Advertisement

S&S: Technology

  • Equally potent?Does cellular reprogramming justify the abandonment of human embryonic stem cells?

    Does cellular reprogramming justify the abandonment of human embryonic stem cells?

    1. Kristopher L Nazor1,
    2. Jeanne F Loring1,2 and
    3. Louise C Laurent3
    1. 1 Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
    2. 2 University of California, San Diego, California, USA
    3. 3 University of California, San Diego, Department of Reproductive Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA

    Induced pluripotent stem cells and our ability to transdifferentiate somatic cells might obviate the clinical use of embryonic stem cells in the future. Too many questions currently remain unanswered, however, to abandon embryonic stem cell research.

    Kristopher L Nazor, Jeanne F Loring, Louise C Laurent
    Published online 01.10.2012
  • Integration in action
    1. Sara Green1 and
    2. Olaf Wolkenhauer2
    1. 1 Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus, Denmark
    2. 2 Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Rostock University, Rostock, Germany

    The workshop on ‘Integration in Biology and Biomedicine’ was held in May 2012 at the University of Sydney. It brought together scientists and philosophers to discuss the need for, and practice of, integration in the life sciences.

    Sara Green, Olaf Wolkenhauer
    Published online 01.09.2012
  • Where next for antibiotics?The immune system and the nature of pathogenicity are providing vital clues in the fight against antibiotic‐resistant bacteria

    The immune system and the nature of pathogenicity are providing vital clues in the fight against antibiotic‐resistant bacteria

    1. Philip Hunter1,†
    1. 1 London, UK

    The prevalence of drug resistance in major pathogenic bacteria is an increasingly severe public health problem. In addition to looking for new antibiotics, researchers are focusing on the immune system and the nature of pathogenicity itself to devise new strategies for fighting infectious disease.

    Philip Hunter
    Published online 01.08.2012
  • Open Access
    Engineering and ethical perspectives in synthetic biologyRigorous, robust and predictable designs, public engagement and a modern ethical framework are vital to the continued success of synthetic biology.

    Rigorous, robust and predictable designs, public engagement and a modern ethical framework are vital to the continued success of synthetic biology.

    1. James Anderson1,
    2. Natalja Strelkowa2,
    3. Guy‐Bart Stan2,
    4. Thomas Douglas3,
    5. Julian Savulescu3,
    6. Mauricio Barahona4 and
    7. Antonis Papachristodoulou5
    1. 1 Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, UK
    2. 2 Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, UK
    3. 3 Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, UK
    4. 4 Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, UK
    5. 5 Department of Engineering Science and the Oxford Centre for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Oxford, UK

    The applications of synthetic biology will involve the release of artificial life forms into the environment. These organisms will present unique safety challenges that need to be addressed by researchers and regulators to win public engagement and support

    This is an open‐access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. This license does not permit commercial exploitation without specific permission.

    James Anderson, Natalja Strelkowa, Guy‐Bart Stan, Thomas Douglas, Julian Savulescu, Mauricio Barahona, Antonis Papachristodoulou
    Published online 01.07.2012
  • Response to “The anglerfish deception”
    1. Joe N Perry1,
    2. Salvatore Arpaia2,
    3. Detlef Bartsch3,
    4. Jozsef Kiss4,
    5. Antoine Messéan5,
    6. Marco Nuti6,
    7. Jeremy B Sweet7 and
    8. Christoph C Tebbe8
    1. 1 Oaklands Barn, Lug's Lane, Broome, Norfolk, UK
    2. 2 Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Environment, Research Centre Trisaia, Rotondella, Italy
    3. 3 Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
    4. 4 Szent István University, Plant Protection Institute, Gödöllõ, Hungary
    5. 5 INRA, Unité Eco‐Innov, BP1 Campus de Grignon, Thiveral‐Grignon, France
    6. 6 Università di Pisa, Facoltà di Agraria, Dipartimento di Biologia delle Piante Agrarie, Pisa, Italy
    7. 7 Sweet Environmental Consultants, Willingham, UK
    8. 8 Heinrich von Thünen‐Institute, Institute for Biodiversity, Braunschweig, Germany

    The correspondents argue that “The anglerfish deception” contains omissions, errors, misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

    Joe N Perry, Salvatore Arpaia, Detlef Bartsch, Jozsef Kiss, Antoine Messéan, Marco Nuti, Jeremy B Sweet, Christoph C Tebbe
    Published online 01.06.2012
  • Reply to J.N. Perry et al
    1. Brian Wynne1 and
    2. Fern Wickson2
    1. 1 ESRC Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
    2. 2 GenØk Centre for Biosafety, Tromsø, Norway

    The authors of “The anglerfish deception” respond to the criticism of their article.

    Brian Wynne, Fern Wickson
    Published online 01.06.2012
  • Back down to EarthEven if it has not yet lived up to its promises, systems biology has now matured and is about to deliver its first results

    Even if it has not yet lived up to its promises, systems biology has now matured and is about to deliver its first results

    1. Philip Hunter1,†
    1. 1 London, UK

    Despite not yet living up to the early hype, systems biology has become an integral component of biological research and should soon yield its first tangible results.

    Philip Hunter
    Published online 01.05.2012
  • Sperm counts and fertility in men: a rocky road aheadScience & Society Series on Sex and Science

    Science & Society Series on Sex and Science

    1. Richard M Sharpe1
    1. 1 MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK

    Declining sperm counts and the increasing average age of first‐time parents spell trouble for human fertility, especially when set against the backdrop of ageing populations.

    Richard M Sharpe
    Published online 01.05.2012
  • Wildlife forensicsGenomics has become a powerful tool to inform conservation measures

    Genomics has become a powerful tool to inform conservation measures

    1. Howard Wolinsky1,†
    1. 1 Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Genomics has become a powerful tool for conservationists to track individual animals, analyse populations and inform conservation management. But as helpful as these techniques are, they are not a substitute for stricter measures to protect threatened species.

    Howard Wolinsky
    Published online 01.04.2012
  • Research and practice coming togetherThe advent of personalized medicine is bringing clinical research and practice closer together

    The advent of personalized medicine is bringing clinical research and practice closer together

    1. Philip Hunter1,†
    1. 1 London, UK

    Clinical research and clinical practice have been separated for too long. They need to be brought together again to improve health care and better benefit patients.

    Philip Hunter
    Published online 01.02.2012

Pages

Subject areas