Medicine Interviews

The World Community Grid

Joe Jasinski explains the workings of the World Community Grid and this supercomputer hopes to benefit benefit humankind...Joe Jasinski, IBM Research

Social weight Loss, Youthful plants and Moon Landings

Socialising to lose weight, polymers for probiotics, the never-ageing plant and picturing Moon landings...Matthew During, Ohio state University, Iza Radeska, University of Wolverhampton, Johan Erlean, Stockholm University, Mark Robinson, NASA

Nitrogen, Mobile Phones and Anti-cancer traps

How dead dinosaurs fertilise forests, why mobile phones answer the call in emergencies, a DNA trip-switch for cancer and a Star Trek style "sick bay" beams down to Leicester Royal Infirmary...Naked Scientists NewsFlash!

Mood Altering Microbes

Probiotics, the "friendly" bacteria, seem to have the potential to treat anxiety and depression related disorders due to the effects they have on brain activity...Professor Paul Forsythe, McMaster University

Making Thalidomide Safe

It’s 50 years this year since the drug thalidomide was withdrawn from sale after it was linked to birth defects but Neil Vargesson has been trying to find out how it works in order to produce a safer version...Dr Neil Vargesson

The Causes of Clubfoot

On the subject of limbs, and how they can go wrong...Martin Collinson

Yeast's Sense of Direction

Fungal infections can be deadly, but who would have guessed that yeasts have better directional sense than many humans? Dr Alex Brand has been investigating the directional growth of yeast cells using microscopic obstacles and electric fields.Dr. Alex Brand, University of Aberdeen

Vitamin A, Brain Shrinkage and Depression

It’s known that a deficiency or an excess of vitamin A, otherwise known as retinol, and its derivative retinoic acid can affect the birth of new nerve cells, but is this true in adults too? Chris Smith spoke to Peter McCaffery…Professor Peter McCaffery, University of Aberdeen

Artificial Chromosomes for Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD, is a genetic condition in which sufferers lack the ability to produce dystrophin – an essential structural protein in muscles. The size of the dystrophin gene precludes existing gene therapy techniques, but researchers in Italy could achieve the same using artificial chromosomes...Giulio Cossu, University of Milan

Unveiling Antihistamines Binding

Simone Weyand discusses her new insight into the workings of antihistamines...Simone Weyand, Imperial College London

Preventing pain

Looking for new ways to interfere with pain...Professor John Wood, University College London

Chronic Pain

We find out why some people suffer pain from injuries that took place many years ago...Dr Mike Bailey, Pain Management Unit at Ipswich Hospital

Ulcer Causing Bacteria - Converting the Enemy

Australian researchers - Rob Warren and Barry Marshall - won the Nobel Prize for their discovery in the 1980s of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which causes ulcers and stomach cancer in some of the people who carry it...Barry Marshall, QE2 Medical Centre in Perth

Friend or Foe? - Gut Bacteria and Probiotics

We're familiar with the idea of friendly bacteria, and foods, drinks and supplements that promote healthy gut flora are found in all supermarkets. But how friendly are these microorganisms, and what do they actually do? Dr. Karen Scott, Aberdeen University

Using Stem Cells to Fix a Broken Heart

Paul Riley explains how stem cells in the adult heart can be triggered to produce new muscle cells when the heart is damaged...Paul Riley, University College London

Parasites and Allergies

Allergic conditions were virtually unheard of before the 19th century, and this has led some people to suggest that leading an overly hygienic life may increase the tendency for the immune system to react to things that it would normally ignore. To tell us more, Professor Rick Maizels from Edinburgh University is with us…Professor Rick Maizels, Edinburgh University

Curing Peanut Allergies

Food allergies are relatively common – figures from the US suggest that up to 8% of young children and 3.7% of adults are affected. In many cases it’s little more than a nuisance, but for some, exposure can be fatal. Dr Pamela Ewan joins us from Addenbrooke’s hospital, where they’ve been developing a way to treat peanut allergy sufferers…Dr Pamela Ewan, Addenbrookes Hospital

Regulatory T cells trigger immunity to transplant rejection

UK scientists have made big step forward in the field of organ transplantation. King’s College researcher Robert Lechler and his colleagues have found a way to purify a rare population of immune cells called T-regs, short for regulatory T-cells, which help to switch off immune responses against donor organs that could help to reduce the risk of rejection.Professor Robert Lechler, King's College London

Lasers Identify Key Molecular Structure in Tumours

Using lasers and over 100,000 hours of computing time, researchers have exposed the previously unknown molecular shape of epidermal growth factor receptors, EGFRs, which are known to be involved in the development of cancer...Dr Marisa Martin-Fernandez; STFC’s Central Laser Facility & Dr Martyn Winn; Computational Science and Engineering Department

The Brain's First Whiff of Nicotine

A new study sheds more light on how the brain responds to its first ever whiff of nicotine. By looking at activity in the brain tissue of a rat as it’s exposed to nicotine for the very first time, Professor Daniel McGehee, at the University of Chicago, can help to understand how exposure to an addictive drug causes changes in the brain… Professor Daniel McGehee, University of Chicago