Author Archives: Science Media Centre
scientists comment on latest deaths from swine flu
Scientists give their expert opinion on the latest deaths from swine flu in the UK – a family doctor and a six-year-old girl – taking the UK total of confirmed and suspected deaths to 17. read more
experts comment on Nature swine flu paper
Tests on the H1N1 flu virus show that it penetrates deeper into the respiratory system than the regular seasonal flu virus, and as a result causes more damage and has a more prolonged effect than seasonal flu. read more
comment on new research on the antipsychotic drug clozapine, as published in The Lancet
An analysis of ten years’ medical records for 67,000 people in Finland found that giving the drug to schizophrenia patients is associated with a reduction in death rates by 26 per cent. This has lead to more controversy, as the drug, clozapine, is widely regarded as the most effective treatment for schizophrenia but its availability has often been restricted due concerns over its safety. read more
expert comments on first UK death from swine flu with no underlying health complications
All previous UK deaths from swine flu have been in patients with underlying health conditions such as asthma. However, experts emphasised that this development is not unexpected. read more
experts react to paper in Stem Cells and Development reporting the creation of human sperm from embryonic stem cells
Scientists at Newcastle University have demonstrated the creation of sperm-like cells from human embryonic stem cells, which could be a means of understanding and treating male infertility. However, experts questioned to what extent the resulting cells could be described as ‘true sperm’, describing them more as ‘sperm-like’ cells. read more
expert reaction to Nature paper on drug that extends lifespan in mice
US scientists have found that rapamycin, a drug discovered in the soil of a South Pacific island in the 1970s, may have the effect of extending lifespan when given to mice. However, experts warned against using it for this purpose, as it can also suppress the immune system. read more
expert reaction to research into genetically modified, salt-tolerant plants, as published in The Plant Cell journal
A collaboration between scientists in Adelaide and Cambridge has resulted in the production of genetically modified cereal crops that have a high salt tolerance and can grow in salty water, and could potentially be used to alleviate hunger in the world’s poorest countries. read more
House of Lords report on genomics
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has published a report on Genomic Medicine, which includes an examination of the future of this area of science and its potential for healthcare services in the UK. Members of the special sub-committee behind the report came to the SMC to brief journalists on their findings. read more
experts react to House of Lords report on Genomic Medicine
The report, from the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee, considers the future of genomic medicine and its potential impacts on healthcare. read more
Government summit on dementia research
The UK’s two leading dementia charities, the Alzheimer’s Research Trust and Alzheimer’s Society, are releasing a joint statement urging the government to use this influential summit to draw-up a plan that will put the UK in a leading position to defeat dementia. To coincide with this, the SMC invited four of the UK’s leading dementia scientists taking part in the summit to brief journalists on the UK’s strengths and weaknesses in dementia research, and their views on what the government should change. read more
IVF Mix-Ups and pre-ESHRE Question Time
On the eve of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual conference, the biggest of its kind in Europe, the Science Media Centre invited four leading fertility experts to brief journalists on IVF mix-ups, where errors occur during IVF cycles (eg the wrong sperm used to fertilise an egg, or vice-versa) and to answer their questions on other topical controversies in fertility science. read more
expert comments on new research into stem cells, as published in Nature
A paper published in Nature has shown that different genes are involved in different stages in stem cell development, suggesting that features of adult stem cells cannot be directly inferred from studying stem cells at earlier stages of development. Scientists say the finding illustrates the amount they have yet to learn about stem cell characteristics and development. read more
the health effects of sunbeds: COMARE Report
Sunbeds and other tanning devices are widely perceived to have serious health issues, but are considered worth the risk by many. A major report into the health effects of these devices was commissioned by the four UK health departments. The work was carried out by independent experts at the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). At this briefing, the Chairman of the committee, and colleagues, announced their findings and recommendations to government. read more
expert reaction to publication of UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCP09)
The UK Climate Impacts Programme is a major government-funded report that includes projections of how climate change may impact on the UK over the course of the next century, and possible action plans for organisations and the country at large to adapt to them. read more
expert reaction to World Health Organization announcing pandemic status of H1N1 virus
The WHO has raised the status of the global swine flu situation to 6, the highest level, and officially declared the outbreak a global pandemic. read more
expert reaction to paper on nanoparticles to be published in Journal of Molecular Cell Biology
Scientists have for the first time identified a mechanism by which nanoparticles cause lung damage, and shown that such damage can be blocked with a targeted chemical compound. read more
expert reaction to Japan’s announcement on 2020 emissions targets
The Japanese government has announced its targets on limiting carbon dioxide emissions, which, at 15% over the next 11 years, have turned out to be lower than expected. read more
expert reaction to acupuncture and indigestion during pregnancy, as reported in BMJ Acupuncture in Medicine
The study concluded that acupuncture may help to relieve indigestion in pregnant women. read more
living with environmental change
A £100 million package of new research has been announced to help the UK prepare for the inevitable challenges that will result from the impacts of climate change over the next few years and decades. The funding comes from partners of the Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) partnership of UK governments, departments and research councils. Experts from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) briefed journalists about how the funding has been committed to projects including tackling the spread of infectious diseases, producing resilient designs for cities and transport systems, and address the economic impacts of our changing environment. read more
experts comment on new research into Alzheimer’s as published in Nature Cell Biology
Scientists have shown how the protein tangles in the brain that cause Alzheimer’s disease can spread within the brain – this was shown by injecting affected brain tissue from one mouse brain to another, and observing the development of tangles in the recipient mice. The researchers stressed that this does not mean that Alzheimer’s is contagious. read more