Monthly Archives: April 2012

The Science of Baby Poop

The trouble with trying to understand human biology is that in many jurisdictions it is not considered ethical to poke about too much with healthy individuals – especially not with three month old infants. In light of this, human feces can be a goldmine for the inquisitive scientist, freely available and overflowing with forensic clues… Read more »

Biology
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Jeremy Luban elected to the AAP

Retrovirology Editorial Board member Jeremy Luban has been elected to the Association of American Physicians (AAP) https://aap-online.org/.  Election to the AAP is regarded as one of the most prestigious recognitions for a research physician.  Below is a picture taken of Jeremy Luban at the April 29th, 2012 AAP induction dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. TC… Read more »

Biology

Aine McKnight's Retrovirology paper wins category award and makes "Short list" for overall BMC Research Award

The BMC 6th Annual Research Award selection has just announced its category winners. In the Microbiology, Immunology, Infection and Inflammation  category, amongst all BMC published papers that were nominated, the winning paper is one published in Retrovirology by Aine McKnight  "A whole genome screen for HIV restriction factors Retrovirology 2011, 8:94 " https://www.retrovirology.com/content/8/1/94 All category winners… Read more »

Biology
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Cilia publishes its first articles

Yesterday marked the launch of Cilia, an exciting new journal led by Editors-in-Chief Peter Jackson and Philip Beales. In their launch editorial, the Editors discuss the history of this important organelle and a number of key developments in the rapidly moving field of cilia research. Cilia welcomes basic and translational research into the biology of… Read more »

Biology

It's all about the bottom line

Along with the technical revolution in energy production comes a growing body of research into "techno-economics". Two articles just published in Biotechnology for Biofuels this month present economic models of cellulosic ethanol production. Stefano Macrelli and colleagues explore how cost parameters affect the profitability of a second generation fermentation process, when used in tandem with… Read more »

Biology

Digging up the past with ancient DNA

Historically, piecing together the puzzles of human cultural history has largely been the preserve of archaeology. However, recent advances in the retrieval of ancient samples of DNA from human remains has allowed researchers to peer into the past in unprecedented detail.  A new study published in BMC Genetics now adds PCR alongside pickaxes in the… Read more »

Biology

Sexually dimorphic reactions to fear

The burden of an anxiety disorder on a sufferers life can be dramatic and sustained, often contributing to a considerable  drop in an individual’s quality of life. It is therefore crucial that the cause of this set of disorders can be identified, in order  to help to develop an effective treatment. The brain circuitry and… Read more »

Biology

The Iceman from Hauslabjoch

The frozen landscape encountered by Mark Jobling during a recent trip to Lausanne, Switzerland has inspired this month’s ‘Mark my words’ column to discuss the miserable fates of those who perish in the snow.Published in Investigative Genetics this week, Jobling  compares treatment documented by Charles Dickens of disregarded bodies in Lausanne –lost in the snow… Read more »

Biology

Newly discovered viral genome has implications for theories of viral evolution

A ‘fishing expedition’ in an acidic, high temperature lake has led to the discovery of a previously unknown group of viruses, which might change the way we think about viral evolution. Publishing today in Biology Direct, Kenneth Stedman and colleagues describe their metagenomic approach to investigating viral diversity in Boiling Springs Lake in Lassen National Park,… Read more »

Biology