We learn more about the natural world everyday!

New polar bear sanctuary found.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20140188

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy has had devasting effects in recent days. One effect you might not have thought of or heard in the news is the death of thousands of laboratory animals at New York universities.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20172256

In  Topic 8 we learn about the use of animals in science - what do you think?

Could easier identification of HIV be around the corner?

In Topic 6 we learn about HIV and how it affects the immune system - could there be a new cheap and easy test for this virus?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20084303

Stem cells to replace sperm in infertile men

One of the side effects of some cancer treatment is infertility but a new study shows that multipotent stem cells that produce sperm can be extracted before treatment and then reimplanted.

Read the paper here

http://download.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/pdf/PIIS1934590912004754.pdf?intermediate=true

Gene therapy

Gene therapy is a topic we cover in Topic 2 but is not widely available as a non experimental treatment. Now a gene therapy has been licensed in Europe. This is a therapy that uses a virus to infect muscle cells with a working copy of the gene lipoprotein lipase.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/news_and_events/news/2012/07/news_detail_001574.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058004d5c1

Thinking of having your genome sequenced?

Knowing the sequence of your genome would allow for personalised medicine but is it really something that is feasible now? Maybe... There is a new smartphone app that allows you to carry your genome around with you securely should you need it!

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628896.300-want-to-keep-your-genome-safe-theres-an-app-for-that.html

Look who was in Cambridge yesterday....