Surgeons often operate in the dark. They have a limited view of the surface of the organ, and can typically not see what lies hidden inside. Quality images can routinely be taken prior to the surgery, but as soon as the operation begins, the position of the surgeon’s target and risky areas he must avoid, […]
Dr Paul McMaster, President of Medicins Sans Frontieres UK, was one of three distinguished speakers who addressed a large group of students, medics and journalists on Tuesday night (6th June) at the inaugural Hippocratic Post Awards for Student Medical Journalism at City, University of London. He and Dr Aroop Mozumder, the Dean of the Worshipful […]
Ambulances may have to travel fast and, very rarely, they can and do crash when they are racing sick people to hospital. Academics and industry partners in Birmingham are developing a special stretcher that will ensure newborn babies could survive in the event of a crash in an ambulance at up to 40 miles per […]
As someone who has carried out injections into the eyeball of patients with Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), I was excited and pleased to learn about the research being undertaken at the University of Birmingham to develop eye drops which do the same job. These eye drops have only been tested in the laboratory up […]
Over time, society and medicine have progressed, pushing tradition, ritual, superstition, and religion aside in favour of more evidence-based practices. Blood transfusions replaced leeches and daily medicine replaced prayers. Yet still today, faith-based practices are the main source of healing for many communities internationally. Faith healers, who are traditionally trusted and respected members of many societies […]
Why is it important that, for the very first time, we have reengineered Baker’s yeast to manufacture penicillin? Our team at Imperial College, London, inserted fungus genes into a yeast cell to make it produce penicillin molecules and our results are published in the journal Nature Communications this week. The reason that this is exciting […]
Stem cell transplants have been in use for decades as a cure for blood cancer and blood disorders. Approximately 2,000 people need a transplant in the UK every year, and the majority will rely on Anthony Nolan, or another UK stem cell register, to find them a donor. Matching patients with a suitable donor is […]
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There are hundreds of different ear plugs available on the market, from simple foam versions that cost a few pennies and muffle all sounds in the vicinity, to sophisticated battery-operated ear plugs that have filters which can open and close in milliseconds when they detect high decibels and cost hundreds of pounds. Specialist makers provide […]
London-based audiologist Nick Clive, director of London Hearing in Harley Street, fits and makes custom ear plugs for a range of clients including rock musicians, DJs and people who live and work in noisy places. ‘Everyone’s ears are different and off-the-shelf versions are catering for the average,’ says Clive. ‘You may be lucky or you […]
My decision to get involved with developing gene therapy for neurological disorders came about because my own daughter, Ornella, 11, was born with a rare genetic condition known as Sanfilippo Syndrome, or mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS-IIIA). One in 70,000 babies is born with this life-limiting condition that results from a genetic mutation of a particular enzyme and […]