Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert comments on effect of acupuncture on fertility as published in the journal Human Reproduction
The study suggests that acupuncture may reduce the rate of pregnancy when given to patients undergoing fertility treatment. read more
expert comments on new research into the mechanisms underlying Tamoxifen resistance, as published in Nature
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have identified a molecular mechanism for the response to tamoxifen in breast cancer cells, which may provide an explanation for why some women develop resistance to the treatment. read more
experts comment on the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report: Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of nanotechnology
The report from the influential RCEP set out the issues and concerns surrounding potential releases to the environment from the application of nanomaterials and novel nanotechnologies. read more
expert comments on effect of acupuncture on fertility as published in the journal Human Reproduction
The study suggests that acupuncture may reduce the rate of pregnancy when given to patients undergoing fertility treatment. read more
experts comment on the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report: Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of nanotechnology
The report from the influential RCEP set out the issues and concerns surrounding potential releases to the environment from the application of nanomaterials and novel nanotechnologies. read more
opening of the University of Oxford Biomedical Sciences Building
The Science Media Centre hosted officials from the University of Oxford for this briefing, which gave an update on progress on the University’s Biomedical Sciences Building, a facility to rehouse animals used in research. read more
launch of new report on nanotechnology
The influential Royal Commission on Nanotechnology has just published a report entitled Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of nanotechnology. The report was prompted by concerns about potential releases to the environment from the industrial application of novel materials, with a particular emphasis on nanomaterials. This briefing was held to launch the report and to set out some of the issues and concerns that it raises. read more
expert reacts to news of opening of Oxford University’s Biomedical Sciences Building, a facility to re-house animals used in research
Dr Simon Festing, Executive Director, Research Defence Society, said: “We believe this research centre will offer world-class facilities for what … read more
experts comment on Greenpeace press release about unpublished Austrian study claiming to link GM maize with infertility in mice
The study was presented as an abstract at a conference in Austria, and did not represent published research. read more
expert comment on research into the use of beta blockers in non-cardiac surgery, as published in The Lancet
The study reviewed the evidence for the use of beta blockers to lower the risk of having a heart attack following surgery, and concluded that the evidence does not support this practice. read more
expert encounter: who’s afraid of xenotransplantation?
Recently, Lord Robert Winston announced that he was being forced to move his xenotransplantation work (involving transplanting cells and tissues from animals to humans to overcome the shortage of human transplant material) to California because of the strict regulation of animal research in the UK. This created further controversy when the former head of the HFEA raised concerns about the safety of this field of research. In this briefing, Lord Winston and his main collaborator discussed their work on breeding transgenic pigs to produce cells and tissues for potential transplantation. read more
expert encounter: myths and realities about biofuels
Biofuels has become one of the most hotly debated issues of our time, with opponents arguing that the rise in the production of biofuels has diverted land away from growing crops for food, leading to recent rises in food prices. Bruce Dale, one of the world’s leading biofuels experts, argues that this is a red herring, and that other issues are more important, including low crop yields in the third world and the agricultural policies pursued by developed world countries. read more
scientists react to EU directive on animals used in scientific experiments
The European Commission has released a draft directive on the use of animals in research, which, amongst other proposals for changes to the law, advocates the banning of the use of great apes in research. read more
closing cold cases with advanced DNA technology
Low-copy number DNA is a relatively new technique used to take genetic fingerprints from crime scenes. The technology has been used to provide evidence in more than 1,000 criminal cases where the investigation had run cold, even those that were 30 years old. This evidence has been used to convict more than 100 people, despite sometimes prompting controversy. In this briefing, experts discuss questions including the accuracy of these techniques and what limitations they stil have. read more
expert comments on new obesity drug
A paper in the journal Cell Metabolism has shown that a new drug demonstrates a protective effect against diet-induced obesity by improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and enhances exercise endurance by enhancing fat utilisation in certain target tissues. read more
experts comment on cloning of mice from frozen cells as published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Scientists in Japan have successfully cloned mice that had been frozen for 16 years, raising the possibility that extinct species could be brought back to life. read more
experts comment on research into rainfall and autism, as published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
The research suggests a link between rainfall and autism, according to a study of children in the wettest parts of the US north-west, where there is a higher incidence of autism. However, the causes of such a link are unclear. read more
Motor Neurone Disease – hope for the future? Launch of new clinical trials
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a rapidly progressive, fatal disease that can affect any adult at any time. There are around 5000 people living with MND in the UK at any one time; and half of those affected will die within 14 months of diagnosis. The cause of over 95% of cases is still unknown, and there is currently no cure or effective treatment. In a significant first step, the MND Association have launched clinical trials with lithium, which could provide a promising new treatment avenue. read more
experts comment on the earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
The earthquake struck south-west Pakistan with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale; local reports put the number of dead at 170, with several hundred more injured. read more
experts comment on the appointment of Marcus du Sautoy to the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford
Marcus du Sautoy, a professor of mathematics at Oxford and a well-known populariser of the subject, takes over the position this December from the previous holder, the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. read more