Government supports gene patent reform
The Labor Government has endorsed reform of the Australian patent system, especially where it impacts health and medical research and gene patents.
Australian Life Scientist: 24 November 2011
DNA discovery may boost stem cell safety
A region of DNA that can boost the growth of stem cells has been found in the largest ever study of human embryonic stem cells.
ABC Science Online: 28 November 2011
Cosmos Magazine: 28 November 2011
TechNyou
This story reports on a finding from the International Stem Cell Inititative (ISCI), which is a collaboration of a massive number of research institutes and researchers worldwide – count the number of contributing authors on the paper associated with the above story. Essentially the ISCI is pooling the expertise of all these researchers to understand and learn all they can about embryonic stem cells to enable to be used in the clinic to treat disease. Don’t expect miracle cures anytime soon, but I find it encouraging that such scientific collaborations exist. And from a social or humanitarian perspective, note also where these scientists are from: everywhere from Israel, Iran, UK, Australia, Czech…etc Science can obviously bypass politics
Who is driving public engagement with nanotech?
Who is driving these engagements. Is it the public? Generally no.
Shrinking the lab-on-a-chip…and more
The Guardian’s series on nanotech. Solar energy to medical diagnostics
The Guardian: November 2011
And their Little things, big impact with nano channels
Rubisco the underdog could boost crop yields
Modification of a small enzyme involved in photosynthesis could boost crop yields and be more resilient under drought and poor soil conditions.
Australian National University: ANU Reporter Summer 2011
TechNyou
Professor Jill Gready, who heads this project has some interesting thoughts on the ethics of food production, the role of multi-national corporations.
From ANU Reporter:
According to Gready, the serious ethical issues surrounding agriculture and technology stem from historical under-investment by public bodies in food production. Multinational agricultural biotech companies have stepped in to fill the gap, and as a result, they own and therefore control access to most of the technology.
Nano electrode for battery to make large-scale power storage feasible
Nanoparticles of a copper compound can make a high-power battery electrode that is inexpensive and durable enough to make possible large-scale energy storage on the electrical grid.
Stanford University: 23 November 2011
All hype, no risk in nano media coverage
By Jason Major
Techyou
A US study has found scant media coverage of the potential risks posed by nanotechnology, with many more articles extolling its future benefits.
This article and report looks at the possible reasons why this is so, but the point I want to make is based on a couple of quotes from Robin Williams, director of the Research Centre for Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He says, “there is no proof that a greater discussion of the assumed risks in the media today will lead to nanotechnology being better accepted and understood in future. Efforts to outline nanotechnology’s potential risks or benefits ahead of time are beset by pitfalls and will not necessarily avert public controversy.
There is little evidence that public involvement, and in particular upstream involvement in science and technology, will lead to smoother, more socially beneficial and acceptable technology development.”
Wrong!
Public engagement, and where possible and practical, upstream engagement, is what TechNyou is all about. Has Robin missed the point? From my perspective, at least, the reason to engage the public about this science early and have them discuss the scientific, social, economic and ethical risks and benefits of this science and consequent technologies is to work out what are the acceptable ways to use this knowledge. It has nothing to do with trying to avert public controversy or make the science and technology more palatable or acceptable. If society finds the specific use of a particular technology unacceptable, or it sparks debate, so be it. That is part of an informed and probably healthy discussion. We can hardly make that decision based on media reports that only focus on over-hyped benefits of a technology, not that we should rely on the media as our sole source of info for this sort of thing, at least not those actively participating in the debate.
Now it is possible, even likely, that these quotes of Robin’s are out of context and he actually agrees with what I just said, but that is the nature of the media.
Bionic contact lens could project floating emails
Contact lenses take a leap forward with a new technology that projects text and images before your eyes.
CBS News: 22 November 2011
Sydney Morning Herald: 23 November 2011
better pics in SMH article
GMO algae increase biomass by 50 percent
Over expressing two genes in algae caused a 50 percent boost in oil used for biofuel.
Iowa State University: 21 November 2011
Bioterror fears could block crucial flu research
A US biosecurity committee is deciding whether crucial research on H5N1 bird flu is too dangerous to publish.