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Science & Public Affairs - August 2000
August 03, 2000In this month’s Science & Public Affairs….. animal research: the public’s view and need for regulatory change; where will the human genome project take us?; the need for urgent action on the nuclear waste problem; promoting science communication in the developing world; the need for legislative change to allow therapeutic cloning; what can be done to strengthen treaties on biological warfare; why women are still not making sufficient progress in science careers; and the risk of power-line electomagnetic fields – unproven and unlikely?
Editorial
The delicate balance
Biomedical researchers are concerned that the bureaucracy involved in conducting animal experiments in the UK is slowing research. Nancy Rothwell, MRC Professor of Physiology at the University of Manchester, considers current regulations and suggests that we need to find ways to speed up decision-making without lowering standards if we are to remain at the forefront of international biomedical research, and attract talent and investment to the UK.
Opinion
The next genetic challenge
‘The unravelling of the human genetic code is the most significant landmark in the development of our knowledge of the human organism so far’. Sir Walter Bodmer, Chairman of the BA, considers the benefits of the human genome project for the early detection, prevention and treatment of disease. On patenting, Sir Walter suggests that where this is necessary for commercial development, then it must be based on the use of the DNA information not the sequence itself.
Don’t bury the nuclear waste issue
Lord Tombs, Chairman of the House of Lord’s inquiry into management of nuclear waste, considers the government is failing in its responsibility to address this major problem. Existing storage arrangements have a limited life and reliance on these systems for very long periods increases the possibility of human error. The Lord’s report favoured phased disposal in deep geological facilities; however, widespread public consultation on the Lord’s report is needed in order to define a strategy for nuclear waste.
NB: Lord Tombs will be speaking at ‘Nuclear Waste – the Way Forward’, a Science & Public Affairs Forum on 23 August at the Institute of Physics at 6.30pm.
Talking science goes global
London is to host an international science communication initiative aimed at developing countries. Ehsan Masood, Opinion Editor of New Scientist, believes that the initiative may run into difficulties if it is not located in the developing world as the solution to a development problem more often lies closer to home and not in London or Washington. Key to the initiative is developing countries sharing experiences and learning from each other and Unesco provides a neutral institution to facilitate this.
Features
Begin by listening
Recent research by MORI has revealed the complexity of the public’s attitudes to animal experimentation. The public don’t view animal experimentation in terms of ethics but rather in terms of whether it is ‘necessary’. The vast majority (84%) of the public were identified as agreeing with experimentation as long as certain conditions were met. But it was clear that the public did not trust the rules and regulations governing animal experimentation, mainly due to a lack of trust in the industry, government, the media and to some extent scientists. Michele Corrado of MORI concludes that the research reveals the value of listening to the public’s view and the potential for further dialogue.
A fresh look at nuclear waste
The problem of nuclear waste is now in its seventh decade and has consistently frustrated the best efforts of generations of scientists, engineers and policy-makers. As a step towards solving the problem, William Nuttall of the Institute of Physics recommends that research efforts should be directed towards transmutation. Dr Nuttall writes, ‘it is not impossible to imagine a future society with robber-barons keen to dig ‘plutonium mines’ to retrieve the legendary material from the deep disposal facility in which it was placed hundreds of years before.’ Transmutation would reduce the time scale necessary for burial in deep repositories, thereby reducing this continuing national security risk. The government’s promised Green Paper on nuclear waste disposal is eagerly awaited and should be informed by the recent reports of the House of Lords, Royal Society and consensus conference on nuclear waste.
These issues will be discussed at a Science & Public Affairs Forum on 23 August at the Institute of Physics. Speakers will include Lord Tombs, Jonathan Selwyn (Director of the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development). The event will be chaired by Clive Cookson of the Financial Times.
Details of this event can be found at www.alphagalileo.org/ViewEvents.cfm?Eventid=788
Dealing with Dolly’s legacy
David Neil of the Medical Research Council reports on an MRC-sponsored Science & Public Affairs forum on therapeutic cloning, held in June. Dr Austin Smith, the only UK scientist licensed to isolate and work on human embryonic stem cells, argued for a change in the law to allow the same cells that he can isolate under his existing licence to be used to develop protocols for transplantation. Professor Julia Polak of Imperial College, also argued for a change in the law outlining the potential benefits of therapeutic cloning in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and burns. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has also recommended that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act should be amended to allow surplus IVF embryos to be used to derive embryonic stem cell-lines for potentially beneficial medical research. With recent media reports suggesting that Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson, and Science Minister Lord Sainsbury, favour a change in the law, therapeutic cloning may be imminent.
Detection and prevention
Negotiations are underway to strengthen the international treaty that prohibits biological warfare. A key complication in finding a workable solution is that the scientific knowledge and techniques that enabled biological warfare are intimately linked with peaceful scientific applications. Henrietta Wilson, independent consultant in arms control and disarmament, concludes that the success of the protocol is dependent on finding a balance between reinforcing the restrictions against the potential misuse of legitimate scientific pursuits while not penalising legitimate scientific activities.
Women’s barriers to success
The initial focus of many ‘women and science’ initiatives was to simply get more women into science. What is now needed are strategies to ensure women remain in science and progress to its higher reaches, concludes Andy Boddington and Trudy Coe, Directors of Evaluation Associates. Two indices of women’s progress in science, the percentage of women in academic posts and the percentage of women at senior lecturer and professional level, are showing slow, but potentially faltering improvement. The authors suggest many issues that need to be tackled but warn of the dangers of falling into the trap of sidelining women into ‘mommy track’ careers while the best jobs remain reserved for men who continue to work full-time.
Dissecting the pylon problem
If exposure to power-line electromagnetic fields poses any real hazard to health, the risk is small and on the borderline of detectability. There is no proven mechanism by which these fields could interact with living cells or tissue or produce biological effects, nor is there any independently reproducible experimental evidence that this can occur. These are the conclusions of Dr Michael J Crumpton, Chairman of the EMF Biological Research Trust Scientific Advisory Committee. Nevertheless, the mere suspicion that there may be a problem has prompted a worldwide research spend totalling upwards of $500 million over the past 20 years. Dr Crumpton reviews the research evidence and considers that reports of adverse effects have received undue prominence in the media with the resulting bias in public perception being reinforced by the reluctance of journals to publish negative replication studies.
Plus regular columnists:
Tom Wakeford contemplates the anti-democratic attitude towards scientific policy making and reflects on the GOBSAT (good ol’ boys sat around a table) mechanism of formulating science policy, whilst Ian Gibson, MP and member of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, gives praise to the work of the committee and suggests it needs much more power, ‘the time has come to elevate scientific advice to a more prominent place in government’.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Sallie Robins, Press Officer 020 7973 3078
Alun Roberts, Editor 020 7973 3077
Fraunhofer-Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Biomedical researchers are concerned that the bureaucracy involved in conducting animal experiments in the UK is slowing research. Nancy Rothwell, MRC Professor of Physiology at the University of Manchester, considers current regulations and suggests that we need to find ways to speed up decision-making without lowering standards if we are to remain at the forefront of international biomedical research, and attract talent and investment to the UK.
Opinion
The next genetic challenge
‘The unravelling of the human genetic code is the most significant landmark in the development of our knowledge of the human organism so far’. Sir Walter Bodmer, Chairman of the BA, considers the benefits of the human genome project for the early detection, prevention and treatment of disease. On patenting, Sir Walter suggests that where this is necessary for commercial development, then it must be based on the use of the DNA information not the sequence itself.
Don’t bury the nuclear waste issue
Lord Tombs, Chairman of the House of Lord’s inquiry into management of nuclear waste, considers the government is failing in its responsibility to address this major problem. Existing storage arrangements have a limited life and reliance on these systems for very long periods increases the possibility of human error. The Lord’s report favoured phased disposal in deep geological facilities; however, widespread public consultation on the Lord’s report is needed in order to define a strategy for nuclear waste.
NB: Lord Tombs will be speaking at ‘Nuclear Waste – the Way Forward’, a Science & Public Affairs Forum on 23 August at the Institute of Physics at 6.30pm.
Talking science goes global
London is to host an international science communication initiative aimed at developing countries. Ehsan Masood, Opinion Editor of New Scientist, believes that the initiative may run into difficulties if it is not located in the developing world as the solution to a development problem more often lies closer to home and not in London or Washington. Key to the initiative is developing countries sharing experiences and learning from each other and Unesco provides a neutral institution to facilitate this.
Features
Begin by listening
Recent research by MORI has revealed the complexity of the public’s attitudes to animal experimentation. The public don’t view animal experimentation in terms of ethics but rather in terms of whether it is ‘necessary’. The vast majority (84%) of the public were identified as agreeing with experimentation as long as certain conditions were met. But it was clear that the public did not trust the rules and regulations governing animal experimentation, mainly due to a lack of trust in the industry, government, the media and to some extent scientists. Michele Corrado of MORI concludes that the research reveals the value of listening to the public’s view and the potential for further dialogue.
A fresh look at nuclear waste
The problem of nuclear waste is now in its seventh decade and has consistently frustrated the best efforts of generations of scientists, engineers and policy-makers. As a step towards solving the problem, William Nuttall of the Institute of Physics recommends that research efforts should be directed towards transmutation. Dr Nuttall writes, ‘it is not impossible to imagine a future society with robber-barons keen to dig ‘plutonium mines’ to retrieve the legendary material from the deep disposal facility in which it was placed hundreds of years before.’ Transmutation would reduce the time scale necessary for burial in deep repositories, thereby reducing this continuing national security risk. The government’s promised Green Paper on nuclear waste disposal is eagerly awaited and should be informed by the recent reports of the House of Lords, Royal Society and consensus conference on nuclear waste.
These issues will be discussed at a Science & Public Affairs Forum on 23 August at the Institute of Physics. Speakers will include Lord Tombs, Jonathan Selwyn (Director of the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development). The event will be chaired by Clive Cookson of the Financial Times.
Details of this event can be found at www.alphagalileo.org/ViewEvents.cfm?Eventid=788
Dealing with Dolly’s legacy
David Neil of the Medical Research Council reports on an MRC-sponsored Science & Public Affairs forum on therapeutic cloning, held in June. Dr Austin Smith, the only UK scientist licensed to isolate and work on human embryonic stem cells, argued for a change in the law to allow the same cells that he can isolate under his existing licence to be used to develop protocols for transplantation. Professor Julia Polak of Imperial College, also argued for a change in the law outlining the potential benefits of therapeutic cloning in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and burns. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has also recommended that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act should be amended to allow surplus IVF embryos to be used to derive embryonic stem cell-lines for potentially beneficial medical research. With recent media reports suggesting that Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson, and Science Minister Lord Sainsbury, favour a change in the law, therapeutic cloning may be imminent.
Detection and prevention
Negotiations are underway to strengthen the international treaty that prohibits biological warfare. A key complication in finding a workable solution is that the scientific knowledge and techniques that enabled biological warfare are intimately linked with peaceful scientific applications. Henrietta Wilson, independent consultant in arms control and disarmament, concludes that the success of the protocol is dependent on finding a balance between reinforcing the restrictions against the potential misuse of legitimate scientific pursuits while not penalising legitimate scientific activities.
Women’s barriers to success
The initial focus of many ‘women and science’ initiatives was to simply get more women into science. What is now needed are strategies to ensure women remain in science and progress to its higher reaches, concludes Andy Boddington and Trudy Coe, Directors of Evaluation Associates. Two indices of women’s progress in science, the percentage of women in academic posts and the percentage of women at senior lecturer and professional level, are showing slow, but potentially faltering improvement. The authors suggest many issues that need to be tackled but warn of the dangers of falling into the trap of sidelining women into ‘mommy track’ careers while the best jobs remain reserved for men who continue to work full-time.
Dissecting the pylon problem
If exposure to power-line electromagnetic fields poses any real hazard to health, the risk is small and on the borderline of detectability. There is no proven mechanism by which these fields could interact with living cells or tissue or produce biological effects, nor is there any independently reproducible experimental evidence that this can occur. These are the conclusions of Dr Michael J Crumpton, Chairman of the EMF Biological Research Trust Scientific Advisory Committee. Nevertheless, the mere suspicion that there may be a problem has prompted a worldwide research spend totalling upwards of $500 million over the past 20 years. Dr Crumpton reviews the research evidence and considers that reports of adverse effects have received undue prominence in the media with the resulting bias in public perception being reinforced by the reluctance of journals to publish negative replication studies.
Plus regular columnists:
Tom Wakeford contemplates the anti-democratic attitude towards scientific policy making and reflects on the GOBSAT (good ol’ boys sat around a table) mechanism of formulating science policy, whilst Ian Gibson, MP and member of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, gives praise to the work of the committee and suggests it needs much more power, ‘the time has come to elevate scientific advice to a more prominent place in government’.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Sallie Robins, Press Officer 020 7973 3078
Alun Roberts, Editor 020 7973 3077
Fraunhofer-Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Nuclear Current Events and Nuclear News RSSScientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes'
By producing some of the highest resolution images of peptides attaching to mineral surfaces, scientists have a deeper understanding how biomolecules manipulate the growth crystals. This research may lead to a new treatment for kidney stones using biomolecules.
Genetic analysis helps dissect molecular basis of cardiovascular disease
Using highly precise measurements of plasma lipoprotein concentrations determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), researchers led by Daniel Chasman at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, and the PROCARDIS consortium in Stockholm, Sweden and Oxford, England performed genetic association analysis across the whole genome among 17,296 women of European ancestry from the Women's Genome Health Study.
Is global warming unstoppable?
In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions - the major cause of global warming - cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day.
Nuclear weapons: Predicting the unthinkable
If a nuclear weapon were detonated in a metropolitan area, how large would the affected area be? Where should first responders first go? According to physicist Fernando Grinstein, we have some initial understanding to address these questions, but fundamental issues remain unresolved.
An atomic-level look at an HIV accomplice
Since the discovery in 2007 that a component of human semen called SEVI boosts infectivity of the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have been trying to learn more about SEVI and how it works, in hopes of thwarting its infection-promoting activity.
Proton's party pals may alter its internal structure
A recent experiment at the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has found that a proton's nearest neighbors in the nucleus of the atom may modify the proton's internal structure.
Chromosomes dance and pair up on the nuclear membrane
Meiosis - the pairing and recombination of chromosomes, followed by segregation of half to each egg or sperm cell - is a major crossroads in all organisms reproducing sexually.
Nanotech in Space: Rensselaer Experiment To Weather the Trials of Orbit
Novel nanomaterials developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are scheduled to blast off into orbit on November 16 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis.
The bizarre lives of bone-eating worms
The females of the recently discovered Osedax marine worms feast on submerged bones via a complex relationship with symbiotic bacteria, and they are turning out to be far more diverse and widespread than scientists expected.
SNM applauds House action to build medical isotopes reactor in the US
SNM applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276-the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.
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