Two RNA studies give clues to neurodegeneration

Two independent studies have suggested new targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases...[Read More]

£5.8m boost for mitochondrial disease research

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...[Read More]

IVF and the prevention of mitochondrial DNA disease: the moral issues

Medicine has faced many controversial milestones, none more so than those involving reproduction. The UK Government must now decide whether we can use IVF technology to reduce the risk of transmission of mitochondrial DNA abnormalities. Will they accept it or reject it?...[Read More]

New IVF technique could prevent transmission of mitochondrial disorders

A team of researchers at Newcastle University in the UK has been successful in attempts to transfer genetic material from one newly fertilised human egg to another without carrying over the egg's mitochondria (the energy-producing structures of a cell)...[Read More]

Controversial egg modification technique could increase IVF success in older women

A controversial new technique to improve the quality of eggs from older women undergoing IVF is being developed by Japanese scientists. Because the procedure involves using eggs from two women to create a single viable egg for fertilisation, it has sparked a media furore over the potential creation of what have been inaccurately dubbed 'three-parent embryos'....[Read More]

UK MPs vote to allow 'admixed' embryo research

By Katy Sinclair: The UK Government has defeated a bid to prevent the creation of human admixed embryos, after a cross-party attempt to ban the controversial research was lost by 336 votes to 176. The vote followed the debate stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Amendments to ban...[Read More]

Half-Truths?: The science, politics and morality of hybrid embryos

The creation of human admixed or 'hybrid' embryos - which contain both human and animal material - is perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill, and is an issue on which UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown bowed to pressure for a free vote by MPs, following...[Read More]

UK team creates human hybrid embryos

Scientists based at the University of Newcastle have announced the successful creation of human hybrid embryos, made by inserting human genetic material into 'hollowed out' cow eggs. Team leader Lyle Armstrong presented the preliminary data at a conference in Israel. The team hopes that such embryos...[Read More]

'Therapeutic cloning' treats Parkinson's in mice

A study in Nature Medicine, by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre Team, has reported the successful treatment of mice with Parkinson's disease using 'therapeutic cloning', giving hope that one day a similar treatment could treat people with the condition. In an important 'proof of concept' study for...[Read More]

Reflecting on the role of PET and BioNews

We publish BioNews issue 450 as the new UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill heads from the Lords to the House of Commons. A lot has happened in the fields of human genetics, assisted reproduction and embryo research since BioNews 400, including the rejuvenation of PET! A year on, we...[Read More]

MPs to be given free vote on parts of new embryo and fertility law

Labour MPs are to be allowed a 'free vote' on three controversial aspects of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill currently before the House of Commons. MPs will be allowed to vote according to their conscience on: the use of animal eggs in embryo stem cell research...[Read More]

Hope for parents with mitochondrial diseases

Scientists at the University of Newcastle are developing a technique that they hope will enable women with a group of devastating hereditary illnesses - known as mitochondrial diseases - to have children without passing on their genetic disorders. Because the method involves sperm from one man and two eggs...[Read More]

A New Year, new fertility and embryology laws - and a new director for PET

Happy New Year. I would like to introduce myself as the new director of Progress Educational Trust (PET), the UK charity that publishes BioNews. Throughout its 15 year history, PET has been dedicated to facilitating informed discussion in the areas of assisted reproduction, embryo research and human genetics, via public...[Read More]

Glow-in-the-dark cats will provide clues to human genetic disease, say scientists

Last week South Korean scientists reported that they had successfully cloned cats whose genes had been altered so that they 'glow-in-the-dark' under UV light. It is hoped that the ability to alter genes in this way may help scientists discover how to make more complicated gene changes...[Read More]

Scientists successfully clone primate embryonic stem cells

Scientists at the Oregon Health and Science University's (OHSU) National Primate Research Centre have announced a successful attempt to derive embryonic stem (ES) cells from the skin cells of a macaque monkey. The research, which represents the first time a cloned ES cell line has been derived...[Read More]

Reproducing regulation: new laws for fertility treatment and embryo research - will we get it right?

This conference (organised by the Progress Educational Trust (PET), held at the Institute of Child Health, London on 1 November) was extremely timely, given that the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill revising regulation of assisted reproduction and embryo research was published last week. This Bill is intended to...[Read More]

The HFEA's 'cybrid embryo' decision is good news for patients

Following its public consultation, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has announced its decision that there is 'no fundamental reason to prevent cytoplasmic hybrid research' and that 'individual research teams should be able to undertake research projects involving the creation of cytoplasmic hybrid - or 'cybrid' - embryos if they can...[Read More]

HFEA gives green light to 'cybrid' embryo research

The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has agreed in principle to allow the creation of embryos that contain both human and animal material. 'Cybrid' embryo research - a technique to derive human embryonic stem (ES) cells using 'hollowed-out' animal eggs - has been the focus of...[Read More]

Reproducing regulation: issues arising from the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill

A Parliamentary committee has recently challenged several proposals in the UK Government's draft revised legislation for assisted reproduction and embryo research, published earlier this year. These areas of biomedical research and personal reproductive decisions raise important ethical and social issues. As such, the committee report is welcome, because it re-opens...[Read More]

Scientists create stem cells from cloned primate embryos

Researchers have reported success in creating embryonic stem (ES) cell lines from cloned Rhesus monkey embryos, bringing the possibility of human therapeutic cloning closer. Dr Shoukhrat Mitalipov, of the Oregon National Primate Research Centre, announced his success - which was achieved through a modified somatic cell nuclear transfer...[Read More]