Commercial genetic tests, often advertised as capable of predicting an individual's susceptibility to life-threatening diseases, are a 'waste of money' and their results may cause excessive anxiety or falsely assure consumers about whether they are likely to suffer certain medical conditions, warn UK genetics experts. The availability...
Last week's announcement that two teams of researchers, led by Dr Shinya Yamanaka at Japan's Kyoto University and Professor James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin in the US, had managed to 'reprogram' human skin cells into what they term induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has re-ignited...
Officials have given the go-ahead for a gene therapy trial - set up by US company Targeted Genetics - to resume despite the death of 36-year-old participant Jolee Mohr in July. After reviewing the evidence a committee of experts set up by the US National Institutes of Health...
Researchers at the University of Kentucky have created a genetically altered, or 'transgenic' mouse seemingly resistant to cancer, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Research this month. The work follows the discovery of the Par-4 gene by UK Professor of radiation medicine Vivek...
New research aimed at uncovering some of the genetic variation which contributes to human intelligence has revealed that IQ is the result of interactions between many different genetic and environmental factors, according to a report published in the journal Genes, Brains and Behaviour last week. In the...
Comment
Restrictions on the disclosure of information about patients receiving fertility treatment should be removed
by Michael Litos and 1 others
This week, the UK's House of Lords is debating the draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Drawing up new legislation offers a chance to ensure that ethically sound research and practice continues to flourish in assisted reproduction, embryology and related areas. As practitioners, we believe that one issue ripe for...