INTERVIEW FOCUS ON NEUROSCIENCE LIZ BONNIN TALKS BIG CATS THE NEXT GENERATION THE STRANGENESS OF AND PLASTIC POLLUTION OF CANCER VACCINES ‘UNCONSCIOUS VISION’

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF / www.rsb.org.uk ISSN 0006-3347 • Vol 65 No 4 • Aug/Sep 18

FROM EVIDENCE TO ART How palaeoartists bring the ancient world to life Volume 65 No 4 CONTENTS August/September 2018

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EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Tom Ireland MRSB @Tom_J_Ireland [email protected] ON THE COVER Chair of the Editorial Board Bringing the past to life Professor Alison Woollard FRSB 10 Palaeoartists explain how they Editorial Board reconstruct ancient worlds Dr Anthony Flemming MRSB, Syngenta Professor Adam Hart FRSB, University of Gloucestershire Dr Sarah Maddocks CBiol MRSB, Cardiff Metropolitan University UP FRONT Dr Rachael Nimmo MRSB, University College London 04 Society News Professor Shaun D Pattinson FRSB, Parliamentary Links Day; RSB Durham University chief executive honoured; Dr James Poulter MRSB, University of Leeds Biology Week 2018 Dr Cristiana P Velloso MRSB, King’s College London 06 Policy, analysis and opinion Membership enquiries The influence of scientific Tel: 01233 504804 instrument makers, and new [email protected] thinking on science investment Subscription enquiries Tel: 020 7685 2556; [email protected] The Biologist is produced on behalf of FEATURES the Royal Society of Biology by 16 Interview Think Publishing Ltd, Capital House, 16 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH Liz Bonnin on big cats, www.thinkpublishing.co.uk; biochemistry and taking 020 3771 7200 responsibility for our planet Printed by Wyndeham Southernprint Art director Matthew Ball 42 20 Out of sight Designer Felipe Perez The patient who could grasp what Production editor Sian Campbell she couldn’t see and how it helped Sub editor Kirsty Fortune Associate director John Innes us understand how vision works [email protected] Non-member rates: £126.00 24 By degrees ISSN 0006-3347 David Coates on accrediting Advertising in The Biologist represents an courses in the biosciences unparalleled opportunity to reach a large community of professional biologists. For advertising information contact REGULARS [email protected]; 020 7685 2556 26 26 Focus on… Views expressed in this magazine are not Therapeutic cancer vaccines – are necessarily those of the Editorial Board or the Royal Society of Biology. they finally showing promise? © 2018 Royal Society of Biology

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Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 1 WELCOME What’s in this issue

Palaeoartists bring the past to life

’m writing this editorial at 37,000 feet en route to New York, celebrating my 50th birthday in style with my oldest friend. Fifty! How did that happen? It’s all relative, of course: we humans are but a nail filing on the outstretched arm of life, so reading about palaeoart (page 10) has cheered me up Isomewhat. What cool jobs our featured palaeoartists have, bringing ancient life to art – an increasingly data-led venture BioPic that sparks collaboration between artist and scientist, COOT DROWNING blurring the distinctions in order to celebrate and represent A BUZZARD some of the billions of life forms that had their day in the sun By Naomi Portnoy millions of years ago. Now back to the present day and more worries about This extraordinary picture our capacity to destroy our wonderful planet in the incredibly was sent in by member short time we have inhabited it. Wildlife and science Alexander Waller, whose broadcaster Liz Bonnin is our interviewee (page 16) and her friend Naomi Portnoy new BBC film is about plastic pollution. Bonnin thinks a call to photographed a coot arms is needed – not so much targeted at individuals making drowning a buzzard while small-scale changes, such as using cardboard straws, but The scientists she was walking in focused on governments driving step-change across societies. proposed that woodland in No time to waste? No time for waste! Away from the gloom and there are two Alblasserwaard, the doom, be inspired by Bonnin’s fascinating career journey (she visual streams . The image used to present !) and see if you agree with her amazed ornithologists refreshingly honest views about . operating quite from around the world Now here’s a weird story. Regaining consciousness after separately in the when posted by The being poisoned by carbon monoxide about 30 years ago, a brain, one to Biologist’s editor, Tom woman known as ‘patient DF’ discovered she couldn’t see. As control visual Ireland, on Twitter and her sight returned over the next few days, she regained the was discussed on the ability to perceive colour and texture, but not shape or form. perception and BBC’s She knew a pencil was yellow, but couldn’t describe its the other for programme soon after. orientation when it was held in front of her. But although she visual control of Portnoy reports that couldn’t describe its orientation, she had no trouble orienting our actions the buzzard had been her grasp to pick it up. Basically, she could act on visual attacking the coot’s young information that she couldn’t perceive. Taken together with before it was forced DF’s brain scans, the case led neuroscientists Melvyn Goodale backwards into the water and David Milner (writing on page 20) to propose that there by the coot. “The buzzard are two visual streams operating quite separately in the brain, was waterlogged quite quickly, and the coot one to control visual perception and the other for visual control Alison Woollard FRSB of our actions. Modern functional MRI studies have been able Chair, Editorial Board of made sure it drowned to shed even more light on how these parallel visual streams The Biologist completely – and even interact in order to maximise the visual awareness that most when it was, the coot of us take for granted every second of every day. stood on it and continued In this issue, we also look at the exciting developments in pecking for some time,” cancer vaccines (page 26) and, finally – look at that BioPic – she writes. “It was very have you ever seen anything like it? This extraordinary photo, violent and moving in sent in by a reader, attracted thousands of shares on Twitter many ways, including and ended up being featured on Springwatch. All power to the the sound of the readership – please keep your pictures and article ideas coming! buzzard drowning.”

2 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 3 UPFRONT Society news • Opinion • Policy updates • Analysis

RSB More than 500 degrees given RSB accreditation In case you missed it... The editor’s pick of biology stories being shared online Over the last year 17 more institutions’ degree programmes have been recognised by the Society’s IRISH ‘GIANT’ COULD BE BURIED vocabulary of more than 1,000 signs and accreditation scheme, taking the total number of AFTER 200 YEARS ON DISPLAY the ability to understand 2,000 words of degrees accredited by the Society to more than 500. The Hunterian Museum in London has spoken English. Koko’s apparent ability to A parliamentary reception celebrating the latest said it may release the skeleton of Charles hold conversations with humans, and care cohort of accredited institutions took place in Byrne, which has been displayed for more for cats, made her the subject of April, with academics, industry representatives than two centuries against his final numerous documentaries, although some and bioscience students invited to attend. wishes. Byrne, who suffered from scientists have raised doubts about some The RSB Accreditation programme champions gigantism and reached 7 feet 7 inches tall, of the claims of her communication excellence in the biosciences, not only recognising asked friends to ensure he was buried at abilities. degree programmes that offer a high standard of sea to prevent his remains being sold to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC teaching and practical skill development, but also the medical establishment, but his bit.ly/Koko-dies those that enhance graduate employability. skeleton was acquired by surgeon and Almost 300 programmes across 38 UK anatomist John Hunter, and has stood as 5TH JULY BECOMES institutions have now received Accreditation, and a centrepiece in the museum for more LGBT IN STEM DAY more than 200 programmes at 23 UK institutions than 200 years. The museum, which is Dame and dignitaries closing for refurbishment until 2021, said have been awarded Advanced Accreditation. celebrate with representatives See page p24 for David Coates’ article on the need from accredited institutions its board of trustees will now consider for accreditation in the biosciences. allowing the remains to be given a respectful burial during the closure. THE GUARDIAN EVENTS Minister for Business, Energy and impact of his work during nine years at the bit.ly/Irishgiant Standing room only as Industrial Strategy; Dr Patrick Vallance, helm of the Society. scientists gather for 30th the Government’s chief scientific adviser; Downs won the Louis Armstrong FAMED SIGNING GORILLA, and Rebecca Endean, UKRI’s director of Leadership Award, which recognises KOKO, DIES AT 46 Parliamentary Links Day strategy. Two panel discussions, chaired by outstanding performance and impact, at the BBC’s science correspondent Pallab the Memcom Awards, which celebrates the Ghosh, focused on the Government’s work of membership organisations. Industrial Strategy and how its ambitious Chief executive of the RSB since its Charles Byrne’s skeleton on display aims could be achieved. formation in 2009, Downs has overseen at The Hunterian Museum The next Parliamentary Links Day will the growth of individual membership to be on Tuesday 25th June 2019. more than 18,000, a doubling of annual of Avian Science), who wrote: “Wow. I A more detailed report from the event turnover, and the Society’s receipt of its have heard of coots being aggressive, but can be found at bit.ly/RSB_LINKS Royal title in 2015. Since 2009, the RSB personally have never heard of them has also submitted more than 100 policy This July saw the first international drowning something as large as a AWARDS positions to Government and others, LGBT+ STEM day to recognise the buzzard.” Another Twitter user called the Packed Society’s chief executive accredited more than 500 educational contribution of LGBT scientists and image “unforgettably haunting”. house for programmes across more than 50 higher increase awareness of issues they face. VIA @TOM_J_IRELAND annual event wins national award education institutions, and reached nearly Under the hashtag #LGBTSTEMday, bit.ly/CootvBuzzard 500,000 pupils and many more members scientists from around the world shared Prime Minister Theresa May sent a Mark Downs of the public through its competitions and their experiences online and celebrated SCIENTISTS REACH UNDISTURBED message of thanks to the RSB and the FRSB outreach activities. diversity in science with rainbow-themed RAINFOREST IN AFRICAN VOLCANO wider scientific community as part of the Lucy Coia, membership and marketing scientific images. A team of international scientists have 30th Parliamentary Links Day. officer for the RSB, was also shortlisted for A blogpost on the day by the RSB’s science found a ‘wealth’ of new species after The annual meeting of scientists and a Memcom award for her work in policy officer Alessandro Coatti can be found scaling Mozambique’s Mount Lico to MPs is the largest science event in the supporting the Society’s membership. at bit.ly/LGBTinSTEM reach what is thought to be Africa’s only parliamentary events calendar. Organised Koko with animal known undisturbed rainforest. Professor by the Society, the event allows hundreds AWARDS psychologist THE BIOLOGIST’S COOT PICTURE Julian Bayliss used satellite technology to of scientists and representatives from the Bioscience and RSB Francine Patterson SPARKS TWITTER DEBATE find the hidden forest, and a team of science and engineering community to Ornithologists and bird-watchers from biologists were supported by free engage with MPs, peers and policymakers membership recognised in Koko, a western lowland gorilla known for around the world have shared and climbers in order to scale the volcano’s in the Houses of Parliament. latest Queen’s honours list her ability to communicate in sign commented on the stunning image of a sheer 125m side to reach the lush This year appeared to be the most well- language, has died at the Gorilla buzzard being drowned by a coot, vegetation at the top. Pictures published attended Links Day on record, with A number of RSB Members and Foundation in California aged 46. featured on page 3 of this issue. The online by The Guardian show a range of Speaker of the House of Commons John have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Koko helped scientists make new coot’s aggressiveness surprised many unusual caterpillars and other animals Bercow commenting that he had “never birthday honours list, including one of the discoveries about animal sentience on Twitter and attracted hundreds of discovered in the area. seen so many people” in the parliamentary RSB chief executive Mark Downs FRSB Society’s trustees. and communication and, according comments, including from Steve Dudley, THE GUARDIAN conference room. has been recognised for outstanding Professor Julia Buckingham FRSB, a to The Gorilla Foundation, had a editor of IBIS (the International Journal bit.ly/MountLico

Keynote speakers included Claire Perry, leadership and the lasting and positive founding trustee of the RSB, was made ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

4 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 5 Carsten Bergenholtz, associate professor, Department of Management, Aarhus University, Denmark UPFRONT Sam MacAulay, University of Technology Sydney OPINION Inge Seim, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology Hiding in plain sight There must be more transparency and openness in research aided by scientific instrument makers, write Carsten Bergenholtz, Inge Seim and Sam MacAulay

ithin academia and Kelly Thomas, Primary Science Dr Richard Spencer, Secondary industry, scientific Teacher of the Year School Biology Teacher of the Year instruments are at the core of daily research activities. In CBE in recognition of her service to biology staff and volunteers from the RSB attended Wrecent years, various policies have and education. the Isle of Wight’s Hullabaloo Festival been implemented to try to improve Professor Susan Hill FRSB, chief scientific (pictured) in May and the North London street the reliability, reproducibility and officer of NHS England, was made a Dame in party CallyFest in June. The RSB’s ‘Biology transparency of scientific research, recognition of her broad work, which includes Big Top’ brings life science organisations and to counter biases and the non- the ground-breaking 100,000 Genome together at festivals to ensure the biosciences disclosure of important information Project, and Professor Louise Heathwaite are well represented at public events. in the pharmaceutical industry. But FRSB from Lancaster University received a do we pay similar attention to the CBE for services to scientific research and AWARDS instruments upon which life science scientific advice to government. Teachers and students research is so often based? Professor Stuart Reid FRSB, principal at the The name of scientific instruments, Royal Veterinary College, received a CBE for awarded for excellence and where they can be obtained, is Manufacturers of scientific services to the veterinary profession and Outstanding school pupils and teachers were traditionally mentioned in the equipment often help higher education, while affiliate member recognised for their success at this year’s RSB researchers calibrate ‘materials and methods’ sections of instruments or interpret data Fiona Highet was awarded an MBE in Education Awards Ceremony in London. scientific articles. Having a product recognition of her work on bee health. The ceremony saw school students from the mentioned in a manuscript is not only UK and abroad receive certificates and medals useful information for researchers, firms, some of which circumvent this the study in a journal with high and biopharmaceutical devices), and EVENTS for their achievements in the Society’s various but valuable marketing for the firms perceived reduced credibility by not We urge esteem in your field, and the we argue it is time for similar public biology competitions. 1 RSB brings bioscience to that manufacture the instruments. allowing employees to be listed as journals to manufacturer will cite the paper on debate on how and when researchers The Secondary School Biology Teacher of the To explore the relationship between co-authors, even when they its website for marketing purposes. should disclose the involvement of new festivals this summer Year 2018 award was presented to Dr Richard academic researchers and the contributed significantly to published adjust their Are these scenarios acceptable? instrument firms in science. Spencer CBiol FRSB from Middlesbrough scientific instruments industry, we work.1 What we see emerging is a guidelines Should the financial benefit or the References to instruments in College, while Kelly Thomas, of Penllergaer surveyed academic researchers in pattern of incentives likely to firm’s involvement in generating papers are clearly valuable Primary School, Wales, was awarded the diverse fields in the US and EU to encourage the non-disclosure of and interpreting the data be marketing materials for firms, and Primary Science Teacher of the Year Award. gain insights into how scientific contributions being made by disclosed? Should the firm’s journal guidelines should take this instruments are perceived in instrument firms. employees be acknowledged as into account. If one receives a OUTREACH published materials. We have seen at least one co-authors on the publication? discount, this needs to be disclosed. Ready for Biology Week? We found that academics discount commercial producer of transgenic Reference An informal analysis of the If an industry-based scientist or the importance and reliability of mice offering researchers monetary 1) Bergenholtz, C. Eur. guidelines of 20 top journals in the technician has contributed to the The Society is once again gearing up for a range Manag. Rev. 11, 159–171 information on instruments in papers rewards for citations in scientific (2014). natural sciences shows that such use of the instrument, this should of events and activities as part of Biology Week co-authored by employees of scientific articles,3 and scientific instrument 2) Bergenholtz, C. et al. information is not required to be also be communicated. 2018, which runs from 6 to 14 October. EMBO Reports 19 4 instrument firms, even when the firm’s firms promising significant (6) (2018). disclosed. Since being affiliated with Not only is non-disclosure against The annual celebration of the biosciences is instrument was not mentioned in a discounts on instrument reagents in 3) Goldacre, B. ‘So this a instrument firm seems to influence the ethos of reliability, reproducibility now in its seventh year, and the number of manuscript.2 The differences were exchange for ‘excessive usage’ of an company Cyagen is how academic researchers and transparency in science, it also events organised around the world has grown paying authors for substantial and significant: academics instrument name in scientific citations in academic value the manuscript, the academic constitutes a hidden barrier to greater and more diverse each year. do not merely distrust biomedical articles (CB and IS, personal papers’. Badscience.net and the instrument maker have a market entry for smaller scientific Those hoping to take part can visit rsb.org. (2015, accessed companies, as previous research has observation). Imagine a scenario 21 May 2018). shared incentive against disclosing instruments firms. Thus, we urge Hands-on biology-based outreach activities uk/biologyweek to find a range of resources established, but also seem to be where a researcher receives a 40% 4) Bergenholtz, C. et al. such pertinent facts. journals to adjust their guidelines, have appeared at a new range of UK festivals for schools, parents, universities and other A survey on information sceptical of research involving discount on an instrument, as well sources used by Editorial guidelines in peer- academics and their societies to over the summer thanks to the RSB’s outreach groups, plus information about local events. commercial instrument firms. as substantial help with instrument academic researchers reviewed journals have helped tackle proactively disclose information team. In addition to appearances at Members are also encouraged to join in the to evaluate scientific This result helps explain the calibration and data interpretation. instruments. https:// the non-disclosure challenge in other about assistance, and readers to Glastonbury Festival, Green Man Festival and #iamabiologist social media campaign on reported behaviour of instrument The researcher intends to publish bit.ly/2IWlQ1T industries (in particular in medical demand transparency. the Lambeth Country Show in recent years, Friday 12th October.

6 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 7 POLICYNEWS POLICYANALYSIS SCIENCE AND GOVERNMENT Helen Currie MRSB Policy intern at the RSB Life Sciences Council focus must be broader

The Society has welcomed the first meeting of the Government’s Life Sciences Council, Rethinking investment but stressed the need for representation for more sectors, such as plant science. The Council is chaired by business secretary Greg Clark and health and social in research care secretary Jeremy Hunt, and features a range of research and industry leaders, including Professor Jackie Hunter, CEO Understanding those impacts of R&D that are hardest to quantify of BenevolentAI and RSB trustee. is key to generating investment in science that benefits all RSB chief executive Mark Downs said the health-focused sector of the life sciences was a “huge area of scientific and Labour’s Chi Onwurah at elative to other OECD Parliamentary Links Day industrial strength” in the UK but that “we countries, the UK is underinvesting in research must not lose sight of the breadth of talent, Initiative, a partnership between the RSB, and development (R&D). BREXIT WATCH capability and economic impact for the UK the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the The Government plans to across the life sciences sector as a whole”. British Ecological Society and the James Rraise spending to around 2.4% of New scheme for Hutton Institute. GDP by 2027, but world-leading overseas researchers The paper describes a conceptual basis research nations such as Japan, The Government has announced a new EU could legislate to boost for defining and assessing a network of and the US are already at or scheme, to be operated by UKRI, to gender equality in STEM wildlife areas, following the announcement approaching 3%. allow non-EEA researchers, scientists of the Government’s ambition to create A recent research paper produced and academics to come to the UK for The EU’s research commissioner has said 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitat. The by the Department for Business, up to two years. the EU might need to introduce more rules paper can be found at bit.ly/NCI_resilient Energy & Industrial Strategy (‘Non- Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes and new funding strategies to ensure market impacts of investment in announced that UKRI, alongside 12 women get equal opportunities, according PUBLISHING R&D’) provides a refreshing take on approved research organisations, such to reports. Carlos Moedas told a Politico how spending might be best allocated as the Natural History Museum, are able event in June that “we have to push harder” African scientists to see the greatest returns from to directly sponsor highly skilled on gender equality in R&D, and that he launch PrePrint innovation in science and technology. individuals, such as specialist would support additional legislation. The paper suggests that a focus on A group of open science campaigners have technicians, to work and train in the UK. At the RSB’s Parliamentary Links Day in the assessment of ‘non-market create cultural and health benefits). Conserving To capture these societal benefits launched the first preprint service aimed The RSB recently responded to the June, Labour’s shadow minister for impacts’ produced by R&D could For example, primarily commercially national parks of R&D appropriately, frameworks exclusively at African scientists. AfricArxiv such as the Commons Science and Technology industrial strategy, Chi Onwurah, said her assist scientists, businesses, motivated agricultural technology – should be implemented to enable is designed to help academics share their Brecon Beacons Committee inquiry on an immigration party would introduce legislation on policymakers and the public in designed to assist in efficient and synthesis of views and expertise from work quickly and improve the visibility and has cultural and system that works for science and gender equality as attempts to increase the identifying where investment would profitable farming – may potentially health benefits a wide community. People from a accessibility of African science. innovation. number of women in senior STEM roles be best placed to drive maximum drive wider environmental benefits; range of sectors, disciplines, groups The Committee is expected to publish over the past decade “are not working”. societal benefit. ‘Non-market impacts’ or sustainable management practices and communities must have routes to FUNDING a ‘blueprint’ shortly for a new post- may be a dry, vague term, but it might lead to more efficiently feed advice and expertise into policy Brexit immigration system that enables ‘Evidence Week’ launched £11.6m announced for describes the important outcomes, targeted or reduced use of chemicals, development, implementation and high-quality scientists and students to innovation partnerships goods or services which may have a profiting soil and pollinator health, analysis of the market and non- come to the UK. June saw the launch of the first Evidence value to society in some way but and reducing both water pollution market impacts of R&D. Week, an initiative by the campaign group The Scottish Government is increasing its cannot be directly bought or sold. and energy consumption. Research Given the impending EU exit and RSB warns House of Sense about Science. grant funding for university research and Non-market impacts resulting from itself is a public good, although the associated unprecedented legal The week of events and briefings innovation by £11.6m in 2018/19, bringing R&D can be broadly categorised into potential range of subsequent challenges, it is imperative that Lords on biosecurity explored how parliamentarians seek and the total to £296.2m. The extra support is several key areas including: clean and outcomes from research or data sets policymakers understand the full An appropriately resourced and skilled scrutinise evidence, and the role of services intended to strengthen the competitiveness flexible energy; agriculture; social can be large, and sometimes extent of market and non-market biosecurity workforce is essential to such as the House of Commons Library. of universities and their industry partners sciences; and healthcare and unintended or unquantifiable. impacts. Balanced strategies are key maintain the health of plants and animals Writing in The Guardian, Sense about when bidding for UK-wide funding pots. medicines. These categories are well The problem here of course is that in policymaking, to ensure those non- in the UK post-Brexit, the RSB has told a Science’s Tracey Brown highlighted aligned with the foundations and public goods, such as clean air, cannot market impacts that are hard to value Lords consultation. instances of exemplary evidence-based QUALIFICATIONS ‘Grand Challenges’ identified within necessarily be supplied to society for financially (improved biodiversity, for Responding to the House of Lords sub- decision-making and said a greater use of Briefing published ahead the UK’s Industrial Strategy, and a direct financial profit – making example) are given proportionate committee inquiry on plant and animal evidence in policy would be a “national of T-level roll-out encompass fields of interest across them hard to categorise and measure weighting to those which are not. biosecurity in light of Brexit, the Society victory”. a range of the biosciences not within a market system based on Deal or no deal, the UK must remain Xyyyyyyyhighlighted the complex expertise The RSB has published a policy briefing currently given weight within the financial exchanges. Despite this, at the forefront of R&D, acting as required to rapidly counter the threat of ENVIRONMENT paper explaining the Government’s Government’s life science sector deal. factoring non-market impacts into world leaders in tackling global invasive species, plant diseases and Workshop leads to new T-levels, with roll out expected to Such impacts can come in the form policymaking processes provides a challenges including sustainable unsafe food, especially at the UK border. begin in 2020. of ecosystem services and/or public useful method to capture the value development and climate change. A The response highlighted the need for paper on ecology policy The new two-year technical programmes goods, including clean air (which and benefit society derives from Research rethink in investment strategy could maintained cooperation between the UK A policy paper on a new direction for have been designed with employers to help holds health benefits); clean rivers science and technology – failure to do itself is ultimately help boost the UK’s and EU regulatory agencies, reference conservation in England has been students get a skilled job. Two are science with biodiverse wildlife populations so poses the risk of underinvestment growth in research and innovation by networks and laboratories. published in the Journal of Applied Ecology based: Health & Science, and Agriculture, (including fish stocks); or in endeavours that hold real benefits a public making the most of what our following work by the Natural Capital Environment & Animal Care. conservation of national parks (which for society. good resources have to offer.

8 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 9 ART & SCIENCE

Mark Witton is a freelance artist and author are old-school palaeoart by artists such as Charles specialising in pterosaurs, and holds an honorary “Few other Knight and Zdeněk Burian. They excelled at evoking position at the University of Portsmouth. His book sciences can scale, atmosphere and mood, and I think this is outlining the science behind palaeoart will be sometimes lost in modern palaeoart. They weren’t Art imitating published later this year. boast such a afraid of hiding their animals in shadow, of visually splendid surrendering an intricate animal colour scheme I’m a palaeontologist by training and sort of fell record of their to the hues of a dramatic lighting setup. into professional palaeoart. I’ve always drawn history” prehistoric animals as a hobby and when studying for Paleoartists must invest time in the research side Mark Witton ancient life my PhD, I started producing palaeoart for my of their work. As a science-led discipline, palaeoart is colleague’s research PR. I still do peer-reviewed judged by the credibility of artwork as well as artistic ‘Palaeoart’ is the term given to the striking research and am probably one of the more vocal execution. Research is also the best way to bring and often controversial depictions of individuals in the current palaeoart crop, regularly originality to your work – find your own inspiration in ancient creatures and ecosystems. writing about palaeoart theory, methods and culture the books, papers and specimens that haven’t been for my blog, online magazines and journals. pored over by the rest of us. We spoke to six palaeoartists about how they reconstruct ancient scenes and ask I’m self-trained and work entirely digitally. Palaeoart is not a career you can do half- what a career as a palaeoartist is like It’s an ideal medium for palaeoart, as it’s much easier heartedly. The palaeoart community is very friendly to update images with new data and you can easily and welcoming, but it’s also crowded, so there’s a lot of correct mistakes. competition for work. Paying gigs are scarce and often underpaid, especially at early career stages. There are Few sciences have a related artform as probably just a handful of people working as full-time PR-friendly as palaeontology. It’s a great way to get palaeoartists around the world – the rest support their the general public interested in prehistoric life, and work through other means, be that other freelance from there, into science generally. It’s also a terrific artistry or part-time careers in other professions. way to convert information in technical papers to a Left: Dimetrodon by Mark format that everyone can understand, and translates Witton. The distinctive sail Elisabeth Daynès is a palaeoartist and sculptor across barriers of language and age. on its back is formed by who creates minutely detailed reconstructions of spines extending from hominids, early man and historical figures. Her its vertebrae Another important function of palaeoart is as an work is exhibited in museums around the world. illustrated history of palaeontological science. It’s Below: Femme de Cap Blanc easy to look at the history of palaeoart with a cynical, – Elisabeth Daynès’ The reconstruction methodology is always dismissive edge because the science it’s based on is reconstruction of the the same. There is a meeting between the artist now consigned to history. However, what we’re looking Magdalenian Girl discovered and the scientists. From the fossil evidence and in Dordogne, at is a visualisation of evolving palaeontological according to the same principles of a forensic understanding. Few other sciences can boast such investigation, I set up an identity card for the a visually splendid record of their history. subject: fossil group, dating, age at death, Palaeoart is increasingly science-led, and there probable sex, diseases, deficiencies, dietary are vanishingly few parts of reconstructions that pattern, associated fauna, climate, living are entirely imagined or speculated. Even conditions, environment, culture and so colour – that bastion of uncertainty that on. All this data is collected during long artists and scientists have traditionally discussions with experts, anthropologists, conceded is beyond our knowledge – is anatomists, palaeopathologists and now knowable, to some degree, with palaeogeneticists, and will guide ever more sophisticated techniques of decisions at every step of the interpreting fossilised pigment reconstruction process. cells and their relationships to animal colouration. When reconstructing sapiens, I work with a forensic expert at the Paris We do not always have answers Institute of Criminology who uses to the questions about computer-assisted technology of appearance, however. facial reconstruction. The There are a couple of responses reconstitution begins with the to these data gaps: take them as bones, the preserved parts of the licence for speculation or go skull, the teeth, the pelvis, the conservative, taking the closest limbs. The skull is the most hint of an answer, to keep important piece – then the layers the work grounded. I think of soft tissues, muscles and deep there’s room for both dermis, where thickness values are approaches, as well as provided by the forensic expert. admitting that we don't know enough about My goal is to show real people and some animals to real individuals who lived in restore them properly. prehistoric times and who Some of my are not mere

favourite images prejudiced schemas Daynès ©Elisabeth

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asked for one of my dinosaur drawings for a book. great depth in your work. I would gently caution That experience motivated me to seek more paying “The Triassic is against pursuing a career in palaeoart exclusively, work and to hone my skills to exhaustion while fun and intriguing since the demand for such work is relatively low and completing my degree. difficult to sustain. However, it can easily be a lucrative to me because and enjoyable part of a broader illustration or Science writers and natural illustrators have a so many truly wildlife artwork career. unique responsibility because these renditions are bizarre-looking often what shape the public’s perceptions of what taxa appeared Gabriel Ugueto is a freelance scientific these animals were actually like. We are, in a sense, illustrator and palaeoartist specialising in bringing the bones back to life, but we must do so with during that illustrations of tetrapods. care and respect. Through art, the public can come to period” know these dinosaurs as they were – not as movie Gabriel Ugueto I studied graphic design and illustration, but I grew monsters or mysterious creatures, but as real animals, up loving reptiles and amphibians, and for a long time full of beauty and life. I worked as a herpetologist researcher and authored numerous papers, including the descriptions of Deinonychus, the North American wolf-sized several new species of neotropical lizards. dromaeosaur, was first described by John Ostrom in the 1960s and is largely responsible for the deepening My work reflects the latest scientific understanding that dinosaurs were active, complex hypotheses about both the external appearance animals rather than tail-dragging behemoths. As far as and the behaviour an animal could have had. In the I’m concerned, Deinonychus might well be the most absence of known details, I use what is known about beautiful animal that ever lived. Its proportions were the environment the animal lived in along with what built not for speed but for power, and it may have we know about modern-day analogues to add details occupied a similar niche to today’s big cats. I never get that most likely represent what the animal appeared tired of drawing dromaeosaurs and Deinonychus has and how it behaved. always been my favourite. Below: Deinocheirus by Gabriel Ugueto. The large Palaeoart helps people understand each new omnivore lived around 70 If you are considering a career in palaeoart, millions years ago in the fossil discovery, while making connections to Earth’s concentrate on achieving either great breadth or Late Cretaceous period past life forms and environments. It is vital for an

and discriminatory stereotypes. This work of Emily Willoughby is a freelance illustrator who individualisation is above all a work on faces, “Through art, the specialises primarily in feathered dinosaurs. She expressions and looks, where the starting point public can come is also completing a PhD in behavourial genetics. is the skull. to know these Before the invention of photography, artwork was Precision and detail are essential to restore the dinosaurs as the only visual method available to bring the dignity of the individuals, to arouse fragility and they were” natural world to the public. Today, palaeontology is empathy, but also to be sensitive to the lost variety Emily Willoughby unique among the natural sciences in that there is no of the human family. other method to capture the reality of its subjects. Like the subjects we study, the methods of palaeontological I want to create emotion through an reconstruction are old: we must paint, sculpt and draw extraordinary face to face. It is emotion that to bring these animals to life. can overcome prejudices, whatever they are, and only an extreme attention to detail allows this. My favourite type of work is illustrating newly Neanderthal, my favourite, is no longer a described genera or behaviours for researchers, discriminated brutal stereotype. especially if it’s a new taxon with some unique feature. I also do jobs for museums, and contribute My work is at the border of art and science,and to books about dinosaurs, birds and illustration. I nothing would have been possible without privileged have also done projects for magazines and television exchanges, meetings and collaboration with the segments, and occasionally more unusual work such international scientific community. as tattoo design, band art and even a children’s game.

I also work on a contemporary art project called I’m generally happy to illustrate anything with ‘the truth of faces’. In my works, I reflect and explore feathers, including modern birds, but my heart lives a world of hyper-technology and virtual reality, and a Above: A Caudipteryx in Dromaeosauridae – Deinonychus, Velociraptor time marked by man’s obsessive quest for physical with chicks by Emily and their relatives. perfection and eternal youth. Boundaries between the Willoughby. The genus is central to the real and the virtual, and between the artificial and the debate around the I got into professional palaeoart almost by natural, are blurred. What will it mean to be human in relationship between accident while completing my undergraduate 20 centuries? birds and dinosaurs degree in biology. I was contacted by Scholastic and

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illustrator to accurately depict an extinct animal. each other: even though they might seem unrelated, Otherwise, the public is misled. “I want my work there are still shapes and patterns that are repeated to disappear. It is from organism to organism. Bones can tell us more than people think about the external appearance of an animal. Ideally, I the animal that I formulated a dual degree in biology and art at prefer to examine the fossils in person. If this is not should be front Hastings College, which also included internships possible, I accumulate as much information as I can by and centre” at the Smithsonian Institution and the British Museum examining photos, reading descriptions and talking to of Natural History. My clients are primarily natural Gary Staab palaeontologists who specialise in that taxon. history museums, but I also create some work for Unfortunately, most of the time fossils are incomplete zoos, nature centres and documentaries. or severely damaged, which is one of the biggest challenges of my work. To get around the myriad Since we primates have such a poor ability to problems related to these challenges, I can model conceptualise large spans of time, art is one of the missing or damaged bones by comparing them to only ways we can see past worlds with any clarity. related species from which samples are available. Blending realism, accuracy and drama is one of For me, it’s all about the Mesozoic Era, which the greatest challenges. If the composition or design includes the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. of the sculpture or image does not elicit a reaction, Particularly, the Triassic is fun and intriguing to me that may be a sign that it should be changed or because so many truly bizarre-looking taxa appeared executed in a different way. It needs to work on during that period. both levels of science and art.

To be a palaeoartist, first and foremost you have to If I have done my job correctly, you will only be a well-rounded illustrator both in traditional and see the animal for what it is and not the mark of the digital media; you have to be a good animal illustrator. artist who created it. With my sculpture, I want my It is important to be very familiar with the anatomy of Below: Prehistoric work to disappear. It is the animal that should be extant animals and be able to read a lot of scientific cephalopods front and centre. papers and keep up with current research. Be prepared by Gary Staab to read a lot – you must be a lifetime learner. When there are gaps of knowledge, we look to the next best anatomical proxy, living or extinct, Gary Staab has been a freelance sculptor since to fill in the missing bits. I have done a lot of 1996, having worked at the Denver Museum of dissection work to back up the soft tissue Nature and Science for seven years. He has reconstructions that I have done. been doing palaeoart since he was 19. For me, the most interesting palaeo I often say I specialise in being a subjects are the animals that have generalist. I get to work on an extraordinary not been fleshed out before. If you diversity of subjects, from the first are lucky enough to work on a invertebrates through early reptiles, new species, you will be creating Jenn Hall works at the Carter County Museum My projects include anything from scientific primitive mammals, dinosaurs and the first look of that animal for in Ekalaka, Montana, and runs her own freelance “It’s important illustration to graphic design to taxidermy, typically hominids. All these forms complement people to see. visual didactics business, Hell Creek Studio. not to run away for palaeontologists/geologists and museums. I don’t specialise in any particular species or organism, but I majored in printmaking and ended up getting a with an idea due to my background and work at the Carter County minor in geology, which is how I got into palaeoart. because it looks Museum (Montana’s first dinosaur museum), I end up cool or fierce” doing a lot of dinosaur-themed work. Working closely with scientists and curators is Jenn Hall essential to creating an accurate and believable image, I’m a sucker for Cambrian fauna. I find those wild, and requires an iterative approach in which the image alien creatures captivating and enjoy visually imagining changes and has to remain versatile during draft interactions between organisms and the individual stages. Especially when there are multiple co-authors events that changed DNA and pushed evolution or collaborators on a project, the back-and-forth can be forward. That said, I love doing fieldwork in Hell Creek quite extensive. and coming across Cretaceous fossils. We have the KT boundary here in Montana [the band of sediment dated When encountering knowledge gaps, the to 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs died out], and collaboration has to continue to ensure that artistic when picturing individual events that’s a biggie. decisions are believable. It’s important not to run away with an idea because it looks cool or fierce, but to really Palaeoart is full of artists with different styles and consider why and how an animal would have appeared, specialisations, so there are a lot of inroads for those which can be determined by considering ecological who are passionate. Being versatile and picking up factors or bracket species. skills that complement your art can help develop your career, as well as distinguish you from others in the That isn’t to say that purely artistic decisions can’t field. Most palaeoartists have a related career that or shouldn’t be made – on the contrary, the most Above: Pterosaurs supports their work, and makes them more marketable, by Jenn Hall. The flying compelling and striking images are those by artists who reptiles are the earliest whether in research, education or museum work. Also, have a very distinct style with dynamic compositions vertebrates known to have get good at collaborating: working with and for others and beautiful considerations of light and atmosphere. evolved powered flight to communicate their message is what the job is about.

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As part of the BBC series Galapagos, Liz Bonnin joined ‘There is various research teams to help protect the islands and their no time inhabitants to waste’

TV science presenter Liz Bonnin talks to Tom Ireland about her love of biochemistry and big cats, and how she hopes her new documentary will help tackle plastic pollution

iz Bonnin was born in Paris before moving “Our mission is to to Ireland as a child. After studying make viewers feel biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, a the way I’m whirlwind showbiz career led to her presenting UK breakfast television and Top of feeling as I’m Lthe Pops in the early 2000s. However, she decided to doing this, return to her true passion, life sciences, completing a which is really master’s in wildlife biology at the Zoological Society of motivated to step London and the Royal Veterinary College. Returning to TV on the award-winning show Bang Goes the up and take Theory, Bonnin has gone on to become a much-loved responsibility wildlife and science broadcaster, fronting programmes for my planet” including Horizon, Stargazing Live and Springwatch, and presenting live from nature reserves in California and Alaska. Her latest project is a film for the BBC on plastic pollution, due to be shown in the autumn.

Your new film is about plastic pollution, a huge and terrifying issue right now. Presumably you’ve seen first hand the impact of discarded plastic when filming at various locations around the world? That’s right. I’ve filmed from many places and been privy to some pretty depressing realities about the state of local ecosystems, but this plastic project has been so much more difficult to film because it’s just a different ball game in terms of how bad it is and how visible it is. Everything we are filming is completely surpassing my expectations, and not in a good way.

As well as highlighting the awful scale of the problem, it sounds like the programme will be looking at some of the research and innovation that may help us find solutions. Always one of my main remits is to celebrate the scientists working tirelessly to find a solution. They are the heroes and it’s very humbling to watch what they are doing. As programme makers, we are aware

that television storytelling of this ilk has to evolve, Productions Atlantic

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because there is no time to waste any more. It’s never Tell me about your fascination with cats and away from the programme, about the idea of wagging the finger, but we want to empower the your most memorable big-cat experience. “The idea of keeping animals in captivity to help conserve viewer about what they can do, which is new and There’s something about domestic cats I was obsessed trying to set critically endangered species? exciting. So there is a lot of fire in bellies at the with as a kid. I think it’s because they have retained a I consider myself a member of the community and moment. Our mission is to make them feel the way lot of their wild traits and they aren’t as domesticated aside wild spaces I wanted to take a long, hard look at the science of I’m feeling as I’m doing this, which is really motivated as dogs – you can never quite figure them out. for animals with how animals are faring [in zoo settings]. We know so to step up and take responsibility for my planet. It goes When I was still working in entertainment ranges as much more about how sentient and intelligent some far beyond giving up straws and using your reusable television, I did a programme for RTE where I went to large as tigers animals are, and what those with large ranges need coffee cup. Pench National Park in India. To this day, I think that and what captivity does to them. Then you have to is the most special big-cat experience I’ve had. We met need doesn’t weigh up the argument that zoos could be some kind Even for people who are aware of the problem, a tigress who was fairly tolerant of people and allowed seem realistic of repository for a species should they go extinct in the it’s so hard not to end up with a trolley full of us to follow her through her territory for about four any more” wild. For me, it’s as simple as that – do we have the plastic every time you go shopping. Do you hours, which is so rare, and she stole my heart. So I right to keep an animal in captivity even if it is a safety think governments and industry should do knew I would go back to work in conservation and I net, when we know how harmful it is for these species? more, rather than asking individuals to try to would do whatever it took to work with tigers again. The science is telling us it is our responsibility in the avoid this ubiquitous material? zoo community to evolve and make tough decisions. I Undeniably. I’m halfway through filming and What is the current situation in terms came away feeling strongly that big animals such as absolutely that is where the things need to change. of efforts to conserve wild tigers? elephants, carnivores with big ranges and apes I think we all know that, ultimately, with conservation Unfortunately, the challenges are the same as ever: our shouldn’t be kept in captivity. I do not think that if all issues across the board, that’s where the buck stops. burgeoning human population means tiger habitat tigers go extinct in the wild, it is worth keeping them in Below: Bonnin joins experts That’s the bit that is difficult to negotiate and and key wildlife corridors are being lost. I did get news in a submersible to search captivity. They are not suitable for release in the wild communicate in a way that is not too political. from the researchers who helped us with Operation for the elusive mola, or after just a few generations and if we can’t secure their Snow Tiger that numbers are slightly up in that sunfish, in the seas around habitat now, why would we in the future? Where did your love of science and subspecies in the far east of Russia. But we mustn’t be the Galapagos However I came away hopeful about how zoos nature develop? complacent about a few individuals doing well. Tigers could evolve. in the UK, Detroit Zoo I was lucky enough to grow up spending lots of time are critically endangered and it’s a really sad state of and others are trying to do the right thing – outdoors. We had a little wood next to our house in the affairs. Sometimes I do speak to taking a long hard look at what animals south of France, and I spent a lot of time in the sea as conservationists who say it’s too late: that’s need and have even let go of some of a toddler on trips to the Caribbean. My sister and the reality. I don’t know what the answer their larger animals. I think part I used to have adventures with our two dogs, and is. The idea of trying to set aside wild of the solution is for zoos to hedgehogs, snakes and spiders. spaces for animals with ranges as create small ecosystems that large as tigers need doesn’t seem showcase insects, plants and What led you to study biochemistry? realistic any more. We need to maybe even small mammals Presumably you did not have your sights find ways to live alongside that do well in captivity. set on a career in television then? them, which is very difficult Showing how everything is I was fascinated to know how living things worked when they don’t have enough interconnected in this way down to the chemical equations. How do things see? prey and start to encroach on has more educational How do I see? I loved biology and chemistry at school. people’s land and animals. value for visitors than a I’m always at pains to tell children at school not to large animal pacing back put too much pressure on themselves to decide exactly Above: Bonnin with a ‘eureka’ moment on a mountain in South America – You reported on zoos and forth in an enclosure. what they want to do. I loved my degree, but towards elephants in Botswana I’m sorry, that sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. I for a Horizon Detroit let go of its the end I knew it wasn’t quite what I wanted to thought “I’m going to go back and study wildlife documentary in 2016. elephants and visitorship continue doing. It wasn’t that I wished I’d done a conservation.” I was accepted on the master’s course, How did you feel, coming is on the increase. different degree, but I thought that the next bit of my and when it started I began to wonder if I could work in journey would be in conservation and wildlife. conservation but somehow use the creative storytelling skills from television, which I’d grown to love. The next stage of your career got quite crazy I looked up the agent of my favourite wildlife quite quickly. You ended up presenting the presenters and told them I was in the middle of my Favourite location you’ve filmed in? Which science broadcasters IRMAs (Irish music awards) ‘by chance’. master’s and that my showreel was all entertainment do you admire? What happened? shows. I guess timing is everything, because just as Well, I was singing in a sort of girl band at the time… I finished my master’s, Bang Goes the Theory was Dublin’s very small and the person producing the auditioning and I haven’t looked back since. IRMA awards didn’t want a presenter to present them – they wanted to do something a bit different. I tried What did you learn during your master’s? out for it and got the job, and that led to other jobs and “I came away It was a seminal moment for me. I dug my heels in then [ breakfast TV show] RI:SE in the UK feeling very and insisted on going to Nepal to do a study on tigers’ and then Top of the Pops. It was just this crazy strongly that diets. It wasn’t working out, to the point where my adventure and I never expected it to last too long. big animals such supervisor and best friends even said: “Liz, you’ve What other scientific areas I just rolled with it. got to let it go” I ended up in tears in a hotel in interest you? as elephants, Kathmandu – none of the equipment I needed had got Are there any scientists or You then did a MSc in wildlife biology with the carnivores with out there, I was struggling to contact the local researchers who you particularly Zoological Society of London and the Royal big ranges and scientists and I really thought I would fail the course. admire? Veterinary College. What made you turn your apes shouldn’t Eventually, I made it to the Bardia National Park, back on showbiz to return to university? carried out my research project and in the end came There was a point where I wasn’t really enjoying myself be kept in first in my class. It was a really important life lesson

any more and missed academia. I took a break and had captivity” about working hard. Strong Toby Productions Atlantic

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The fact that Dee could use vision to control her movements Double toward objects she could not perceive presented us vision with a real puzzle Melvyn Goodale and David Milner describe the extraordinary case of patient DF, a woman whose bizarre perceptual deficits led to a new understanding of how the brain processes visual information

hirty years ago in a small village in northern , a young Scottish woman known as Dee* was taking a shower in the cottage she and her partner were renovating. She was unaware that their water heater was improperly vented, and Tcarbon monoxide began to slowly and insidiously accumulate in the bathroom. This colourless, odourless and gas displaces oxygen from the haemoglobin in red blood cells, starving the body and the brain. Dee’s brain quickly became hypoxic and she passed out. Miraculously, her partner, Carlo, found her before she stopped breathing and rushed her to hospital. When Dee regained consciousness some 24 hours later, it was clear that something was badly wrong. She seemed totally blind, unable to see Carlo standing beside her or anything else in the room except light and dark. Over the next few days, her vision gradually We found that Dee was also quite unable to identify corresponded exactly to its orientation, even though pattern of diffuse brain damage associated with improved, but although Dee could tell the colour of letters of the alphabet or digits. In short, Dee a moment before she had been unable to tell which carbon monoxide poisoning, it was evident that Dee objects, and even the material they were made from, appeared to have a fundamental deficit in the visual way it was oriented (see Fig. 1). We tested her again had particularly dense damage on both sides of her she could not identify anything on the basis of its processing of form, rather than a higher-level deficit with a different orientation and once more she brain in the so-called ventral stream of visual shape or form. She couldn’t even recognise her in understanding what an object is. The damage in rotated her hand ‘in flight’ so that her fingers closed projections, one of two major visual pathways in the partner or mother, except when Carlo was wearing a Dee’s hypoxic brain had left her with a rare around the pencil perfectly. This dramatic primate brain that arise in early visual areas (Fig. 3). pullover with a familiar and distinctive colour. On one neurological disorder called visual form agnosia, an observation led us to test her on a range of different The other pathway, the dorsal stream, appeared to be puzzling occasion, she remarked that she could inability to perceive the form or shape of objects. visually guided motor tasks, from posting a card relatively unscathed. Could it be that it was the clearly see the small hairs on the back of her mother’s Moreover, her deficit was purely visual: she had no through a slot to picking up rectangular objects with damage to her ventral stream that was disrupting her hand, yet could not recognise the hand as a hand. problem identifying objects from touch. different widths. ability to ‘see’ the shape of objects, while her spared Some months later, when Dee came back to Scotland One day, however, we were given a hint that would In all these tests, her behaviour was essentially dorsal stream allowed her to grasp those same for a visit, we had an opportunity to assess her visual lead us to change our assessment of Dee’s visual normal: she rotated her wrist appropriately to insert objects quite normally? abilities in our laboratory at the University of St abilities – and to change our thinking about how the a card into a slot presented at different orientations There was certainly tantalising evidence from Andrews. It became clear she could not discriminate human visual system might be organised. To (see Fig. 2) and she scaled the opening of her fingers anatomical and electrophysiological work in monkeys between shapes as simple as a square and a triangle. demonstrate to a colleague just how profound Dee’s in flight to objects of different widths in order to pick to support this idea. It had been known for a long Her failure to recognise objects was not because visual deficit was, we held up a pencil at different them up adeptly. Yet at the same time she was time, for example, that monkeys with large lesions of she had some sort of disconnection between the orientations in front of her, and asked her to tell us completely unable to use vision to indicate either the occipital and temporal lobes, largely destroying She could clearly visual appearance of an object and its name or whether the pencil was oriented vertically, verbally or manually the orientation of the slot or the the ventral stream, could no longer recognise objects, meaning. When asked to copy simple line drawings of horizontally or diagonally. Even though she could width of the object. even though they had no trouble in picking them up see the small objects (drawings that she could not identify), her report (correctly) that the pencil was yellow, she had The fact that Dee could use vision to control limb quite deftly. And while we were testing Dee in hairs on the back copies bore very little resemblance to the originals, absolutely no idea what its orientation was. Her and hand movements toward objects whose features Scotland, a group in Japan had shown that neurons in of her mother’s yet when asked to draw the same objects from guesses were completely at chance. she could not perceive presented us with a real the monkey’s dorsal stream were ‘tuned’ to the size, hand, yet could memory, her drawings were quite recognisable. She Then something extraordinary happened. She puzzle. How could she act on visual information she shape and orientation of goal objects that the monkey also could not recognise her own drawings when suddenly said “Wait a minute, let me see that” and apparently could not perceive? One clue came from had been trained to grasp. *Not her real name. She is not recognise the shown them later. Dee’s object recognition did reached out and grasped the pencil. The orientation the brain scans that she had undergone in Italy after There was also supporting evidence from other known in the literature as hand as a hand benefit from the addition of colour and shading. of her grasping hand as it approached the pencil her accident. Although the scans showed the typical human studies. A group working in France had patient DF

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HOW DOES DEE SEE THE WORLD? Patient DF 1 Fig. 1 Fig. 3 2 Matching Posting 3 The examiner held a pencil A schematic diagram of the Posterior parietal cortex V3/MT Pulvinar vertically, slanted or two streams of visual horizontally. Even though Dee processing in a primate Dorsal stream could only guess the cerebral cortex. The ventral orientation of the pencil, she stream receives nearly all of always grasped it perfectly. its visual input from the SC primary visual cortex (V1), Fig. 2 which in turn receives its input Dee was asked to turn a hand- from the lateral geniculate held card so that it matched nucleus (LGNd) of the the orientation of the slot, thalamus. The dorsal stream Retina without reaching out toward also receives input from V1, but the display (‘matching’). She also gets substantial inputs Area V1 LGNd was later asked to ‘post’ the from the superior colliculus card into the slot (‘posting’). (SC) via the pulvinar, another Dee performed almost nucleus in the thalamus that Dee randomly when matching the projects to areas (V3 and MT) card to the slot, but had no in the cerebral cortex that problem posting it at the right eventually carry visual angle. (Although the slot was information to the posterior Ventral stream presented in several parietal cortex. The arrows on orientations, the diagrams the inset photograph of the show ‘correct’ as vertical. brain show the approximate Control Healthy control subjects had route of the two streams within Inferotemporal cortex no problem with either task.) the cerebral hemispheres.

shown that patients with lesions of the parietal lobe, provides the visual control of our actions, enabling us neurophysiological work in monkeys. Thus, when belief that our conscious vision controls our actions damaging areas within the dorsal stream, exhibited a to move about and interact with objects, often with the brains of healthy volunteers are scanned while is an illusion. The ventral pattern of behaviour that appeared to be the exact exquisite timing and control, even though we might they are simply looking at objects, there is robust Yet even a cursory glance at the anatomical stream through opposite of that shown by Dee. These patients could have no conscious experience of the visual activation in the ventral stream, and when the same connections between different visual areas in the recognise the orientation of a slot, for example, but information that is providing that control. Although volunteers are asked to reach out and grasp the brain shows that the two streams are not its close links had great difficulty rotating their wrist so that they we can see that we are playing a game of tennis, for object, there is activation in the dorsal stream. hermetically sealed from one another. Indeed, they with memory could insert their hand into the slot – until they made example, the visual information that allows us to hit Functional MRI has also shown that within the need to work together constantly in everyday life. To systems can contact with it. the approaching tennis ball with the sweet spot of the ventral system there are separate channels for illustrate one important kind of interaction, we may provide the We too had an opportunity to test individuals with racquet is quite inaccessible to consciousness. analysing object geometry and surface properties. draw an analogy with tele-assistance, whereby a dorsal-stream damage and found that, in stark The idea of two visual systems in a single brain Dee’s brain damage spares the areas serving colour human operator acts to guide semi-autonomous dorsal stream contrast to Dee, many of them could easily identify might seem initially counter-intuitive or even absurd. and texture perception, whereas other patients lose robots on the surface of a distant planet. The robot with information the shape and size of objects, while unable to shape Our visual experience of the world is so compelling their perception of such surface properties while can efficiently gather rock samples, but is guided by their fingers into the correct posture as they reached and apparently unitary that it is hard to believe that retaining good shape perception. the operator as to which samples would be most out to pick up those same objects. some other quite independent visual system – one The division of labour between the ventral and worthy of attention. This has proven to be a highly At the time, all of this evidence was pointing to one that operates completely outside of consciousness – is dorsal stream is one ultimately geared towards the successful mode of operation, and is reflected in the inevitable conclusion: the ventral and dorsal visual guiding our movements. Indeed, at the time we began requirements of the output systems that the two way the ventral and dorsal streams interact. streams seemed to be doing very different jobs. But testing Dee’s visual abilities, it was the near- streams serve. Natural selection slowly moulded the In the case of the human brain, inter-stream why should that be the case? To answer this question, unanimous belief of neuroscientists, including neural circuitry in these pathways to reflect the interactions take several forms. For example, the we realised, one had to step back and ask another researchers specialising in vision, that vision was different demands the environment presented to our ventral stream through its close links with memory fundamental question: why do we need vision in the served by a single system. distant mammalian ancestors. We have talked about systems can provide the dorsal stream with first place? A compelling argument could be made Although the inputs to the system were known as dissociations between perception and action but, of information not only about recently encountered that we need vision for two quite different but being extremely complex and to some degree course, perception is shorthand for the more visual objects, but also with functional or ‘semantic’ complementary reasons. handled through separate neural channels, the elaborate visual processing that higher mammals can knowledge about objects. These long-term On the one hand, we need vision to understand the consensus was that they were somehow combined in exploit in order to improve on their choice and memories include, for example, the material world beyond our bodies, to identify and remember the brain to provide us with a unified visual planning of behavioural acts. properties that characterise particular objects objects and places, and to plan different courses of representation of the world that then served as a In other words, the ventral stream contributes to and the uses to which manufactured objects such action. On the other hand, we also need vision to perceptual foundation for all our thoughts and action every bit as much as the dorsal stream – it just as tools can be put. guide our actions in that world at the very moment actions. The striking dissociation we had observed in does it in a more circuitous way, by engaging other None of this, of course, sheds much light on the we make them. These are quite different job Dee challenged this monolithic conception of how cognitive modules with which it is connected. If it did age-old concern of philosophers to ‘explain’ We need vision to descriptions, requiring very different computations – vision works, and we now know that there is a not promote more adaptively successful behaviour, consciousness. Although modern cognitive understand the and, as a consequence, two different visual systems fundamental difference in the way in which vision for the ventral stream would simply never have evolved. neuroscience is constantly offering clues as to what world beyond our have evolved to carry them out. perception and vision for the control of action are It should be emphasised that this new conception kinds of brain processing are and are not associated bodies, but we In 1992, in a brief essay published in Trends in organised in the human brain. of unconscious vision playing a critical role in with visual awareness, we are still far away from an Neurosciences, we proposed that it is the ventral visual Since we put forward these ideas 25 years ago, the online control of movements in no way denies understanding of the neural basis of consciousness. also need vision stream, a network that is intimately interconnected a lot has happened. The advent of functional that we often have a full visual awareness of the to guide our with the cognitive areas of the brain, that enables us magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in particular, objects upon which we are acting. What it does actions in that to recognise objects and build up a ‘database’ of the has revealed in exquisite detail the functional claim is that the visual processing that controls world. Thus, when we talk about ‘seeing’ something, organisation of the human visual system. The story our movements is segregated from the processing Professor Melvyn Goodale FRSC FRS FRSB is distinguished world. These are university professor in visual neuroscience and director of the Brain it is the ventral stream that allows us to have that that is emerging from imaging studies largely that furnishes our awareness. The two kinds of and Mind Institute at Western University, Canada. quite different job perceptual experience. confirms the conclusions of the earlier visual processing are, at least to a great extent, Professor David Milner FRSE FRS is emeritus professor at Durham descriptions By contrast, we argued, it is the dorsal stream that neuropsychological studies in patients and the going on quietly in parallel. Our common-sense University and an honorary professor at the University of Edinburgh.

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setting, and so Advanced Accreditation (our first step By Royal Charter One of the most into the accreditation world) included that option. common Interestingly, that option turns out to be quite difficult to deliver, because of the quality assurance and criticisms of assessment needs, and students seem not to have biology been put off by an extra year of loans to get the graduates in the integrated master’s. past was that Since the launch of Advanced Accreditation, we have also developed a standard model that is suitable they knew a lot, for any bachelor’s degree in the biosciences. It uses but didn’t know the same approach of a small number of learning with a report written by the Association of the British what to do with it outcomes, which allow for flexibility while focusing Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and submitted to on the areas where curriculum development was vital government in 2005 highlighting the lack of practical to deliver competencies – laboratory skills, creative skills in graduates in a wide range of STEM areas, approaches, critical thinking and problem-solving. including biology. The formation of the Society of A real advantage of the outcomes-based approach Biology in 2009 as a single voice for biology was seen is that there is no preconception about what is right as the most important collective action the and what is wrong. This celebrates the variety of community could take, creating a focus for policy and learning environments and the breadth of the subject, education initiatives that had not existed before. always a challenge when trying to accredit a subject Finally, government was pushed to address the such as biology and one of the reasons that ABPI’s concerns, and told the Society quite clearly accreditation has come later to this area. that it was its responsibility, under its royal charter, to We have chosen to ask the developers of deal with the issue of skills and quality. The programmes to say what they think is appropriate, government also supported a funding bid to the UK and then use a peer review system to review and Commission for Employment and Skills to assist the comment on that knowledge base. At the same time, development of an accreditation system. there is a heavy emphasis on laboratory skills and This prompted a period of consultation and projects using critical thinking and information discussion with the community, which initially analysis because that is what our graduates need to communicated that if we don’t do it, someone else will succeed afterwards. force it on us. Our focus at first was on degrees that Has the approach worked? It is too soon to have would provide excellent research training, coupled evidence about the impact on employment other with the other skills that are needed in the biotech than subjective comments. What is clear is that a Setting the standard and pharmaceutical industries, rather than on significant number of courses and universities have general degrees in biology. sought accreditation, and that the impact of the The RSB has been accrediting bioscience degrees since 2012. David Coates, who The agreement was that if this was a success, we process itself has changed the way people think about would develop a much broader-based accreditation putting together, reviewing or modifying curricula. chairs the Society’s Accreditation Committee, explains what the programme for which anyone could apply. The focus on laboratory skills in particular, and does and why it was badly needed in the biosciences So what would this new accreditation system ways of showing that every student has had the measure? Many other systems – in particular that opportunity to develop those skills, has changed the for chemistry – were developed at a time when way many bioscience departments approach the he Society’s Accreditation Programme standard of engineering training, this has not been knowledge was the important measure of success for teaching of practical skills. is an independent and rigorous The process has the case for biology, where subject-specific graduates. The more current concept of ‘intended As we go forward, we will be looking to see assessment of bioscience degree changed the way accreditation has been largely ignored. learning outcomes’, expressed not just as knowledge whether employers of our graduates see a positive programmes in the UK. It recognises Our sister sciences – chemistry and physics – have but as skills and competencies, is still a relatively new difference – change in educational approaches, degrees that contain a “solid academic people think a much longer history of degree accreditation. There idea and poses many challenges for assessment: how especially in higher education, can be slow and foundation in biological knowledge about putting may be many reasons for this, to do with the breadth do we know that students have achieved these somewhat uncoordinated. Accreditation has the Tand key skills” and that “prepare graduates to address together, of the subject, the lack of a professional employment outcomes? It is still much easier to assess their opportunity to help colleagues develop their the needs of employers”. reviewing or route for most graduates and the very wide range of knowledge than what they can do with it. approaches and raise the standards of our graduates The programme also assesses degrees that approaches that need to be taken. Chemistry and And yet that is the problem for the employer. to even greater heights. focus on academic excellence and educate the modifying physics naturally have a relatively easily defined core In our modern world, information is everywhere, but “future leaders of research and development” curricula component that is common to all degrees, but this has understanding and use of knowledge and skills is (Advanced Accreditation), and overseas degrees not been the case for biology. The nature of the much rarer. Indeed, one of the most common (International Accreditation). subject has also changed. Forty years ago, biology was criticisms of biology graduates in the past was that Accreditation in numbers Accreditation of training has a long history, still largely a collection of bits of knowledge in many they knew a lot, but didn’t know what to do with it. especially in fields such as medicine where the different areas that did not link together coherently. Engineering and the physical sciences had effectiveness of the teaching can have a dramatic Now, there is a strong linking framework and set of successfully argued for funding for an extra impact on future practice. The concept of a collective technologies across the subject, and it has become undergraduate year, taught at master’s level, to be of experts defining curricula goes back to the early much easier to define ‘core’ skills and knowledge for able to implement a period of practice, and produce days of the trade guilds and the training of the different general areas. much more mature graduates in those disciplines. apprentices. In the UK, this is usually a responsibility Several additional factors have emerged to We wanted to do the same, but there was a concern of professional associations. convince the bioscience community of accreditation’s that the huge increases in fees that were just about to While compulsory accreditation of medical and value and the government of the importance of skills. come in would stop students from wanting to take other healthcare courses has long been the norm, For the community, it was about having an external that extra taught year. The solution was what is and even the voluntary accreditation of engineering reference point that could be used to protect and commonly called the Year in Industry, where a disciplines is seen as the best way to ensure the enhance the skills base of biology degrees. It started student takes a year out to work in an employment

24 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 25 FOCUS ON

herapeutic cancer vaccines aim to ‘teach’ approach with adjuvants that boost the immune the immune system to attack and break system’s response to the antigen of interest. The down cancerous cells and tumours. way the vaccine is packaged and delivered (see First, an antigen must be found that is ‘Special Delivery,’ p28) also has a profound effect Focus on: expressed exclusively by the cancer cells, on whether the immune system reacts and Tthen the body’s T cells must be encouraged to attack therefore whether the vaccine is effective. any cell found to have that target molecule. “It’s all about the tricks you use to make your The antigen might be a complete surface protein antigen interesting to T cells,” says Christian found on cells in the tumour, or the peptide Ottensmeier, professor of experimental cancer Cancer vaccines fragments of any protein expressed by the cancer medicine at the University of Southampton. cells. To be effective, the vaccine must stimulate “It is an open question in the field – what is the After decades of research, therapeutic cancer vaccines are finally beginning cytotoxic T cells (such as CD8+ T cells) to attack any 1,922 best way to make that happen?” to show promise in clinical trials. We look at why earlier efforts cell expressing the target antigen. Helper T cells clinical trials featuring Potential delivery methods include DNA and (such as CD4+ T cells), which modulate the immune the term ‘cancer vaccine’ RNA-based vaccines, viral or bacterial vectors, failed and how the latest approaches work response to pathogens and tumours, are known to currently listed on or patients’ own immune cells or tumour cells. be recruited in successful vaccines, although the clinicaltrials.gov The exact approach depends on the type of exact response of the two types of T cell is complex target antigen, type of cancer and its location and depends on the antigen. in the body. In early efforts to develop cancer vaccines, many Haval Shirwan, a cancer immunotherapy of the target antigens failed to trigger a strong expert and professor of immunology at the enough immune response to halt the cancer’s University of Louisville, says cancer vaccines progress. After all, for cancer cells to have almost certainly need to be delivered with other progressed into a tumour, they must already be immunomodulatory substances in order to have successfully evading or suppressing the body’s an effect. Checkpoint inhibitors, for example, are immune response. Many early trials were also often drugs that help block signals that suppress the conducted on patients with advanced cancer whose body’s immune response, boosting the number of immune systems were severely compromised. immune cells available to fight the cancer cells. The latest approaches use algorithms to identify “Our ideas about the design of cancer vaccines antigens that the immune system may not have seen have changed. Using the right antigen alone is yet (neoantigens), and combine the antigen-based not enough: you have to have an adjuvant that

Categories of cancer vaccine* “The important thing is to find a Antigen- or peptide- immune response. The laboratory alongside patient during surgery, vaccine that is based cancer vaccines most potent type of tumour antigens killed then modified to These vaccines use APCs are dendritic cells before injecting them stimulate an immune effective, then peptides that are found (known as ‘professional’ into the patient. system response we will find ways exclusively or in large cells, as they specialise *This article focuses on therapeutic to make it amounts in cancer in this antigen- Tumour cell vaccines cancer vaccines – that is, those that are developed to treat cancer, cost-effective” cells. They might be presenting function). These vaccines are not preventative cancer vaccines, Professor Haval Shirwan injected directly in Many new vaccines made from actual which immunise against cancer- associated infections such as HPV peptide form alongside involve culturing cancer cells that have (cervical cancer) or Hepatitis B an adjuvant that boosts dendritic cells in the been removed from the (liver cancer). the immune response.

DNA- or RNA-based cancer vaccines The target antigen is encoded in DNA and RNA, which is translated into a peptide once within the body.

Cellular or dendritic cell vaccines Certain immune cells known as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) help ‘present’ 3D illustration antigens to T cells in of cancer cells 3D illustration order to provoke an of a T cell

26 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 27 FOCUS ON

helps the immune system overcome the evasive should be entertained in order to push forward mechanisms that are stopping it from fighting on different fronts.” CELL MATES: CANCER ANTIGENS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM the cancer itself.” In light of recent successes, and armed with a Dendritic cells play a key role in presenting cancer vaccines to the immune system more sophisticated understanding of how the GETTING PERSONAL immune system tackles and is suppressed by Some of the most high-profile advances in cancer cancer, oncologists are hopeful that cancer 1) Dendritic cells can DENDRITIC vaccines have been personalised therapies, which vaccines will play a key role in fighting the be ‘educated’ to CELL involve sampling a patient’s tumour and analysing disease – perhaps not as a silver bullet, but in recognise tumour- CD8+ the antigens specifically found in those cells. combination with other treatments or possibly specific antigens Computer algorithms help clinicians decide which to prevent reoccurrence or metastasis. either in vitro or antigens will most likely elicit an immune response. “After a period of great doubt, we are now in vivo. This approach, despite showing promise back in a period where there is a great deal 2) Mature dendritic for cancers that change rapidly, inevitably of excitement,” says Ottensmeier. cells then ‘present’ comes with cost implications, given that each the antigen to the treatment is bespoke. SIDE-EFFECTS AND SAFETY immune system, Other cancer vaccines target a more general Unlike other immunotherapies, which can cause stimulating CD8+ antigen that is common to a particular type of dangerous ‘storms’ of immune system activity, T cells to attack the cancer. However, many of these techniques still cancer vaccines have not raised any significant tumour directly or require the culturing of immune cells from each safety concerns – the main problem so far being activating CD4+ patient. A new technique involving dendritic cells a disappointingly weak response from the T cells, which from a human stem cell line, announced earlier immune system. However, there can be side- stimulate other this year, has raised hopes that ‘off-the-shelf’ cell- effects, including infections or allergic reactions immune cells to based cancer vaccines could be possible too (see at the site of injection where whole cells or viral attack the target. ‘Success Stories’, right). vectors are used. “There are issues with the personalised A limited number of trials reported that CD4+ approach in terms of cost and whether it is vaccinated cancer patients did less well than TUMOUR practical,” says Shirwan. “But I don’t want to unvaccinated patients, leading some to conclude CELLS/MICRO downplay the importance of personalised that certain methods of presenting antigens can medicine. The important thing is to find a lead to ‘sleepy’ or deactivated T cells. The effect ENVIRONMENT vaccine that is effective, then we will find ways of cancer vaccines on long-term health has not to make it cost-effective. Both approaches yet been evaluated, either.

Special delivery B CELLS Vaccine antigens may be injected directly, but there are several approaches to delivering the vaccine ‘payload’ into patients “After a period that can be more effective. Success stories of great doubt, While no cancer vaccines have Cellular vaccines These involve we are now been approved for use in 95–98% the injection of live cells primed to back in a period yet, one vaccine, Sipuleucel-T display the target antigen to other where there is a (known as Provenge) has been of tumour-associated immune cells. These are often approved in the US to treat antigens are expressed dendritic cells, which carry out this great deal of prostate cancer. Immune system at times by other, role in the body anyway. Cellular excitement” cells are taken from the patient’s healthy cells, meaning vaccines may also be made from Professor Christian blood and differentiated into the immune system whole or parts of tumour cells that Ottensmeier dendritic cells. They are then is likely to ignore them have been killed and modified to exposed to the target antigen, a stimulate an immune response. protein called prostatic acid phosphatase, found in cancer of Viruses These are useful vectors the prostate. The dendritic cells for transporting material into are then infused back into the cells. The viral material also helps patient several times over the Prostate stimulate an immune response. space of two weeks. cancer A new cancer vaccine that is cells Bacteria Strains such as being developed in the UK for Salmonella can also be used lung cancer, known as AST-VAC2, human embryonic stem cell line, trials, this new technique has as vectors for cancer vaccines, Salmonella bacteria is based on the same principle, rather than requiring cells to be raised hopes of an ‘off-the-shelf’ – although results have been can be used as a but for the first time uses cultured from the patient. and therefore less expensive vector for vaccine less successful. dendritic cells from a single Currently at Phase 1 in clinical – cell-based cancer vaccine.

28 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 29 MEMBERS A snapshot of our members at work and leisure The career ladder Dr Tina Joshi MRSB on her movie inspiration and her love of lecturing

Inspired by the disaster film Outbreak, science, dental and medical students, lectureships. The day I got my lectureship Dr Tina Joshi MRSB is now a lecturer and enjoy every minute of it. changed my life for the better and I’m so in molecular microbiology specialising much happier. in microbial diagnostics and infection A PIVOTAL POINT IN MY control. She works at the University CAREER WAS… THE BEST THING ABOUT MY JOB IS… of Plymouth. When the funding ran out! It was clear Teaching students about the latest it would be difficult to remain in the developments in biology. I FIRST DISCOVERED BIOLOGY… same postdoctoral role, so I realised I had When I was encouraged to garden and to push myself and my career forward by THE WORST THING ABOUT grow plants at a young age. As time applying for other jobs. I took a leap MY JOB IS… progressed, I realised I really enjoyed of faith and applied for several Nothing at the moment! I love it. biology. When I first watched Outbreak, I realised I wanted to be a microbiologist THIS IS AN INTERESTING AREA TO and study infectious diseases. WORK IN BECAUSE… Antimicrobial resistance is a hot topic I STUDIED… right now on the global stage. Plus there Microbiology – I was keen to specialise in are new DNA-based innovations such as that area early on. At the time, it wasn’t the nanopore, which can tell us so much Evelyn Keaveney is assessing routine to do a year in industry and I about the microbiome and microbial world how the management of lakes affects their ability to went on to do a PhD in pharmaceutical around us. Who wouldn’t want to be a store carbon microbiology straight afterwards. That led microbiologist right now? to a postdoctoral scientist position, and in 2017 I secured a lectureship at the A KEY PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD BE… University of Plymouth. Take that leap of faith and believe that you can take the next step in your career. As A day in the life… CURRENTLY I AM… they say – if you don’t try you won’t ever A full-time academic lecturer at the know. I pushed myself out of my comfort Evelyn Keaveney MRSB, carbon cycling researcher and teacher University of Plymouth. My areas of zone and now I’m more comfortable research include the development of than ever. Evelyn Keaveney MRSB studies carbon bedrock. A sewage plant ran into the lake we’ve taken into graphite to go in the molecular diagnostic innovations to cycling in lakes at Queen’s University Belfast. from the 1930s until 1991, which led to accelerator mass spectrometer. So even a tackle infectious diseases, including IN THE FUTURE I HOPE TO… She hopes to better understand what artificial eutrophication. The resulting algal sample of lake water ends up as graphite. antimicrobial resistant bacteria, at Progress within my institution to determines whether lake ecosystems add to changes altered carbon accumulation – as It probably takes around a week. point of care and infection control. become the lead for a degree atmospheric carbon or act as carbon sinks. cyanobacteria became more dominant I teach clinical microbiology to programme, and I hope to be She can be found on Twitter @ceibheannaigh during that time, more carbon was buried. I ALSO… biomedical science, healthcare a professor one day. When the sewage was diverted in 1991, Do a bit of teaching and a lot of interacting FIRST THING IN THE MORNING… carbon accumulation actually went down. with the public about my research. It’s I have breakfast at work and check my So you could allow eutrophication and really nice when people come to find out emails, and if I’m not doing laboratory or carbon storage at the expense of fish in the about carbon-dating mummies and end up fieldwork, I begin a ‘do not disturb’ writing lake, or encourage the natural biology of the being interested in my research. I’ve also My Society and me session for two hours. During this time, the lake – depending on whether climate change done events such as Soap Box Science and aim is just to write – no reading or checking mitigation or biodiversity is your goal. What New Scientist Live, and even the National Maggie Linford FRSB is heavily involved with RSB’s school biology competitions emails. It really works, although it does my work does is feed into lake management Waxworks Museum – it was really weird require discipline! strategies so we can try to achieve a balance to be sitting in a corner talking about I retired from my last teaching competition. Before I retired, The questions for the and find the optimum community structure fossils with people who’d come in to see job in 2014 after 40 years at I became involved with the national competitions are MY RESEARCH INVOLVES… to promote carbon burial. David Beckham. the chalk face, but felt that I competitions as an RSB written by a small group of Looking at carbon storage in lakes. I’m still had more to give. I first Committee member and I am volunteers, including retired interested in how lake management can MY FIELDWORK INVOLVES… AFTER WORK… heard about the British Biology now secretary of the UKBC. and current teachers and past affect whether lakes store carbon or are net Taking samples at the lake a few times a I tend to leave work at about four or five Olympiad in 1996 when it The competitions have IBO medallists. I enjoy working sources of carbon to the atmosphere. I use year. My grant is very small, so I have to o’clock and I head home and try to switch was a small pen-and-paper evolved to be wholly online and with this amazing group of radiocarbon to tell the source of carbon maximise what I can do – I often piggy-back off for the evening. If I’m in the middle of competition and entries were there are now three for people both with the UKBC from its age. So, for example, I can tell the on the sampling schedule of teams already intensive field or laboratory work, I will posted to Norma Broadbridge different age groups. Last year, and the RSB. I love the week- difference between carbon from ‘within lake working out on the lakes. I do all the work late, but I try to keep evenings and (now deputy chair of UK the International Biology long trips abroad to meet the material’ such as algae versus terrestrial radiocarbon dating myself. My friends joke weekends free to enjoy my other interests. Biology Competitions, or the Olympiad was held in the UK International Biology Olympiad carbon such as peat, based on the age. about me sitting and watching my water I live with my fiancé in Lisburn and UKBC, a special interest group at Warwick, with around 70 community and I really wish samples evaporate, which is actually like we go to a lot of sports matches – I love of the RSB). countries taking part. It was a more teachers would become I’M CURRENTLY… watching paint dry. Then there are lots of Gaelic football and rugby, but I follow Over the years, many of my mammoth two years bringing involved. It keeps the brain Working on Rostherne Mere, Cheshire, a other pre-treatments: we have to purify and Manchester United so I don’t watch so students entered this the event to fruition. ticking over. very eutrophic lake due to its limestone convert all the different types of sample much of those any more…

30 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 31 MEMBERS NEW MEMBERS Opportunities, awards and events A round-up of upcoming RSB activity to look out for

VOLUNTEER The Society is gearing up to celebrate Learning about microscopes at biosciences as part of Biology Week 2018, Biology Week 2017 which starts on 6th October. For information about volunteering, organising an event or resources to help your school or university get involved, contact Ellie Oakley via [email protected]

CAREERS The Society’s third Bioscience Careers Day will take place in October. The event is aimed at undergraduate and master’s students, but PhD students, postdocs, careers advisers and school/college students are also welcome. The event will run from 10:30 to 16:30 on 27th October at Manchester Metropolitan University and costs £10. Contact Ellie Oakley via [email protected]

LUNCHES AND RECEPTIONS The Society will hold an informal Fellows’ strategic plan for 2018-21. The free event the institute on the Wellcome Genome The RSB now has more than lunch in Cardiff to discuss current issues and runs from 12:00 to 15:00 on 15th August. Campus. Email [email protected] 18,000 members the Society’s overall direction. The free, One representative from each full invite-only event will be hosted by Professor Member Organisation is invited. Email POLICY EVENTS Nigel Brown OBE CBiol FRSB, and will be on [email protected]. Scientists in Scotland should save the date ASSOCIATE (AMRSB) Kaur, Philip Kelly, Cher Shen Kiar, Myatt, Vincenzo Pacifico, Timea Palmai- RSciTech AMRSB Jason Amartey, Rebeca Andreu Diaz, Lilly Lazarova, (Nicola) Ving-Yun Li, Pallag, Maeve Palmer, Paige Panter, Wai Yin Chan, Aimee Fowkes, Thomas 13th September, 12:30–14:30. for the 18th Science and the Parliament Kayley Archibald, Jack Baker, Federico Lauren Martin, Elizabeth Miller, Ryan Christine Parkinson, Bryony Paul, Hathway. The Heads of University Biosciences event at Holyrood on 14th October from Bernuzzi, Stuart Black, Natalia Monckton, Catherine Morgan, Emily Kai Paul, Theresa Pell, Julian Phipps, As part of Biology Week 2018, RSB chief (HUBS) will be holding its first annual 12:00 to 20:00. Organised by the Royal Brzozowska, Denisa Buzan, Robert Cast, Mynett, Olulola Olaleye, Rochelle Parnell, Francesca Pieropan, Martin Pool, RSciTech MRSB executive Mark Downs will be hosting a free meeting at the Wellcome Sanger Institute Society of Chemistry, the event will John Clark-Corrigall, Olivia Clydesdale, Jamie Parry, Samuel Pearson, Ian Powell, Ilona Pysz, Upasana Ray, Esther Harrison and informal canapés and drinks reception in Cambridgeshire next year. The draw people from across the science Paul Cronje, Richard Duah, Calum Duffy, Aravindaiah Rajarajan, Nathan Rollock, Samantha Reeve, Janine Robinson, Vincent Ehichioya, Ashley Elliott, Rachel James Russ-Silsby, Elliott Stanforth, Matthew Rung, Jamie Rusted, Gordon Science Teacher for members in Northern Ireland on 8th conference, which takes place on 30th and engineering community who Foreman, Luke Forrest, Eriks Freibergs, Owen Turner, Rachel Vallance-Graham, Rutter, Paul Saunders, Jason Savage, (CSciTeach) October from 18:00 to 20:00. April and 1st May, will include sessions on are active in the education, public, Adam Froud, Ashley Gains, Isaac Walton, Elizabeth Watt, Eleanor William Scott III, Elaine Shervill, CSciTeach MRSB research, higher education policy, and private and third sectors, as well as ShannonLeigh Galbraith, Anna Gatseva, Wells, Jake Williams, Devonna Young, Amrinder Singh, Delezia Singh, Marina Minoli INFORM STRATEGY teaching and learning in the biosciences. policymakers and politicians. Full Benjamin Griggs, Nicole Gullan, Evita Agne Zainyte. Neil Smith, Alison Spencer, Mark Steer, RSB Member Organisations are invited to There will also be networking details will be posted on www.rsc.org Hartmane, Jack Hooker, Artur Ivascenko, Kate Sutton, Lucy Sykes, Mark Thrush, CSciTeach FRSB Jenaagan Jenakendran, Cathriona MEMBER (MRSB) Miguel Toribio-Mateas, Gemma Turner, Nigel Page attend a workshop on the Society’s opportunities, poster sessions and tours of closer to the event. Kearns, Sam Kimsey, Isaac Lewis, Masoud Akhtar, Syazwani Itri Amran, Venkatesha Udupa, Dominic Waller, Sabrina Libralon, Lucie Malard, Hui Ying Yahya Anderson, Shagufta Arthur, Jaki Walsh, Andrew Weller, Jonathan (RSci) Man, Debraj Manna, Alexander Savneet Bains, Anuradha Bansal, Whitchurch, Rachel Yale, Ying Ming Ivan RSci MRSB MEMBER NEWS Mccurrach, Oliver McLaren-Roberts, Camilla Bathurst, Venkata Suresh Yow, Mohammad Zubair. Robert Carrington, Lauren Chessum, Congratulations to all our Colin Metcalf, Abdulrashid Mohammed, Bonthala, Gerald Bugler, Carola Burke, Martin Lindley, Sarah Meikle, Tanyaradzwa Muzembe, Zoe Nolan, Nadia Callow-Hussain, Alun Carter, Lidia FELLOW (FRSB) Pedro Baptista, John Owers. Education and training Members and Fellows named Jordan Portman, Chris Proctor, Karen Cebrian-Agullo, Lauren Chessum, Kokati Bhaskara Rao, Niranjan in this year’s Queen’s Redmile, Ben Rush, Rowland Sadler, Jocelyn Chu, Ciaran Cooney, Jon Copley, Bhattacharya, Stephen Bornemann, Chartered Biologist (CBiol) The Society’s programme of courses and workshops birthday honours list (see Shreya Shrikhande, Jordan Simcoe- Tomasella Davide, Owen Davies, Kathryn Aaron Bridges, Richard Buggs, Peter Bull, CBiol MRSB p4). Well done also to Duncan Rowe, Holly Simpson Ragdale, Helen De Abreu, Luke Evans, Ed Faherty, Tim Stephen Chambers, Susan Chapman, Olalekan Agboola, Rebecca Ann Bragg, LABORATORY HEALTH AND SAFETY points, motions, decisions and actions in fast- Vaughan CBiol MRSB, senior Smith, Morven Sneddon, Jack Stanford, Fenton, Marianne Freeman, Zoe Gaffen, Hao Chen, Anandharamakrishnan Kathy Daly, Arthur Hong Nam Lo, Peter Stewart, Robbie Still, Courtney Karin Garrie, Marcelo Gomez Rodrigues, Chinnaswamy, Karen Collins, Leela Edward March-Shawcross, TRAINING, INCLUDING COSHH moving meetings. They will also practise environmental specialist at Story, Daisy Taylor, Sadie Thackaberry, Neil Gower, Aidan Gribbon, Gareth Dookun-Luchoomun, Alex Eapen, Ewa Pilarz, Emily Richmond, Amy 14 September, 10:30–16:30, producing clear and informative minutes. Natural England, who has Rebecca Thursfield, Savanna van Hacking, Jon Hale, Deborah Hall, George Thalia Eley, Eric Gamazon, Stephanie Roberts, Alice Shoebridge, Jane Newcastle University 18 CPD points been awarded the Churchill Mesdag, Memnia Vasiliou, Emma Walker, Hardie, Kamin Hau, Giles Hayward, Heasman, Barry Hirst, Jonathan Thompson, Sita Ka Yan Yuen. A one-day course for members working in £120 + VAT Medallion by the Winston Danny Ward, William Warriner, David Heaney, Somaieh Hedayat, James Johnston, V Craig Jordan, James Kahindi, biological containment laboratories and those Churchill Memorial Trust. Gemma Waugh, Jamie Whitford, Hegarty, Robert Henderson, Dominic Antonios Kanaras, Vanessa Kind, (CSci) Laura Wisniewski. Henri, David Hollings, Aileen Hume, Linda King, David McAllister, Nicolai-Ilja CSci MRSB keen to acquire relevant skills for progression to SECURING FUNDING FROM The honour marks the Sarah Hyland, Natascha Imlay, Wan Mueller, Ashis Mukherjee, Shararah Hayley Tripp supervisory and laboratory management roles. GRANT-MAKING TRUSTS successful completion of his AFFILIATE Ismail, Natalie Jepson, Elliot Jokl, Paul Pourzand, Fabio Quondamatteo, 15 CPD points 14 November, 09:30–16:30, Charles overseas research as a Genna Abdullah, Renee Abrahams, Jones, Ibolya Kepiro, Amrat Khorana, Nichola Raihani, Daniel Smith, David Plant Health Professional (PHP) £60 + VAT Darwin House, London Churchill Fellow. Vaughan Naseem Ahmed, Joanna Andrews, Dustin Kimberley, Gary Kyle, Zoe Stephens, Andrew Steptoe, Kazunori PHP AMRSB This one-day course provides hints and tips as travelled to Norway, the Comfort Ayoola, Nadia Baraket, Lawson, Michelle Lovatt, Dhanisha Tomita, Shashikant Udikeri, John Unitt, Robert Sketchley Rachel Barker, Erin Barnes, Charlotte Lukka, Phil Luton, David MacDougall, Richard Vaughan-Jones. MINUTE-TAKING MASTERCLASS well as helping participants read between the Netherlands, , France Birdsall, Heather Borland, Abbi Bottrill, Donna Mackenzie, Shaun Mansfield, PHP MRSB 13 November, 09:30–16:00, Charles lines to understand what funders are asking for. and the United States to Jedidiah Cheung, Samirah Chowdhury, Valentina Marconi, Suzanne McDermott, PROFESSIONAL REGISTERS Adrian Richard Fox Darwin House, London 18 CPD points investigate how marine Remi Clare, Evie Eaves, James Evans, Kirsten McEwen, Una McGinley, William Registered Science Technician A course in which participants learn how to filter £110 + VAT planning could deliver Caitlin Flynn, David Greaves, Nicola McMinn, Karen Mifsud, Pamela Mitchell, (RSciTech) PHP FRSB conversations so they can capture the main learn.rsb.org.uk environmental benefits. Guest, Jasmin Howard, Tommie Rosanna Mooney, Cheryl Moseley, Gillian RSciTech Affiliate Malcolm Beatty Huffman, Robert Jones, Harkomalpreet Murray-Dickson, Aleena Mushtaq, Daniel Pinar Coskun, Piotr Cybularz.

32 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 33 REVIEWS The best biology books, apps and online content

BIOINSPIRED DEVICES: first section in the book. There are Burdock burrs that says that I am a founder member The emphasis is on multidisciplinary EMULATING NATURE’S ASSEMBLY descriptions of robo-bees and soft-bodied were the of the ‘Grumpy Old Men’s Club’ so my approaches, with reference to the research inspiration for AND REPAIR PROCESS octobots that function using microfluidic own opinions need to be taken with a of Australia and New Zealand’s Centre of the invention Eugene C Goldfield circuits rather than electrical ones. of pinch of salt. Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis. Harvard University Press, £32.95 This is followed by specific work relating Jacques Derek Charlwood There are 18 chapters that present to the structure, function and repairs to the methodologies to tackle these issues. Bioinspired designs have nervous system that emulate responses by INVASIVE SPECIES: RISK ASSESSMENT Topics range from identifying the problem come a long way since Ovid’s nature. This gives hope for possible future AND MANAGEMENT to difficulties associated with declaring the story of Daedalus and his therapies and regenerative treatments of Andrew P Robinson, Terry Walshe, eradication of an invasive species and an legendary attempt to make cerebral palsy, stroke and schizophrenia. Mark A Burgman and Mike Nunn (Eds) examination of the resources needed to wings. George De Mestral’s The readable style, interesting Cambridge University Press, £39.99 establish biosecurity programmes. This is a invention of Velcro in 1948, illustrations and humorous anecdotal book for the specialist, but its message is inspired by burdock burrs, has certainly accounts make this book a good read. It Most plant and animal strong: safeguarding environments and been far more successful. Nature-inspired provides a rich tapestry of examples that species can be described economies in a rapidly changing world is research has influenced innovation in fields will hopefully inspire further developments as invasive in a geological complex but essential. as diverse as medicine, engineering and in the design of materials, drug action and context, spreading from their Dr A M Mannion renewable energy technology, to name a robotic devices. centres of evolutionary origin few. There are now a number of academic Alexander Waller to the world beyond. LAGOMORPHS: PIKAS, RABBITS, AND journals devoted to biomimetics, However, since the age of exploration began HARES OF THE WORLD bioinspired design and bioderived ANIMAL VOCAL COMMUNICATION: in the 14th century, a different kind of Andrew T Smith, Charlotte H Johnston, materials. Goldfield describes much of the ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT invasion, associated with human activity, Paulo C Alves and Klaus Hackländer (Eds) research at the Wyss Institute for ROLES (2nd EDITION) has become established on an accelerated Johns Hopkins University Press, £66.50 Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard. Eugene S Morton time frame. Throughout the text, he provides up-to- Cambridge University Press, £75.00 The introduction and spread of individual Andrew Smith and his date illustrations of how bioinspired research species has been both deliberate and colleagues have produced principles have been applied, bringing the Animal Vocal Communication accidental, and has had varying forms and an outstanding book that work to life. With good humour, he uses covers the history of animal degrees of impact. Today, the issues are summarises the current examples of familiar science fiction to communication theory, its aggressive contest. The growl quality of the organisms, and a number of which are becoming increasingly complex, given the knowledge of the world’s 92 illustrate how far things have come. For ethology, form and function, sound is important to the strength of the common to all vertebrates (such as the backdrop of a warming world and all the species of lagomorphs in one example, Wallace and Gromit’s visit to the and in this second edition the individual in terms of aggressiveness. ‘unnecessary’ path of the recurrent unknowns that entails, plus the globalisation reference volume. Drawing on the expertise moon made of cheese, which features a replacement of the long- Animal Vocal Communication is an laryngeal nerve passing underneath and intricacy of trade and travel, as well as of 82 specialists on lagomorphs, this is a comic vision of a self-assembling, standing dogma in vocal communication. academic text that challenges the way the aorta before returning up the neck increasing human populations. truly comprehensive reference work that autonomous robot skiing over the lunar This is the ‘new approach’ in which researchers approach animal vocal to the larynx). It is also important to recognise the provides detailed, species-specific landscape, is compared to real-life ‘self- assessment by the receiver of communication. The wealth of examples in The author admits that his survey potential adverse effects that invasive information as well as a review of the healing’ materials inspired by pitcher plants. communication is the central driver in each chapter aim to show that the sender is covers only a fraction of the design faults organisms might wreak on the ecological role of lagomorphs. The founding principles of design based evolution, replacing simple information the manager of communication, while the in the human body, but it is still surprising biogeography, ecology, agriculture and Following introductory chapters on the on nature are based on physical laws and transmission. If communication is looked receiver is the assessor of it. Perhaps the that he does not describe one that most economy of a region. Invasive Species evolution, systematics, introductions, the dynamics of complex systems. at in this way, how animal communication most dramatic example of the assessor role people are familiar with, our useless focuses on methods to quantify such risks, diseases and conservation of pikas, rabbits Exploring these underlying really functions can be explained. is that of the ground squirrel and rattlesnake. appendix. The book also describes some determine the scale and threat of pest and hares, detailed information is provided principles and how they The long-standing view is that animal Morton describes the situation of a of our mental insufficiencies. An anecdote and pathogen invasion, and formulate for each species. This includes scientific have been applied communication functions primarily to rattlesnake entering the squirrel’s burrow as is used to explain why we tend to believe solutions to generate quarantine and and common names, a contemporary range makes up the transmit information, either ‘honest’ or a narrative of the event by placing the reader anecdotes rather than more objective biosecurity policies. map and description, a detailed description otherwise. Chapter two, the focus of the text, in the burrow. What the squirrel does is information. The book is written for a US looks at the changing view of how fascinating and can be read in the audience and in a politically correct manner communication is understood and analysed introduction section. uses ‘she’ and ‘her’ whenever referring to by the receiver. In some cases, the The standard of this text is exemplary, human behaviour. assessment of the communications by the detailed and exhaustive in its behaviour Despite our errors, life expectancy – Downy receiver does not always match its supposed research, explanations and examples. It is a especially in the developed world – has woodpecker function. An example is the downy work of considerable effort and expertise. increased substantially, but has come with woodpecker, where a general contact Pat Sang MRSB an increasing impact on the planet. The communication between individuals can be author places great faith in science and associated with an ‘all-clear of HUMAN ERRORS medicine as saviours of humankind. In predators’ signal. Thus the bird Nathan H Lents particular, he says that the “real prize is the can assess the signal and Weidenfield and Nicholson, £16.99 search for immortality” (and, indeed, he manage it according to admits that given recent advances in aging their situation. As Alexander Pope said: “Trust research, he has taken up exercise and The section on the origin not yourself, but your defects stopped smoking in order to be alive when of vocal communication, in to know” – after all, “perfection such advances may be of use to him). chapter three, has an is a trifle dull”. Human Errors is Surely, however, goodness should be in-depth look at individual size a description of some of our one’s ultimate goal, rather than the A pika gathers as a component of selection. Size ‘defects’, many of which are prevention of death. As Schopenhauer said: food for its ‘haystack’, expression is included in peculiar to humans, but a number of which, “To desire immortality for the individual is which will help vocalisation, with low, harsh sounds such as the presence and replication of really the same as wanting to perpetuate an it survive indicating a challenge would end in an ‘junk’ DNA, are common to all multicellular error forever’.’ But then I now wear a T-shirt the winter

34 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 35 REVIEWS

of appearance together with morphological How will creations. Naturally, the impact of finding Another bugbear about such books is that measurements, accompanied by high- humankind life elsewhere in the universe could be the first reader ruins the surprise for the quality colour photographs of most of react if we greater for the religious person than those next, but these flaps can be resealed so it discover the species. extraterrestrial who have no beliefs. feels like you are the first reader each time. Discussions of relevant palaeontological life in the When other life is confirmed, which laws Kulvinder Kaur Johal data, taxonomy and geographic variation course of would be valid? Would there be ‘metalaw’, follow, and are iterated for each species. space which is universal in meaning and breadth. THE GREATER WORLD Information on ecology, habitat, diet, exploration? These issues are discussed under the OF LITTLE THINGS behaviour, genetics and physiology, wonderful heading ‘Astropolicy’. Ross Gardner reproduction and development, as well as Much of the book is reflective, putting Brambley Books, £8.99 parasites and disease, are also included. forward what has been known and The book is written in a very accessible expressed before, and analysing that in light I didn’t know what to expect style, heavy with factual material, but of new knowledge and acceptance of the when I offered to review this presented in straightforward language and possibility of extraterrestrial life. book. Was it a book on conveniently grouped under relevant If you are prepared to open your mind microscopic life, a tour of headings. Information related to any one and get away from anthropocentric views, invertebrates or something species is easy to find and presented take this book and explore the actions different? It was the last of succinctly. The discussions bring already taken by governments for when the these and the author has portrayed the knowledge and understanding right up to big day comes and we find out we have world through a different type of lens. Ross date and are very much to the point without extraterrestrial neighbours. Gardner, who has worked in environmental being over burdensome. As such, Pat Sang CBiol MRSB and conservation roles, has taken the Lagomorphs is accessible to the general common and overlooked aspects of the public as well as the scientific community. LIFE ON EARTH: OCEAN living world and asked us to look at them This is, without doubt, a definitive Heather Alexander from a different viewpoint. reference work that will be useful to anyone Mendel’s famous pea experiments, genetic variation in determining traits such Overall, it is a helpful guide for those Wide Eyed Books, £9.99 I was particularly fascinated by the with a serious interest in these animals, but the past 150 years of genetics, right up as eye colour and gender, and in diseases wishing to know more about how to chapters on pigeons and bumblebees, and particularly professional biologists, to the ‘postgenomic’ era, is described in such as cancer. produce laboratory reports. Although This is a colourful and how, although we see these often through students at all levels and naturalists in a logical and timely manner. The book also While the topics may not all be suitable students are clearly the focus of this book, inviting hardback children’s the year and find them commonplace, we general. There is such breadth of coverage clarifies time, myths and common for an absolute beginner, Making Sense it would also be appropriate for anyone book, with simple, clear text don’t really look and observe them or think that anyone working in fields that involve misconceptions that have evolved of Genes would be an attractive read expected to produce these types of reports and beautiful illustrations. about their place in the ecosystem. From lagomorphs, such as conservation or alongside the facts. for anyone studying, or with an interest for the first time. Each double-page spread of sitting in a car park observing feral pigeons biodiversity, will find use for this book. Each topic throughout the book is in, genetics. Natalie Lamb MRSB information has a particular to collecting data on bumblebee flower Dr Alan Woollhead accompanied by clear, informative figures James Poulter MRSB focus, be it ‘sharks’, ‘shells’ or ‘how the preferences, each chapter takes a different and examples to help explain concepts, ASTROBIOLOGY, DISCOVERY, creatures move’. aspect of the living world around us and MAKING SENSE OF GENES many of which may not be familiar to the WRITING UNDERGRADUATE LAB AND SOCIETAL IMPACT The pages are littered with questions asks us to think about it again. Kostas Kampourakis average reader. Further explanations are REPORTS: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS Steven J Dick and key facts about ocean life: is a shell fish Chapters are grouped into sections with Cambridge University Press, £32.99 also aided by comparisons of DNA in Christopher S Lobban and Maria Shefter Cambridge University Press, £54.99 a fish? How do oysters make pearls? Why an introduction to each – I found these a little development and disease to The Phantom Cambridge University Press, £12.99 do fish feel slippery? Great questions such rambling and difficult to follow, but the What is a gene? This sounds of the Opera, a link that works better than An evocative front cover as these are answered in simple terms for chapters themselves were enlightening. You like a simple question, but it ought to! Writing reports is an indicates the nature of younger readers as well as anyone with an do have to open yourself up to different dig a little deeper and it After explaining the intricacies of important skill that students Astrobiology, Discovery, and interest in oceans, marine life and science. viewpoints when reading this text, but it isn’t quite as clear as it first genetics, Kampourakis cleverly concludes have to build on during their Societal Impact: the cosmos, More than 70 flaps lift up to reveal definitely makes you think about the world seems. This question is just the book by highlighting the numerous degrees in order to explain and what would happen answers to questions and to supplement around you, your part in it and how the one of the themes covered limitations facing those working with genes, their results in a clear and should humans discover life the already quite detailed information on myriad creatures play out their lives without in Kostas Kampourakis’s cleverly as well as those whose lives are affected by concise way. This book is a other than that on Earth. the pages. a thought from ourselves. A thought- written book. their genetics every day. very useful guide for students looking to The author asks if humans can move on Lift-the-flap books can be fiddly and prone provoking book – I will definitely look again at To answer such questions, the reader is The book covers numerous topics in better understand the composition of a from thinking ‘life’ must be as it is known to ripping, but this book’s flaps are small and the little things around me. first given an introduction to the world of detail, from DNA replication, independent laboratory report and it actually covers now on this planet, because maybe life is well placed, so the book should last well. Janet Preece CBiol MRSB 21st century genetics. Starting with assortment and splicing, to the role of more than the title would suggest. out there but very different. The chapter It not only looks at how to produce looks at fundamental life types on Earth, undergraduate laboratory reports, but also where carbon is the scaffold upon which all discusses how to progress onwards to the life is built. But what about life beyond our production of academic papers – a very preconceptions of what life must be? The useful insight in itself. author says humans need to move their The reader is guided through the mindset beyond what is known. structure and content of report sections The book is divided into three parts, with such as Introduction, Methods and chapters covering ideas such as the impact Materials, Results and Discussion, and on society when non-Earth life is confirmed provides tips for the title, abstract and and how we might embrace the knowledge Students references. The layout makes it easy to flick of such life. One factor in accepting other need to hone between the sections so the book does not life is to stop thinking of the universe as a their report- have to be read in its entirety if the reader purely physical thing and move towards the writing skills if has a specific difficulty. concept of a ‘biological universe’. How often do they are to Sketches and diagrams have been The author introduces the inevitable progress to we stop to writing added to prevent the book from being too factor of religion in chapter seven and all think about academic text heavy, and it is a relatively easy and the ramifications of knowing that neither the lives of papers quick read. humans nor are special feral pigeons?

36 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 37 REVIEWS

ME AND THE BIOSPHERES: A MEMOIR WILSON AND WALKER’S PRINCIPLES Though the as the age of bioethics which focused on BY THE INVENTOR OF BIOSPHERE 2 AND TECHNIQUES OF BIOCHEMISTRY idea of us the individual draws to a close it should be John Allen AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (8th EDITION) ‘ending’ large superseded by biopolitics focusing on outbreaks of Synergetic Press, £40.00 Andreas Hofmann and Samuel Clokie (Eds) disease is whole societies (and ideally the world). As Cambridge University Press, £115.00 unlikely, The this includes every potential reader, the This is the autobiography of (hardback), £39.99 (paperback) End of issues presented in this book and their the visionary behind the Epidemics eventual solution concern every one of us, Biosphere 2 project, a huge Now in its eight edition, and provides a which is why I urge everyone to inform comprehensive closed-system research facility with new editors, Wilson and study of how themselves about these topics. built in Arizona and sealed in Walker’s Principles and best to deal Daniel Bojar 1991 with eight ‘biospherians’ Techniques of Biochemistry with them in living inside it. To dream up such a vast and and Molecular Biology is a future THE SCIENCE OF ADDICTION: FROM forward-looking project it took an unusual compact textbook, barely half NEUROBIOLOGY TO TREATMENT and enterprising person. John Allen – poet, the size of fundamental texts, but still Carlton K Erickson author, mystic, existentialist, engineer and containing a wealth of details. Several WW Norton & Company, £22.99 scientist – used all his skills and those of chapters have been added for this edition, many others to fulfil his dream. including genomics, bioinformatics and data The second edition of The The many activities and projects of Allen’s analysis, and this book focuses on the Science of Addiction provides Institute of Ecotechnics prepared the way theory behind techniques. a solid foundation for anyone for the ambitious Biosphere 2, and include Each chapter starts with explanations of wanting to learn more about the Synergia Ranch in Santa Fe, a hotel in the fundamental principles of biology, this area plus in-depth Nepal, a ranch in Australia and the chemistry or physics that underpin the information for professionals. Heraclitus, a Chinese junk ship with a analysis. The types of question the An expert in his field, author Carlton K concrete hull. Training in all these varied techniques are designed to answer are Erickson introduces various fundamental circumstances prepared the eight people then discussed and the details of the THE END OF EPIDEMICS: THE as the ‘epidemic cascade’ – including the age of commercialised genome concepts, from the stigmas associated with who would spend two years inside techniques explored. Examples and case LOOMING THREAT TO HUMANITY wider healthcare consequences and the sequencing? How do we decide to addiction, the molecular biology and Biosphere 2. studies help guide the reader through AND HOW TO STOP IT social, business and economic impacts of incorporate concepts of race, gender and pathways associated with addiction, and The projects of the institute also how a real-world situation might develop. Jonathan D Quick and Bronwyn Fryer epidemics. If still unconvinced, the authors class into our restructured healthcare current treatments. He also states that we contributed much to finding ways of A combination of diagrams, idealised Scribe Publications, £14.99 remind us of the economic cost of recent system? These thorny issues and many shouldn’t be using the word ‘addiction’ as sustainable living. Allen was obviously a graphics and real-world data is used to epidemics and pandemics – £3.77bn for more are tackled in Beyond Bioethics. much as we are: ‘addiction’ to computer leader, a team builder and a motivator in illustrate the concepts. As another Ebola outbreak BSE and £7.5–£11bn for foot-and-mouth The book itself is a collection of dozens of games or fatty foods is demonstrably not spite of his unusual qualifications for the While some of the techniques discussed hits the Democratic Republic disease in the UK; £22–£38bn in east Asia essays by bioethicists, activists and thinkers the same as disastrous physical and mental task he set himself. Biosphere 2 had its are more for historical context, the new of the Congo, the world is for SARS; and globally even more for the from a range of disciplines, collected and dependence on addictive substances, and problems but it paved the way for further informatics sections are particularly easy to reminded that we are never far H5N1 and H1N1 influenza epidemics – to curated by Osagie Obasogie and Marcy only serves to promote misunderstanding research on closed ecosystems, was a useful follow and relevant, since modern molecular from the next epidemic. The say nothing of the personal loss and Darnovsky. Grouping these essays into about the condition. experiment in community living and has had biology requires a comfortable familiarity battle against infectious distress, pain and suffering they wrought. thematic categories, the imposing bioethical This insightful and illustrative text has more significance for the study of climate with these tools. There are excellent disease is far from – and probably never will The book contains more than its cover problems of our age are investigated one by particularly engaging chapters on alcohol, change than the originators ever imagined. walk-throughs for these techniques to be – won. The 2014 Ebola epidemic in might suggest, with technical information one. While the negative outlook provided by the world’s most common addiction. Built with a 100-year lifespan, Biosphere help the reader, without the text becoming Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia was and examples that provide a sound many essayists may sometimes seem Erickson not only discusses the scientific 2 has continued to be an important facility overly complicated. terrifying but, it might be said, was fairly foundation and the building blocks for overwhelming, the diversity of opinions and background, he also incorporates much for further research long after the original This book should not be treated as a small and contained compared with further study. It offers well-informed approaches does justice to the importance socio-political thoughts in to the text that founding group left the site. This book is fundamental biochemistry and molecular the 1918 influenza pandemic that killed analyses of existing and projected medical of topics such as surrogate pregnancies, other authors might not. The abundance of fascinating reading on how to achieve biology text, but each chapter is a highly 50 million people. dangers and presents a well-thought-out negligence of underserved segments of information is well written and formatted in the almost impossible through vision, informative and detailed description of how The End of Epidemics is a substantial, programme for averting catastrophic loss the population, or the finicky subject of an easy-to-read manner, and benefits from teamwork and persistence against to undertake different types of experiments well-structured and comprehensively of life across the planet. who is testing the drugs of the future in a pedagogical approach to learning. If only all opposition. and analyse the results. referenced text, although it may have only The book’s subtitle, ‘The Looming Threat clinical trials. I had had this book for my degree. Ghillean Prance CBiol FRSB Dr Ellis O’Neill limited value as an undergraduate or to Humanity and How to Stop It’, is an In fact, as the editors of the book argue, Callum Tebbatt reference text. However, it will be hugely optimistic but in all probability unrealistic valuable to anyone with an interest in any expectation, though we must hope that aspect of healthcare and infectious enough lessons can be learned to reduce diseases, from public health and the impact of epidemics in the future. epidemiology to prevention, containment Ian Blenkharn FRSB and treatment, as well as to ecologists and environmentalists. BEYOND BIOETHICS: TOWARD The authors list seven sets of key actions A NEW BIOPOLITICS needed to prevent and to cope with Osagie K Obasogie and Marcy epidemics: bold leadership; developing and Darnovsky (Eds) maintaining resilient health systems for all; University of California Press, £27.00 Carlton K strengthening key lines of defence against Erickson’s disease to prevent, detect and respond; The dramatic pace of book explores Biosphere 2 timely and accurate communication; scientific discoveries in recent a range of contributed investment in innovation; investment in decades has not only led to issues around more to prevention before the next epidemic strikes; remarkable improvements in addiction, from its science than and citizen activism. domains such as healthcare its founder molecular and John Allen There are salutary reminders of the or forensics, but has also neurobiology could have critically far-ranging impact of global posed new questions and challenges to to stigma and imagined epidemic infectious diseases – described society. How do we deal with privacy in an semantics

38 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 39 REGIONAL GRANTS RSB-funded events and activities in the past year

The RSB’s regional grants programme funds members to run an event in their region. We hope this run-down of our recent grant-funded activities will inspire you to start planning for our next round of grants in 2019

Female role models in science at the University of Wolverhampton

Visitors enjoy a birds of prey demonstration at ECO-FEST

WOMEN IN SCIENCE afternoon of ‘science in the sunshine’ in based game, but instead of money, players origami papers. Afterwards, children could gripping storyline, the event won The Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire. The event, use energy (ATP) to build systems made of personalise a short sequence and keep Herald Higher Education Award for PROMOTING DIVERSITY organised by RSB member and girl-guiding organs and cells. As the game evolves, their own DNA bracelet. Organisers also Outstanding Contribution to the Local volunteer Holli Bielby (MRSB), involved 70 players learn useful facts about the human created an illustration introducing the four Community 2016. Three grant-funded events over the last 12 adult volunteers helping to deliver 50 body and about the importance of a healthy main biomolecules and debunking common months have aimed to celebrate female science activities. Rainbows (aged five to lifestyle. A whole day event to launch the science myths such as ‘the five second Thank you to all our grant-funded scientists and encourage girls to study seven) particularly loved exploring the game was funded by the RSB as part of rule’ for dropping food and the short event organisers: science. In October 2017, academics from nature garden, where they hunted for Biology Week 2017 and was attended by memory of goldfish. Helen Carney (BioArt); Nicola Kelting the University of Wolverhampton hosted hidden butterflies and identified trees by children and parents from around (Ignite Curiosity); Diane Lees-Murdock more than two hundred children from local their leaves or fruits. Brownies (aged seven Cambridge. Resources from the game have THE GREAT OUTDOORS (Dazzling Digestion); Melissa Lennartz- schools in Birmingham and the Black to 10) were equally fascinated and grossed since been requested by local schools. Walker (Bugs for Life: the Future of Food); Country to showcase female role models in out by the contents of an owl pellet, and In Malaysia during last year’s Biology Week, ECO-FEST ACTIVITIES IN CHESHIRE Ralitsa Madsen (Organopoly); science. The event coincided with Biology learned micropipetting. Guides (aged 10 to staff and students at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Wanda McCormick (Moulton’s Big Biology Week, the International Day of the Girl Child 14) tackled some of the more advanced Sri Pulai Perdana (SKSPP) Faculty of On a glorious autumn day in Cheshire last Day 2017); Petula Nurse (The world of and Black History month. As well as Q&As activities on offer: extracting DNA from Biosciences and Medical Engineering hosted year, the surrounds of Lower Peover biology and female role models); Kevin with leading female researchers from the bananas, preparing onion-cell microscope primary school children and their parents for primary school were the setting for ECO- O’Dell (Superhero Science); Julie Peacock university, there was a screening of Hidden slides and dissecting daffodils. a day of biology-based activities, including FEST, a day of activities to investigate and (Ecology at Kirk Fenton); Catherine Figures, a drama about African-American colouring and painting competitions, games, appreciate the biology in the local area. Science outreach Williams (Girls in Biology); and Nor Zain women hired by NASA during the US space FUN AND GAMES quizzes and talks aimed at encouraging There were displays of birds of prey, pond activities (Biology Outreach Programme for Malaysia programme in the 1960s. interest in studying science. dipping, identification and dissection, Primary School Children). At the same time at Aarhus University, PLAYING WITH BIOLOGY As part of the Brighton Science Festival in ‘composting chaos’, dragonfly craft activities Denmark, six laboratories opened to girls February, Professor Alison Sinclair led a and an earthworm survey, with Cheshire aged nine to 15, including the institution’s Organopoly is a board game developed group of staff, researchers and Wildlife Trust providing expertise. The day Events planned for Biology Week 2018 Interdisciplinary Centre for Nanoscience. A by the University of Cambridge’s Ralitsa undergraduate students from the University helped to restore the school’s pond and second event, the Saturday of Science, was Radostinova Madsen AMRSB and her of Sussex to help visiting families learn create a community outdoor learning space. The Living City: How Biology is Woven into the Fabric of Dundee Dundee for boys and girls of all ages and their parents colleagues Patsy Tomlinson, Adele Pinnock about DNA and viruses. As well as Photosynthesis in Virtual Reality Midlothian Science Festival to learn more about topics as diverse as and Rachel Knox. The game borrows extracting DNA from fruit, the more nimble- THE GREAT INDOORS climate change, plant communication, concepts from the well-known property- fingered visitors made inflatable viruses BioBlitz Showcase: Inspiring Involvement in Citizen Science South Devon ageing, bradycardia, ecoinformatics, DNA with one balloon inside the other to PUB SHOWCASES SUPERPOWERS Become a Plant Health Detector North Yorkshire and atoms. The organisers report that two represent the capsid and envelope, Find the Cure Staffordshire University Children investigate groups of researchers from two research decorated with pom-pom glycoproteins. Meanwhile in a Glasgow pub, ‘Agent Laura’, the results of a pond Let it Flow: The Journey of a Red Blood Cell STEM Outreach Centre, Kingston University institutions who had not met before have In March, more than 500 guests enjoyed Lisa Di Meo and Kevin O’Dell FRSB from dip at ECO-FEST Me, You and the Superbugs Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria as a result now formed a network with DNA-based activities at a Science Discovery the University of Glasgow delivered an possibilities to collaborate. Day hosted by the University of St Andrews. action-packed show about the science A Blend of Biology and Beverage Chapmanslade, Westbury In March this year, 240 Rainbows, Children learned about the concept and of superpowers. Featuring videos, For details see rsb.org.uk/events Brownies and Girl Guides gathered for an structure of DNA with the aid of folded demonstrations, audience interaction and a

40 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 41 BRANCHES Upcoming events near you and regional news

Event reports country and four of our native owls, plus the eagle-owl and a snowy owl, although DEVON AND CORNWALL not, at present, a short-eared owl. Most of the animals in the centre were Event calendar August 2018 onwards OBESITY RESEARCH – ARE WE either born there or in other wildlife parks, BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE? or were orphans that could not be released 19 April 2018 back into the wild. For this private visit, our guide not Our AGM was followed by a lecture by Dr only told us about the animals and lured Phil Langton, senior teaching fellow at the them from their hideouts with titbits University of Bristol. His talk gave an of food, but also explained about the overview of the causes of obesity and the breeding programmes that the centre resulting problems. He pointed out that too Pond dipping with runs – for example, producing two wildcat Vicky Chambers much food, lack of exercise, too much fat, kittens that can be exchanged with other excess sugar, the ‘wrong type’ of gut centres to form a breeding stock bacteria, possibly lack of sleep and, more bit more independent exploration of Ferry colony establishment after the queens have uncontaminated by feral cats, which have recently, certain combinations of alleles Meadows. One member specified that the emerged from hibernation. insinuated their DNA into the native have all been blamed for an increase in event could have been improved with “More Using laboratory experiments to Scottish population. obesity in the Western world. time! We could use another hour”. Overall, simulate the anthropogenic stressor The centre is also the biggest breeder BEDS, ESSEX AND HERTS Hear about the marine fauna of the south In the 1960s, only 10% of the UK we all had a hugely enjoyable visit and of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam and of red squirrels in the country, rearing 50 east coast, its health and conservation population was thought to be obese, would love to repeat the experience. Thank the natural stressors of hibernation and or 60 kits per year then passing them on AGM & BIRDS OF PREY LECTURE from chief fishery officer Tim Dapling. whereas now it is closer to 35%. We eat you to Vicky. parasitism, it was possible to determine to join new colonies – for example, on Sunday 30 September 2018 Sussex Inshore Fisheries and because we enjoy food and not necessarily Natalie Lamb MRSB the impacts on queens and populations. Tresco Island in the Scillies and Caldey 12:30–15:00 Conservation Authority, Shoreham-by- because we are hungry. The spread of a While the parasites alone had little or no Island off the Pembrokeshire coast. Sea, West Sussex BN43 6RE Western diet to other parts of the world has KENT, SURREY AND SUSSEX effect, the addition of low doses of The trip was an excellent opportunity for A two-hour talk on birds of prey by CJ’s been linked to a rise in obesity and an thiamethoxam to queens reduced egg us to brush up on our identification skills. Birds of Prey team with a selection of TOUR OF WAKEHURST PLACE AND increase in the diseases associated with it. GOD SAVE THE QUEENS laying. Mathematical modelling showed David Ware FRSB birds and photographic opportunities, THE MILLENNIUM SEED BANK Our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably 24 April 2018 that these impacts could seriously reduce preceded by the AGM. Sunday 11 November 2018 ate more complex carbohydrates with a population persistence. NORTHERN IRELAND Westmill Farm, Ware, 11:00–13:00 slower release of sugars. Cereals and fruits Bumblebees are in trouble, with many David Ware FRSB Hertfordshire SG12 0ES were only seasonal and very little sugary having undergone dramatic declines in DRUG DELIVERY STRATEGIES FOR Discover the trees and shrubs in their food, like honey, was available. range in the UK. Without the whole gamut GLIMPSING THE LESS COMMON THE 21ST CENTURY DEVON AND CORNWALL autumn colours followed by a tour of the The evidence suggests that a high-sugar of pollinating insects, we could lose many of SPECIES OF BRITISH WILDLIFE 26 March 2018 Millennium Seed Bank, led by RSB diet leads to rapid glucose intake, followed our food products, as well as many 9 May 2018 BEHIND THE SCENES AT member Keith Manger. by a rapid rise in insulin production and fast flowering plants. Professor John Callan, the Norbrook Chair DARTMOOR ZOO Wakehurst, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, removal of glucose from the blood, leaving As Professor Brown explained during a It has been reported that eagle-owls, the in Pharmaceutical Science at Ulster Tuesday 18 September 2018 West Sussex RH17 6TN us feeling hungry. The failure of many diets lecture to the branch and guests, this loss largest of the owls, with a wingspan of over University, gave this year’s Annual Joint 10:30–17:00 is due to an unacceptable feeling of hunger. of bumblebee numbers and species 1.5 metres, normally found in the mountain Norbrook Laboratories and RSB Lecture, SCOTLAND This can lead to snacking and further appears to be multifactorial, being a valleys and coniferous forests attended by approximately 50 people. Keeper-guided tour of Dartmoor Zoo with episodes of insulin release. consequence of the decline in the number of northern and Eastern Europe, may be Most medical conditions are localised talk by owner Benjamin Mee. RSB SYMPOSIUM ON GENOME Despite health warnings from and range of wild flower species, the becoming established in Britain – a (headaches, infections and so on) and while Dartmoor Zoological Park. , EDITING/CRISPR AND AGM government, the NHS and the media, we prevalence of emerging parasites and the possible threat to indigenous species and some common drug delivery vehicles such Devon PL7 5DG Saturday 13 October 2018 still consume too much prepared food. Its widespread use of pesticides. even to young lambs. This formidable as inhalers do manage a degree of targeted 11:00–13:30 sugar, salt and fat content is not always A key factor in the decline of pollinating predator is still, however, a rare sight. drug delivery, other common vehicles EAST ANGLIA clear and frequently ignored. Dr Langton’s insects is thought to be the increased use We were introduced to a (tablets, injections) saturate Researchers will look at genome editing/ talk left us with much food for thought. of neonicotinoids: when applied as seed mature specimen during our the whole body with AGM, LUNCH AND A GUIDED TOUR CRISPR, its applications in agriculture and Mary Jenking CBiol MRSB dressings or as sprays, these insecticides guided tour of the British Wildlife pharmaceutical agents. OF TRUMPINGTON MEADOWS ethical considerations associated with the have been shown to appear in pollen and Centre in Lingfield, Surrey. Ideally, drugs should be Saturday 18 August 2018 technology. The symposium is part of EAST ANGLIA in nectar, and to leach into wild flowers and The centre, formed in 1994 delivered directly to the 10:00–13:00 Easter Bush Campus Open Day. thus adversely affect pollinating insects. primarily as an educational desired site. The Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, ADULT POND DIPPING For example, they have been reported to resource, contains some 40 John’s collaborative AGM at the Clay Farm Centre and a tour Midlothian EH25 9RG 12 May 2018 reduce foraging behaviour, increase species of British wildlife, research is exploring the use of Trumpington Meadows, which will worker mortality, affect egg laying by the including all six of our of drug-loaded microbubbles depart from the nature reserve’s Wildlife WEST MIDLANDS Vicky Chambers’ enthusiasm and passion queens, alter hibernation duration and native mustelids plus an for the treatment of Trust office (CB2 9LH). for wetland habitats really came through impair brood development. American mink, now pancreatic cancer. Gas-filled Clay Farm Centre, Cambridge CB2 9FN APPLE ORCHARD VISIT during our hour-long pond dipping session In addition to these anthropogenically an established microbubbles have been used Saturday 6 October 2018 at Ferry Meadows. We really appreciated driven stressors, bumblebees also face species. There are routinely for decades as a KENT, SURREY AND SUSSEX 14:30–16:00 the work of the Nene Park Trust and learnt natural stress, including endemic parasites. also four of the six contrast agent in a lot about freshwater life in our local area. Of these, perhaps the common and species of deer ultrasound scanning. Iron CONSERVATION OF THE LOCAL Guided tour around orchards with apple Not only did we find it a really enjoyable way abundant trypanosome Cnithidia bombi is found in the oxide nanoparticles and

MARINE ENVIRONMENT picking, juicing and tasting. to spend a Saturday morning, but the the most significant, infecting several off-patent chemotherapy Kamil, Wikimedia Wednesday 15 August 2018 Orchards – off Bittell Farm Road, identification we did will fit into a larger common bumblebee species, affecting The eagle-owl is agents are attached to 11:00–12:30 Alvechurch, Worcestershire B45 8BL ecological study. ovarian development in the queens and so becoming these physiologically Afterwards, we had time to network with negatively impacting their reproductive established in some benign, oxygen-filled cake and coffee in the café, before doing a fitness. These parasites also affect early parts of Britain microbubbles. After FOR DETAILS www.rsb.org.uk/events

42 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 43 BRANCHES Brian O’Neill, Wikimedia year. The grateful thanks of RSB Scotland affair. Thanks to the generosity of go to all speakers and exhibitors. accountancy firm KPMG, which donated Alastair MacPherson CBiol MRSB its state-of-the-art lecture theatre, as Contacts well as many other services, the venue BEDS, ESSEX & HERTS LOCH LEVEN NATURE RESERVE turned out to be an impressive location Jacqui Piner • [email protected] 12 May 2018 for the event. The original sponsors – the RSB, and the DEVON & CORNWALL Tayside reserves warden Vicky Turnbull and Royal Society of Chemistry – were joined Christine Fry • [email protected] principal conservation scientist David this time by the Astrobiology Society of Douglas gave a warm welcome and an Britain and the Royal Astronomical Society, EAST ANGLIA Natalie Lamb • [email protected] introductory overview of RSPB Loch Leven ensuring that a wide spectrum of science and the work of the RSPB at the nature was covered. Thanks also go to the EAST MIDLANDS reserve. On the approach to the wetland organisers, who ensured 70 keen and Rosemary Hall • [email protected] area, we glimpsed the wildlife around the enthusiastic attendees on the day, loch and on settling into the hides along despite the appalling weather. KENT, SURREY AND SUSSEX the south shore of Loch Leven we were Once again, we were able to recruit Dr David Ware • [email protected] delighted by close-up sightings of lapwings some excellent speakers to the cause: Dr with their chicks, geese with their goslings, Dominic Papineau of UCL, whose subject LONDON grebes and nesting black-headed gulls. was ‘Bio-signatures in the Eoarchean rock Vydeki Shanmuganathan • [email protected] We returned to the visitor centre via the record’; Peter Stazewski of Université Claude Rathlin Island is home to Northern NORTH WALES wildflower meadow and the Loch Leven Bernard Lyon 1, who talked about ‘The Ireland’s largest seabird colony Peter Thompson • [email protected] Heritage Trail, which provides a 21km car- chemist’s challenges of the future: how to free route around the shores of the loch. animate dead matter’; and Sergio Ioppolo NORTH WESTERN the microbubbles have been injected, a panoramic coastal scenes. At the Seabird could be used for planning coursework Quotes from attendees often appear in of Queen Mary University of London, who Dr David Wareing • [email protected] focused magnetic field, acting on the Centre, the group enjoyed close-up views of in biology at all levels. branch event reports, but for this event, the discussed the star formation process, with iron oxide, is used to concentrate the the colony, with razorbills, puffins, fulmars, The morning session, chaired by calls from the range of birds in the wetland emphasis on the several physical and NORTHERN microbubbles proximal to the cancerous guillemots and kittiwakes congregating in Professor Jack Jackson, began with an area, along the trails and in the woodland at chemical steps. Dr Helen Carney • [email protected] tumour. The microbubbles are their thousands to breed, which they do exciting proposal from Professor Kevin RSPB Loch Leven provided the most Unfortunately, our fourth speaker, subsequently burst using low-intensity from late April to July. O’Dell that genetics degrees might begin memorable soundbites. Frances Westall of CNRS Orleans Campus, NORTHERN IRELAND ultrasound to release the chemotherapy A wide range of other fauna and flora with the sequencing of students’ genomes had to cancel at the very last minute due Jonathan Shields • [email protected] agents and oxygen. This localised delivery were seen during the trip, including grey and they could then spend the rest of their to severe illness, but Dr Sohan Jheeta YORKSHIRE SCOTLAND of the drugs reduces the amount required seal (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seal degree analysing the information. stepped into the breach and delivered a David Coates • [email protected] by two-orders of magnitude, while the (Phoca vitulina). One member even spotted Dr Liz Patton talked about the use of FOUR SOCIETIES JOINT MEETING: presentation on recent advances in the presence of oxygen enhances the the rare Irish hare (Lepus timidus). zebrafish in her research on melanoma. FRONTIERS OF SCIENCES II origin of life. SOUTH WALES effectiveness of the drugs. Rathlin is Northern Ireland’s only She explained how even quite humble 10 March 2018 Feedback data was collected after the Dr Rowena Jenkins • [email protected] Since the physiological effects of inhabited offshore island, with a population animals can produce startling insights into session, together with interesting and microbubbles, oxygen and off-patent drugs of about 150 people. The reverse L-shaped gene regulation. Some delegates were Repeating the resounding success of this positive comments, encouraging us to THAMES VALLEY are well characterised, the regulatory island is one of 43 Special Areas of heard to announce prospective purchases event in 2017, our third joint society meeting maintain this annual event. Dr Ray Gibson • [email protected] hurdles to trial this treatment in humans Conservation in Northern Ireland. There is of zebrafish for their schools. in Leeds was a well-attended and popular Dr Sohan Jheeta are reduced, and John’s team are hopeful much history associated with the island, Dr Anna McGregor spoke passionately on WESSEX Rachel Wilson • [email protected] that such a trial could commence early including Bruce’s Cave, named after Robert the hot topic of plastics in our seas. She gave next year. the Bruce. It was there that he was said to an interesting twist on this by describing WEST MIDLANDS Pancreatic cancer has the worst survival have seen the legendary spider, which is how students could use the types of plastic Lesley Payne • [email protected] rates among the 21 most common cancers. described as inspiring Bruce to continue his found on beaches to model various species’ Currently, surgery is the only treatment fight for Scottish independence. richness instead of using organisms, and in WESTERN that can cure pancreatic cancer, but less The world’s first commercial wireless the process help to clean up beaches! Christopher Bailey • [email protected] than 20% of patients diagnosed are eligible telegraphy link was established by East After lunch, Dr Paul Beaumont and Kate for curative surgery. This novel treatment is Lighthouse on Rathlin to Kenmara House Andrews of SSERC, our fantastic sponsors, YORKSHIRE not a silver bullet, but it is hoped it will in Ballycastle on 6 July 1898. outlined helpful, cheap and effective ways Dr Steven Picksley • [email protected] downstage tumours to make surgery Dr Richard Briggs CBiol FRSB FLS of using some materials they have HONG KONG possible in more patients. developed for student projects, and Sik Yan Tse • [email protected] Dr Paul Matthews CSci CBiol MRSB SCOTLAND generously gave out samples of the materials to delegates. AUSTRALASIA TRIP TO RATHLIN ISLAND 23RD RSB SCOTLAND ANNUAL Last but not least was a fascinating Professor Lloyd Reeve-Johnson 27 June 2018 TEACHERS’ MEETING talk from Geoff Morgan, who related how • [email protected] 31 May 2018 his team have used IT to analyse their The 2018 summer outing was to Rathlin pupils’ performance in homework and Island, off the coast of north Antrim, This year’s meeting was particularly feed back to them. Geoff showed data Northern Ireland. The trip comprised of relevant in that the Scottish Qualifications on how this can make a difference to Get involved a 25-minute boat ride aboard MV Rathlin Authority is changing specifications for performance. The fact that his statistical Visit your local branch’s page on the Express followed by a short bus journey qualifications, so speakers and exhibitors evidence backed up long-held anecdotal Society’s website to find out who is on to the newly renovated RSPB West Light were able to offer a range of information beliefs was very satisfying. your branch committee and how to get Loch Leven is home Seabird Centre. and resources to delegates. Not only It was a great day with very positive to a variety of wetland involved in local events and activities. Rathlin has Northern Ireland’s largest did speakers provide updates on feedback for what is the only national CPD bird species www.rsb.org.uk/regional-activity seabird colony along with quite spectacular knowledge, they gave resources that event for biology teachers in Scotland this

44 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4 Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 45 Emerging Topics CROSSWORD The biology brainteaser in Life Sciences Pit your wits against our This issue autumn puzzle and you A return to the regular format puzzle could win a £25 book token this issue. All across answers are from the world of biology and their clues only provide a subsidiary indication of those Across answers. Down clues consist of the A new journal of 1 Terrible smell in empty space (6) normal combination of a definition and commissioned reviews, 4 First of stereo recordings (6) a subsidiary indication. written for a broad 8 To start with bachelor single (4) How to enter 9 All so green – that’s changed (10) To be in with a chance of winning a £25 audience. Each issue book token, send us your completed focusses on a new, or 11 Outside of parka torn (6) puzzles by Friday 24th August. Please 12 Hard metal? No, can be bent (8) include your name, address and growing, topic and is membership number with your entry – 13 With this place, about time for an email address would be handy, too. guest edited by an do-it-yourself (8) Post your entries to: Crossword, The expert in the field. 15 Resistance offered outside (4) Biologist, Royal Society of Biology, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger 16 An enclosure for returning beast Street, London WC1N 2JU Editor-in-Chief: Professor of burden (4) 17 I’m pieced together somehow (8) Last issue’s winners Colin Kleanthous, Well done to last issue’s winners, 21 Too many swarming around an Colin Gilbert FRSB and Dr KWG Shillam University of Oxford, UK indication of multiplication (8) CBiol FRSB. Book tokens are on their 22 Pedal bin only has this in it (6) way to you. 24 Piece of bread, first class one (10) 25 Last dance? (4) Volume 7 Design right diet so you get Forthcoming topics include: 26 Soldiers led back (6) 65 No 4 vitamin D (7) COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY 27 Where you find baby requires compiled 10 Plucky to fight by the sound Last issue’s solution Guest Editor: Dr Anton Enright (EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute) knotted suture (6) by Doug of it; doesn’t occur in every Vol 65 No 3 Stanford generation (11) GENE EDITING IN AGRICULTURE: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOSAFETY Down 14 Getting drunk? Right, do so in Guest Editor: Professor Wendy Harwood (John Innes Centre) 1 Opening church, that can handle Public House – that’ll make your intake (7) eyes red (9) MICROBIOME IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 2 To be sexy peel off some outer 16 A horse sheep mixture? (7) Guest Editor: Professor Julian Marchesi (Cardiff University) bits, showing too much flesh (5) 18 On back road deploy agent, that’s CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY 3 Tango to occupy active old age – one way to catch a criminal (7) Guest Editor: Professor Franco Marincola (Sidra Research Center) felt quite smug about it (7) 19 Kind of light attachments for holding 5 Number of commandments set things when cold not hot (7) INTEGRATED STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY: NEW DEVELOPMENTS out; they’re believed to be true (6) 20 Go to get fare possibly (6) Guest Editor: Marcellus Ubbink (Leiden University) 6 Personal assistant in short is as 23 Misusing energy bars is not good as gold (9) so ethical (5) LIFE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS Guest Editor: Timothy Lyons (University of California, Riverside) CELLULAR MECHANOBIOLOGY Guest Editor: Armando del Río Hernández (Imperial College London) Native Pollinators Could you recommend a member? Marine Microbes The Royal Society of Biology represents, supports and engages with anyone who has an interest Climate Change in the life sciences, and offers membership grades to suit all levels of expertise. Organoids Existing members are uniquely placed to help grow our membership – and to increase the influence we are able to exert. A significant number of new members join as a direct result of a recommendation from someone they know and trust. www.emergtoplifesci.org/alerts If you have a colleague, friend or family member who would benefit from Society membership, please email their details to us – and let us know if you’d like Jointly owned by the Royal Society of Biology and Biochemical Society us to mention your nomination.

Email: [email protected] www.rsb.org.uk

Vol 65 No 4 / The Biologist / 47 2 MUSEUMPIECE Biological exhibits from around the world

A wasp nest built inside empty armadillo armour Online training with the Royal Society of Biology

Access training and professional development resources through the MyLearning portal

Animals used for Scientific Purposes Introduction to #33 Beavers to Project Management Weavers Exhibition Leeds City Museum Gopher Science Lab

he diversity of organisms particularly unusual nest on display here is exhibition include oyster shells containing for teachers living on Earth is built within an armadillo shell. Close Buddha-shaped pearls and the amazingly breathtaking. However, inspection suggests the empty armadillo constructed nests of the tailorbird, which counting and describing shell was hung up, which then attracted a intricately sews leaves together with its their appearance merely fertilised queen looking for a suitable beak using plant material as thread. As the And more courses scratches the surface of home. From there, the queen has exhibitions title suggests, there are also what makes a species constructed a ‘petiole’ and laid her eggs beautiful objects made by beavers and coming soon Tunique. To dig deeper, we must observe within hexagonal-shaped cells. weaver birds, as well as spiders’ nests and

how a particular species lives and behaves, The nest subsequently grew, becoming a the tiny leaf cases of leafcutter bees. Photographs courtesy of David Lindsay including the objects that it creates in order colony, turning this once empty shell into a By James Poulter to survive. This theme is the main focus of home, furnished with wood recycled from the Beavers to Weavers exhibition at Leeds the local area (untreated fences, wooden Leeds City Museum is open Tuesday to City Museum, which explores how animals beams and so on). Sunday and admission is free. The Beavers build their own tools, homes, armour and This piece is a fascinating example of to Weavers: The Wonderful World of Animal even camouflage. how one natural object commonly found Makers exhibition runs from the 6th July One familiar animal featured is the wasp, in South America became a home for 2018 to the 6th January 2019. Discounts available to RSB members whose atypical nests can be built around thousands of wasps elsewhere. www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsand whatever is available to them. One Further pieces of interest in the galleries/leedscitymuseum Access our courses today learn.rsb.org.uk

48 / The Biologist / Vol 65 No 4

Online training portal poster.indd 1 17/07/2018 15:16:27