Nature is an amazing designer. It has, over many millennia, evolved systems that are more efficient, productive and capable than what even the cutting-edge of modern technology has been able to mimic.
A good example of the result of this evolution is a virus. In its most basic form, a virus is simply a bit of genetic material, made up of either DNA or RNA, contained within a protective protein coat.
It exists to hijack an infected cell to make many copies of its genetic material (also called a genome), which is then stuffed into protective protein coats, creating new virus particles.
Viruses accomplish this hijacking mainly by making proteins according to a template in their genome.
This functional simplicity makes viruses appealing to scientists.
It allows a technique known as phage display, in which a fragment of DNA is inserted into a virus that specifically targets bacteria, a type of virus called a bacteriophage, or phage for short. The result is that a new protein sequence representing that inserted DNA will appear on the virus’s surface. It creates a virus that can express an artificially designed protein sequence on its surface.
Phage display has gained popularity as a tool to identify novel interactions, either between proteins and other proteins, or between proteins and nucleic acids (the building blocks of DNA).
Being able to spot these interactions is useful in everything from pharmaceuticals to cutting edge bioelectronic hybrid technologies.
What Masdar Institute is looking to do is to apply this technology to sustainability-focused nanoengineering.
We are trying to identify bacteriophages that are suited for the manufacture of biomaterials that can be used to create organised nano-structures, bio-filters and biosensors.
By inserting random DNA sequences into a phage known as M13, we will create a “library” of phages that will display a large number of novel and random proteins on their surface.
We hope to find phages in this library that can bind to particular organic and inorganic nanoparticles. We will then make many of those phages, giving us something akin to a “phage Lego set”, a virus tool box. From there, we will mix and match various phages in the toolbox into combinations that can assemble desirable biomaterials.
To begin with, we will use this phage display technique to look for short proteins, also known as peptides, that can be used to make membranes for use in desalination and water treatment – an essential process in a country as dry as the UAE.
Membrane-based desalination – as opposed to the traditional vacuum distillation-based approach – is growing in popularity, but faces some challenges.
A particular difficulty is the growth of unwanted organisms on the membranes. This growth, also known as biofouling, gets in the way of the desalination process, increasing the amount of energy needed.
When the biofouling becomes too severe, the membrane must either be cleaned with harsh and costly chemicals, or replaced.
So we want to make a membrane that resists this fouling. To do that, we will screen a pool of viruses for peptides that stop the microbes from growing and sticking to the membranes. Once we have found them, we hope that other researchers at the Masdar Institute can help us make new membranes that have the peptides embedded in them.
These membranes will repel the microorganisms or inhibit their growth – meaning that the membranes last longer and end up costing less.
With this area of research, we hope to contribute to the UAE’s development of sustainable solutions that will not only improve the health of the environment, but also provide it with innovative intellectual property that will be in high demand around the world.
Dr Ahmed Yousef is an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Manchester City 4
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Real Madrid 1
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