The present invention relates to insect cells for producing parvoviral vectors with mosaic, chimeric and/or modified capsids. The insect cells of the invention comprise separate expression cassettes for the VP1 capsid protein and for the VP2 and VP3 proteins, which allow for the production of parvoviral vectors in which the VP1 capsid protein is of a different parvovirus or of a different serotype than the VP2 and VP3 protein and/or for the production of parvoviral vectors in which the VP1 capsid protein is modified, e.g. by the insertion of an exogenous amino acid sequence. Such exogenous amino acid sequence can e.g. encode a single domain antibody that targets the parvoviral vector to a specific tissue or type of cell. The invention further relates to method wherein the insect cells of the invention are used for the production of parvoviral vectors with mosaic, chimeric and/or modified capsids.

The present invention provides a self-draining well plate cassette and an automated system for cultivating C. elegans comprising a housing, a well plate assembly having at least two of the self-draining well plate cassettes, a liquid dispensing assembly operated by a first three axes positioner, a wash and imaging assembly operated by a second three axis positioner, a reagent assembly, a pipette tip holder, and a controller. The present invention further provides a method of using the above-described system to cultivate C. elegans.

The present disclosure describes improved methods for use in purifying biological products made by host cells. In some embodiments, the improved methods comprise one or more steps of lysing host cells to release the biological product and precipitating host cell DNA, using a detergent such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). In some embodiments, the biological product is a vaccine, or a viral vector for gene therapy, such as an AAV vector or a lentiviral vector.

An insect culture maintenance system includes a sequence of open-ended cylindrical tubes joined pairwise alternately at their tops and bottoms using multiple dual-cap connectors. Each dual-capped connector has a channel from an inside of a first cap to an inside of a second cap. In use, connectors that cap the bottoms of the tubes are filled with insect food media, while connectors that cap the tops of the tubes are open. As a result of this design, adults pass from one tube to the next through the top dual-cap connectors, while larvae pass from one tube to the next through the bottom dual-cap connectors, resulting in propagation of subsequent generations of insects through the sequence of tubes.

Provided are novel vaccines for prophylactic treatment of SARS-COV-2 infections and COVID-19 and methods of making the vaccines, wherein the vaccines contain an oil-in-water emulsion comprising tocopherol and squalene.

The present invention relates to a method for isolation and culture of primary cells from aquatic animal tissues, and specifically, to a method of culturing the tissue of an aquatic animal, comprising physically sectioning it without using a chemical reagent or enzyme and culturing it with a cell culture solution containing complex antibiotics.

The current teachings are directed to novel virus free cells lines derived from virus-contaminated staring material, such as an organism or a cell line. Methods for obtaining virus free cell lines obtained from virus-contaminated starting material are also provided. Exemplary virus free cell lines include: novel cell lines derived from a Spodoptera frugiperda cell line contaminated with Sf-rhabdovirus, wherein the novel cell lines lack Sf-rhabdovirus; and novel cell lines derived from a Trichoplusia ni cell line contaminated with an alphanodavirus, wherein the novel cell line lacks an alphanodavirus.

The invention relates to a method of preparing engineered target polypeptides (TP) comprising in its amino acid sequence one or more, identical or different, non-canonical amino acid (ncAA) residues, by expressing said TP in an insect cell line (ICL) and by expressing novel orthogonal bacterial aminoacyl tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs in said ICL; a baculoviral shuttle vector (bacmid) suitable or introducing the genetic information of said orthogonal tRNA synthetase/tRNA into said ILC; particular expression cassettes for expressing said particular tRNAs in said ILC; TPs obtained by said method; as we as a kit for preparing said TPs.

Nematode dispersal is one of the key features for success as a biocontrol agent. Currently, commercially available nematodes do not disperse sufficiently when they are applied to a field. Since the insect target is mobile, nematodes need to be actively moving and seeking an insect host. We developed a pheromone extract from nematode growth medium that disperses nematodes. This extract was unstable in liquid form. We have found that the extract can be dried to retain activity during storage or shipment. Exposing nematodes to pheromone extract before they are applied to a field activates them to disperse and seek a new host. This exposure needs to be at least 20 min. When nematodes are actively seeking a new host this increases nematode insect encounter and increases insect mortality leading to increased effectiveness of insect nematodes as biological control agents.

Genetically engineered activated phagocytic cells are described and related vectors, compositions, methods and systems which allow efficient cell targeting through enhanced phagocytosis of target cells and treatment of conditions in an individual.