Nature Biotechnology 26, 1199 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1199

As sources of funding dwindle, could the health insurance sector do more to support biotech innovation and help itself at the same time?

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1211 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1211

Author: Crispin Littlehales

In under three years, Deborah Dunsire transformed Millennium Pharmaceuticals from an unprofitable company to Takeda's oncology centerpiece. What's next?

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1213 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1213

Author: Alan Dove

The blood-brain barrier has confounded the development of many neurological treatments over the years. Now, several companies are claiming they can tackle the problem. Alan Dove reports.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1217 (2008). doi:10.1038/bioe.2008.9

Author: James G Cullem

Intellectual property (IP) is a critical asset at most life science start-up companies. Savvy organizational management of IP strategies and assets is essential in optimizing IP value as a sustainable business is built.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1227 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1227

Author: Saurabh Aggarwal

Despite losses in revenue from erythropoietins, historically the highest earner of all biologics, more than 100 biotech drugs continued their upward trend in sales begun in 2006, with antibodies and insulin analogs fueling growth at double-digit rates.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1235 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1235

Authors: Y Philip Zhang & Michelle M Deng

Companies with a significant intellectual property stake in China should put in place an effective protection and enforcement strategy against local and overseas competitors.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1243 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1243

Authors: Paul Gadue & George Cotsarelis

Induced pluripotent stem cells have been generated from single human hairs, providing an easily accessible source of cells amenable to efficient reprogramming.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1244 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1244

Authors: Sanjeeva Srivastava & Joshua LaBaer

Antibody-tagged carbon nanotubes permit sensitive detection on protein microarrays by surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1246 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1246

Authors: William E Lowry & Kathrin Plath

Several new approaches for generating induced pluripotent stem cells reduce the risk of insertional mutagenesis.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1248 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1248

Authors: Alistair C Darby & Neil Hall

High-throughput sequencing rapidly connects microbial phenotypes and genotypes to guide metabolic engineering.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1251 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1499

Authors: Gal Chechik, Eugene Oh, Oliver Rando, Jonathan Weissman, Aviv Regev & Daphne Koller

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1269 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1502

Authors: Danwei Huangfu, Kenji Osafune, René Maehr, Wenjun Guo, Astrid Eijkelenboom, Shuibing Chen, Whitney Muhlestein & Douglas A Melton

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1276 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1503

Authors: Trond Aasen, Angel Raya, Maria J Barrero, Elena Garreta, Antonella Consiglio, Federico Gonzalez, Rita Vassena, Josipa Bilić, Vladimir Pekarik, Gustavo Tiscornia, Michael Edel, Stéphanie Boué & Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1285 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1501

Authors: Zhuo Chen, Scott M Tabakman, Andrew P Goodwin, Michael G Kattah, Dan Daranciang, Xinran Wang, Guangyu Zhang, Xiaolin Li, Zhuang Liu, Paul J Utz, Kaili Jiang, Shoushan Fan & Hongjie Dai

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1293 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1505

Authors: Hongkai Ji, Hui Jiang, Wenxiu Ma, David S Johnson, Richard M Myers & Wing H Wong

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1301 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt.1506

Authors: Eugenio Butelli, Lucilla Titta, Marco Giorgio, Hans-Peter Mock, Andrea Matros, Silke Peterek, Elio G W M Schijlen, Robert D Hall, Arnaud G Bovy, Jie Luo & Cathie Martin

Dietary consumption of anthocyanins, a class of pigments produced by higher plants, has been associated with protection against a broad range of human diseases. However, anthocyanin levels in the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables may be inadequate to confer optimal benefits. When we expressed two transcription factors from snapdragon in tomato, the fruit of the plants accumulated anthocyanins at levels substantially higher than previously reported for efforts to engineer anthocyanin accumulation in tomato and at concentrations comparable to the anthocyanin levels found in blackberries and blueberries. Expression of the two transgenes enhanced the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of tomato fruit threefold and resulted in fruit with intense purple coloration in both peel and flesh. In a pilot test, cancer-susceptible Trp53−/− mice fed a diet supplemented with the high-anthocyanin tomatoes showed a significant extension of life span.

Nature Biotechnology 26, 1309 (2008). doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1309

Author: Mari Paul

Today's demographics call for biotech companies to be more flexible with their workforce.