Medicine Interviews

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

Phantom Limbs controlling Prosthetic Limbs

What happens if someone loses a body part? Can an artificial replacement be wired back up to the brain so it can be controlled? Todd Kuiken is pioneering this approach at the University of Chicago and Chris met up with him, together with his patient Glen Lehman, and surgeon Martin Baechler...Dr Martin Baechler, Dr Todd Kuiken (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), Glen Lehman

Deep Brain Stimulation to Treat OCD

Doctors are reporting significant success in treating OCD by using deep brain stimulation, which is carried out by implanting electrodes into patients’ brains...Ben Greenburg, Brown Medical School

Giving a Voice to Silent Speech

By using electrodes to detect facial muscle movements when mouthing words silently, Michael Wand and colleagues have devised a system for silent speech recognition. The device could offer hope to patients who can move their mouths but not make sounds with their voices.Michael Wand, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

A Viral link for Throat and Mouth Cancer

Over 90% of Throat and Mouth cancers contain the genetic signature of the Human Papilloma Virus. Scientists think that people having oral sex is spreading the virus to the mouth...Maura Gillison, Ohio State University

Repairing our DNA

Scientists solve the structure of a protein pivotal for repairing damaged DNA. Due to various factors such as UV in sunlight, our DNA is constantly being damaged and organisms need to repair that damage on a regular basis in order to survive. There are many proteins involved in this repair, one of which is XPD, a protein that Jim Naismith at the University of St Andrews has been looking into.Jim Naismith, University of St Andrews

The proteins behind high blood pressure

New insights into protein shape may provide novel treatments for serious diseases of the circulatory system, including high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.Robin Carroll, Emeritus Professor of Haematology from the University of Cambridge.

Gene Therapy to Treat a Defective Immune System

An important group of diseases are those that occur when a person inherits a defective form of an essential gene. Historically, there's been very little that could be done to cure people with this sort of problem. But now that's changing and a number of techniques exist to help people who suffer from some of these sorts of disorders. One of the pioneers in this field is Professor Adrian Thrasher. Professor Adrian Thrasher from Great Ormond Street Hospital