Photo: Supplied
Sydney-based New Zealander Dr Matt Baker returns for a chat about some of the latest science news. This week we revisit the topic of pachyderms, following a recent study published in Science suggesting that severe ivory poaching in parts of Mozambique has led to the evolution of tuskless elephants. Dr Baker will also be discussing some of his own research around so-called DNA robots.
Dr Baker and his colleague Dr Shelley Wickham co-led a study that discovered the best way to design and build DNA ‘nanostructures’ to effectively manipulate synthetic liposomes — tiny bubbles which have been traditionally used to deliver drugs for cancer and other diseases. The study paves the way for the creation of ‘mini biological computers’ in droplets that have potential uses in biosensing and mRNA vaccines.
Photo: PublicDomainPictures / CC0
