Nano-titanium-dioxide: challenges for human health risk assessment
Research investigates the feasibility and challenges associated with conducting a human health risk assessment for nano-titanium-dioxide – found in sunscreens and other consumer products.
Nanowerk: 29 July 2011
Can genetics save the Tassie devil?
As cancer decimates the Tassie Devil population, a map of its genome reveals a lack of genetic diversity and how humans may have helped in their decline.
The Conversation: 28 June 2011
New Scientist: 27 June 2011
Image: from New Scientist – : deadlyphoto.com/Alamy
Stem-cell scientists grapple with clinics
Legal threats from stem cell clinics have forced the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) to suspend its service intended to help patients wade through claims about therapies.
Nature News: 29 June 2011
Cut-and-paste therapy fixes mouse haemophilia
Scientists have developed a gene-repair kit that treats the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia in mice.
Nature News: 26 June 2011
The future of food
Australia could lead by exporting its farming and agricultural science smarts, but we are not immune from a global food crisis.
ABC Landline: 26 June 2011
TechNyou
This is one of the better overviews I’ve read of the issues surrounding global food security. It puts most of the issues into context without setting up a polarised debate. I am sure a lot of these issues will be raised at our National Science Week forum on just this topic – though we will be focusing on the more contentious issue of GM crops and where they fit into the bigger picture. Stay tuned and keep 10 August free, if you are in Melbourne – they being the date and place the forum will be held.
Targeted delivery: nanotherapies treating cancer
Uni Melb Up Close Podcast: discussion on how cancer treatments may be vastly improved through drug delivery at the nanoscale.
Up Close Podcast: Episode 148
Monkeys get glow-in-the-dark eyes
A gene therapy treatment in monkeys may pave the way to curing the blind.
New Scientist: 23 June 2011
Image: New Scientist
Switching on genes with burst of blue light
By Jason Major
TechNyou
Diabetic mice in need of insulin need only to bathe under a blue light. Surely better than a needle, though it would feel light regular visits to the tanning salon – not that I would know what a tanning salon is like….
Ed Yong in his latest blog “Not Exactly Rocket Science:” 23 July 2011 – discusses this research in his usual captivating story-telling style, but this is just scratching the surface of a new field with almost scifi characteristics.
Optogenetics
Ed Yong’s story is based on the emerging and fascinating field of optogenetics, which is essentially the ability to control the behaviour of cells or genes with light. It involves the genetic modification of cells and it can involve permanent changes in human genetics, so we are bound to see the rise of the “Yuk Factor” – ie our intuitive response to something unknown, but potentially wrong, even though we don’t know why.
There has been a few stories floating around lately about various projects based on optogenetics. The following will give you a peek into the field’s potential and I would love to know what people think of the potential of this research and which direction they think it should go, if anywhere?
Gero Miesenboeck: Optogeneticist. His Ted Talk on re-engineering the brain
Nature Methods You Tube vid. Optogenetics. You can see some cool applications of the technology here, though I am sure the mouse isn’t happy with the optic fibre coming out of his head and the light making him walk in circles.
New Scientist: Controlling brain cells with lasers
And finally – a consideration of the ethics of optogenetics and similar genetic tinkering- though it takes Paul Wolpe a while to get this the point.
Animal-grown transplant organs
When injected with rat stem cells as embryos, mice that were unable to produce their own pancreas grew a rat one instead
Numerous sources
The Scientist: 21 June 2011
The Telegraph: 21 June 2011
The original paper in Cell September 2010
The Division of Stem Cell Therapy, University of Tokyo – look for Nakauchi Stem Cell and Organ Regeneration Project
Nanotech pushes battery life to eternity
A simple tap from your finger may be enough to charge your portable device.