As the new president takes office and the scientific community eagerly awaits the announcement of the reversal of the ban on federal funding of most research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESC's), there's news that the FDA has approved the first ever trial of a treatment based on hESC's for severe spinal cord injury. This … Continue reading A new era for embryonic stem cells
Category: Science News
2008, a review
So as we reach the end of the year it is worth having a quick look back at what has gone on. In Advocacy Speaking of Research has given talks in over 10 states about the important role of positive advocacy in the defence of life-saving animal research. We have made YouTube videos, made a … Continue reading 2008, a review
Fighting the scourges of humanity
The past week has seen some interesting news on efforts to combat three diseases that blight the lives of millions in the world today. The most exciting news was that in two studies (1,2) published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine the malaria vaccine RTS,S passed a major milestone in its development … Continue reading Fighting the scourges of humanity
From organ development to tissue engineering
Over the past few weeks we have reported on how scientists are discovering how to engineer tissues and cells to treat disease, and how animal research is underpinning this new field of medicine. It seems appropriate that Science, one of the world's top scientific journals, has this week published a special edition that surveys recent … Continue reading From organ development to tissue engineering
Discworld author calls for more funding of Alzheimer’s research
A bit of positive news from the UK which shows how big institutions and charities can publicly get behind animal research. The author Terry Pratchett, who is best known for writing the hugely inventive Discworld novels, has handed a petition to the Gordon Brown calling on the government to increase spending on research into the … Continue reading Discworld author calls for more funding of Alzheimer’s research
Fighting hospital superbugs
In recent years the "hospital superbug" Clostridium difficile has gained notoriety as a major cause of illness and death among patients, and poses a particular danger to the elderly. C.diff is found naturally in the intestines of a minority of the human population and usually poses no threat, but when the bacterial population of … Continue reading Fighting hospital superbugs
A better, safer TB vaccine
There's an interesting report in "Infection and Immunity" this week about the development of a safer and more effective tuberculosis (TB) vaccine (1), something that is certainly needed as the rate of TB infection is rising in many countries. A major problem for the current TB vaccine, the BCG vaccine first developed in the 1920's, … Continue reading A better, safer TB vaccine
Returning control to paralyzed limbs one nerve at a time.
A few months ago we reported on a fascinating study undertaken by Andy Schwartz and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, who developed a brain-machine interface that when implanted into the motor cortex, the part of the brain responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movements, of monkeys allowed then to control a robot arm with surprising … Continue reading Returning control to paralyzed limbs one nerve at a time.
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