Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to study looking at potential Zika vaccines in rhesus macaque monkeys
A research article published in the journal Science has reported the efficacy of three different vaccine platforms against the Zika virus in rhesus macaque monkeys. read more
liquid biopsies for cancer
To give cancer patients the best treatment, doctors need important information about the genetic and molecular make-up of their cancer. Tissue biopsies are often used but they do not always give a comprehensive view of the cancer, they can be invasive, and it may not be possible to repeat them very often. With major changes in the ease and cost of DNA sequencing, scientists are now working on the possibility of ‘fishing’ out genetic material from tumours via the blood in order to get information about the make-up of the patient’s cancer. The aim is for these ‘liquid biopsies’ to give a comprehensive view of the way a cancer progresses, which can help identify which treatments to give, and may spot when the cancer is becoming resistant to its current treatment. The tests can also give valuable information to cancer researchers that could develop treatments in the future. Already some UK patients on clinical trials are being given these liquid biopsies as part of their treatment. read more
expert reaction to genetic study looking at cholesterol levels, heart disease and type 2 diabetes
Publishing in JAMA Cardiology a group of researchers have reported an association between levels of cholesterol and triglycerides due to genetics and risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes. read more
Oxitec Ltd and its GM mosquitoes – two visitors from Brazil
Oxitec Ltd, the company that developed a self-limited genetically engineered mosquito, has been working with health authorities in Piracicaba, Brazil, in attempt to reduce the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the species that transmits diseases including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Dengue has been the main mosquito-transmitted disease affecting Piracicaba. Oxitec’s Head of Field Operations, Dr Andrew McKemey, and Dr Pedro Mello, the Secretary of Health for Piracicaba in Brazil, will be in the UK next week and are available to answer any questions you might have about the science behind the GM mosquito, what stage their current mosquito release programme is at, and what the situation is in Piracicaba. Piracicaba City Hall partnered with Oxitec in March 2015 to use the mosquitoes and that programme is now being extended to a larger area of the city. read more
expert reaction to genetic associations for major depressive disorder
A group of researchers have attempted to find genetic markers of major depressive disorder by using samples from patients with self-reported diagnosis. Publishing in the journal Nature Genetics the team report a number of markers which they say are associated with self-reporting of clinical diagnosis or treatment for depression. read more
expert reaction to study looking at BMI and incidence of heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and death in identical twins
The contribution of genetics and obesity to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and death is evaluated in a paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Through their analysis of monozygotic twins with varying body mass indexes (BMI) the researchers report that higher BMI was not associated with increased risk of heart attack or death but was associated with the onset of diabetes. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the association between plant and animal protein consumption and risk of death
In assessing different sources of protein a group of scientists publishing in JAMA Internal Medicine have reported an association between consumption of animal protein and risk of death, and an inverse association between consumption of plant protein and risk of death. read more
nuclear experts react to announcement on Hinkley Point
The board of the French energy firm EDF has approved the funding of a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset. These comments were issued following that decision but the UK government has subsequently decided to review the project with a decision expected in the autumn. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the effects of activity and sitting time on mortality
Publishing in The Lancet journal a group of researchers have carried out a meta-analysis reviewing the effects of sedentary behaviour and physical activity and report that around 60-75 minutes of moderate intensity activity can mitigate the increased risk of death associated with high sitting time. read more
expert reaction to study investigating the effect of neonicotinoid pesticides on male honeybee fertility
The effect of neonicotinoids on the fertility of male honeybees is examined in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B in which the authors report that the insecticide reduced lifespan of the bees in question as well as sperm viability but not sperm quantity. read more
Nottingham Dollies
Just three weeks after the scientific world marked the 20th anniversary of the birth of Dolly the sheep, new research, carried out by The University of Nottingham and published in Nature Communications, has shown that four clones derived from the same cell line as Dolly reached their 8th birthdays in good health. Nottingham’s Dollies – Debbie, Denise, Dianna and Daisy – have just celebrated their 9th birthdays. They are part of a unique flock of cloned sheep under the care of Professor Kevin Sinclair, an expert in developmental biology, in the School of Biosciences. read more
expert reaction to modelling study looking at risk of international Zika virus spread represented by 2016 Olympics in Brazil
A group of researchers publishing in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine have used a modelling study to estimate the risk of Zika infection to those traveling to the Olympics in Brazil and suggest the number of infected travelers returning to all countries to be between 3 and 37. read more
expert reaction to study investigating use of a statin and birth outcomes in women with the autoimmune condition antiphospholipid syndrome
Publishing in the Journal of Clinical Investigation a group of researchers have reported that in a small group of 21 pregnant women with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), the use of a specific statin was associated with improved pregnancy outcomes in terms of complications such as preeclampsia. read more
expert reaction to modelling study estimating number of childbearing women at risk of Zika infection in the Americas
The ongoing Zika outbreak in the Americas is the subject of a paper published in the journal Nature Microbiology which estimates the number of people, women of childbearing age, and pregnancies which may be affected by the epidemic. read more
expert reaction to behavioural activation therapy for depression
A comparison between cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and behavioural activation (BA) for the treatment of depression is made in a study published in The Lancet journal. The authors report that the two treatments are equally effective at treating depression in adults and that BA can be delivered by junior mental health workers at a lower cost. read more
Zika virus and the Rio Olympics
The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, will begin in early August. The Zika virus outbreak is ongoing in some parts of Brazil (among other countries in the Americas and the Pacific). read more
expert reaction to research on alcohol and cancer
A study published in the journal Addiction has reported that drinking alcohol is linked to the development of seven forms of cancer. read more
the future of cancer research – how can we outsmart cancer?
Cancer is the UK’s biggest killer, claiming around 160,000 lives every year. Survival rates have improved enormously in some types of cancer, but patients with other tumour types continue to do very poorly, and once the disease has spread round the body it is still often incurable. Researchers from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden have been working over the last year to identify the biggest challenges we face in treating cancer, and come up with an action plan to overcome them. The ICR will be launching their action plan. read more
expert reaction to film titled ‘The Big Fat Fix’ on prescribing lifestyle interventions for conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes
A film titled ‘The Big Fat Fix’ has been released which focuses on the use of ‘lifestyle medicine’ to treat diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. read more