Issue 270 (10 August 2004)

Welcome to BioNews by email, the free weekly news digest of the top stories in assisted conception, genetics, embryo/stem cell research and related areas, published by the Progress Educational Trust. Sent to registered subscribers each week, BioNews by email is aimed at informing debate in these areas by providing balanced and timely summaries of the week's news and developments alongside comment, reviews and recommendations of selected topical conferences, events and more. It also contains job advertisements from the relevant sectors.

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A farewell

09 August 2004 - by Juliet Tizzard

Since we launched in March 1999, I have written 207 commentaries for BioNews. But this, the 208th, will be my last. After 10 very happy years at Progress Educational Trust, it's time to move on. In the first commentary I wrote for BioNews, I promised that 'this commentary section will...[Read More]

US woman receives $1m compensation for IVF error

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

An American woman who had the wrong embryo transferred to her uterus during IVF treatment has agreed to compensation of $1 million with the doctor who performed the procedure. Susan Buchweitz had the IVF treatment at Fertility Associates of the Bay Area clinic in San Francisco, California in 2000, which...[Read More]

Californian republicans vote against stem cell research

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

The Californian Republican Party has voted at its annual convention to oppose a bill that would provide the state with $3 billion dollars for embryonic stem (ES) cell research. The California Research and Cures Initiative, which began in February, is backed by the group Californians for Stem Cell Research and...[Read More]

Salmon produces trout sperm

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

Scientists have taken assisted reproduction to new heights, using a salmon to produce trout sperm to produce a trout. This amazing feat, revealed in this week's edition of the journal Nature, is the work of a team from the University of Marine Sciences and Technology in Japan. The team has...[Read More]

Kerry 'stands up' for science and stem cell research

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

Senator John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, has said in a radio interview that he would lift restrictions imposed by President Bush on embryonic stem (ES) cell research. He added that he intended to 'stand up for science'. The statements, transmitted on Saturday in the weekly Democratic radio address, marked...[Read More]

Brain cancer gene therapy trial gets go ahead

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

A Department of Health advisory body has given permission for a trial of gene therapy to treat brain cancer. The trial, approved by the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) on 2 August, seeks to build upon the positive results of earlier experiments: the first patient treated with the therapy is...[Read More]

Bengal cat is cloned using new, safer technique

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

Two cloned kittens have been born using a new, safer cloning technique, an American biotechnology company says. Genetics Saving and Clone cloned Tabouleh and Baba Ganoush from 'Tahini', a female Bengal cat belonging to Lou Hawthorne, the Chief Executive Officer of the company. The kittens are not the first to...[Read More]

Genes to resist obesity

09 August 2004 - by BioNews

Research using genetically modified mice has revealed that some gene variants help prevent obesity. Two independent research teams will publish these findings in the journal Genes and Development on 15 August. The genes could be targeted with drugs to treat obesity in humans. A team from Academia Sinica in Taiwan...[Read More]