Black Lives Matter In the current times amidst the pandemic, adapting to the new way of life and the murder of George Floyd I think it is important to celebrate the accomplishments of Black scientists and people of minority backgrounds as well as those of other races. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks I always Read more about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Book Review – Thora Paul[…]
Coronavirus testing There are 2 main coronavirus tests. There is a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based test which is used to confirm whether an individual is positive for the Coronavirus and an Antibody-Antigen test used to determine whether an individual is producing antibodies against the Coronavirus. Antibodies are essential for fighting off disease and an Read more about Where we are with the coronavirus – Thora Paul[…]
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by an impairment of your immune system which attacks the healthy synovial lining found in between the joints. This often presents itself with inflammation which causes joint pain and stiffness. It affects both sides of the body with a similar pattern and normally affects the small Read more about The implications of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis as a young adult – Lenka Gallego[…]
The gastrointestinal tract is one of the largest organs in the human body as it is forty times larger than the area of the skin and has a total dimension of 8 metres. It also has 100 trillion bacteria that influence the activity of our large intestine. Not only this but, as incredible as it Read more about Why the gut is one of the most important organs in our body – Lenka Gallego[…]
As the UK enters the fourth week of lockdown, CoVID-19 is at the centre of every news article. Leading the way with his expertise, Lancaster University’s Dr. Muhammad Munir has been interviewed by countless news channels, using his research on coronaviruses to help inform the general public on this outbreak. Wanting to celebrate the scientific Read more about Thoughts of a CoVID-19 expert[…]
Genetics is the basis for all living things. It is the foundation and building blocks that produce an organism. The genetics of a person can tell scientists about how they function, their likelihood of developing a disease and how the individual could respond to different drugs. Whole genome sequencing and genetic analysis is being used Read more about A brief introduction to understanding genetic testing and its benefits for the NHS – Lauryn Buckley-Benbow[…]
Dementia describes a set of symptoms, e.g. memory loss or difficulties with thinking, that arise when the brain is harmed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease1. With an ageing population, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, recently overtook heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales, so the research and development of Read more about An interview with the founder of Defying Dementia, Dr Penny Foulds[…]
Lancaster University’s very own Craig O’Hare recently took part and won Organs Zone’s ‘I’m a Scientist, Get me out here’ competition! *Woo hoo* The competition aims to bridge the gap between students and real scientists, give young people a voice and teaches them about science and scientists in a fun, engaging and memorable way. Over Read more about I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here![…]
Leishmania alderi (a lizard parasite that is non-pathogenic to humans) can easily be grown in culture to further research into the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis and to investigate the usage of an antigen detection diagnostic test – BIOL322 Tropical Diseases practical. Leishmaniasis is caused by transmission of the protozoan Leishmania parasites via the bite of infected female phlebotomine sandflies. Read more about Parasite Culture and Diagnosis – Leishmania adleri[…]