We have all heard of probiotic drinks containing just the right number of beneficial bacteria to help us build muscle, lose weight, be smarter and live longer. These claims rest on wobbly, inconclusive evidence (the fact they are classed as foods rather than medicines is quite revealing). It is hard to muster any enthusiasm for […]
Category: Genetics
Cutting Out The Middle Man: RNA As A Drug Target
Almost all drugs target proteins. This makes intuitive and logical sense; proteins are the drivers of practically all cellular processes. They form receptors for signals, they are signals, they convey signals, break down other molecules and control replication and transcription of DNA. Defective or overactive proteins cause both familial illness and acquired maladies ranging from […]
Synthetic Lethality: Tipping Cancer Over The Edge
Cancer is a genetic disease and many of the risk factors for cancer exert their tumorigenic effects by increasing the rate of mutations in DNA. Different forms of mutations can cause cancer depending on the type of genes they affect but the end result is the same; rapid and uncontrolled cell proliferation. Loss of function […]
Genetic Nurture: A Contradiction in Terms?
We have grown accustomed to the concept of nature vs nurture, it’s a debate that has been raging long before the discovery of genetic material in the early 20th century. How many of our traits are predetermined? How many are a result of our environment? Perhaps my favourite illustration of the obsession with this debate […]
Designing Babies and Ending Malaria – Can CRISPR Actually Do It?
CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene editing system that was discovered in bacteria and is now one of the hottest topics in biomedicine. You probably saw the headlines referring to designer babies and the end of disease. As a general rule academics are not easily excited, but the hyperbolic headlines do capture some of the excitement CRISPR […]
The Power of The Fruit Fly – Why Animals Are Used in Biomedical Research
I am a second year Biomedical Science student here at the University of Sheffield. I am fascinated by molecular biology and I am currently taking an anatomy module which involves human dissection in the Medical Teaching Unit (flushing out intestines is something I am glad to have ticked off my bucket list). For my first […]
Genetic Ancestry Testing and Race
Ever since the Brexit referendum racial attacks in the UK have been on the rise but unity and respect have risen up from the masses as people come together. More than ever it has become important to break down the barriers that cause division. Last year Momondo’s video to do just this went viral. It […]
Science that fell under the radar..
With 2016 constantly keeping us on our toes it was easy for many scientific discoveries to not receive the publicity they deserve. So in sight of this, I thought i’d share my favourites of the previous year with you! A NEW SPECIES OF HUMAN A previous 1 million year gap in the human evolutionary tree […]
Chocolate Science
OK, be honest: how much chocolate did you eat this Easter? While it is common to enjoy masses of the food stuff at this particular time of year (along with Christmas), chocolate can well and truly be enjoyed at any time. Having said that, everyone will scoff their favourite (dark chocolate more than 70% pretty […]
The Science of Yoga and Meditation
The academic year has started. September is always the busiest month of the year. No one has time for any real relaxation as everyone rushes around trying to fit everything into their schedule. Stress levels rise, and before you know it, you are coming down the mother of all colds. Perhaps it is time to […]