Author Archives: Science Media Centre
drug-resistant TB – the quest for vaccines
To coincide with the World Health Organization releasing its annual figures on the state of global tuberculosis at a major event in the US, vaccine scientists from the UK and the US came to London – dubbed the TB capital of Western Europe –to brief journalists at the Science Media Centre on the global effort to develop effective and affordable TB vaccines. read more
expert encounter: ADHD VOICES report
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common developmental psychiatric disorder in the world, affecting 3-5% of children. Yet ADHD is also one of the most controversial disorders in terms of how it is diagnosed, what causes it, and in particular, how it is treated. read more
expert reaction to gender differences in stress response to reading news
Research published in PLoS ONE suggested women who read negative news remember it better than men do, and have stronger stress responses in subsequent stress tests. read more
expert reaction to Nobel prize for chemistry awarded to Lefkowitz and Kobilka
Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka were awarded the prize for groundbreaking discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family of cell receptors, G-protein–coupled receptors, that enable cells to sense their environment. read more
expert reaction to announcement of Nobel prize in physics being awarded to Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland
Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland were awarded the Nobel prize in physics for independently developing methods for measuring and manipulating individual particles while preserving their quantum-mechanical nature. read more
if GMOs are toxic, this study didn’t show it
Guest post from Tom Sheldon. On 18th September we were tipped off by several respected journalists about a peer-reviewed paper … read more
expert reaction to meta-analysis of studies into acupuncture and chronic pain
Archives of Internal Medicine published a meta-review of 29 randomized controlled trials, suggesting that acupuncture may be better than no acupuncture or sham acupuncture for the treatment of some chronic pain. A Before the Headlines analysis was also sent out. read more
expert reaction to article on screen time and health and developmental problems in children
Aric Sigman wrote in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, calling for curbs on children’s daily screen time and delaying the age at which they start “the world’s favourite pastime” to stave off the risk of serious health and developmental problems. read more
expert reaction to fish, mercury and risk of ADHD symptoms
A study of children in the USA suggested that exposure to mercury for babies in the womb may be associated with a greater risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but that fish consumption during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of ADHD. read more
expert reaction to Nobel prize for physiology or medicine awarded to John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka
The 2012 prize went in part to Sir John Gurdon of Cambridge University for the part he played in the development of induced pluripotent stem cells, which provide an alternative to embryonic stem cells. read more
expert reaction to teenage girl’s ingestion of liquid nitrogen
Gaby Scanlon had her stomach removed after drinking a cocktail made with liquid nitrogen while celebrating her 18th birthday. read more
Sir John Gurdon – winner of 2012 Nobel prize in medicine or physiology
The 2012 prize went in part to Sir John Gurdon of Cambridge University for the part he played in the development of induced pluripotent stem cells, which provide an alternative to embryonic stem cells. read more
expert reaction to EFSA initial review of GM maize
The European Food Safety Authority conducted a review of the recent paper that purported to show rats developing tumours after eating GM maize. They found the study was of insufficient scientific quality to be considered as valid for risk assessment. read more
a short film about the SMC
As part of the celebration of our 10 year anniversary, a special film was commissioned about the Science Media Centre. Featuring some of the top scientists, journalists and press officers who have worked with us in the last decade, the film covers how and why the SMC was set up and the methods by which the Centre works from day-to-day. read more
views from the front line – essays on the SMC
As part of the Centre’s 10th anniversary celebrations, a collection of essays on key moments for science and the media … read more
10 year anniversary
Here is a collection of content put together to celebrate our 10th anniversary.
a lesson from the last 10 years: ‘take courage’
When a House of Lords Inquiry on science recommended a new initiative to sit on the ‘front line’ between science and the … read more
expert reaction to new research into hypoallergenic milk from a GM cow
Researchers writing in PNAS* used RNA interference, a process that inhibits the expression of certain genes, to engineer a dairy cow capable of producing high-protein milk with hypoallergenic qualities. read more
expert reaction to threatened closure of British Antarctic Survey
Growing concern was expressed over the merging of the British Antarctic Survey with the National Oceanography Centre. read more