Your genes may remain active after death
When we die it may be assumed that all bodily activity and functioning comes to a halt. However, new research has found that some of our cells may continue to function after death, and may even be more active! When a gene is switched on, a RNA transcript is formed. RNA is the blueprints for […]
Fresh vs frozen embryos – whats the difference?
When couples undergo the process of In Vitro Fertility (IVF), they have a lot of decisions to make. One of them being whether to use fresh or frozen embryos. So, whats the difference? In a fresh embryo cycle, women are given hormone treatments to help regulate their menstrual period, to stimulate multiple eggs and to help […]
The prevention of birth complications
Miscarriages, premature births and other birth complications such as pre-eclampsia affect many pregnant women in the UK. But, just what are these complications, how often do they occur and how can we avoid them? Miscarriage Miscarriage is the loss of a baby during the first 23 weeks of pregnancy. A miscarriage can be identified by […]
Human Genome Project – Write
It has been over a decade since the Human Genome Project (HGP-read) was completed. It succeeded in sequencing the entire human genome and is recognised as one of the greatest feats in science. The data obtained has revolutionised our understanding and allowed huge advances in medicine. On Thursday 2nd June 2016, in the journal Science, […]
Mother’s Negligence Suit Against Quest’s Athena Could Broadly Impact Genetic Testing Labs
On 5th January 2008, a two-year old boy called Christian Millare had a severe seizure and died. Eight years later his mother Amy Williams, has filed a lawsuit in the fifth judicial court in Richland County, South Carolina. Williams alleges that because Athena Diagnostics (a subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics – one of the largest reference […]
UK Approves First Studies of Gene Editing on Human Embryos
The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA) has given its approval for studies using the gene-editing technique CRISPR to be used in human embryos. This is the first time UK scientists have been given approval to use DNA-altering techniques in human embryos. The research team will be led by Dr Kathy Niakan at the […]