Articles
Storytelling across social divides
Dr Joanna Wheeler’s research has been conducted through her role as a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University. Her interests lie in increasing inclusion among marginalised groups. To do this, she explores storytelling and other creative methods to bridge social divides. Most importantly, Dr Wheeler advocates for intersectional participatory action […]
Careful catalysis converts CO2 emissions into useful chemicals
‘Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing carbon dioxide’: at first glance, this doesn’t seem particularly insightful, but it’s the basis of research recently produced by Samuel Perry at the University of Southampton. Using the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, an electrochemical process with multiple possible products, Perry and his collaborators are working towards an electrode design that can selectively convert CO2 […]
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Reactive oxygen species are at the heart of innate immunity
Our innate immune system is our first line of defence against disease. At the heart of this response is an enzyme complex, called NADPH oxidase, which produces a form of reactive oxygen molecule to destroy invading pathogens. Professor Edgar Pick of Tel Aviv University, has made a huge contribution to this field of research, enhancing our understanding of the foundations […]
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Autism spectrum disorder and social hierarchy in rats
Autism spectrum disorder impacts the social interaction and behaviour of affected individuals. Valproate is a drug which might induce autism in the children of pregnant women treated with it. It also has a similar effect in rats. Using a rat model, Professor György Lévay of Gedeon Richter Plc., first author Péter Pelsőczi and colleagues studied the behaviour of a group […]
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Neuronal cultures to study the brain and neurological disorders
Understanding the brain is essential, for example to treat neurological disorders that affect one in six people worldwide. However, studying the brain is challenging: it is so complex and difficult to access. Cell biologist Dr Daniel Tornero and neurophysicist Dr Jordi Soriano, from the University of Barcelona, developed neuronal cultures that can be used to study mechanisms involved in brain […]
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Overcoming resistance to cancer immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, is a great step forward in cancer treatment. Unfortunately, however, it is currently ineffective in most patients. This resistance can be caused by a type of cell called a cancer-associated fibroblast, which builds protective defences around tumours. In a recent study, Professor Gareth Thomas and his team at the […]
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A new biological approach to control harmful algal blooms
Harmful algal blooms can be extremely destructive for local marine life. The acceleration of geographic expansion and intensity of these blooms on a global scale associated with climate change have recently been reported. September 2019, the first report published from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel (IPCC) linked climate change to harmful algal blooms. Existing methods to control them are often […]
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On the solvability of the mind–body problem
The mind-body problem is one of the most enigmatic issues in philosophy that has yet to be resolved. Professor Jan Scheffel from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden analyses the mind–body problem from a physicalist perspective. He finds that consciousness is epistemologically emergent and shows that this result overlaps with the problem of free will. If a theory for consciousness […]
Inflammatory bowel disease and epithelial barrier function
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occurs when the epithelial cells lining the gut become weakened, allowing gut microbes to activate immune cells. Gut barrier weakening can be caused by a loss of function of the PTPN2 gene. Professor Declan McCole of the University of California, Riverside and various collaborators have extensively researched the role of the epithelial barrier in IBD, the […]
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Using nanoparticles for effective immune system modulation
The development of nanoparticles is increasingly becoming an essential strategy in drug delivery. Professor Aws Alshamsan from King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, is an expert in the field of nanobiotechnology and designs drug delivery systems made of small synthetic polymers to target specific tissues with high effectiveness. These particles are internalised by the immune system, along with the drugs that […]
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