Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to study investigating leptin gene therapy and weight loss in rats
Publishing in the Journal of Endocrinology, scientists have used a form of gene therapy with the aim of reducing weight in rats. They report that rats which were treated with therapy which delivered the gene for the protein leptin lost weight, while rats which had a control treatment gained weight. read more
expert reaction to risk of cancer and occupational exposure to ionising radiation
There is a known association between exposure to high levels of radiation and cancer, and a study published in The BMJ has examined whether or not low doses of ionising radiation increase the risk of solid cancers. The authors report that the rate of cancer increases with exposure to radiation in a linear manner, along with mortality. read more
expert reaction to conference presentation (unpublished work) on mitochondrial DNA content and embryo implantation
Unpublished work presented at the 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference has reported associations between the mitochondrial DNA content of early stage embryos and their success at implantation in the womb following IVF. read more
expert reaction to new study investigating brain immune cells and inflammation in people with or at risk of schizophrenia
Scientists studying schizophrenia have published their work in the American Journal of Psychiatry which looks at the activity of immune cells in the brain (microglia). They report that activity of these cells was higher in patients with or at risk of schizophrenia, and suggest that inflammation may be a factor in such disorders. read more
expert reaction to study quantifying threat of antibiotic resistance on surgery and chemotherapy in the USA
Publishing in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal a group of scientists has estimated the impact of antibiotic resistance on surgery and chemotherapy treatments in the USA, as well as modelling what may happen with increased levels of resistance. read more
expert reaction to a study on the persistence of Ebola virus RNA in the semen of survivors, and accompanying report on sexual transmission of the Ebola virus
Researchers have published in the New England Journal of Medicine their work which reports that infective Ebola virus can be found in the semen of those who survived the disease up to nine months following initial infection. read more
expert reaction to reports that Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey’s condition has worsened and that she is now critically ill at the Royal Free Hospital
The Royal Free Hospital has released a statement saying that Pauline Cafferkey, a British nurse who was infected with Ebola in 2014, is now critically ill after being readmitted to hospital last week following an “unusual late complication” from the original infection. read more
questioning the quality of animal research
Animal studies are a vital part of scientific endeavour, particularly for clinical trials, but it is vital that the information gleaned from them is robust and that animals are not being put through unnecessary procedures. Researchers have been doing a systematic review of trials and assessed them for their statistical robustness. read more
expert reaction to new study examining robustness of animal-based research over the last 70 years
Animal studies are a vital part of scientific endeavour, particularly for clinical trials, but it is vital that the information gleaned from them is robust and that animals are not being put through unnecessary procedures. Researchers have been doing a systematic review of trials and assessed them for their statistical robustness. The research, published in PLoS Biology, looks at issues such as randomisation and blinding which increase rigour and reduce the risk of bias. read more
expert reaction to study examining the reproducibility of cancer research
A study in the journal eLife has estimated the accuracy of reported effect sizes of a specific anti-cancer drug in pre-clinical studies. They report an overestimate of effect in those studies and suggest publication bias as a factor. read more
expert reaction to study using CRISPR to produce pig organs suitable for xenotransplantation into humans
Publishing in the journal Science, a research group has reported their use of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to modify genes in pigs with the aim of improving acceptance of organs transplanted into humans. read more
expert reaction to opinion piece challenging the current approach to climate negotiations
A group of leading climate and cooperation experts take to the pages of Nature to challenge the approaches to climate negotiations, which led to more than 20 years of deadlock in international cooperation. read more
why Paris Climate Conference is failing — what to do
The major carbon-emitting countries have now made their pledges for a Paris Climate Protocol. But as Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, recently pointed out, the driving force behind the pledges is simply “the self-interest of every country” and their pledges are “not because they want to save the planet.” This is why they don’t add up — why we will fall short of the 2 degree target. To explain why this is happening, and what could be done about it, a group of leading climate and cooperation experts take to the pages of Nature to challenge the approaches to climate negotiations, which led to more than 20 years of deadlock in international cooperation. The provocative piece should be essential homework reading for policy makers trying to salvage the Paris negotiations. read more
expert reaction to reports that former Ebola patient Pauline Cafferkey has been admitted to the Royal Free Hospital with ‘complications’ from Ebola virus
A nurse who contracted Ebola while in Sierra Leone as an aid worker in December 2014 has been readmitted to hospital in London following an “unusual late complication” from the original infection. read more
expert reaction to conference presentation (unpublished work) on epigenetics and male sexual orientation
In the presentation of their unpublished work at the American Society of Human Genetics 2015 annual meeting, a research group report their attempt to develop a way of using markers of modification of genes to predict sexual orientation in men. read more
neuraminidase inhibitors in influenza
Pandemic influenza tops the UK’s National Risk Register due to the social and economic disruption that could result from a particularly virulent strain. Questions have been raised for some years about the efficacy and effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs)Tamiflu and Relenza, the principal antiviral drugs used in treating flu, and whether this justifies their being part of the UK government’s response to influenza. In response to a request from the UK Department of Health, a small, independent steering group was established by the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Wellcome Trust to review the recent evidence about the use of NAIs, consider the pipeline for new treatments for influenza, and identify research priorities. read more
expert reaction to report on use of neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral drugs (Tamiflu and Relenza) during seasonal and pandemic flu
The Academy of Medical Sciences and the Wellcome Trust have published a report into the effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral drugs for the treatment and prevention of influenza. read more
expert reaction to the announcement of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners
The 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded for research into DNA repair mechanisms, to Prof. Tomas Lindahl of the Francis Crick Institute, jointly with Prof. Paul Modrich of Duke University School of Medicine, and Prof. Aziz Sancar of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. read more
wildlife populations in the Chernobyl exclusion zone
The first large scale study of mammal populations in the 4,200 square kilometre human exclusion zone around Chernobyl has been completed by scientists. The zone was exposed to chronic radiation following the 1986 accident; nearly 30 years later, researchers have accurate data on the dual impacts on mammal populations of a radioactive environment and the exclusion of humans. read more
the future of UK renewable electricity
New onshore wind farms will be excluded from a subsidy scheme from April 2016; together with planning and other changes, some say this could halt onshore wind in its tracks despite it being the cheapest source of clean electricity in the UK. Early closure of the renewable obligation subsidy and a review of feed-in tariffs will affect the future of solar. The ‘climate change levy’ now also applies to renewable energy sources, despite the fact they emit no net carbon. Scientists and engineers agree that the electricity sector needs to be decarbonised to meet UK climate targets. So where does this leave the technologies; and what future for renewable electricity in the UK? How will these policy shifts affect the UK energy mix, emissions and climate targets? And what messages does it send to investors and to climate negotiators in Paris? read more