http://www.bionews.org.uk/ The principal aim of BioNews is to provide accurate, balanced and timely news and comment on genetics, assisted conception, embryo/stem cell research and related areas. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:29 GMT Ultimate Database Ltd. http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121334 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121334 Last week, Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) of Massachusetts, USA, made two important announcements regarding human embryonic stem (hES) cell-based therapies for the potential treatment of Stargardt's dystrophy and age-related macular degeneration, two devastating degenerative disease leading to blindness.... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:30:07 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120591 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120591 Genomic medicine will be at the forefront of the NHS, according to a report released last week by the Human Genomics Strategy Group (HGSG). The report highlights the UK's achievements in genomic technology to date and makes six recommendations to ensure future benefit of genomic innovation within the NHS... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:05:24 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120518 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120518 A new method of looking for chromosomal abnormalities in embryos can increase the chance of successful IVF implantation, a recent study in the journal Fertilisation In Vitro has shown.... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:53:27 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119525 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119525 The recent ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) excluding inventions relating to human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from patentability has sparked a heated debate in the bioscience, ethics and law communities... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:52:51 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120609 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120609 Thirteen genomic regions appear to influence the age at onset of menopause, according to a genetic study. These regions contain genes involved in DNA repair and immune responses, processes not previously linked to menopause... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:50:42 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118835 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118835 The development of world's first artificial testicle for production of human sperm has been given the go ahead... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:41:28 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121468 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121468 In the last few months of 2011, a couple of stories on human embryonic stem cells hit the headlines. Both were bad news for stem cell researchers... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:28:01 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120567 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120567 Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has made an unsolicited bid worth $5.7 billion to takeover US DNA sequencing firm Illumina.... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:12:19 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120550 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120550 A clinical trial testing the safety of using human embryonic stem cell (hESC) in the treatment of progressive eye conditions has been performed in the USA... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:13 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120662 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120662 Unhealthy lifestyles associated with social deprivation may have detrimental effects on DNA before birth, say scientists. A study of adults living in Glasgow shows a correlation between deprivation and DNA methylation - a normal process that occurs mainly during embryonic development and regulates gene activity... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:50:27 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121340 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=121340 In between the epidemic of 'will they, won't they?' relationships spreading throughout Holby City, the show dealt with the genetic disorder epidermolysis bullosa (EB)... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:26:42 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120526 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=120526 Two breast cancer drugs, Avastin and Sutent, may inadvertently aid cancer growth, a study in mice suggests. The drugs, designed to reduce the blood supply to tumours, were found to encourage cancer stem cell growth, potentially fuelling the spread of the cancer... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:17:11 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119454 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119454 I was delighted that Rachel Pepa's review of my book 'Precious Babies' concluded that it had much to recommend it as a guide to having children after fertility problems as that's exactly what the book is intended to be. I wasn't surprised that she didn't feel it addressed her issues as a donor-conceived adult because the book is not about donor conception or adults... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:02:06 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119466 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=119466 A recent spate of articles celebrating the birth of an IVF 'twin' five years after her brother left me perplexed. Why was this news, when embryo freezing has been in use since the mid-1980s? And as the children were not identical by what definition were they twins? Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:58:59 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=117832 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=117832 Procreative liberty and the right to legal recognition of parent-child relationships continue to be prominent themes in disputes between individual citizens and government over access to assisted reproduction. The judiciary has been largely reluctant to state whether resort to reproductive technology is a human right... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:46:24 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118628 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118628 Mutations in a single gene could be used to identify breast cancer tumours that can be tackled with cholesterol-lowering statins, a recent study has found. Scientists identified a link between a cholesterol-building mechanism in the body and disorganised cell growth indicative of cancer... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:13:21 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118798 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118798 Two independent studies have suggested new targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:03:15 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118656 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118656 An experimental genetic technique to prevent serious diseases from passing between mother and child is to receive £5.8 million funding. The Wellcome Trust is contributing £4.4 million to the new Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:55:41 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118750 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118750 Myriad Genetics, a leading US molecular diagnostic company, has been granted exclusive rights to an analysis of the RAD51C gene. Mutations of the gene have been associated with an increased risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and the company now hopes to develop a commercial test for RAD51C.... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:34:48 GMT http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118704 http://www.bionews.org.uk/page.asp?obj_id=118704 A test has been developed to determine the sex of a fetus from only five weeks old. The test relies on a blood sample from the mother and therefore carries no risk to the child... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:28:41 GMT