The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) celebrated its 40th anniversary this weekend. Leading scientists from all over Europe, amongst them 5 Nobel Laureates and Senior Vice President of Discovery Research at GlaxoSmithKline, flew in to take part in the celebrations; all of them honoured EMBO members. Many more sent messages of congratulations.
Set high on the hill above Heidelberg, its home since 1973, EMBO has come a long way since its foundation in 1964. EMBO, the leading lif
A single genetic test that is capable of detecting all mutations involved in the development of cystic fibrosis could be just a few years away, the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Monday 28 June).
Researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, have discovered that recently developed microarray (or “gene chip”) technology* can be used successfully to detect one of the commonest cystic fibrosis (CF) g
Nature magazine has published an article by Xabier Irigoien, a researcher at AZTI, the Basque Fisheries and Marine Technological Research Centre. The article provides data on the diversity of marine life at the bottom of the sea – particularly amongst algae.
Species diversity
Most research carried out on the diversity of species has been with land animals. According to these investigations, diversity is greater in life-forms with medium productivity – defined as th
The oily stains accompanying the yellowish rings on the leaves and pods of bean plants are some of the symptoms of the disease known as “Halo blight” – highly important in temperate zones like Spain. The seeds are one of the most important sources of transmission of the pathogen, which means the detection of this bacterium in seeds is one of the most efficient control methods. Nevertheless, agricultural engineer Arantza Rico Martínez has shown, in her PhD thesis, that this blight pathogen cannot be
Nature publishes the first comprehensive overview of the biodiversity patterns of phytoplankton, the tiny plants that float on the surface of the sea, on 24 June.
An international research team, partly funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, found striking similarities between biodiversity patterns on land and in the oceans prompting the conclusion that there is a universal mechanism controlling biodiversity. The oceans, by far the largest ecosystem on the planet, are the least
As the world’s population will grow from 6 to 9 billion over the next 50 years, and fossil resources will diminish, the need for food, “bio-fuels” and “bio-materials” from renewable, plant-based resources will increase. A report presented in Brussels today highlights how advances in plant genomics and biotechnology can help Europe to address these challenges, for instance with stress-resistant plants. Leading representatives from research, the food and biotech industry, the farming community and co
A miniscule marine creature caught during a recent Indian Ocean research voyage is believed to be the first of its kind identified in the Southern Hemisphere
A miniscule marine creature caught during a recent Indian Ocean research voyage is believed to be the first of its kind identified in the Southern Hemisphere.The single celled organism, supporting what looks like 6 legs is a phaeodaria from the family coelodendridae, also known as a radiolarian. Measuring only 1.4 mm, the organi
Tasty new weapon in fight against disease
A few forkfuls of sprouted vegetables could help protect against cancer, new research by Professor Ian Rowland and Chris Gill has shown.
Eating just over 100 grams of tasty sprouted vegetables every day for a fortnight has been shown to have clear protective effects against DNA damage in human blood cells, according to the researchers.
“DNA damage is associated with cancer risk. Sources of DNA damage include diet-rela
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), tiny pieces of genetic material that can serve as stop signs for gene expression and protein synthesis, are thought to be important in the development of cancer. Now, researchers at Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have developed a technique that allows them to find which miRNA genes are expressed – and how – in both cancerous and normal tissue.
Scientists, led by Carlo Croce, M.D., director of Jefferson’s K
The commercial launch of the first ever fool-proof document security system is planned for 2006, reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry magazine. The system, which uses DNA fingerprinting, will allow documents to be authenticated with an accuracy of billions to one against duplication, according to the Australian scientists working on the system.
The scientists plan to use human DNA in documents such as government bonds, securities, bearer bonds, shares and wills for authentication o
Under the EU Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) for Research and Development (2002-2006) 2.2 million Euros have been awarded to the 3DGENOME-research program. FP6 is one of the world’s largest research programmes, with a budget of 17.5 billion Euros, of which around 3 billion Euros is available for life sciences research. The main objective of the 3DGENOME program is to understand how the human genome, consisting of a number of very long DNA molecules that carry our genetic information, are coiled
Finding could yield new insight into the Neurobiology of romantic love and the inability to form social bonds
Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University and Atlanta’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) have found transferring a single gene, the vasopressin receptor, into the brain’s reward center makes a promiscuous male meadow vole monogamous. This finding, which appears in the June 17 issue of Nature, may help better explain the ne
In recent years the consumer market for candles has grown dramatically, as candles of all shapes, sizes, colours and fragrances have been used increasingly in homes and restaurants to create atmosphere and enhance mood.
Now two researchers at the University of Southampton have taken the potential uses of fragranced candles one step further, by demonstrating that they can also have valuable and effective bactericidal properties.
The researchers, Dr Lindsey Gaunt and Sabrina Higgins,
Full development of the sense of smell in mammals is dependent on functional activity during critical periods in development, according to a study by researchers at Yale, Rockefeller and Columbia Universities and published in the journal, Science.
In mammals, the connection between odor and the brain occurs over a single nerve connection. The olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) that have the same odorant receptor (OR) are directed to regions of the olfactory bulb, where they coalesce into a si
Targeting a master molecule that helps cancer cells survive when blood oxygen levels are low may offer a potentially powerful strategy for blocking tumor growth, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The molecule, “hypoxia-inducible factor 1,” or HIF-1, controls production of a number of other proteins, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which work in concert to help nurture these stressed cancer cells. Researchers show that genetically jam
Even after a century of research, the workings of brain cells remain somewhat mysterious. But USC scientists have uncovered new clues into how neurons process information
Researchers from USC and the Technion Medical School in Israel have uncovered new clues into the mystery of the brain’s ultra-complicated cells known as neurons.
Their findings — appearing in this month’s issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience — contradict a widely accepted idea regarding the “arithmetic”
Feedback
