Of mice and mTOR: Can damaged spinal cords be taught to repair themselves?

There's an interesting story on the BBC website about new research on nerve cell regeneration after spinal cord damage in mice, work undertaken by a team led by Dr. Zhigang He of the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Children's Hospital Boston. Those of you who follow developments on the field of spinal cord repair may … Continue reading Of mice and mTOR: Can damaged spinal cords be taught to repair themselves?

Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Back across the pond, in Leicester (pronounced "les-ter"), animal rights activists are warming up for a battle against a new £15 million (around $24 million) biomedical facility which the University of Leicester is building. Looking through the local rags, an interesting article came up in "this is Leicestershire" from a reporter who took a look … Continue reading Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Hopping rabbits herald breakthrough in tissue engineering

A team of NIH-funded scientists and veterinarians at Columbia University, the University of Missouri, Clemson University, and the Medical University of South Carolina, have this week announced a significant advance in tissue engineering, for the first time they have used cutting–edge tissue engineering technology to produced a moving joint, in this case the hip, in … Continue reading Hopping rabbits herald breakthrough in tissue engineering

Microbicide gel cuts HIV infection rates…thank the monkeys!

There was exciting news on Monday when it was announced at an international AIDS conference in Vienna that microbicide gel had dramatically reduced the transmission of HIV in a Phase 2 clinical trial involving 889 women in South Africa.  If confirmed by  larger phase 3 trials this gel will offer millions of women a way … Continue reading Microbicide gel cuts HIV infection rates…thank the monkeys!

Shots without jabs: The future of vaccination.

Vaccines make a crucial contribution to public health, saving hundreds of millions of people from deadly or debilitating diseases every year, but it’s also fair to say that getting your shots is not the most pleasant of experiences. It’s not just a question of short term discomfort, many people suffer from needle phobias that can … Continue reading Shots without jabs: The future of vaccination.

Now the Oscar for Best Biomedical Research

A cutting edge procedure performed by Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick (star of the BBC’s new show The Bionic Vet) provided Oscar a new way to walk around, which means that he will not need to be euthanized. This video caught my attention and still is exciting to watch. I decided to look into the story behind … Continue reading Now the Oscar for Best Biomedical Research

Animal Research – Interview Technique

I would like to share an old news debate on animal research between Simon Festing (Chief Executive of Understanding Animal Research) and Nicky Gordon (Dr. Hadwen Trust): There is much that can be learned from Simon's interview technique. Have information on the benefits of animal research readily to hand - Simon looked ready to list … Continue reading Animal Research – Interview Technique