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Articles by Grace O'Regan
Insight into mitochondrial dysfunction in ageing
Insight into mitochondrial dysfunction in ageing 23 May 2022 Appeared in BioNews 1145 A mechanism which controls mitochondria production activity has been identified, and could help explain mitochondrial functional decline with age. Previously it was unknown how the mitochondria regulate the import and synthesis of proteins that it needs to respond to changes in the availability of certain metabolites.
HFEA considers proposing donor anonymity law changes
HFEA considers proposing donor anonymity law changes 23 May 2022 Appeared in BioNews 1145 The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is considering ways gamete donor anonymity laws could be changed, as the advent of straight-to-consumer genetic testing has 'thrown into question' the assumption of anonymity.
Activity in stem cell-derived neurons predicts neural deficits in people with schizophrenia
Activity in stem cell-derived neurons predicts neural deficits in people with schizophrenia 17 January 2022 Appeared in BioNews 1128 For the first time, a biomarker for symptoms of psychiatric illness has been discovered using neurons derived from schizophrenia patients' own cells. Few psychiatric illnesses have known biomarkers distinguishing healthy cells from diseased cells.
FILM: Researchers create monkey/human chimeric embryos
FILM: Researchers create monkey/human chimeric embryos 19 April 2021 Appeared in BioNews 1091 In the news item below – which was originally broadcast by 5 News – Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust (which publishes BioNews), discusses the creation of chimeric embryos which contain material from both monkeys and humans (as reported elsewhere on BioNews this week).
Neanderthal genes also decrease the risk of severe COVID-19
Neanderthal genes also decrease the risk of severe COVID-19 22 February 2021 Appeared in BioNews 1084 A group of genes inherited from Neanderthals significantly reduce the risk of developing severe COVID-19. The genomic region, located on chromosome 12, is associated with a 22 percent lower risk of requiring intensive care when infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. The genetic variants are also expressed in up to half of the populations outside of Africa.
Neanderthal DNA linked to COVID-19 risk
Neanderthal DNA linked to COVID-19 risk 13 July 2020 Appeared in BioNews 1055 A small fragment of genetic code inherited from Neanderthals may increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The stretch of DNA, spanning six genes, is more common in South Asian populations than in Europeans, according to the study published on bioRxiv, which is yet to be peer-reviewed.
Scientists rejuvenate old stem cells
Scientists rejuvenate old stem cells 30 March 2020 Appeared in BioNews 1041 Researchers have returned stem cells from older donors to a more youthful biological state. In a new study, published in Nature Communications, stem cells from a group of 60-90-year-old donors were grown in the lab and briefly treated with a specific mixture of factors, which 'reset' their biological age.
Common gut bacteria may cause bowel cancer
Common gut bacteria may cause bowel cancer 2 March 2020 Appeared in BioNews 1037 A common gut bacteria may drive genetic changes that cause bowel cancer, according to research published in Nature. The study showed a toxin called colibactin, which is released by a particular strain of E. coli that is part of the normal gut flora (the trillions of bacteria that naturally live in the bowel), can induce specific DNA changes in cells that line the gut.
NHS DNA sequencing to speed up diagnosis of critically ill children
NHS DNA sequencing to speed up diagnosis of critically ill children 13 January 2020 Appeared in BioNews 1030 A new form of DNA testing that has the potential to rapidly diagnose rare diseases in critically ill babies and children has been made available on the NHS. Rapid exome sequencing more than doubles the chance of a successful diagnosis and can dramatically reduce the wait for conclusive results.
Post-traumatic stress disorder has genetic component
Post-traumatic stress disorder has genetic component 14 October 2019 Appeared in BioNews 1019 Developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following traumatic events has a strong genetic component, a new study shows. The large collaborative study, conducted by over 130 research institutions participating in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, has identified six distinct genetic loci that form a biological basis for PTSD similar to other psychiatric disorders.
Call for genome sequencing pilot in newborn screening
Call for genome sequencing pilot in newborn screening 29 July 2019 Appeared in BioNews 1008 A new report has called for genome sequencing to be trialled alongside the nine tests that currently comprise newborn screening in the UK. Including genome sequencing would facilitate testing for a greater number of rare genetic conditions and diseases, bringing the UK in line with the level of genetic testing performed in other countries, according to Genetic Alliance's report.
Anorexia linked to genetics, suggests study
Anorexia linked to genetics, suggests study 22 July 2019 Appeared in BioNews 1007 A new study suggests that anorexia is not a purely psychiatric disorder but is linked to differences in metabolism underscored by genetics. 'What our study means is we can no longer treat anorexia, and perhaps other eating disorders, as purely psychiatric or psychological,' said Dr Gerome Breen at King's College London who co-led the study with researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Event Review: How to Grow a Human
Event Review: How to Grow a Human 17 June 2019 Appeared in BioNews 1002 What does it mean to be human? It's not a question I'd given much thought until hearing science writer Philip Ball's talk on 'How to Grow a Human'. It was a warm May evening in an auditorium at the Royal Institution in London. The lights dimmed and a fluorescent web-like image emerged on the screen.
FILM: 40 Years of IVF - Past, Present and Future
FILM: 40 Years of IVF – Past, Present and Future 29 April 2019 Appeared in BioNews 996 This film documents the Progress Educational Trust/Scottish Government event '40 Years of IVF: Past, Present and Future'. The event marked the 40th birthday of the world's second ever IVF baby (and first IVF boy), Alastair MacDonald. Alastair and his mother, Grace MacDonald, looked back on the circumstances of Alastair's conception, birth and childhood.
40 years of IVF: past, present and future
40 years of IVF: past, present and future 28 January 2019 Appeared in BioNews 984 The Progress Educational Trust (PET)'s Edinburgh event '40 Years of IVF: Past, Present and Future' promised to be a special one, organised as it was to mark the 40th birthday of the world's first IVF baby boy Alastair MacDonald, and it didn't disappoint.
NHS plan promises genomic tests for all children with cancer
NHS plan promises genomic tests for all children with cancer 14 January 2019 Appeared in BioNews 982 The Long Term Plan announced by the NHS this week has detailed a proposal to offer whole-genome sequencing for all children with cancer in England. This move has been welcomed by the cancer research field. Despite ever-improving survival rates for childhood cancer, it remains the single largest cause of death in children aged one to 15 years old.
The worst five words you can say to a couple experiencing infertility
12 November 2018 By Anya Sizer Anya is a Regional Organiser at Fertility Network UK 'Why can't you just adopt?' It is a phrase that is repeatedly aimed at one of society's most isolated and misunderstood groups: those facing infertility. Time and again we hear those words, as though a magic formula has been found to sweep away years of trying, treatment and heartache.
Epigenetic signature linked to Alzheimer's discovered
A pattern of epigenetic alteration of genes involved in Alzheimer's disease has been discovered. Researchers found that a type of epigenetic change called histone acetylation was associated with several genes known to play a role in the formation of the proteins beta-amyloid and tau. A progressive build-up of these proteins is linked to disrupted neural function, leading to the symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Gene therapy trial for Parkinson's disease begins
A novel gene therapy to improve symptoms in Parkinson's disease is being trialled by researchers in London and Paris. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterised by progressively worsening motor impairments such as rigidity, tremor and balance problems. The symptoms are related to a decreased level of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger that transmits signals across brain cells).
Sperm shortages force Tokyo hospital to end donor insemination
A shortage of sperm donors has forced a Japanese hospital to stop offering couples a certain type of fertility treatment. According to doctors at Keio University Hospital in Tokyo, fewer men are willing to donate their sperm once they learn of the increasing legal rights of children globally to contact their biological parents. Donors are reportedly concerned that the Japanese government might recognise donor-conceived children's right to know their biological father.
HFEA launches first National Fertility Patient Survey
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has today launched the first ever National Fertility Patient Survey. The objective is to give the UK's fertility patients an unprecedented chance to have their say. From 3 to the 30 of September 2018, we will be offering anyone who has undergone fertility treatment the opportunity to be part of this study, by giving their views on the quality of treatment, care and support they received, and how they would change it if they could.
HFEA launches first National Fertility Patient Survey
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has today launched the first ever National Fertility Patient Survey. The objective is to give the UK's fertility patients an unprecedented chance to have their say. From 3 to 30 September 2018, we will be offering anyone who has undergone fertility treatment the opportunity to be part of this study, by giving their views on the quality of treatment, care and support they received, and how they would change it if they could.
Five genes linked to triple-negative breast cancer found
A study has identified five genes that are associated with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) account for around 15 percent of all breast cancers (up to 35 percent in African-American women).
Podcast Review: In Vitro Fertilisation, 40 Years On
As an A-level student, my knowledge of the history and processes behind IVF are limited, to say the least; but the Guardian's podcast, 'In vitro fertilisation: 40 years on', brought IVF's past, present and future onto my radar. Presenter Hannah Devlin was accompanied by fertility expert Dr Raj Mathur, andrologist Professor Allan Pacey, Science Museum curator Connie Orbach and Louise Brown, the world's first IVF baby born in July 1978.
3D placenta organoids created to model pregnancy disorders
The first three-dimensional miniature model of the human placenta has been created from stem cells. The model, or organoid, is the closest-yet mimic for the structure and gene expression of the early placenta. The organoids are to be used to investigate conditions during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction.
Event Review: IVF at 40 - Science Museum
Forty years ago last month, the first IVF baby came into screaming into the world, after ten long years of pioneering medical trials. Louise Joy Brown was born on the 25 July 1978 in Oldham and District General Hospital in Manchester, heralding in the beginning of the IVF era. Now, some 6 million babies later, IVF is a widely established technique and provides hope for people with infertility around the globe.
Event Review: IVF at 40 - Science Museum
Forty years ago last month, the first IVF baby came screaming into the world, after ten long years of pioneering medical trials. Louise Joy Brown was born on the 25 July 1978 in Oldham and District General Hospital in Manchester, heralding in the beginning of the IVF era. Now, some 6 million babies later, IVF is a widely established technique and provides hope for people with infertility around the globe.
Restoring mitochondrial function reverses wrinkles and hair loss in mice
Scientists have found a way to reverse signs of ageing, including wrinkles and hair loss, in mice. The mice's mitochondrial DNA had been artificially depleted, to mimic the ordinary loss of this DNA during the ageing process. The loss of mitochondrial DNA is linked to many of the external and internal signs of ageing. As a result, the mice lost much of their fur coats and developed pronounced wrinkles within weeks.
Anonymous gamete donation to be banned in Ireland
The anonymous donation of sperm and eggs for use in assisted reproduction is due to be banned in Ireland by next autumn. Donors will soon be required to add their personal information to a register, to allow children conceived using donated gametes to access personal family information when they turn 18. 'The technology of assisted human reproduction has created a new reality and Irish law must adapt to reflect these changes,' said Mr Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Health.
Stem cells repair muscle after heart attack in monkeys
Injecting stem-cell-derived cardiac cells after a heart attack may help repair damaged tissue, according to a study published in Nature Biotechnology. The heart is one of the least regenerative organs in the body. During a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is temporarily blocked, leading to muscle cell death. This damaged tissue is primarily replaced with scar tissue that is unable to beat, reducing the overall pumping capacity of the heart. 'And at the moment all of our treatments are...
Stem cells with Neanderthal genes developed into mini-brains
Neanderthal 'mini-brains' have been successfully grown in a dish by a team from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Presenting at the UCSD conference, Imagination and Human Origins, Dr Alysson Muotri, a geneticist at UCSD School of Medicine, shared how his lab grew brain organoids from stem cells containing a Neanderthal version of a key gene required for normal brain development: NOVA1. 'We're trying to recreate Neanderthal minds,' Dr Muotri told Science magazine.
Genome study finds shared genes in psychiatric disorders
A common genetic basis has been found for schizophrenia, major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder, a new study has found. A high degree of genetic correlation was found between the four psychiatric conditions in the study, which analysed genomic data from more than one million people.
Hybrid chicken embryos reveal 'organiser cells' in humans
A master 'organiser' has been revealed in human embryonic tissue for the first time by research using human stem cells grafted onto chicken embryos. The 'organiser', already identified in other mammalian species, is a cluster of cells in the early embryo that act as a master controller of development, instructing the cells around them to develop in certain ways.
Acupuncture does not affect IVF success rate
Acupuncture during IVF treatment does not increase the chances of having a baby, according to new research. A study published this week in JAMA and led by Professor Caroline Smith from Western Sydney University, Australia, compared the birth rate in women who received traditional acupuncture during their course of IVF to those who received a sham acupuncture treatment.
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