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April 4, 2015
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By Zaria Gorvett

The Unsung Heroes Of Biomedical Research

Asian Scientist Magazine brings you the motley crew of model organisms that pioneered discovery in the 21st century.

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#5 THE NICOTINE PLANT – Nicotiana benthamiana

Nicotiana benthamiana is a close relative of a notorious killer: tobacco. Conversely, N. benthamiana is beloved as a model organism and may hold the key to treating Ebola. Its fragile leaves and susceptibility to a wide range of viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens make the plant an ideal host for studying disease. Recently, genetically modified N. benthamiana has been pioneered as an efficient way to produce antibodies, termed ‘plantibodies,’ including experimental drugs for Ebola.

unsung-heroes-the-nicotine-plant

#Aging #Bacteriophage #Genetics #Human genome #Japan #JAXA #Nicotine #Nobel Prize #Viruses

Zaria Gorvett

Zaria Gorvett is a freelance science writer based in the UK. She graduated with a bachelors degree in biological science from the University of Exeter, UK and a masters degree in medical microbiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

Zaria Gorvett

Zaria Gorvett is a freelance science writer based in the UK. She graduated with a bachelors degree in biological science from the University of Exeter, UK and a masters degree in medical microbiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

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