A recent article in the journal Pediatrics reported that vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) resulted in a 64% reduction in infections in girls aged 14-19 (1). The vaccine, Gardasil, came onto market in June of 2006 and protects again four different HPV types: the two most prevalent high-risk viruses, HPV16 and HPV18, and the … Continue reading HPV vaccines and cervical cancer – a success in animals is a success for humans
Author: Editor
PR, ethics, and the science of head transplants
There has been a lot of media coverage on the recent claims by Dr. Sergio Canavero that he has successfully transplanted the head of a monkey on to a donor body of another monkey. This story, originally posted by the New Scientist, has since gone viral with some touting miracle cures for paralysis, while others … Continue reading PR, ethics, and the science of head transplants
Nobel Prize 2015 – Protecting People against Parasites!
The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to scientists whose research has led to therapies that have saved hundreds of millions of people around the world from parasitic diseases that can otherwise cause disability and death. William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura shared one half of the award "for their discoveries … Continue reading Nobel Prize 2015 – Protecting People against Parasites!
OLAW investigates Primate Products, Inc. and praises staff who care for animals!
This one comes with a helping of déjà vu! On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), published the results of an investigation into Primate Products, Inc. a facility in Hendry County, South Florida that breeds monkeys for medical research, including NIH funded research. The OLAW is the federal body responsible for monitoring compliance … Continue reading OLAW investigates Primate Products, Inc. and praises staff who care for animals!
Truvada prevents HIV infection in high-risk individuals! A clinical success built on animal research
In the past two weeks we've learned of a major advance in ongoing efforts to halt the spread of HIV, two separate clinical studies have reported that a daily regimen of a pill called Truvada as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in preventing infection in high risk groups. This success is a result … Continue reading Truvada prevents HIV infection in high-risk individuals! A clinical success built on animal research
Behind the Scenes of Zebrafish Research
Today we have the 2nd in a series of articles by Jan Botthof, a PhD Student at the Cambridge University Department of Haematology and the world renowned Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Following his first article "Zebrafish: the rising star of animal models", Jan discusses here how Zebrafish used in scientific research are housed, cared for … Continue reading Behind the Scenes of Zebrafish Research
Cotton Rats, Calves and Clinical Trials: New RSV vaccine shows great promise.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) affects almost two-thirds of babies in their first year of life, and is a leading cause of bronchiolitis and severe respiratory disease in infants, young children, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly throughout the world. It is a major cause of hospital admission for infants, and results in up to 200,000 deaths … Continue reading Cotton Rats, Calves and Clinical Trials: New RSV vaccine shows great promise.
Animal models are essential to biological research: issues and perspectives
The following article by Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Xavier Montagutelli was published on 31 July 2015 in the journal Future Science OA, and is reproduced here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License Françoise Barré-Sinoussi leads the Regulation of Retroviral Infections Division at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology … Continue reading Animal models are essential to biological research: issues and perspectives
Speaking of Research 