Author Archives: Science Media Centre
gene editing of human embryos
As some in science circles have been predicting, gene-editing techniques which are already widely used in plants and animals have now been applied to human embryos. In what is thought to be a world first, Chinese scientists used CRISPR/Cas9 to modify the DNA of human embryos, thereby attracting global headlines about science fiction becoming science fact, as well as warnings about slippery slopes and designer babies. read more
expert reaction to second major earthquake in Nepal
Another major earthquake has struck Nepal, two weeks after a slightly larger earthquake killed thousands. read more
expert reaction to abstract of research on wine intake and type 2 diabetes
The association between red or white wine intake and the metabolic profiles of those with type 2 diabetes is the subject of a presentation given at the European Congress on Obesity in Prague, with the scientists involved in the presentation reporting that in patients with type 2 diabetes, moderate wine intake as part of a healthy diet could improve markers of metabolic function such as levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol. read more
expert reaction to study investigating body weight in type 2 diabetes, and mortality
A relationship between BMI of patients with type 2 diabetes and prognosis was investigated in a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, where the authors reported that those who were overweight or obese were more likely to be hospitalised for cardiovascular events, but that those who were overweight (but not obese) had a lower mortality risk. read more
expert reaction to new research on exceptionally warm years in England
The weather in central England is the focus of research published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. The authors report an increase in the likelihood of exceptionally warm years in the region, and attribute some of the blame for these changes in climate to the influence of human activities. read more
expert reaction to study investigating sugary drinks and type 2 diabetes
Publishing in the journal Diabetologia, research based on more than 25,000 people in the UK has reported a link between a person’s energy intake provided by sweet drinks, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The authors suggest that replacing sugary drinks with unsweetened drinks such as water or tea could help prevent developing the disease. read more
expert reaction to paper on mechanisms of ageing
A paper published in the journal Science has reported changes in the structure of heterochromatin, a tightly packed form of DNA, as a potential cause of human ageing. Building on previous research, the authors used a model of premature ageing and put forward a number of specific protein which may be responsible for the changes. read more
expert reaction to study forecasting life expectancy changes in England and Wales
Publishing in the Lancet journal, a team of researchers has estimated mortality and life expectancy in England and Wales, reporting that previous measures may have underestimated the expected rise in life expectancy, particularly in men. read more
expert reaction to bullying, maltreatment and mental health
The effect on mental health in later life of bullying and maltreatment in childhood has been examined by a team of researchers publishing in The Lancet Psychiatry. They report that bullying by one’s peers in childhood has a greater negative impact on mental health than maltreatment, leading to higher levels of outcomes such as anxiety, depression and self-harm. read more
expert reaction to iodine in milk and IQ
A paper published in the journal Food Chemistry has analysed the levels of iodine in supermarket milk, reporting lower levels in milk labelled as organic compared with conventional milk. The authors suggest that this may increase the risk of iodine deficiencies in at-risk groups such as pregnant women. read more
expert reaction to news of a major earthquake in Nepal
A major earthquake has hit Nepal leaving thousands dead and injured, with damage and extending to neighbouring countries. read more
expert reaction to paper presenting malaria vaccine trial results, and paper estimating malaria cases in Ebola-infected countries
Two papers have been published in the Lancet and Lancet Infectious Diseases journals: one which presents the results of a phase III clinical trial of a candidate malaria vaccine which the research team report to effective in reducing malaria transmission, and another which has estimated the number of cases of and deaths from malaria in West African countries affected by the current Ebola outbreak. read more
expert reaction to paper on genome editing of mitochondria in mice
Researchers have attempted to fix errors in mitochondrial DNA, which lead to a range of disorders, by using genome editing techniques. Publishing in the journal Cell, they report the use of the techniques in mice and suggest that they might in future be used as a therapeutic alternative to mitochondrial donation. read more
expert reaction to the application of genome editing techniques to human embryos
It has been reported that a research group in China has used the CRISPR genome editing technique to modify human embryos with a specific genetic default. Reports suggest that the scientists used non-viable fertilised embryos with only limited success in achieving the attempted modification. read more
expert reaction to editorial on sugar, carbohydrates, exercise and obesity
The link between diet, exercise and obesity is the topic of an editorial in British Journal of Sports Medicine, in which the authors argue that excess sugar and carbohydrate are the drivers behind the increase in obesity. read more
expert reaction to two new papers on bees and neonicotinoids
Two papers published in the journal Nature have examined possible effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on the health and behaviour of bees. The authors of the first paper report that in laboratory tests bees preferred neonicotinoid-treated sugar water to an untreated solution, while in field studies the authors of the second paper report that bumble-bee colonies around neonicotinoid-treated fields had reduced growth rates and reproduction. read more
expert reaction to study investigating cancer immunotherapy in mice
Researchers have published their work into immune responses and treatments of cancer in mice in the journal Nature. The team report that the identification of mutations which are individual to each patient and tumour can be used as targets for the body’s own immune system, and suggest that the treatment could be used for personalised therapy. read more
climate scientists’ statement for Earth Day
The Earth League, a group of world-leading research institutions, launched their Earth Statement on Earth Day, April 22 2015. The statement summarises recent climate science, particularly regarding risk and tipping points and outlines the key features of a climate agreement in Paris in December this year to meet the 2 degree target agreed by nations. It calls on the UN negotiators to step up their ambition to ensure an equitable and science-based global climate agreement in Paris, and will describe eight essential elements of a global climate deal from the scientists’ perspective. read more
expert reaction to editorial on serotonin and depression
In an editorial published in The BMJ, the treatment of patients with depression has been discussed with regard to serotonin and pharmaceuticals which attempt to control its levels. read more
expert reaction to mindfulness-based therapy to treat depression
Publishing in The Lancet journal, researchers have described their work to investigate the use of mindfulness-based therapies in the treatment of depression, reporting that they improved negative symptoms but were not more effective than antidepressants. read more