to check thehydration. Physical training must also be intermittent, with recovery periods in place to allow the muscle layers to rebuild. And then, you have to keep learning something at any age, another pillar of biohacking: studying music or a new language, for example, to counteract cognitive degeneration”.

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THE QUALITY OF LIFE

Sandra Milo is one of the supporters of this well-being and longevity strategy. «I’m lucky, at 90 I’m in full health and I still have a great desire to enjoy life. I don’t know if it’s a matter of genetics, nor do I think there is a “magic formula” of longevity, but I have certainly always been careful to lead a healthy life. There is nothing more beautiful than reaching old age with a smile and in full autonomy », says the actress who baptized the first Biohacking Suite in Rome. “Our mission is not so much to lengthen life but to improve its quality by lowering the rate of morbidity,” explains Dr. Claudio Urbani, specialist in regenerative medicine, neuroscience and stress therapy, head of the longevity center Umb. «Biohacking aims to modify dormant functional responses from non-use, from muscular or cardiovascular function to flexibility. It is about regaining possession of the body and the mind-body axis, starting with stress management». Diagnosing your own state of “aging” involves a series of tests. «The measurement of oxidative stress which measures the quantity of free radicals and indicates any inflammatory states, plethysmography to evaluate the functionality of the microcirculation of the legs, impedancemetry to study body composition, fat and lean mass, nutritional status and hydration level. And only after the check is a tailor-made program created for each person. Among the suggested therapies, there is also that of the cold which stimulates the metabolism and reduces inflammation ».

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Biohacking is a strategy for well-being and longevity that focuses on improving the quality of life by reducing morbidity, rather than just increasing lifespan. It involves methods such as stress management, nutritional therapies, and diagnostic tests to regain possession of the body and mind.

Biohacking enthusiasts are using various methods, including extreme dieting and supplement intake, to improve their physical and mental health, but their focus is primarily on self-optimization and productivity.

Biohacking involves testing biotechnologies on oneself to improve human condition, cure diseases, and evolve the human condition, with some biohackers seeing themselves as pioneering doctors who test new treatments on themselves.

Title:

Content: Biohacking is a controversial practice, but Lepht Anonym accepts its risks. More than once he has ended up in the ER, leaving doctors perplexed by inserting chips and even boxes with connectors into his body.

Centuries ago, when a doctor wanted to try a new vaccine or a new drug that he had created … he tested it on himself. Many died while developing new medicines.

Some biohackers they see themselves as those pioneering doctors of the Middle Ages: they test on their own body biotechnologies that aspire to improve the human being, cure diseases, and evolve the human condition, to achieve the desired happiness. And some have also died trying.

The biohacking, also known by the name of DIY biology or DIYbio, has as purpose improve our human condition making nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and technological implants available to everyone. You have more information on this card:

From its origins, Humanity pursues immortality and eternal youth. Biohacking seeks to improve our human condition with cybernetic implants. We explain who biohackers are, and why chips are installed inside the body.

Biohackers implant chips, sensors, machines and other mechanisms with the aim of overcoming physical and intellectual limits.

There is an ethical branch o legal of biohacking that only experiments with implants that do not pose a health hazard, for example chips under the skin.

But another trend is committed to not setting limits, even at the cost of putting your health at risk. Its objective is to defeat all diseases, aging and even death, with the help of technology. Then we will stop being human to become transhumans.

A first step towards posthumanism, where Humanity could dispense with its own body and live eternally as data in a neurological network.

Tips and guide to buy a next-generation sports watch that fits your needs and helps you improve your sports goals.

Within these biohackers, grinders they are the most extreme version. It is the case of Lepht Anonym, a British biohacker that, as he tells us Business Insider, more than 50 chips, antennas and other devices have been implanted in the body.

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As only professionals can use anesthesia, all Lepht Anonym implants have been inserted into your body by volunteers, to live. Your goal is “improve our quality of life through technology“.

Lepth explains on his blog that inserts its own chips because “there is no other easy way to do it. I will not wait for someone with a research laboratory to endorse this search.“.

The first chip that this biohacker was implanted under the skin, it allowed pay in stores simply by touching the card reader.

It was also implanted some magnets under the fingers, which detected external sensors to feel the distance between hands and objects. This could help blind people to move without hitting obstacles.

Hackers and the computer world are increasingly present in television fictions. Surely at the moment we can think of a series that deals with these topics, but if you can only think of one or two, we have selected a few about hackers that we find interesting.

His latest experiment, last year, has been his most troublesome. A box several centimeters long, with antennas, USB storage and connectors, was inserted under the arm. All went well until he hit his arm in a taxi, and began to swell. He had to go to the emergency room:

There the doctors told me that I was fatal, that they did not understand why I had put a box in my arm“.

In the end, he gave up: “They kept insisting that I take it off. I let them do it because they discovered that a hole had opened in one corner of the device and a large amount of a viscous substance was coming out“.

After that incident, Lepht Anonym has not updated his blog again.

The biohacking it is a practice that is just beginning. But without a doubt, it will go further. There are already medical biohackers, and the goal is to incorporate this branch of technology into medicine.

Put it in the hands of experts, because people’s health is at stake.

Biohacking involves using technology, such as cybernetic implants, to improve the human condition and overcome physical and intellectual limits. Some biohackers prioritize safety and use implants that do not pose a health hazard, while others are more extreme and willing to take risks to achieve their goals, including defeating diseases, aging, and death.

Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health, particularly for individuals with ADHD, trauma, and OCD.

Neuro-feedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health by re-training the brain to tackle issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, and OCD.

"Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health by training the brain to self-regulate and reinforce pathways, and although it is still experimental, it is believed to have beneficial effects on individuals."

Neurofeedback therapy is a biohacking method used to improve mental health, as evidenced by Dean's experience of overcoming crippling fear and anxiety after completing 20 sessions.

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by reducing morbidity through stress management, nutritional therapies, and medical screenings.

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by combating ageing causes like inflammation and cardiovascular degeneration through methods including diet and supplements.

According to the studies, how does intermittent fasting help?

Biohacking focuses on improving quality of life by addressing the underlying causes of ailments and enhancing overall well-being through various methods and techniques.

Title:

Content: There were 1,085 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 436,753 in the last 365 days.

Hack Your Health Announces Distinguished Emcees To Lead the 2024 Event

Steven Klein

Adam Schaeuble

Renee Belz

Lauren Sambataro

AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA, January 26, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Hack Your Health, the premier event in the field of nutrition, biohacking and health optimization, is thrilled to announce the emcees who will guide and inspire attendees at this year's conference. These emcees bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the fields of biohacking, podcasting, nutrition, and mental health, making them the perfect hosts for this groundbreaking event.

Steven Klein: Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Health

Steven Klein is renowned for his journey towards optimal health and wellness. Following a life-altering experience involving a car accident on an interstate highway, Steven embarked on a dedicated path to achieve the pinnacle of well-being. Over the course of approximately 12 years, he delved deep into the realm of biohacking, driven by a fervent desire to disseminate scientifically-backed approaches aimed at addressing the underlying causes of ailments and enhancing overall well-being. His innate ability to connect people, often earning him the moniker “Superkonnector,” played a pivotal role in the extraordinary series of events that led to an invitation to a biohacking event in 2015, among numerous other remarkable experiences. This convergence of events eventually gave rise to the term “Stevendipity.”

Adam Schaeuble: Podcasting Business Expert

Adam Schaeuble is a full-time podcaster, podcasting business consultant, and the host of the top-ranked podcast Podcasting Business School. Adam utilizes his three-phase Podcasting Business Accelerator process to help coaches, consultants, and service providers leverage podcasting to generate a 6-figure income stream while subtracting at least ONE day from their work week. His expertise in the world of podcasting is sure to provide valuable insights for our attendees.

Renee Belz: A Holistic Approach to Nutrition

Certified Nutritional Consultant and Holistic Lifestyle Coach with a Master’s degree in Nutrition, Renee Belz, is set to inspire our audience with her deep knowledge of nutrition. Co-hosting the Biohacker Babes podcast with her sister, Renee's journey began after years of struggling with her own health issues, leading her to understand that there isn't a "one size fits all" approach to health optimization. Her passion lies in helping clients achieve optimal health by crafting personalized health plans tailored to their bio-individual needs.

Lauren Sambataro: Metabolic and Mental Health Coach Extraordinaire

Lauren Sambataro, a Metabolic and Mental Health Coach with 16 years of experience, will also be among our esteemed emcees. As a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, CHEK Integrated Movement Sciences and Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and Functional Mental Health Practitioner, Lauren supports her clients through the lens of biochemical individuality, curating unique individualized blueprints for transcending wellness goals. Her extensive expertise in diagnostic testing & quantification practices, body mapping, and deep listening practices is sure to provide attendees with actionable insights for lasting, transformative change.

The event organizer, Robin Switzer, shared: "Hack Your Health is thrilled to have such distinguished emcees leading this year's event. With their collective expertise, attendees can expect a conference filled with cutting-edge insights and inspiration to take control of their health and well-being".

To learn more about Hack Your Health 2024 and to register for the MUST_ATTEND event, please visit www.hackyourhealth.com

Robin Switzer
Q1 Productions
email us here
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According to the studies, how does intermittent fasting help?

Biohacking techniques aim to optimize metabolism, increase health, and longevity through strategies like intermittent fasting, improved sleep quality, hydration, and physical activity, as well as cognitive stimulation and continuous learning.

According to the studies, how does intermittent fasting help?

The goal of the biohacker's approach, besides prolonging life, is to improve the quality of life by lowering the rate of morbidity.

According to the studies, how does intermittent fasting help?

It reduces the risk of lifestyle-related diseases, such as metabolic disorders.

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize overall health and well-being, in addition to prolonging life, by improving physical strength, fertility, and epigenetics, and reducing the risk of age-related diseases.

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Biohacking & Toxic Masculinity: How Women Dismantled The Boys Club

Author: Medical reviewer:
Beauty & Health Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Beauty & Health Editor
Jamie Schneider is the Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
Medical review by
Bindiya Gandhi, M.D.
Physician
Dr. Bindiya Gandhi is an American Board Family Medicine–certified physician who completed her family medicine training at Georgia Regents University/Medical College of Georgia.
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Take a quick search for “biohacker” on TikTok (a tag with over 137 million views), and you’ll discover a slew of men discussing their muscle gains, testosterone levels, and cold plunge routines. You’ll see some women on the page, but the space is undoubtedly dominated by male energy. And think of the outspoken biohackers you may listen to on podcasts—chances are most of them are men, too.

This gendered approach to biohacking, while pervasive, is simply misguided. But now, women are asserting their authority in health optimization, and we expect their emphasis to soar in the year ahead.

Meet the experts

Molly Maloof. M.D.

Molly Maloof. M.D. provides health optimization and personalized medicine to high-achieving entrepreneurs, investors, and technology executives. Since 2012, she has worked as an advisor or consultant to more than 50 companies in the digital health, consumer health, and biotechnology industries. Her company, Adamo Bioscience, is working on sexual health optimization.

Gabrielle Lyon, D.O.

Gabrielle Lyon, D.O. is a board-certified family physician leading a disruption in modern medicine that focuses on the largest organ in the body: skeletal muscle. With a background that includes a combined research and clinical fellowship in geriatrics and nutritional sciences at Washington University and undergraduate training in nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois, she is a subject-matter expert on protein for health, performance, aging, and disease prevention.

Stacy Salvi

Stacy Salvi is the vice president of product and strategy at the medical device company Movano Health—the creator of the Evie Ring, the first medical-grade health wearable designed for women.

Mona Vand, PharmD

Mona Vand, PharmD studied pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences before developing her platform that shares holistic wellness advice.

Why biohacking isn’t just for “bros”

“Women are the original biohackers,” declares family physician, Molly Maloof, M.D. “Our hormones change throughout our lives, and this requires us to adapt accordingly.” Our biology means that women often need to constantly edit their health routines and experiment with lifestyle habits as time goes on. Isn’t that the very definition of biohacking?

Let's back up: Here at mindbodygreen, we think of “biohacking” as the practice of making lifestyle tweaks to optimize health and promote longevity. Not shortcuts—contrary to popular belief—but low-lift, everyday habits that complement and enhance an existing well-being routine. Think: optimizing your exercise regimen using tools and techniques (the “biohacks”) to enhance muscle growth. It’s essentially all about advancing health with “do it yourself” biology—a topic that can pique anyone’s interest, regardless of gender.

“[Women] have a most complex physiological lifecycle that requires us to track and manage fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, sexuality, perimenopause, and menopause. So we should be looking at biohacking as a path to even greater health and owning the opportunity to improve our lives,” says Maloof.

Yet many women feel intimidated to enter the biohacking scene as it exists today, turned off by the male-dominated energy in the room.

Women are the original biohackers

Molly Maloof, M.D

“Biohacking has always grabbed my attention, and I want to learn, but it sometimes makes me really stressed out, because I go into this state of perfectionism where I have to do all the things,” says doctor of pharmacy and wellness practitioner Mona Vand, PharmD. “The few biohackers that I followed were all males… it just doesn't really resonate with my energy.”

This male energy is not only frustrating but can potentially harm women’s health in the long run. After all, building muscle, prioritizing protein, and keeping an eye on various health metrics are crucial for longevity—in some cases, these proactive measures can save lives. When women don’t get involved, it can totally impact their well-being.

“Physical strength is nonnegotiable,” says functional medicine doctor Gabrielle Lyon, D.O. “I've been a physician since 2006, and I've never heard someone say, ‘I regret being physically strong.’” And the muscle-building space impacts more than just physiological changes, she says. “You optimize fertility, you make healthier babies, you help the epigenetics of your child,” Lyon adds. “You age better, your skin is better, you're less likely to fall and break a hip… There's nothing that doesn't get better the stronger you are.”

So let’s be clear: Dismantling the biohacking boy’s club is not just about helping women feel included; there are real health implications at stake here.

Why the biohacker space actually really needs a dose of feminine energy

I’d be remiss not to mention how biohacking culture can easily become synonymous with hustle culture (some experts don’t even like to use the term, as it implies you can achieve optimal health with quick fixes). But as more women enter the biohacking space, we expect it to become more intuitive and less about hitting every single benchmark. From there, we predict women will focus more on sustainable changes long-term instead of a gazillion quick hacks.

“I used to think it was a flex to do a million things at the same time and habit stack,” Vand recounts. “I now carve out time for doing things that have no efficiency to them, that are strictly for joy or rest and relaxation, versus benefiting my longevity or health. It can be a little bit obsessive when you get into this thought pattern, and I just don't resonate with it.”

This doesn’t mean biohacking will become “softer” as it embraces feminine energy. But there’s an opportunity here for women to introduce some much-needed flexibility into a space that has long felt needlessly rigid.

How the biohacker game is changing — and where it’s headed next

Thanks to a growing awareness that healthcare protocols should not be gendered, more women are now starting to pay attention to markers of performance like lean muscle, hormetic stressors, VO2 max, HRV, zone 2 training, etc. “Cold plunging, saunas, and harder, more physical activities are not just for the boys anymore,” adds Lyon—and we expect an even bigger shift to come in 2024.

“I think it’s super exciting to see biohacking become more mainstream and more women joining the conversation,” adds Maloof. She praises apps like Wild.AI, for women who aim to make lifestyle adjustments based on their menstrual cycle, and Zero, for women who want to dabble in time-restricted eating, both of which have helped to herald the shift.

Other existing health optimization companies are now inviting women into the conversation by introducing specific features informed by their unique physiology. WHOOP, for example, is currently working on upgrades to their popular health-tracking band: “We did a study recently where we learned a lot about how a woman's body changes during pregnancy and how her heart rate variability (HRV) will evolve. It'll decrease, and then about seven weeks before she gives birth, it will increase sharply,” explains Will Ahmed, WHOOP founder and CEO, on the mindbodygreen podcast

If a woman didn’t know that this was supposed to happen, she might look at this stark increase with a critical (or anxious) eye. “We've been able to take population-level data on pregnant women and now have a feature in the app, where a woman can see how her body is evolving alongside what other pregnant women are experiencing,” he adds.

Similarly, creatine supplements—from the ingredients to the packaging—are no longer marketed toward dudes looking to bulk up, and we are certainly here for it. After all, muscle mass is a predictor of longevity and healthspan, so supplements that promote it can help all of us “hack” our health in a big way.

And as Lyon notes, women have lower endogenous creatine stores compared to men (meaning, they have less available). And the amino acid has been associated with significantly increased muscle mass1 in both men and women, without increasing the risk of adverse outcomes2, like weight gain. “Most of the women in my practice will go on creatine, and they find anecdotally that it really improves both anaerobic and aerobic exercise performance,” Lyon shares.

Not to mention the supplement’s brain health perks: Taking creatine has been shown to benefit both working memory and processing speed3 as well as cognitive longevity4. “It is above and beyond simply sport performance,” adds Lyon, who has certainly seen an uptick in women curious about creatine.

As women feel intimidated (or even restricted) by biohacking spaces, some experts have taken it upon themselves to create new ones that center the feminine. For example, neuropsychophysiologist Kayla Osterhoff, MPH, offers a Women's Biohacking Mini Course, consisting of lifestyle routines and tips aligned with female physiology.

Osterhoff also recently presented at the 2023 Dragonfly Live Conference—among other female biohackers—to discuss the latest advancements in women's well-being and the “health revolution” that’s sweeping the mainstream. This conference aims to gather the “who's-who” in the health space to discuss cutting-edge strategies and innovations that optimize well-being—by having women biohackers at the forefront of the conversation, we can expect them to hit the main stage in a broader sense.

Or take the brand new Evie Ring, the first medical-grade health wearable designed for women, created by medical device company Movano Health. The technology ties hormonal information to a woman’s sleep, activity, and heart health data (among other metrics).

For instance, “If we notice a more restless night of sleep in the luteal phase, we'll point it out and also give some strategies for how somebody may attack their day, despite having not gotten as good of a night of sleep,” says Stacy Salvi, vice president of product and strategy at Movano Health. Similarly, “We know that there are cardiovascular implications when your estrogen drops, so they would want to keep a better look on the function of their heart,” she adds. “This would be something that they would be able to do from our app.”

Even the design itself was made with women in mind: The ring features an open band meant to accommodate how women’s fingers change in size throughout the day, so it can stay comfortable.

To avoid needless stress, Evie also limits the amount of goals you can set on the app. “You can only set three at a time, because we do not want to overwhelm [users] with a bunch of different things,” says Salvi. “I mean, I'm an overachiever. I probably would set every single goal and then fail at them.” And heaven knows we don’t need yet another way for busy, overwhelmed women to feel like they’re failing in a society with unsurmountable standards.

Forecasting the future

A woman walks up to the weight rack in 2024. She sees the usual suspects—bros pounding protein shakes and grunting through their bicep curls—but now she also sees a fair amount of women on the scene. They’ve got creatine supplements! Fitness trackers! Kettlebells! (And no, they aren’t pink.)

Granted, we still have a ways to go before women feel totally embraced by the biohacking space (we’d first have to close the centuries-long gender gap in science and medicine), but it’s clear that the arena is becoming way less of a boy’s club. “And the world is ready, my friend,” says Lyon. “The world is absolutely ready for this.”

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Biohackers aim to not only prolong life but also maintain youthful bodies and minds by combating age-related issues like inflammation and cardiovascular degeneration.

The biohacker's approach aims to achieve optimal health and wellness by addressing the underlying causes of ailments and enhancing overall well-being, in addition to prolonging life.

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize health and longevity by activating dormant genes and enhancing the body's resources through strategies such as nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation.

The biohacker's approach aims to improve human health and condition by using biotechnologies to cure diseases and achieve happiness.

The biohacker's approach aims to improve the human condition and overcome physical and intellectual limits through the use of cybernetic implants and technology, with the ultimate goal of defeating diseases, aging, and death.

The biohacker's approach aims to achieve self-optimization and improved health through various techniques, including neuroscience calisthenics and cyborggainz, and promises to provide tips and tricks to upgrade the body, brain, and life.

Title:

Content: There were 802 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 218,846 in the last 365 days.

Jean Fallacara Guest on The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast

Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast with Jean Fallacara

The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast Episode 156 with Jean Fallacara deep dive into Neuroscience Calisthenics and Cyborggainz

Way too many people want to perform, but they don't put the right parameter and setup in place”
— Jean Fallacara
BOSTON, MA, CANADA, August 11, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Cyborgmedia LLC, is pleased to announce that our CEO Jean Fallacara was invited guest on The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast Episode 156 -
The episode is airing on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Join best-selling author and actress Melanie Avalon as she interviews today’s leading health and wellness experts, going beyond the fads to bring you all the biohacking tips, tricks, and techniques to effortlessly upgrade your body, brain, and life.

In this episode, Melanie and Jean took a deep dive into human performance and biohacking speaking about Neuroscience Calisthenics, achieving the Flow State, Music and the Brain
Visualization and Goal Setting, Addiction and IQ, Dopamine Pathways, Quantum Science and more.

With close than 300,000 followers on Instagram @Cyborggainz, Jean shares his knowledge of neuroplasticity, science, biohacking, and cognitive functions to explain how to incorporate functional neuroscience into sports and fitness in order to redefine workouts and enhance the performance of body and brain.

“"Way too many people want to perform, but they don't put the right parameter and setup in place.
You want to start? Put some dedication into what you're doing. That's the first thing.”
“..once you set that goal, there is no plan B. Don't think about an escape plan. If You're not convinced, you're not dedicated to it”
Jean Fallacara

- About Jean Fallacara
Biohacker, Disruptor - Master of Chaos, Risk & Figuring it out- Jean is a Serial entrepreneur, Scientist, Author, Athlete and Public Speaker.
Already ranked
-Top 10 Entrepreneurs to Follow by LA WEEKLY,
-Top 10 Motivational Influencers Canada
-Top 10 Athletes Instagram Influencers In Montreal.

Author of the Book “Neuroscience Calisthenics: Hijack your Body Clock.” Jean is also Owner of Biohacker’s Update Magazine, world’s first magazine about Biohacking and Human Optimization. www.biohackersmagazine.com
He recently accepted a position as Managing Director at inTEST Corporation [NYSE: INTT], in 2021 after his group Z-Sciences was acquired.

About Melanie Avalon
Melanie holds a certification in Holistic Nutrition from the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), and is certified as a Wine Specialist by the internationally renowned Wine And Spirits Education Trust (WSET), achieving a perfect score for Level II. Melanie studied in the literary-based “Thematic Option” honors program at the University of Southern California. While at USC, Melanie presented in the annual Thematic Option Research Conference, received the Louise Kerckhoff scholarship for her paper “Charcot's Oppressive Hysteria: Vindicated Today?,” and contributed her “Diary of A Crazy Woman” editorial series to the Delta Kappa Alpha film fraternity’s newsletter. She later Melanie published the #1 Amazon best seller, The What When Wine Diet: Paleo and Intermittent Fasting for Health and Weight Loss.

About Cyborgmedia LLC.
From Scientific & Business Consulting, to Articles Interviews Press TV Podcasts, TedX talks, Events & More.. Unlock full potential of Human, Environment, and organization.
Career development , learning, empowering natural talents and strengths where ever they are.

We Create The Future and Optimize Your Life and Business.

CyborgMedia LLC Manages, controls & operates:

-CYBORGGAINZ Pushing human performance forward, Running all sorts of experiments in order to optimize bodies, to achieve peak performance, and upgrade physical + mental performance. -

-BIOHACKERS MAGAZINE The first magazine about Biohacking and Self Optimization, Biohacker’s Update is entirely committed to sharing all the essential hacks, updates and trends from the Biohacking World with the community at large.

-NO PLAN-B PODCAST Hosted by Jean Fallacara, discussing human optimization and the future of Biohacking with the industry experts. Jean Fallacara, Serial Entrepreneur Master of Chaos, Risk & Figuring

Dallas McClain
CyborgMedia LLC
+1 857-350-6907
email us here
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Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast with Jean Fallacara

The biohacker's approach aims to optimize health and promote longevity through everyday habits and lifestyle tweaks.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a means to achieve high mental performance, creativity, and productivity, particularly in competitive industries like tech, but also raises concerns about its safety and efficacy due to the use of unconventional and sometimes poorly researched methods.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, driven by societal pressure to be successful and productive, and can have both positive and negative consequences for one's health.

Biohacking is a controversial practice where individuals test biotechnologies on themselves to improve human condition, but it can be risky and has led to deaths.

The practice of biohacking is perceived as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, with some individuals using it to improve their health and well-being, while others push the boundaries of human enhancement, potentially at the risk of their health.

The practice of biohacking, including methods such as microchip implants, is perceived as having both potential benefits and risks, and its implications need to be carefully considered, including the potential for surveillance and the importance of ethics.

Title:

Content: RFID chips in humans, "bio-hacking" or government surveillance tool?

Published: Nov. 10, 2022 at 9:54 PM CST|Updated: 51 minutes ago

SFBU Professor Ahmed Banafa, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, outlines the risks and benefits of implanted microchips

FREMONT, Calif., Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Robocop, Star Wars, and Iron Man are all blockbuster examples of humans enhancing themselves through mechanical means. In reality, the application of the same principles is happening now through RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips in humans. These chips are incredibly small - about the size of a grain of rice - and can store information such as medical records or access to buildings and devices.

Professor Ahmed Banafa, an engineering professor at San Francisco Bay University, recently wrote a paper on the topic in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Professor Banafa states, "At first glance, such consumer technology looks like a harmless whim, or the next logical step among those who favor piercings, or the supposed ultimate in convenience. But inserting identification microchips in humans would also seem to bear the seeds of a particularly intrusive form of surveillance, at a time when authorities in some parts of the world have been forcibly collecting DNA and other biological data – including blood samples, fingerprints, voice recordings, iris scans, and other unique identifiers – from all their citizens."

Professor Banafa teaches not only the technical side of human enhancement but also discusses the ethics and, ultimately, the why with his students. It's important to understand all of the implications of microchip implants, their humanity-changing benefits, and the potentially disastrous consequences.

For more information about the topic or to interview San Francisco Bay University engineering Professor Banafa, please contact pr@sfbu.edu.

SFBU is a premier WASC/WSCUC-accredited, nonprofit university located in the San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley. SFBU offers degree programs in computer science, engineering, technology, and management. Learn more at www.SFBU.edu.

Contact:
SFBU Communications
pr@sfbu.edu
(510) 803-7328

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SOURCE San Francisco Bay University

The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.

Biohacking involves using various strategies to optimize one's health and well-being, including nutrition, sleep quality, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation. Intermittent fasting, taking care of sleep and hydration, and engaging in physical training with recovery periods are some of the key pillars of biohacking.

According to the studies, how does intermittent fasting help?

Users of nootropics expect to achieve improved cognitive function, increased productivity, and enhanced intelligence.

Users of nootropics expect to improve their productivity and ability to focus, allowing them to work for longer periods without distractions.

Users of nootropics expect to achieve cognitive enhancements, such as improved focus, concentration, and productivity.

Users of nootropics primarily expect to achieve increased productivity, with only a small percentage seeking to improve their empathy or kindness.

Users of nootropics expect to achieve improved cognitive function, particularly in terms of focus, concentration, and memory, in order to gain a competitive edge in their academic or professional pursuits.

"Some entrepreneurs use certain substances, possibly nootropics or smart drugs, to enhance their cognitive abilities and improve mental performance."

Some entrepreneurs use nootropics, also known as "smart" drugs, for cognitive enhancement.

Some entrepreneurs use nootropics, which are substances originally designed to treat cognitive disorders, to enhance their cognitive abilities, such as learning, focus, and creative thinking.

Nootropics are used by some entrepreneurs for cognitive enhancement, allowing them to work and study for longer periods without distractions.

Nootropics are substances used by some entrepreneurs for cognitive enhancement, but they can have severe side effects like addiction.