Issue 320 (08 August 2005)

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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Commentary on commentaries

08 August 2005 - by Dr Kirsty Horsey and Dr Jess Buxton

In response to comments made in the BioNews survey last year and some correspondence from subscribers, this week's commentary is all about BioNews' Commentaries. BioNews is published by Progress Educational Trust, a small UK charity providing public information and debate on issues in assisted reproduction, embryo research and genetics. The...[Read More]

Paternity testing: how to progress

15 August 2005 - by Dr Ainsley Newson

If statements on paternity testing websites are to be believed, the decision to have a paternity test is a straightforward process for the curious father. Send away for a free, no-obligation kit, post it back with your samples and your results will be available (by phone, mail or online) within...[Read More]

Mexican Genome Project launched

04 August 2005 - by BioNews

Scientists at the National Institute of Genomic Medicine in Mexico launched the Mexico Genome Project last week. They hope the study, the first phase of which is expected to cost $2.5 million, will identify genes involved in common conditions such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. Gerardo Jimenez, who...[Read More]

World's first cloned dog unveiled

05 August 2005 - by BioNews

After much patience and perseverance, dogs can now officially be added to the list of animals, including sheep, cats and horses, that have been successfully cloned. Researchers in South Korea led by Professor Woo Suk Hwang - the team that created the world's first cloned human embryos - have cloned an Afghan...[Read More]

Cut-price genomes draw closer

05 August 2005 - by BioNews

Advances in genome sequencing technologies are bringing scientists one step closer to a time when it would cost as little as $1000 to read the entire genetic code of a person, two US teams say. A group based at Harvard Medical School has developed a method using beads and fluorescent...[Read More]

Giving birth by Caesarean may risk future pregnancy

08 August 2005 - by BioNews

According to research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, women who deliver their first child through a Caesarean are more likely not to get pregnant again. In addition, those who do conceive a second time may take longer to do so, say the scientists. A study performed...[Read More]

Bush repeats stem cell veto threat

08 August 2005 - by BioNews

US President George Bush has restated his intention to veto any new law extending his policy on human embryonic stem (ES) cell research, if the Senate passes it. Current policy, set by the President on 9 August 2001, only allows state funds to be used for research on ES cell...[Read More]

'Saviour sibling' perfect genetic match for brother

08 August 2005 - by BioNews

Three-week old Jodie Fletcher, the first 'saviour sibling' conceived in the UK, is a perfect genetic match for her three-year old brother, Joshua, who suffers from Diamond Blackfan anaemia (DBA), an incurable blood disorder. In September 2004, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) granted Joe and Julie Fletcher permission...[Read More]

Possible alternative to ES cells found in placenta

08 August 2005 - by BioNews

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh, US, report that they have discovered that amniotic epithelial (AE) cells, found in the human placenta, have properties similar to those of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Like ES cells, the AE cells can develop into a number of different tissues. The team, led by...[Read More]

IVF babies more likely to be premature

08 August 2005 - by BioNews

According to a study reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, twins conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are more likely to be born prematurely and delivered by Caesarean than those conceived through sexual intercourse. Researchers at the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada compared 2,302 twins conceived through...[Read More]