A ten year girl has received a new vein - grown from her own stem cells!

Link to summary of the journal paper
Link to story on BBC

ADVANCE WARNING!

The Society of Biology along with Cambridge Science Festival is holding National Biology Week. This starts with the Big Biology Day on October 13th 2012.

IVF can be carried out using donor eggs which have their nucleus removed and replaced with the nucleus of the propspective mother and then fertilised. This may be necessary because mitochondria which are found in all cells have their own DNA which can be mutated and cause disease affecting muscles. If the mother has mutated mitochondrial DNA, she can avoid passing this on to her childen by using an "empty" donor egg.

The baby produced in this way would have 3 genetic parents - a father (50% of DNA), the nucleus mother (49.9% of DNA) and mitochondrial mother (0.1% of DNA). The Nuffield Council on Bioethics have been discussing whether or not this is ethical. What do you think?


Link to BBC news story
Report from the Nuffield Council

Could the risky and invasive prenatal tests CVS and amniocentesis be a thing of the past?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18353055

Could CT scans increase cancer risk? In Topic 8 we learn about different types of brain imaging. CT scans use X-rays to produce detailed images of the body

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18342867

Paralysed rats learn to walk again!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18278945