S&S: Technology
- Brothers in armsMilitary funding for basic and applied biomedical science is thriving, with civilian applications delivered along the way
Military funding for basic and applied biomedical science is thriving, with civilian applications delivered along the way
- Andrea Rinaldi1
The horrific injuries and difficult working conditions faced by military medical personnel have forced the military to fund biomedical research to treat soldiers; those new technologies and techniques contribute significantly to civilian medicine.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The A to T of historical evidenceHistorians, archaeologists and geneticists are teaming up to answer historical questions
Historians, archaeologists and geneticists are teaming up to answer historical questions
- Howard Wolinsky1
Geneticists and historians collaborated recently to identify the remains of King Richard III of England, found buried under a car park. Genetics has many more contributions to make to history, but scientists and historians must learn to speak each other's languages.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Elixirs of deathInternational organizations are working towards a global solution to address the problem of falsified and substandard medicines, but progress has stagnated
International organizations are working towards a global solution to address the problem of falsified and substandard medicines, but progress has stagnated
- Katrin Weigmann1
Substandard and fake drugs are increasingly threatening lives in both the developed and developing world, but governments and industry are struggling to improve the situation.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The right to care and the expectations of society—controversial stem cell therapy in Italy
Claiming that a disease is incurable does not justify the use of unsafe or ineffective therapies. Instead, the process of drug approval as a whole should be improved, with all involved giving clear and honest answers to ensure the dignity of patients and quality of care.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Banking the brainAddressing the ethical challenges of a mental‐health biobank
Addressing the ethical challenges of a mental‐health biobank
Mental health diagnoses are largely based on clinical observation and symptom reports, rather than biological evidence. A biobank that collects biological samples should allow the identification of disease mechanisms and more effective treatments.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- XNA marks the spotWhat can we learn about the origins of life and the treatment of disease through artificial nucleic acids?
What can we learn about the origins of life and the treatment of disease through artificial nucleic acids?
- Philip Hunter1
Synthetic genomics tinkers with nucleic acids to understand the evolution of these molecules of life. But the so‐called ‘XNAs’ created also hold great potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The health risks of ARTScience & Society Series on Sex and Science
Science & Society Series on Sex and Science
Assisted reproductive technologies enable subfertile couples to have children. But there are health risks attached for both mothers and children that need to be properly understood and managed.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Educating the brainThe growing knowledge about how our brain works can inform educational programmes and approaches, in particular, for children with learning problems
The growing knowledge about how our brain works can inform educational programmes and approaches, in particular, for children with learning problems
- Katrin Weigmann1
Insights from neuroscience can help us understand what goes on in the brain when we learn. Such insights might have an impact on educational practice in schools and help design programmes for those with learning impairments.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Data‐driven hypotheses
- Paul van Helden1
Omics technologies and the large data sets they produce do not undermine hypothesis‐driven research. Rather, they help scientists formulate better and more relevant hypotheses to be put to the test.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Caught in the actFemtochemistry opens the lid on biology's third vital criterion
Femtochemistry opens the lid on biology's third vital criterion
- Philip Hunter1
Femtobiology freeze‐frames crucial split seconds of chemical reactions to investigate how enzymes function. The potential prize from this knowledge could be new avenues for drug development or ways to produce clean energy.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
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