Huge numbers of frozen embryos are being destroyed each year because the couples involved are not responding to letters asking what they want done with them. A study published in the Lancet journal last week found that over 900 embryos stored at two Manchester fertility clinics had to be destroyed...
The announcement by biotech company Celera Genomics that it has 'finished' sequencing the human genome has been disputed by scientists from the publicly-funded Human Genome Project. They have questioned the Celera's claims that it will assemble the complete sequence within six weeks. Speaking at the Human Genome Mapping 2000 meeting...
PPL Therapeutics, the UK firm responsible for cloning Dolly the sheep and the five piglets born last month, is seeking a new partner to develop its first genetically engineered medicine. Ron James, head of PPL, said talks were underway with three 'global players' and five smaller, more specialised drug companies...
The German parliament is to set up a new inquiry panel to look at the ethical and legal aspects of biomedicine, according to a news report in last weeks Nature. It will consider the issues surrounding areas in which recent scientific developments have exposed a lack of appropriate legislation, for...
A team of US researchers has identified a gene they say may trigger many of the diseases of old age. The gene, called p21, was already known to make a protein that stops old or damaged cells dividing. But it also appears to affect the action of many other genes...
Professor Ian Wilmut, who headed the team that created Dolly the sheep, has urged the UK government to lift its ban on research into therapeutic cloning. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Science Festival last week, Professor Wilmut said he had made a submission to the Chief Medical Officer, Liam Donaldson...
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Who cares about the Human Genome Project?
by Dr Jess Buxton
The Human Genome Project is nearly finished and will soon change all our lives overnight. Or so you might think, given the regular media coverage biology's biggest project receives. Last week, the reports were of biotech firm Celera Genomics, lambasted by their public sector rivals for claiming they had 'nearly...