Sachin Rawat

1 month ago | synbiobeta.com | Sachin Rawat

The world has a seemingly insatiable appetite for fats. Beyond food production, tallow is used as a fuel, industrial lubricant, and raw material for various industrial chemicals. Palm oil, derived from palm trees in large monoculture plantations, has applications in food, personal care, pharma, and textiles, among other sectors. But this high demand for fats comes at a massive ecological cost.

2 months ago | synbiobeta.com | Sachin Rawat

In a study published this year, the failing hearts of rhesus macaques and a human patient were reinvigorated with cells derived from them. Heart cells extracted from the patient were engineered and grown into a patch. When grafted into the patient, the patch promoted new muscle growth and improved the heart’s pumping ability. As we age, heart muscle cells thicken and lose elasticity.

Mar 17, 2025 | synbiobeta.com | Sachin Rawat

In 2026, NASA’s Artemis program will send astronauts to the moon after five decades. Plans for later phases include setting up a space station orbiting the moon and a permanent base on the lunar south pole. Producing food on-site will be essential for long-term space travel. It would allow space missions to take off with far less weight, which lowers fuel usage and eliminates the need for resupply missions. However, producing food in space is incredibly difficult.

Feb 25, 2025 | synbiobeta.com | Sachin Rawat

Towards the end of her four-decade academic career, public health researcher Maria Goreti Freitas was invited to author a book chapter. However, she was disappointed to realize that she wouldn't be earning royalties and would have to forfeit her intellectual rights to the work. This is a familiar scene in academic research. While inherently collaborative, science is often exploitative and involves unpaid work.

Jan 28, 2025 | synbiobeta.com | Sachin Rawat

Climate change poses a severe threat to agricultural productivity globally. Unpredictable weather patterns, such as more frequent floods and droughts, disrupt crop production and growth. Ensuring sustainable and reliable food production in the future requires climate-resilient crops. Engineering plant root ecosystems is one approach that could improve crop resilience to climate change. Plants use roots to find water and nutrients, interact with soil microbes, and withstand environmental stresses.