Author Archives: Science Media Centre
frozen embryos High Court decision – Rapid Reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts available to comment on the High Court ruling that frozen IVF embryos of two women must be destroyed as the fathers of the embryos had withdrawn their consent for the embryos to be used. read more
Biobank UK
Backgrounder on the project to follow the health of up to half a million volunteers for many years, coupling new developments in genetics with information on lifestyle and environment. read more
new potential obesity treatment – rapid reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts to comment on the findings from new research on hormone treatment for obesity, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. read more
artificial intelligence
How new collaborations are helping to crack some of the toughest problems in ‘cognitive systems’. read more
Columbia shuttle report – rapid reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts who were available to comment, on the day that the NASA enquiry on the Columbia Shuttle disaster reported their findings. read more
power blackout – Rapid Reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts to speak to journalists as a power blackout hit the United States. read more
scientists and patients’ groups welcome new breakthrough in stem cell research
As scientists at King’s College, London, announce that they have successfully created the UK’s first human embryonic stem cell line, the Science Media Centre found scientists and patients’ groups to comment. read more
extreme dieting
What are the consequences of radically altering your normal eating habits by excluding a whole food group or by combining only certain types of food in so-called ‘faddy diets’? read more
HRT and breast cancer
The Science Media Centre found experts available to speak to journalists following the publication of research suggesting that Hormone Replace Therapy might be a risk factor in breast cancer.
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scientists respond to GM science review
The Science Media Centre found scientists to comment on the publication of the Government’s GM Science Review, which rejected a blanket ban on GM technology. read more
IVF – The Next 25 Years
25 years ago the world awoke to news of the birth of the first ‘test tube’ baby – so what advances will we see in the next 25 years? read more
‘Depression gene’ – Rapid Reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts who were available to comment on the findings published in the journal Science that the gene 5-HTT influenced a person’s likelihood of being affected by depression read more
the role of primates in biomedical research
Why do scientists use primates in scientific research? How are they used? read more
EU chemicals legislation
What are the REACH proposals? How will it affect jobs in the UK? How will the toxicology tests be carried out? read more
will I get Alzheimer’s?
Which risk factors should we worry about? Are these factors negligible compared to our genetic inheritance? How do scientists discover what these risk factors are? Will we ever see reliable prevention or cure of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia? read more
scientists respond to genetics white paper
The Government White Paper on Genetics has outlined a major expansion of the use of genetic technology to tackle medical problems. read more
health Expectancy – Life Expectancy: Closing the Gap
Thanks to modern medicine, we live longer than ever before – now the challenge is to ensure that the last decade of life is not dogged by health problems. read more
‘Saviour sibling’ birth – Rapid Reaction
The Science Media Centre found experts available to comment on the birth of Jamie Whittaker, born after being selected during IVF to provide stem cells for sick sibling.
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clinical trials under threat
Could a new EU directive delay vital clinical trials? read more
scientists comment on the launch of the GM public debate
The Science Media Centre asked scientists to comment on the eve of the launch of the public debate on genetic modification. read more