20 Years of Alto, 20 Years of Science: Our End of Year Recap of an Amazing Blog Series.
23rd December 2022 - Last modified 18th October 2023
20 years of Alto. 20 years of science. #20
By Ashley Hayes, Science Writer/Account Executive
2022 was a very special year for Alto as we celebrated our 20th anniversary!
Throughout the year, the blog series “20 years of Alto. 20 years of science” has highlighted some of the amazing scientific advancements of our time.
Across 20 blog posts, Alto’s PhD level science writers have looked at some major scientific breakthroughs over the past 20 years. We’ve searched far and wide to cover relevant and exciting scientific areas, with topics ranging from human disease and drug discovery to weird and wonderful microorganisms, climate change and even outer space!
Whether discussing something as small as an atom, or as big as the universe, our writing team has showcased an impressive breadth of scientific knowledge – and the ability to write about all kinds of topics!
As we wave goodbye to 2022, here is a recap of the fantastic articles that have been posted.
A revolutionary gene editing technology
Kickstarting the series was a blog post on a technology that has revolutionised gene editing: CRISPR-Cas9. Learn how this system has been harnessed in the biomedical industry, to deepen fundamental knowledge of diseases and to also provide treatment.
CRISPR-Cas9: The Genius Genome Editing System
A discovery in particle physics that could alter the fate of the universe
The second blog post took the focus right down to an atomic level with the discovery of the Higgs Boson. Discover how the concept of the Higgs Boson was born, and how this knowledge could drive new discoveries on the makeup of the universe and, in turn, help us more accurately predict the fate of all existence.
The Higgs Boson: The Nobel Prize Winner Half a Century in the Making
An overlooked connection between the gut and brain
You’ve probably never wondered if your digestive system could influence your brain health. But amazingly, it can! Find out how the gut microbiome is linked to neurological disorders including autism and Parkinson’s disease, and mental health conditions including stress, anxiety and depression. Find out how this knowledge has been used to develop probiotics for the gut that can help treat neurological disorders.
The Gut-Brain Axis: Challenging our Understanding of Neurological Disease
A pioneering cancer therapy is just around the corner
Learn about a promising new cancer treatment, CAR T-cells, which are created using genetically engineered immune cells designed to overcome the body’s inability to recognise cancer cells. Read how CAR T-cells have been taken from a concept to clinical trials, and the barriers to overcome before these cells are a viable, mainstream cancer treatment.
CAR T-cells: Giving our Own Bodies the Battle Plan Against Cancer
Microorganisms discovered in the world’s most unexpected places
Did you know that life has been found on some of the world’s most inhospitable environments? From Chernobyl to Arctic seawater, learn about the molecular adaptations that have allowed microorganisms to thrive in extreme habitats.
A World at the Extremes: Extremophilic Micro-organisms
Adaptable immune cells with undeniable potential
Macrophages are a type of white blood cell with varied functions in the immune system. Find out about their role in tumour progression, tissue regeneration, and even COVID-19. Also learn how these immune cells may be engineered in the future to fight cancer.
Eat, Sleep, Fight, Repeat: Macrophage Cells at Work
Unravelling the human genome
From the start of the human genome project in 2003, sequencing of the human genome has made amazing advancements – do we now have the final chapter? Learn about the key discoveries of this latest project, including the unravelling of vast sections of the genome that don’t encode proteins, and large sections that contain repetitive DNA sequences. Find out how the functions of these portions of the genome are being uncovered, which could unlock new information on our traits, including the genetic basis of disease.
The Final Chapter of the Human Genome…?
A sci-fi looking invention to reduce the need for animal testing
Amazingly, microfluidic chips containing human tissues and named ‘organ-on-a-chip’ have been invented to replicate organ functions. The eighth blog in our series describes this curious creation in more detail, explaining how organ-on-a-chip technology can be used to reduce the reliance on animal testing and provide a much more ethical route to getting a drug to market.
Organ-on-a-Chip: Paving the Way Towards Animal-Free Research?
A 21st century discovery with gravitational impact
In 1916, Einstein proposed the existence of gravitational waves. These are ripples in space that are formed when celestial bodies – like planets or stars – are in orbit, generating large and invisible forces. Read how Einstein’s theory of gravitational waves was confirmed in 2015, and how this changes what we know about the Universe.
Making (Gravitational) Waves: Understanding the Gravity of LIGO’s Discovery
A multi-billion-dollar telescope to provide dazzling new information on the cosmos
Keeping on the theme of space, our tenth blog focused on the James Webb super telescope that was launched by NASA on Christmas day in 2021. Learn about what puts this telescope head and shoulders above the rest, and how this technology promises to capture unprecedented information on the creation of stars, with the ability to image massive supernovae explosions.
The James Webb Super Telescope
Therapy for your genes? The development of a technique to treat diseases at their source
Gene therapy involves the modification of genes to treat or prevent disease. This blog describes the amazing progress that has been made for this technique, discussing the different types of gene therapy and promising results for a range of diseases, including immunodeficiencies, blood disorders, cancer and inherited retinal diseases.
20 Years of Gene Therapy: From Concept to Clinic
Cloning ancient DNA has unlocked secrets of human traits
Advances in technology over the past two decades have enabled the DNA of ancient specimens to be sequenced. This blog details how the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in particular has had a ground-breaking impact on research, providing exciting new insight into how we have evolved, and the genetic basis of human traits including disease, and adaptations to climate change.
Crops engineered to weather the effects of climate change
It would be wrong to not talk about solutions for climate change when discussing the past 20 years of scientific advances! Blog #13 in our series talks about how we have engineered crops to better tolerate drought, which is an extreme environmental condition brought on by climate change that is predicted to take a large toll on our food supply. Learn how the modification of photosynthesis can help plants better deal with water shortage, to ensure we can feed a growing population in the face of rising CO2 levels.
For robot-assisted surgery, the future is now
Although it may seem scary, robots can actually increase the safety of surgical procedures, with robotic arms providing a steadiness and accuracy that human arms are simply uncapable of. This blog describes how robotics facilitate complex neurosurgical procedures including deep brain stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy. Also, learn how robotics-assisted surgery could transition to robot-automated surgery. One day in the future, the presence of robots in operating theatres may just become the norm!
Robots: Sci-fi to Science to Surgery
Tiny worms are pushing the boundaries of space travel and accelerating drug discovery
Blog #15 focused on a microscopic worm likely to be found in your garden, C. elegans. Find out how the remarkable similarities between the C. elegans and human genomes have allowed for the use of this worm as a model organism. Learn how C. elegans has been used to identify human genes crucial for our adaptation to long periods of space travel, and the identification of genes responsible for a range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Nematodes: Worming their Way into Research
Moving towards a future of clean energy
Renewable – or ‘clean’ – energy has made vast progress in the 21st century, as we strive to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Learn about the recent innovations in renewable energy that are showing superior efficiency to conventional green energy, such as solar power, wind power and hydroelectricity. Maybe the future doesn’t look so bleak after all!
Renewable Energy: Can New Technology Offer Hope?
Pandemics are on the forefront of everyone’s minds
One of the final few blog posts of this series focused on pandemics. The 21st century has seen the global spread of several viruses including bird flu, swine flu, ebola, and, last – but not certainly not least – COVID-19. This blog discusses how viruses commonly spread from animals to humans, the effective public health approaches to limit their spread, and why pandemics may arise again in the future.
A war is being waged between antibiotics and bacteria, but which will come out on top?
The growth of antibiotic-resistant superbugs is a growing global concern that has been triggered by our increased use of antibiotics. Find out about the clever solutions that scientists have developed to help antibiotics win the war against bacteria.
Antibiotics vs Bacteria: Which Will Win the War?
An artificial intelligence technology makes a huge leap for protein science
Blog #19 in this series was based on the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) program, AlphaFold, to predict the structure of all characterised proteins in existence. This article covers the profound impact of this program on research, from accelerating the development of new medicines and identifying enzymes that can break down single-use plastics. Who knows what else AlphaFold could enable!
How AI Changed the World of Protein Science
And that’s a wrap for 2022!
Looking back over our ’20 years of Alto. 20 years of science’ series has showcased the huge progression in science over the past two decades. Here we are, at the cusp of implementing novel technologies in medicine, agriculture, engineering – all aimed at helping us to tackle global issues like disease, antibiotic resistance, renewable energy and climate change. These new technological inventions will also undoubtedly allow us to make new discoveries on the workings of the Universe, from outer space right down to our own DNA.
If you’ve enjoyed our blogs this year then please do let us know – we would love to hear from you! And if you’re looking for science writing support in 2023 then send us an email to find out more.
