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BIOSCIENCE 2004 (GLASGOW, 18 - 22 JULY 2004) - Summary Of Press Releases

July 16, 2004

Press releases are embargoed until date and time shown above each of the following releases - please be aware that some are longer embargoed than 18th July!

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00.01gmt+1 SUNDAY 18 JULY
NEW PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHAIRMAN FOR BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY
The Biochemical Society announced today that Sir Philip Cohen FRS FRSE from the University of Dundee will become its next president in January 2006. The Society also announced today that Professor Martin Humphries is to take up the appointment of vice-chairman in January 2005. Professor Humphries from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester.

00.01 GMT+1 MONDAY 19 JULY
CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS FROM CHEMIST SHOPS WILL HELP REDUCE HEART ATTACKS, SAYS GLASGOW HEART EXPERT
Amid the controversy over the most effective way to prevent heart attacks with cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), Professor James Shepherd from Glasgow Royal Infirmary said, "Over-the-counter statins are the only way to go for doctors restrained by budgets and will change the face of preventive cardiology."

00.01 GMT+1 TUESDAY 20 JULY 2004
TALKING CELLS MAY HELP PREVENT CANCER
Researchers at the University of Hawaii have found out exactly how pigments in yellow, red and green vegetables, known as dietary carotenoids, can prevent cancer. Dr John Bertram reported today that these carotenoids stop tumour growth by restoring communication between cells. By keeping cells 'talking' to each other, they may also prevent cancer from developing in the first place.

00.01 GMT+1 TUESDAY 20 JULY 2004
PATENTLY PROBLEMATIC: THE EUROPEAN PATENT LAWS MAY DISSUADE STEM CELL RESEARCH
The European patent law on biotechnological inventions is deeply flawed in principle and highly problematic in practice, said Dr Graeme Laurie from Edinburgh University. He believes that it could prevent patents resulting from research on human and animal embryos and may discourage the development of stem cell technologies in Europe.

PRESS CONFERENCE: 11.30 GMT+ 1 TUESDAY 20 JULY
GM ESSENTIAL TO HELP DOUBLE GLOBAL FOOD PRODUCTION FOR RISING POPULATION
Global food production must double by 2050, a plant breeding expert said today. There are six billion people in the world today and the population is set to rise to nine billion. "The food crisis will be with us in 15 years, maybe ten. We have doubled food production over the past half century, now we have to do it again. But this time we have to do it sustainably." said Professor Mike Gale from the John Innes Centre in Norwich.

11.30 GMT+1 TUESDAY 20 JULY
THERAPEUTIC CLONING MUST START NOW, SAYS STEM CELL EXPERT
The UK should now develop a comprehensive programme to clone human embryos from which stem cells can be harvested for new therapies, says Dr Stephen Minger from King's College, London. "It is vital that we do not delay learning how to perform cell nuclear replacement in human cells, the technique required for therapeutic cloning, because new stem cell treatments for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's are still many years away."

11.30 GMT+1 TUESDAY 20 JULY
POWERFUL MARKET FORCES OVER-RULE SCIENCE ETHICS, SAYS NOBEL LAUREATE
In an era when science and biology are being so productive, the ethics of research and how it is used are being undermined by the power of market forces, according to Nobel Prize Winner, Dr Sir John Sulston. "Science is vulnerable to the influence of industry, and marketing needs can be in direct conflict with unbiased medical information and education," he said today.

00.01GMT+1 WEDNESDAY 21 JULY 2004
HIBERNATING SQUIRRELS MAY HOLD SECRETS OF PREVENTING DAMAGE FROM STROKE IN HUMANS
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth have begun to identify genes that play an important role in controlling how the heart functions in hibernating animals. The discovery of these genes may someday help doctors prevent tissue damage resulting from reduced blood flow, such as occurs with stroke in humans. Other benefits may also include extending the preservation time of organs used for transplantation, said Dr Matthew Andrews.

Snell Communications Ltd