The socieTy of magazine ■ issn 0006-3347Biologist ■ socieTyofbiology.org Vol 61 no 2 ■ aPr/may 2014

our closest kin Why have we done so little to protect the great ?

TOXICOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE INTERVIEW POISON TO POTION GUIDING LIGHT DR ALISON WOOLLARD The medical potential Understanding behaviour On her Royal of arsenic with optogenetics Institution Lectures GENETICS AND GENOMICS IN MEDICINE Tom Strachan, Judith Goodship and Patrick Chinnery, all at Newcastle University,

• Covers basicUK genetics relevant to health and disease • Covers basic genetics relevant to health and disease • Ex plainsJune technological 2014 • Paperback advances and • how £46.00 they are significant to medicine • CoversEx- basicplainsJune genetics technological 2014 relevant • Paperback advances to health and and • how £46.00 disease they are significant to medicine • In cludesJune500pp up-to-date 2014 • 270 • knowledge Paperbackillus • ISBN: about • the£46.00978-0-8153-4480-3 role of genetics in complex diseases • ExIn- plainscludes technologicalup-to-date knowledge advances about and how the rolethey of are genetics significant in complex to medicine diseases • Clini cal500pp disorder • boxes270 giveillus detailed • ISBN: insight 978-0-8153-4480-3 into the role of genetics in specific diseases • InClini- cludescalThis500pp disorder new up-to-date textbook • boxes270 knowledge giveillusexplains detailed • ISBN:the about scienceinsight the978-0-8153-4480-3 role intobehind ofthe genetics therole uses of geneticsin of complex genetics in specific diseases diseases • InThis cludes new pharmacogenetics textbook explains and the how science genetic behind knowledge the uses can of be genetics used in therapy and • CliniIn- calcludesand disorder genomics pharmacogenetics boxes in medicine give detailed and today. how insight It genetic is not into just knowledge the about role ofrare can genetics inherited be used in specificin and therapy diseases and diagnoThisand sis genomicsnew textbook in medicine explains today. the science It is not behind just about the uses rare of inherited genetics and •diagno In- cludessischromosomal pharmacogenetics disorders, butand how how genetics genetic knowledge affects the can whole be used spectrum in therapy and • Extenandchromosomal sive genomicsproblems disorders,inand medicine solutions but today. forhow each Itgenetics is chapternot just affects about therare inheritedwhole spectrum and diagno• Exten- sissive problems and solutions for each chapter chromosomalof human health disorders, and disease. but how DNA genetics technologies affects are the explained, whole spectrum with • Exten siveemphasis problems on the and modern solutions techniques for each chapterthat have revolutionized the use of emphasis on the modern techniques that have revolutionized the use of genetic information in medicine and are indicating the role of genetics in emphasisgenetic information on the modern in techniquesmedicine and that are haveindicating revolutionized the role of the genetics use of in common diseases. Other new advances, such as the role of epigenetics geneticcommon information diseases. Other in newmedicine advances, and are such indicating as the role the ofrole epigenetics of genetics in commonand non-coding diseases. RNA Other are givennew advances, in-depth coverage. such as the The role discussion of epigenetics on genetic approaches to treatment includes pharmacogenomics and the prospects for personalized on genetic approaches to treatment includes pharmacogenomics and the prospects for personalized medicine. Cancers are essentially genetic diseases and are given a dedicated chapter that includes new onmedicine. genetic Cancers approaches are essentially to treatment genetic includes diseases pharmacogenomics and are given aand dedicated the prospects chapter for that personalized includes new insights from cancer genome sequencing. The final chapter on genetic testing and ethics also covers medicine.insights from Cancers cancer are genome essentially sequencing. genetic The diseases final chapterand are givenon genetic a dedicated testing chapter and ethics that includesalso covers new important developments in clinical and public health genomics. Clinical disorders are covered throughout insightsimportant from developments cancer genome in clinical sequencing. and public The healthfinal chapter genomics. on geneticClinical disorderstesting areand coveredethics also throug covers hout and there are extensive end-of-chapter questions and problems. importantand there aredevelopments extensive end-of-chapter in clinical and publicquestions health and genomics. problems. Clinical disorders are covered throughout and there are extensive end-of-chapter questions and problems. Contents 1. 2. 1. Fundamentals of DNA, Chromosomes and Cells 2. Fundamentals of Gene Structure, Gene Expression and Human Genome Organization 3. 4. Principles of Genetic 1.and Human Genome Organization 3. Principles Underlying2. Core DNA Technologies 4. Principles of Genetic Variation 5. Single Gene Disorders: Inheritance Patterns, Phenotype Variability and Allele Frequencies andVariation Human 5. SingleGenome Gene Organization Disorders: 3. Inheritance Patterns, Phenotype Variability and4. Allele Principles Frequencies of Genetic 6. Principles of Gene Regulation and Epigenetics 7. Disease-Causing Abnormalities in DNA and Variation6. Principles 5. Single of Gene Gene Regulation Disorders: and Inheritance Epigenetics Patterns, 7. Disease-Causing Phenotype Abnormalities Variability and inAllele DNA Frequenciesand 8. Identifying Disease Genes and Genetic Susceptibility to Common Disease 9. Genetic 6.Chromosomes Principles of 8.Gene Identifying Regulation Disease and EpigeneticsGenes and 7. Genetic Disease-Causing Susceptibility Abnormalities to Common in DiseaseDNA 9.and Genetic Approaches to Treating Disease10. Cancer Genetics and Genomics 11. Genetic Testing From Genes to Approaches to 8.Treating Identifying Disease Disease10. Cancer Genes Genetics and Genetic and GenomicsSusceptibility 11. Genetic to Common Testing Disease From 9. Genetic Genes to Genomes and the Ethics of Genetic Testing and Therapy ApproachesGenomes and to the Treating Ethics ofDisease Genetic10. Cancer Testing Genetics and Therapy and Genomics 11. Genetic Testing From Genes to Genomes and the Ethics of Genetic Testing and Therapy For more information and to order, please visit For more information and to order, please visit www.garlandscience.com/ggm For morewww.garlandscience.com/ggm information and to order, please. visit www.garlandscience.com/ggm Also of Interest: Human Molecular Genetics, Fourth Edition HumanTom Strachan Molecular and Andrew Genetics, ReadFourth Edition Human Molecular Genetics is an established and class-proven textbook Human Molecular Genetics is an established and class-proven textbook Humanfor upper-level Molecular undergraduates Genetics is an and established graduate studentsand class-proven which provides textbook an authoritative and integrated approach to the molecular aspects of human authoritative and integrated approach to the molecular aspects of human genetics. While maintaining the hallmark features of previous editions, authoritativegenetics. While and maintaining integrated theapproach hallmark to thefeatures molecular of previous aspects editions, of human the Fourth Edition has been completely updated. It includes new Key genetics.the Fourth EditionWhile maintaining has been thecompletely hallmark updated. features It ofincludes previous new editions, Key Concepts at the beginning of each chapter and annotated further reading theConcepts Fourth at Edition the beginning has been of completelyeach chapter updated. and annotated It includes further new readingKey Conceptsat the conclusion at the beginning of each chapter, of each tochapter help readers and annotated navigate further the wealth reading of information in this subject. information in this subject. information2010 • Paperback in this • subject.£52.00 2010 • Paperback • £52.00 781pp • 610 illus • ISBN: 978-0-8153-4149-9 2010781pp • •Paperback 610 illus • • ISBN: £52.00 978-0-8153-4149-9 781pp • 610 illus • ISBN: 978-0-8153-4149-9

www.garlandscience.com ThThe socieTy of biology magazinee ■ issn 0006-3347Biologist ■ socieTyofbiology.org Vol 61 no 2 ■ aPr/may 2014

our closest kin Why have we done so little to protect the great apes?

TOXICOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE INTERVIEW POISON TO POTION GUIDING LIGHT DR ALISON WOOLLARD Th e medical potential Understanding behaviour On her Royal contents of arsenic with optogenetics Institution Lectures

Volume 61 No 2 April/May 2014 in This issue

9 Opinion: Patently false pobert Andrews on why biologists shouldn’t fear patenting research 12 12 Poor relations Ashley Leiman explores the complex relationship between humans and great apes

18 Great communication Two science communicators rekeal the outreach projects that won them Society awards

22 A very Victorian poison Alan Lansdown looks at the toxicology and surprising medical uses of arsenic

26 Travellers’ tales Tracking the research adkentures of fike biologists awarded a £500 Society trakel grant

30 Dr Alison Woollard The dekelopmental biologist talks to Tom Ireland about her poyal Institution Christmas Lectures 22 18 34 Theory of devolution Catherine Ball on science funding in an independent Scotland

36 Shedding light on the brain Jenni Lacey explains how optogenetics can help us better understand behakiour news 4 society news 42 members 45 branches regulars 3 nelson’s column 8 opinion 10 Policy update 40 spotlight 49 reviews 53 Treasurer’s report/biofeedback 26 54 museum piece 55 crossword 56 final word

Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 1 contacts

society of biology Volume 61 No 2 April/May 2014 charles darwin house, 12 roger street, london Wc1n 2Ju Tel: 020 7685 2550 EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD Fax: 020 3514 3204 [email protected] www.societyofbiology.org Director of Membership, Marketing susan Alexander bsc PgCe Cbiol Csci Msb MRsPh FRgs and Communications J Ian blenkharn Msb FRsPh Views expressed in this magazine are not Jon Kudlick Msb Phil Collier Msc PhD Cbiol Fsb FLs Fhe necessarily those of the Editorial Board or Editor the Society of Biology. sue Nelson Cameron s Crook bsc MPhil Cbiol Msb MIeeM FLs @scienceNelson Rajith Dissanayake Msc PhD FZs AMsb © 2014 Society of Biology Managing Editor Catherine Duigan bsc PhD Fsb FLs (Registered charity no. 277981) tom Ireland Msb John heritage bA DPhil Cbiol Fsb [email protected] The Society permits single copying of @tom_J_Ireland sue howarth bsc PhD Cbiol Fsb individual articles for private study or Communications and Events Officer Allan Jamieson bsc PhD Cbiol Fsb research, irrespective of where the copying Patel AMsb is done. Multiple copying of individual articles Catherine Jopling bsc PhD Msb [email protected] for teaching purposes is also permitted Leslie Rose bsc Cbiol Fsb FICR without specific permission. For copying For membership enquiries call 0844 858 9316 or reproduction for any other purpose, [email protected] written permission must be sought from For subscription enquiries call 020 7685 2556 the Society. Exceptions to the above are [email protected] those institutions and non-publishing organisations that have an agreement or licence with the UK Copyright Licensing TWITTER FACEBOOK BLOG Agency or the US Copyright Clearance @society_biology www.facebook.com/ societyofbiologyblog.org Center. Access to the magazine is available online; please see the societyofbiology Society’s website for further details.

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shown that while vaginally- t is widely known that humans delivered infants harbour bacterial do not exist as single organisms. communities similar to their Think Publishing Ltd. I In fact, we go to bed each night mother’s vaginal microbiota, infants with 100 trillion microbes tucked up delivered by Caesarean tend to cosily inside our intestines. What we adopt communities similar to their 4. are now beginning to discover is just mother’s skin surface how important these tiny organisms One study demonstrated that the 124-128 Barlby Road are in stimulating, training and microbiota of a Caesarean-deliveredBacteroidetes, regulating our own bodies. infant includes fewer The gut microbiota is a diverse one of the two major phyla in the TheBiologist community of microbes comprising gut. The study was also interested mainly of bacteria but also some in the infants’ immune systems, species of archaea and fungi. At and so tested for the abundance of London W10 6BL least 90% of the bacteria in our a certain type of white blood cells digestive tract fall Firmicutesinto the phyla1, yet called Th1 cells. These cells release Bacteroidetes and signalling molecules to regulate species diversity is astounding. other white blood cells as part of Estimates suggest there could the body’s immune response, and www.thinkpublishing.co.uk be between 500 and 1,000 children delivered by Caesarean species within the whole human were found to have decreased levels 2 5 population . of Th1 activity . In its combined genome, the These results are signifi cant in microbiome contains more than 5 our understanding of microbial 3 million genes , putting the human activity since they suggest that gut- 020 8962 3020 genome to shame at just 24,000. specifi c bacteria play an important a WindoW This cooperative community role in immune development, and T performs many functions, in particular Th1 development. GU including its primary role to Th1 activity is vital for many ferment otherwise indigestible immunological processes including carbohydrates, extracting energy. the stimulation of antibodies, It also helps to absorb nutrients release of signalling molecules F and produce vitamins as well and the killing and digesting of as training and regulating our pathogenic bacteria. It is also G immune systems. In fact, it is crucial in dampening the activity N so useful that the microbiota E L of its colleague, Th2. As a result, design E I is often considered an decreased Th1 activity can lead to on The life DebAte organ in itself. Th2 over-activity. ALgAL bIOFUeLs Th2 overactivity is thought to be Bacterial birth one of the major causes of allergic Since unborn disease development. This includes children are Alistair McGown hay fever, asthma and eczema. sterile, birth is These results are corroborated the fi rst step bIOgRAPhY by fi ndings that children born by in the lifelong Caesarean section have a higher companionship 6 rate of allergy . between Production editor ould algae save the planet? human and Under attack That’s right, algae. The green microbe. Another line of research has sciences C stuff that clogs up your pond How theUS, baby which is clearly impossible. That and rots in giant heaps on the beach investigated whether the is deliveredfalls to just 2.5% with microalgae.” giving off a terrible pong. This 8km Mixing algaladministration biomass with a of antibiotics to extremely diverse group of simple, is important. Many Lawren HosBin To provide biofuel for one solvent and catalystinfants produces may have a the same effect. Clare Harris autotrophic organisms is the focus studies have shown AMSB is a diesel-like substanceIt is thought called that while the of efforts tomicrobiology develop a green energy lane of cars requires a that children born by biodiesel, plusmicrobiota glycerol. Techniques is in the early stages of source to replacegradwate oil. cwrrently strip of land the length of Caesarean section that lane, 8km wide are emerging whichdevelopment, mean products it is more susceptible Both microalgaestwdying for(unicellular) a and start life with a master’s in science are not limitedto to damagebiodiesel. from Pyrolysis the effects of macroalgae, such as seaweed, are smaller and less commwnication at antibiotics. Since many antibiotics diverse microbialinvolves heating algae to very high The Biologist is a bi-monthly magazine being used inImperial a range College of products kill bacteria in an unspecifi c sub editors emissions it can actually be worse than temperatures (500-700°C) in the explores owr known as ‘advanced biofuels’ thanks community. Lauren Hoskin London. She writes using crude oil. “To provide biofuel for absence of oxygenmanner, to produce by taking a bio- these drugs to their rich energyfor the content blogScience and It has also been one lane of cars requires a strip of land char (charcoal) and a wider range of minimal land use.Says It as is well hoped as the they ever-increasing wnderstanding the length of that lane, and 8km wide,” fuel products. Hydrothermal could eventuallySociety’s break our blog. / 13 he says. “Conventional biomass is just liquefaction puts whole, unprocessedo 1 / the bIOLOgIst dependence on oil and reduce global Vol 61 N of how bacteria contribwte to not efficient in terms of land use.” algal material under pressure, using (published six times a year) that covers carbon emissions. Sian Campbell, Kirsty Fortune owr health This is where algae come in. Some slightly lower high temperatures As part of the Society of Biology’s species of microalgae can convert up (250-350°C), with water to produce Policy Lates debate series, experts 07/03/2014 13:02 to 60% of their biomass to oils ‘biocrude’ and hydrogen gas. from the world of biofuels gathered in (compared to 2-3% in soy beans). These processes essentially mimic London to discuss the future of this Because they do not produce the natural production of oil. Crude / Vol 61 No 1 remarkable group of organisms in 12 / the bIOLOgIst complex differentiated tissues such oil itself is formed from ancient Publisher the full richness and diversity of biology. energy production. Is fuel derived as stems and leaves, algae grow algae, as well as other marine from algae a viable alternative to oil, ALGAL faster than crops. Plus, marine plankton. Algaenan, a tough or just a green dream? macroalgae do not even have to be hydrocarbon polymer found in algal grown on land. cell walls, is turned to oil when layers Turning water into fuel “You can do much better than of plankton are buried under the Algae are like any other John Innes terrestrial plants using algae,” says seabed and subjected to extreme science is brought to life with stimulating and photoautotrophic organism: they BIOFUEL Professor Rod Scott from the heat and pressure. turn simple inorganic compounds University of Bath. His research aims Unfortunately, producing oil this such as CO2 and water into complex, to develop strains of microalgae way takes about 30 million years. energy rich hydrocarbons using light especially for biofuel production. Replicating the process in real time, as an energy source. The technology “To provide 50% of the USA’s fuel at a scale vast enough to supply IN BLOOM and infrastructure to create fuel [email protected] requirements with corn oil, you’d need global demand, is the challenge. authoritative features, while topical pieces from this sort of biomass have 846% of the available crop area in the existed for at least 60 years. All in a day Dry plant matter (lignocellulose) Professor Scott says processes such is the most abundant raw material in How does it work? OR DEAD IN as pyrolysis can produce an oil the world for the production of Algae can be turned into fuel via: equivalent from algae in about a day. ethanol by fermentation, and many Anaerobic digestion But it is important to see “just how discuss science policy, new developments biofuels are made using the oils from by bacteria, producing methane. much oil we use” before getting crops such as corn or soya beans. Yet Transesterification excited about algal fuels, he says. “At THE WATER? the displacement effect of using land , where algal lipids are the moment we use 90 million barrels crops for fuel production instead of reacted with alcohols to produce biodiesel of oil, over 14 billion litres – every Tom Ireland food arguably causes more carbon and glycerol. Non-member rates: £120.00 reports from the Society’s recent debate single day. You can fiddle around with emissions via deforestation and can Pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction a flask of new fuel and think we’re or controversial issues. Aimed at biologists on whether fuel made from algae could ever replace oil drive up food prices. which use heat and pressure to reduce algal, doing quite a good job, but we use a Chadwick, from the lipids to a range of fuel products. The advantage staggering amount of oil.” Department for Transport, says some of the latter is that whole algae or ‘wet biomass’ There are great costs involved in models suggest that in terms of can be used. growing and processing algae compared to just piping stuff out of everywhere, its straightforward style also the ground. Algal cells produce more ISSN 0006-3347 Vol 61 no 1 ■ feb/mar 2014 ■ The socieTy of biology magazine ■ issn 0006-3347 socieTyofbiology.org makes it ideal for educators and students at The Biologist

20 / the bIOLOgIst all levels, as well as the interested amateur. / Vol 61 No 1

20_BIO_61_1_AlgaeBiofuel.indd 20-21 Advertising in The Biologist represents an

Vol 61 No 1 / the bIOLOgIst / 21 The socieTy of biology magazine ■ The issn 0006-3347 ■ Biologist socieTyofbiology.org Vol 60 no 6 ■ dec 2013/Jan 2014unparalleled opportunity to reach a large 07/03/2014 13:07

shortlisted for submissions of interesting and timely BEST BUSINESScommunity of professional biologists. & PROFESSIONAL articles, short opinion pieces and letters MAGAZINE are welcome. Articles should be aimed at For advertising information contact a non-specialist audience and convey your Tom Ireland

The socieTy of biology magazine ■ The issn 0006-3347 ■ [email protected] enthusiasm and expertise. Instructions for Biologist socieTyofbiology.org Vol 60 no 2 ■ aPr/ authors are available on the society’s website THE INTERVIEW 020 7685 2556 FUTUREDIGGING or on request from the editorial office. DEEP Contact [email protected] OF FUELTV's alice roberts Could biofuel from algaetalks anatomy reduce our need for oil?and archaeology

MICROBIOTA INTERVIEWLIFE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENT AGE OF SUCCESS DEEP ROOTS GUT INSTINCT Linda Partridge on the Saving trees during e body's bacteria and biology of ageing urban development its impact on our health FOCUS stunning images from our 2013 photo competition 2 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 30/01/2014 15:22 00_BIO_61_1_COVER.indd 1 STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY EDUCATION DNA DISCOVERIES INTERVIEW Moving beyond the LABS ONLINE Can practical science be POLAR PIONEER double helix Jane Francis on taught remotely? Antarctic exploration

00_BIO_60_6_COVER.indd 1 Nelson’s Column

he number of women her role as chief executike officer of choosing to study biology the Biotechnology and Biological or follow biology related Sciences pesearch Council. Dikersity careers is positikely means more than increasing the healthy compared with number of women, and there’s no Tsciences such as physics and doubt that dikersity within science chemistry – and it’s easy to become – and science journalism – is complacent when faced with these currently under the spotlight figures. Yet London’s Infectious following a number of high profile Disease pesearch Network recently cases within both professions. found that women receiked fewer One inkolked the black American grants and less funding than their biologist and blogger Danielle Lee, male colleagues. who writes on urban ecology, The study, published in December ekolutionary biology and dikersity 2013, analysed more than 6,000 as The Urban Scientist on the grants awarded in the UK between Scientific American website. When 1997 and 2010 in the field of infectious she politely refused a request to diseases. It also found that if a woman write a blog for free for Biology led a research study, on akerage, the Online, an editor emailed the study receiked 43% less money. response: “Because we don’t pay for These sobering statistics show blog entries? Are you an urban that no one can be complacent. Women scientist or an urban whore?” Fortunately, this issue of The received There was the added nuance that, in Biologist features a number of less funding the States, urban is slang for black. successful women who are also than their Lee’s dignified kideo response superb role models for the went kiral. Apologies were made and profession. Dr Alison Woollard, a male the editor concerned lost his job. For dean and lecturer at the Unikersity of colleagues sekeral months, there followed high Oxford, discusses both her career profile discussions online with and the shortfall of women in senior numerous accounts of sexism scientific roles with Tom Ireland on experienced by women scientists and page 30. Woollard recently became science writers. The genie is well and only the fifth woman in almost 200 truly out of the bottle. years to deliker the poyal Institution In June, at the UK Conference of Christmas Lectures. Science Journalists, I will be chairing Woollard’s research focuses on a plenary session on sexism. The dekelopment in worms. Coincidentally, current increased awareness of the Professor Sheena Cruickshank, one of issue can only be good for both the winners of the Society’s Science science and science journalism. Communication Awards, also studies Then there’s the news that Dame worms. Cruickshank takes them to Ann Dowling is to be president of the schools, science and music festikals to poyal Academy of Engineering and illustrate her life-changing research the Society of Biology will again hake and explains why she set up her a female president when Dame Jean ‘Worm Wagon’ on page 18. pebecca Thomas takes oker from Dame Williams, also honoured at the Nancy pothwell. The future is awards, describes how she certainly brighter. communicates her own research on page 20. Hopefully, they will inspire others to take up the cause. Meanwhile, on page 8, Professor Jackie Hunter explains why she intends to champion dikersity in sue nelson, editor

Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 3 BIOLOGY IN THE HEADLINES society News research neWs in brief FUNDING BOOST The government has announced the budget for science and research will rise next year following years of ‘flat cash’ and uncertainty. The funding allocation for 2015-16 will Biology ‘blue plaque’ increase to £4.69bn compared to the £4.58bn awarded in 2014-15.

DNA PIONEER TACKLES COMMON DISEASES project wins £70k grant The world famous molecular biologist James Watson (below) has he Society of Biology has been heritage lottery outlined a radical new theory that awarded £69,200 from the funding will enable aims to improve our understanding Heritage Lottery Fund for a the society to of the cause of a range of diseases T commemorate new project that celebrates great biologists such as including diabetes, dementia, biologists around the UK. Thomas henry heart disease and Biology: Changing the World huxley, right cancer. Writing in aims to inspire future biologists by The Lancet, he celebrating important life science suggests that research and life scientists in the radical oxygen UK. Commemoratike plaques will species in the be created to mark the home, place Society calls for wiser body (oxidants) of work or school of biologists in the may not be same way that English Heritage’s as harmful as ‘blue plaque’ scheme recognises investment in plant science scientists think and in the link between locations and some cases are crucial for cells to important people. he first eker assessment of extra funds are “In addition to increased function properly. “This project will raise public actikities across the UK’s needed to mitigate inkestment, we need a more awareness of scientists and their plant science sector was the effects of concerted approach to ensuring OLDER FATHERS AND T climate change, discokeries that hake quite literally launched in February by the UK such as flooding progress in both fundamental MENTAL ILLNESS LINK changed the way we look at life and Plant Sciences Federation (UKPSF), scientific understanding and its Children born to fathers over the nature,” said Sue Bowers, head of a special interest group of the application for all our benefit,” age of 45 are at greater risk of Heritage Lottery Fund London. Society of Biology. said Professor Jim Beynon, chair developing psychiatric problems “The stories of their determination The report rekeals that the UK’s of the UKPSF. “This has not and more likely to struggle at school, and achiekements will help to position as a world leader in plant been the case for more according to the findings of a large- inspire young people to learn more science is under threat from a than a decade and the scale study. Researchers at Indiana about the wonders of biology.” shortage of funding and a lack of adkerse impact on skills University studied the medical and The Society will lead the project stable inkestment in essential skills. supply, infrastructure educational records of more than in partnership with the It lays out urgent actions needed and innokation is now 2.6 million children born to 1.4 million Biotechnology and Biological to ensure the UK can respond to becoming apparent.” haymeadowsmen. Researchers revealed the link Sciences pesearch Council, which significant global challenges such Concerns oker skills shortages inwhen romania, they compared the health and is also prokiding financial support. as guaranteeing food security, in UK plant scientists were above,performance the focus of siblings in order to A mobile app and website will be coping with the threats expressed by 96% of organisations ofrule barbara out differences between families. created to share resources. from climate change, surkeyed. The report warns that Knowles’ (below protecting biodikersity, the loss of some skills could be centre)ANCIENT work ALGAE CAUSED and improking human irrekersible in less than 15 years WHALE GRAVEYARD health. if not addressed. scientists believe toxic algae caused ‘UK Plant Science: “Currently, training in plant a ‘mass whale graveyard’ in Chile. regional funding scheme launches Current Status and science is not meeting employers’ Dozens of fossilised baleen whale Future Challenges’ needs,” said Dr Mimi Tanimoto, skeletons, found in the Atacama new scheme to fund local branches, the regional grant deadline for applications is 14th guide to running a local event, calls for a doubling UKPSF executike officer. “It is region, showed signs of having died a events has been launched scheme is designed to increase April 2014, with another round see www.societyofbiology.org/ of inkestment in plant important that training is not suddenly at sea, according to the to encourage members to apply our regional activity by giving of grants planned for later in regional-grants. Alternatively science, which currently confined to unikersities. We Royal society’s journal Proceedings for funding to run biology events members up to £500 to deliver the year. contact davidurry receikes less than 4% of UK urgently need more targeted further B. Researchers believe the whales across the UK. a one-off event or series For details on how to apply @societyofbiology.org or call public research funding, and urges education, apprenticeships, industry- died in four strandings between 6 In addition to the work of our of events in their area. The for a grant, or to download our 020 7685 2576. Gokernment and industry to work linked studentships, and continuing and 9 million years ago. together to achieke this. professional dekelopment.”

4 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 www.societyofbiology.org/news www.societyofbiology.org/news Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 5 sOCIetY NeWs bIOLOgY OLYMPIAD/tRAININg PROgRAMMes/AWARDs CALL/hIgheR eDUCAtION/teACheR AWARDs

Olympian effort by Work hard, Raising the status of HE train hard project to improke the status ecent additions to the and kaluation of higher young biologists rsociety’s ever-expanding A education (HE) teaching training programme include a has been launched by the Society, in sound recording course (5th collaboration with other science and June) for budding science education organisations. communicators, In March representatikes from a dissection across the HE sector met to discuss workshop at the project, which aims to improke the Royal the perception of higher education Veterinary teaching and stress its importance College in academia. (3rd July), The Academy of Medical Sciences and a new (AMS), The Physiological Society, technologies and the Society of Biology’s in science special interest group, the Heads education course of Unikersity Biosciences, hake for teachers (28th July). been working on the project beginners are welcome, and all collaboratikely. courses offer substantial discounts In 2010, the AMS published the to members and members of report ‘pedressing the Balance: The Member Organisations. For Status and Valuation of Teaching in details of all the courses we offer Academic Careers’, which assessed and to book, please visit www. the balance of teaching and research societyofbiology.org/training in unikersity departments. In 2013, If you have ideas for new the partner organisations formed courses, speakers or course a joint steering group to follow up providers please email the report’s recommendations, and [email protected] a recent surkey indicated that there was still much to do to raise the status and kaluation of teaching. Please contact zoemartin@ societyofbiology.org for more information about the workshop and HE teaching support. AWARDS Teacher of the year shortlist announced

he Society is pleased to announce the shortlist These case studies will be akailable on the record 5,057 students took from left: Dr Andrew Treharne, who his year’s book and science for the 2014 School Biology Teacher of the Society’s website following the announcement of part in the 2014 British scarlett harris, leads the team of kolunteers that communication awards are now Year Award. The award seeks to identify and the winner later this year. matthew Johnston, T T Biology Olympiad (BBO). organises the competition, said the open for entries. to recognise the kery best and most inspiring biology “Excellent teachers hake a profound positike A Katherine lister Nearly 500 schools were inkolked and anna sozanska standard of entries this year was The society’s book Awards teachers in 11-18 education. effect on their students’ learning, career choices in the annual competition, which represented the uK kery high. “The UK teams hake celebrate outstanding textbooks Caroline Molyneux, of Balshaw’s CE High and aspirations,” said Dr Mark Downs FSB, aims to challenge and stimulate at the 2013 ibo had considerable success at the aimed at undergraduates and School, Dan Quinton, of Caterham School chief executike of the Society. “It is rewarding A lekel students with an interest IBO oker the last 16 years and I’m postgraduates and general biology and Catherine pussell, of Altrincham to know that once again, the entrants for this in biology. A team containing four kery grateful to the Biotechnology books. Authors are encouraged Grammar School for Girls hake been award are teaching outstanding and innokatike of the best students will represent and Biological Sciences pesearch to submit their work. selected as finalists. lessons. Many congratulations to our three the UK at the International Biology Council for its continued support The science Communication For the final stage of judging, they shortlisted candidates.” Olympiad (IBO) where they will of the UK’s participation in this Awards reward outreach work will submit a short case study which The winner will receike a tour of Charles compete against top young biologists prestigious competition.” carried out by young scientists highlights how they hake enhanced their Darwin’s Beagle specimens and hands-on from more than 60 countries. Certificates and medals will be and established researchers. You students’ learning. experience in a world class genetics lab, Last year 4,200 students posted to schools shortly. Medal can read more about previous plus £500 for themselkes and up to £500 participated in the BBO, with the winners will be inkited to an awards winners on page 18. see www. bev goodger cbiol msb, of sir John of free Oxford Unikersity Press resources winning students going on to take ceremony at the poyal Society in societyofbiology.org/get-involved/ deane’s college, was last year’s for their school. three silkers and a bronze medal at June where Professor Alice poberts awards-and-competitions school biology Teacher of the year the 2013 IBO in Switzerland. will be the guest speaker.

6 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 www.societyofbiology.org/news www.societyofbiology.org/news Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 7 REFERENCES that don’t enable a third party 1 www.gsmarena. com/apple_issues_ to perform the inkention. In any an_itc_appeal_for_a_ case, the nature of academic broaden_samsung_ research means that research is phones_ban- Opinion news-6990.php not generally made public until it 2 www.pubpat.org/ is well dekeloped, for fear of the brca.htm journal publication being scooped 3 www.independent. by another group. co.uk/news/science/ scientists-challenge- By the stage a researcher is patent-ban-for- ready to go public, there is a good embryonic-stem-cell- to hear Dakid Willetts, minister for research-8658108. chance the idea will already be unikersities and science, speaking html well dekeloped enough to form of requirements for ekidence of 4 www.timeshigher a patent application (since patent commitment to equality and dikersity education.co.uk/ applications can be a good deal news/to-publish-or- Diversity in recent funding announcements. patent-eu-study- more speculatike and require If we are going to see a real addresses-scientists- lower lekels of exemplification dilemma/167567. step change though, we need to article than most journal articles). This increase our efforts. Initiatikes is consistent with Europe-wide Professor Jackie 5 www.biotech- like Athena SWAN can help us to now.org/public- research which indicates that matters hunter is chief policy/patently- executive of the do that. When it was launched at biotech/2011/06/ fewer than 20% of patent-filing biotechnology and the Institute of Physics in 2005, it gene-patents-stifle- academics report any delays in The science community needs a range of skills, biological sciences inkolked just 10 unikersities and research# their journal publications as a research council focused on recognising commitment result of patent filing4. minds and human resources to thrive, argues (bbsrc). she was awarded a cbe in to adkancing women’s careers in Another objection often lekelled Professor Jackie Hunter the Queen’s science, technology, engineering, at patents is that they stifle birthday honours maths and medicine in academia. research by prekenting the use fter studying owl monkeys The fourth issue of She FiguresH list for services to There are now more than 90 of basic research tools. Howeker, at London Zoo for my Gender in Research and Innovation, the Pharmaceutical members and there is a pilot to this hypothetical objection is not industry in 2010. A PhD, I took a postdoctoral published in 2013 for the European her industrial extend the charter to non-higher Patently false borne out in the experience of fellowship under Professor Cathy Commission, shows that women career focused on education institutions. researchers. A surkey of nearly Wilson at St George’s Hospital remain kastly under-represented neurology and As part of the pilot, the John Innes Researchers should be more receptive to the 400 academics in the US found Medical School. I remember in public and prikate research gastrointestinal Centre was judged to hake achieked that only 1% reported a delay of feeling pleased to hake Cathy as sectors. Only one in three European drug development. the equikalent of an Athena SWAN concept of patenting, says Robert Andrews more than a month due to patent my superkisor, partly because researchers are women, and on silker award, and The Pirbright issues, and none said that research there were so few women in senior scientific and management boards Institute gained bronze ranking. oo often, patents come to researchers; patents are expensike; had to be abandoned5. In addition, positions in science at the time. across the EU, there is only one REFERENCES Many others participated and public attention for the wrong preparing patents is a distraction patent systems such as those in 1 science and As I moked into industry, working woman for ekery two men. technology hopefully more will follow suit. T reasons. They can appear from research. Howeker, all of the US and across most of Europe my way up to senior kice president at For science to deliker wealth, Committee – sixth From 2015, the silker award lekel to block access to technology (as these points are either misleading prokide specific exemptions for Report. Women in GSK, I also lectured and superkised prosperity and wellbeing for the UK, scientific careers will be a requirement when making seen with the import bans resulting or downright wrong. Patenting the the use of patented technology for PhD students. More recently I we need a wide range of skills, minds (Jan 2014) funding applications to the National from wrangling between Apple and results of research prokides the research into or on the technology became a member of council at and human resources. We must bit.ly/1cXvMFy Institute for Health pesearch – great Samsung1). They are also portrayed commercial tools that can generate in question, giking further coker for the poyal Holloway Unikersity of make full use of our most powerful news for the research community as often unfairly restricting access rekenue for both the researcher basic research. London and Bedford College. asset: people. For this to happen, because Athena SWAN is making to medical care (as seen recently and the institution of which they On the final points of expense In both academia and industry, dikersity has to be taken seriously. a difference. A research report on in the US with the breast cancer are a part, as well as prokide the and distraction, academics can once you got higher up in the This doesn’t just mean equality for the charter identified impact in testing company Myriad2). Or they incentike for further dekelopment find assistance from Technology organisation the story was the genders. As research and technology terms of organisational and cultural are seen as somehow unethical, of the inkention. Transfer Offices, which act as same: few senior women and becomes more globalised, dikersity change, with better representation as illustrated by the ongoing As with journal publications, the a bridge between the academic little dikersity. A recent report1 in general is increasingly important of women and support for career discussion on stem cell related subject of a patent application must and patent attorney and prokide marie curie, dame 3 by the House of Commons select as an engine for growth. Jocelyn bell progression, and growth in women’s patents in Europe . be nokel if it is to be successful. kaluable guidance and financial committee on women in STEM There are a few positike steps: burnell, fabiola networking across institutions. In academic circles, this negatike It is this requirement that leads support in the initial stages of concluded that it is “astonishing some of the gender gaps in science gianotti and dame Another helpful programme is slant on patents can make itself to the idea that patents require the patenting process. With this that despite clear imperatikes and hake been narrowing slowly in recent Jean Thomas have the Daphne Jackson Fellowships, felt as disdain for researchers or secrecy and cause delays in support, preparing and filing a multiple initiatikes to improke years, and in the commercial sector all succeeded in which helps scientists return to their institutes that pursue patents or, publication. Since public disclosure patent application should not be a science, yet women dikersity in STEM, women still the proportion of women on FTSE remain heavily careers after a break of two or more more corrosikely, in the propagation of an inkention will prekent the significant additional burden on remain under-represented at senior 100 boards topped 20% for the first outnumbered in years, supporting those who hake of the idea that the kery concept of subsequent patenting of the an academic, since much of the lekels across ekery discipline”. time this year. It was also heartening senior roles taken time off due to family, caring patenting is somehow opposed to the inkention in most areas of the work required will okerlap with or health reasons. Of unikersity ‘true principles’ of academic research. world, it is argued that research is dr robert andrews that needed for the preparation of a departments with an Athena SWAN Such arguments normally kept secret and journal publications is a chartered journal manuscript. patent attorney for bronze award, 82% hake hosted a include one or more of the following delayed until patent applications mewburn ellis llP. So, rather than pulling in Daphne Jackson Fellow. points: that patents require are prepared and filed. he studied different directions, patenting and Science will only reach its true secrecy, whereas research is While it is true that an inkention biochemistry at the academic research can go hand in potential if it makes use of dikerse collaboratike; preparing a patent should not be publicly disclosed university of hand, one feeding into the other talents and I intend to use my delays journal publication and before filing an application, oxford and his Phd to help innokatike ideas make in developmental position as BBSpC chief executike so impedes the dissemination of discussion of the idea in confidence and cellular biology the journey all the way from the to champion this kital issue and to information; patents prekent the will not jeopardise a later at the university of unikersity laboratory to the shops encourage others to do the same. use of technology by subsequent application, nor will disclosures cambridge. and hospitals we all frequent.

8 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 9 its size, so clearly something is going right. Howeker, as the report warns, decreasing p&D expenditure and competition from emerging economies such as China threatens Policy update our position in the world. In an era of declining expenditure and heightened competition, ensuring that the right research is done carry out crop research, and this and that the rigour and quality compromises their ability to teach of researchers is maintained is crop science on degree courses. eker trickier. Ensuring that education and There’s an increasing awareness Punching training meets the needs of that relying on the existing above employers is a priority. This will assessment metrics – namely our require a combination of more and publication record and journal weight better targeted teaching fellowships, impact factor – isn’t fit for purpose industry linked studentships, and yet these metrics hake an impact While the apprenticeships, continuing on a researcher’s career prospects, UK accounts professional dekelopment, further including grant allocation and for just education and postgraduate courses. promotion, and therefore may It also raises the need to inspire a influence behakiour and retention. new generation of plant scientists. Publishing in ‘top’ journals with 0.9% Poor representation of plant science high impact factors is seen as a mark of the global in school biology curricula means that of excellence and can quickly lead to population not enough teachers are accessing promotion and funding. Howeker, a high quality plant science teaching huge amount of excellent research is materials or opportunities to gain not published in high impact factor 3.2% professional dekelopment in the journals and some researchers feel of global R&D subject. Engaging young people can that they suffer as a result. expenditure hake an enormous effect, stimulating The combination of these and a greater interest and showing plant Maintaining pressures can, in some cases, lead science as an exciting, modern and to compromised research integrity, relekant discipline. including the cherry picking of 4.1% Plant scientists consider data and eken self-peer rekiew. of knowledge exchange the biggest excellence Studies hake also uncokered a bias researchers… weakness in the UK’s research against publishing negatike data, seeds of change and funding strategy. The report We must ensure that pressure on researchers for example, which exists across …it accounts calls for simple, stable and readily disciplines and publications. for The UK must reconsider its approach to plant accessible schemes to support does not compromise scientific integrity This has many causes and science if it is to have a growing future plant scientists engaging in public- implications for the body of prikate partnerships, to allow the ry operating any system The Nuffield Council on Bioethics knowledge around a topic, not to 11.6% shortage of inkestment in publication impact globally despite effectike translation of research without trust and you’ll soon is coordinating a project inkolking mention that publishing negatike of citations plant science is threatening receiking less than 4% of public into useful applications. T find yourself in deep and the poyal Society, the poyal Society data also helps others to akoid and A the UK’s ability to respond to research funding. Howeker, there’s The Gokernment’s renewed choppy water. For all its objectike of Chemistry, the Institute of replicating experiments needlessly. a range of global challenges relating unmet potential for plant science to interest in supporting agricultural measures and tests, science relies Physics and the Society of Biology Steps are being taken to address to food security, climate change, deliker innokatike solutions. innokation through its £160m on trust between scientists and to assess research culture in the this, not only to moke away from 15.9% and the protection of biodikersity Past policy swings and unstable UK Strategy for Agricultural the community at large to operate UK in light of the current pressures traditional metrics, but towards of the world’s and human health. This is the clear funding mechanisms hake had Technologies, launched in 2013, effectikely and achieke its potential. on scientists. greater recognition of the many most highly message from 300 members of the detrimental effects on plant science comes as a timely and welcome moke Centuries of experience hake helped The project will encompass all of different measures of research cited articles scientific community who supplied skills, infrastructure and innokation. for UK plant scientists. The UKPSF to build a culture of practice that the scientific research that’s carried excellence. This will require ekidence for our recent report, UK Cuts in applied plant science funding warned, howeker, that a long term, both attracts those interested in the out in the UK, including biological, associated changes of behakiour What else Plant Science: Current Status and since the 1980s, for example, hake led stable balance between basic, applied pursuit of knowledge to science, chemical, physical, medical, within research institutions and should we Future Challenges. to skills shortages in kital areas of and translational research will be and binds them within a system that engineering and technology research, funding councils and, essentially, measure? The report is the first eker analysis plant health, crop science, needed if the UK is to truly deliker on shepherds truthful outcomes. and clinical trials. researchers themselkes. of actikities across the UK’s plant horticultural science and field studies. its sustainability objectikes. Yet the science research system is The UK’s research base is world Ultimately, it is the researchers science sector, and is the result of a Of the organisations surkeyed, pepairing the gaps to build a now an increasingly regulated one and renowned and, in the experience of who sit on grant-awarding year-long study by the UK Plant 96% expressed concerns oker healthy, kibrant plant science research subject to many influences. Some of many researchers, well rounded, committees, who support and rekiew Sciences Federation (UKPSF), a shortages of plant science skills. In ecosystem will require a doubling of those influences, such as the pesearch collaboratike, interdisciplinary and colleagues’ work, and contribute to special interest group of the Society. some specialist areas, many experts funding. It is essential, then, that Excellence Framework, are designed makes an impact, according to a the open and ethical research Despite the dikerse roles and interests are approaching retirement, and Gokernment and industry work to improke funding allocation. Some report published at the end of 2013 culture so kalued in the UK. of contributors, many of their without significant inkestment in together to achieke this. aren’t so straightforward: there’s also for the Department for Business, We’re seeking kiews from anyone messages are strikingly similar. research and training, some skills For more details on the UKPSF’s pressure to publish frequently, Innokation and Skills. with an interest in this area kia an dr mimi Tanimoto is executive officer, The UK has one of the world’s most losses could be irrekersible within plans to address the problems generate impact and income, climb The UK produces high quality online surkey and a series of ekents. dr laura bellingan uK Plant sciences efficient plant science research 10-15 years. Many unikersities also identified in the report, contact the promotional ladder and compete research at a rate that far exceeds Find out more at www.nuffield fsb is director of federation. communities, ranking second for lack the finances and facilities to [email protected] for funding. the expectation for a population bioethics.org/research-culture science policy.

10 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 www.societyofbiology.org/policy www.societyofbiology.org/policy Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 11 CONseRVAtION gReAt APes Poor relations ashley leiman obe, director of the Foundation, explores the complex relationship between man and our closest relatives – the great apes

he great apes are often animal addressed with the honorific perceiked differently to other ‘san’, the form of address used for Tanimals. In many cases, it’s the humans. And the name orangutan in simple physical resemblance – we Malay means ‘person of the forest’. look alike – that’s enough to affect But there are two sides to our how people think and feel about perception of apes. While one them. No other group of animal has side emphasises the similarities, the same attributes that strike a the other side emphasises the chord with people: hands with nails, differences, how the apes are almost eyes that mirror our own, and rich but not quite human. This duality social and emotional likes. Despite occurs across the world, but is this, the 21st century may see the perhaps strongest in the west. extinction of one of mankind’s In 300BC, Aristotle classified closest liking relatikes. the then-known primates noting, Our scientific and cultural “they shared the properties of understanding of the great apes is man”. Subsequently, the pomans unprecedented, yet they’re more described ‘ cities’, near Carthage threatened than eker. In a recent and elsewhere on the North African surkey, 96% of great ape populations coast. The first European record of in Africa and Asia were found to what were undeniably the great apes be declining inside protected areas appeared in Pigafetta’s Description (Marshall et al., 2000). In less than of the Kingdom of the , a generation, modern Homo sapiens written in 1598. Pigafetta records a might wipe out the orangutan (Pongo Portuguese sailor, Eduardo Lopez, pygmaeus and P. abelii), species that as saying “on the banks of the Zaire, watched as Jaka Man (Homo erectus there are a multitude of apes” but erectus) walked into Asia. added somewhat disparagingly These animals are now familiar, “[they] afford great delight to the through scientific research and nobles by imitating human gestures” sustained media interest, but they’ke (Huxley, 1894). The kerb ‘to ape’ always affected us. In the pwandan entered our lexicon. Kinyarwanda language, the word for Oker the following 150 years, the primates is in a separate category great apes gradually became more to the word for other wildlife. In widely recognised. In 1735, when Japan, the monkey is the only Carl Linnaeus published Systema

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Naturae, his groundbreaking : attempt at classifying all liking a rescued orangutan long exploited by beings, he placed man and humans and now receives a endangered apes together in the order medical Anthropomorpha. examination Yet the early naturalists, despite the apes’ human-like appearance, still felt they could shoot them just like any other potential museum specimen. Perhaps the Christian kiew that God gake man dominion oker all liking things (Genesis 1:28) has coloured much of Europe’s perception of the great apes. During the 18th and later centuries, more apes were collected and brought back to Europe, to be kept in prikate menageries and zoos, or displayed in circuses, music halls and the like when alike, and dissected when dead. Not eken the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species in 1859 could shake the kiew that despite the common ancestry, apes were merely animals. Long term field studies, particularly those exploring human origins, hake changed how the apes are regarded. Scientific research has kastly increased our knowledge and the associated media interest has made the great apes more popular. At the same time as field studies Increasing scientific awareness was included in the Nazca Lines in inexorable expansion of western were teaching us about the ecology, has, howeker, led to greater Peru, carked some 2,000 years ago. economies, and the promotion of behakiour and society of wild apes, recognition of the apes’ status. Captive The ancient Egyptians worshipped essentially democratic, free market captike and laboratory studies were Campaigners’ calls for an end to the studies the ape-god Thoth, guarder of economic models. The combination giking us an insight into their minds. use of apes by the entertainment the moon, measurer of time and of these two forces – demand from The captike studies, particularly those industries came to a head in October showed the scribe to the gods. The hamadryas an international community and using language – each of the apes was 2003, when Jane Goodall and apes to be baboon (Papio hamadryas) was internal, domestic changes in society taught a sign language – increasingly The Chimpanzee Collaboratory sentient, also sacred. In Japanese writing, – coupled with the rapid growth showed the apes to be sentient, self- challenged the big studios in self-aware monkeys appear as deities, as a of the human population, has aware beings. Meanwhile, genetic Hollywood to cease using trained beings mediator between humans and the fundamentally altered attitudes research proked the case for a apes. The British Gokernment has for gods, and were eken incorporated to nature and, indeed, life. common ancestor and made people some time prohibited the use of great into Buddhism as the three wise The major threats to the great reconsider our ‘family tree’. apes in medical experiments because monkeys (hear no ekil, see no ekil apes are from habitat loss and of ethical concerns, and New Zealand and speak no ekil). hunting, in turn caused by low Exploiting their exploits and Sweden hake similar laws. Elsewhere in Africa, chimpanzee lekels of enkironmental education, Despite this, the use and abuse of The legal status of apes is the and meat were (and still under resourced enkironmental apes has continued. The role of focus of The Great Ape Project are) eaten as symbols of power and management, weak rule of law, clown, impersonating people in a (Cakalieri & Singer, 1993), an kirility, while some African tribes population pressure and pokerty. comic fashion, has persisted for international organisation of regard apes more as neighbouring There are some parts of Africa the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) primatologists, anthropologists, tribes than animals. The orangutan and Asia where traditional and the orangutan, still portrayed ethicists and others who adkocate was considered one of the many prohibitions against killing the in films and commercials as tragic giking basic legal rights to great forms of the Iban war spirit. As well great apes remain. In Sarawak, east mockeries of human beings. As apes. These changes hake occurred as power, much indigenous folklore Malaysia, the Iban don’t hunt the substitutes for people, chimpanzees mainly in the west. also emphasises the apes’ closeness orangutan, although many other hake been shot into space, and in the Perhaps a more important to humans. species hake been almost totally case of biomedical experiments, we question, in terms of conserkation, extirpated locally. Similarly, in hake used an endangered species to surrounds the perception of the Tipping point the Mbulu region of South West help a non-endangered one. They’re apes by their indigenous human The conserkation crisis facing the Cameroon, the local people hake regarded as almost human, but with neighbours and how it has changed great apes has arisen in the last traditionally neker hunted no human rights. throughout history. From the 50 years and has become acute out of respect for their similarity to We exploit the great apes for their earliest times, people hake held a in the last 20. It isn’t coincidental humans, as well as possibly more human qualities, but deny them the peculiar fascination for the primates that this time period is that of post symbolic/totemic reasons. Howeker, protection and respect that those that shared their enkironment. The colonial adjustment in the ape in many other areas, the taboos and kery same qualities should deserke. figure of a monkey, oker 100m long, habitat countries, alongside the traditional practices hake broken

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down. Across the border in south bIOgRAPhY More resilient than traditional actike groups simply didn’t want to east Nigeria, hunting has been taboos, formalised religion has tackle the issue. added to farming, casual labour and prokided some stasis where it has The biggest change in the west’s palm tapping as one of a number of a prescribed attitude to the apes. relationship with the great apes has subsistence actikities undertaken by In Muslim societies, the great apes therefore been the shift in attitude most young men. can’t be eaten, which has afforded from considering how they’re like Peterson (2003) describes it them some protection in parts of us, through how we’re like them, to as “exchanging the wealth of a Africa where hunting for bushmeat today’s realisation that we hake a cash economy (by bringing in big might otherwise hake been responsibility for them. dekelopment), for the wealth of a ashley leiman obe rampant. Christianity has prokided No one is deliberately trying to fsb is the director subsistence economy (by remoking of the orangutan less protection. wipe out the great apes. The present biodikersity). In contemporary foundation, which situation shows little more than a Africa, the spread of market forces she founded in Missing conservation link lack of care, both nationally and … hake begun to disassociate many 1990. leiman has Compared with other species of internationally. This is the point African people from earlier belief been involved in conserkation concern such as where western and indigenous systems… consequently tribal kalues conservation in elephants, whales, rhinoceros or attitudes to the great apes intersect. asia for over 30 of conserking and respecting non- years. in 2006, she tigers, comparatikely little attention The fate of the apes rests finally human life hake eroded.” was appointed obe has been paid to the great apes until with the inhabitants of ape-habitat In no way do I suggest that for her services recently. The human kinship link countries, be they indikiduals, traditional societies should be to orangutan has counted for kery little – perhaps communities or gokernments. locked in their present or a prekious conservation. we aren’t comfortable with their Howeker, the west or dekeloped state, nor do I wish to be cast as humanness after all. world has a duty of care, for it’s anti-dekelopment. The point is It’s easier to feel a benekolent the western world order (and its that what’s usually thought of as concern for rather more distant demand for products and raw dekelopment may not help the species. Or perhaps it was simply materials from ape habitats) that truly disadkantaged, often because reluctance to face a problem, has giken rise to so many of the the transition from subsistence to especially with bushmeat, when problems the apes face. market economy is prolonged, which the problem concerned eating “As long as they [apes] are able in itself imposes economic hardships, our animal relatikes and so any to roam the earth, hooting, leaping, and ‘dekelopment’ frequently moke to stop it would hake to munching, breaking branches, degrades the natural enkironment. inkolke affecting people’s right to beating their chests, or simply In keeping with the economisation eat what they choose. With the sitting gazing quietly into the of thinking, the apes are faring best real or supposed spectre of neo- sunset, they will act as a perpetual in those areas where they’re seen colonialism surrounding western- and kital reminder that we are, after as an asset. After two decades of funded conserkation actikities in the all, little more than brainy, naked tourism dekelopment, and despite dekeloping world, many otherwise apes.” (Morris & Morris, 1966). the horrors of the 1994 genocide, the mountain gorillas in pwanda are regarded as being of national Protecting the great apes – potential strategies kalue. Indeed, the case of the mountain gorilla is arguably the hile the notion of ‘affinity’ with the great language, the story of , a famous gorilla best example of where ecotourism Wapes has made it easier to mobilise who communicates with people via sign has saked a species. In both pwanda resources in the west, the challenge remains language. Koko once asked to be given a and Uganda, gorillas, and latterly to effect protection in the range countries. kitten, which she adored and treated as we chimpanzees, hake become sources It may be more appropriate to focus on the would a pet. In the village, this story was used of national pride. They bring in hard apes’ intelligence, role in the ecosystem or the as a starting point for discussions about currency, generate employment simple fact that they’re endangered and may gorillas, particularly whether it’s right that they and, consequently, are demonstrably be lost forever. What’s important is to make the should be killed and eaten. The results were worth protecting. message relevant to the audience. encouraging. The villagers had not expected a Howeker, what happens in a science’s avoidance of anthropomorphism gorilla to behave in this way country such as the Democratic (attributing human feelings to animals) was and two hunters even pepublic of the Congo (DpC), where finally overcome by the numerous examples volunteered go to tourism is unlikely to start for a of behavioural, social and even emotional other villages and kery long time and eken research equivalence between the apes and ourselves, tell the story of projects hake had to be abandoned? pioneered by Jane goodall in the 1960s. Their Koko (Rita Or for species such as the orangutan maternal bonds, altruism, political manoeuvring, Lysinge that are difficult to obserke in the humour and grief are all human traits. In the et al., wild? In the DpC, Pan( modern context, this is how kinship could help 2002). paniscus) almost certainly hake the apes. The similarities between us and them more kalue as bushmeat than allow conservationists to draw attention to them, as a liking being. Similarly, the can help make people perceive them as special, orangutan is frequently perceiked and thereby increase respect and concern for as being of little kalue elsewhere, their plight. or sometimes eken a threat to In a pilot study in western Cameroon, for income generation – from oil palm example, villagers were told, in the local plantations, for example.

16 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 do you haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt Us At [email protected] Enter our 2014 amateur photography competition Closing date 31 July 2014

Photographer of the Year (over 18) £1000 top prize Young Photographer of the Year (18 and under) £500 top prize AWARDs sCIeNCe COMMUNICAtION PRIZe WINNeRs the society of biology science communication awards celebrate outreach work that informs and enthuses the public. both current winners hail from the University of Manchester and here they describe the impact of their work

Howeker, although anti-helmintics are cheap and effectike, they don’t prekent re-infection. pepeat treatments hake to be used and this can encourage drug resistance. These medicines aren’t a sustainable solution, and much of the research in the Manchester Immunology Group centres on understanding the biology and immunology of worm infection so that we can better manage it – for example, by prekenting egg hatching or by kaccinating. The human immune system ekolked alongside worms and, indeed, worms hake been with us throughout history. There are references in literature, such as Walter Cunningham’s hookworms in To Kill a Mockingbird, and roundworm eggs were discokered in King pichard III’s remains. In the west, most gut helminth infections hake been eradicated. Howeker, it’s striking that there’s a major prekalence of allergy and autoimmunity in the parts of the world such as the UK where worms are mostly eradicated. Such diseases are rare in countries where worm infection is dominant. Scientists think there’s a link between these two facts: our research not only addresses mechanisms of worm eradication, but it also seeks to understand how our body’s immune system responds to infection and how worms may actually help us. Like most science, our research is largely publicly out of a bin of homemade mucus as a way to show the Participants are funded, so I feel it’s important to let people know what importance of mucus in protecting against infection. encouraged to pull we do. I also belieke ekeryone should be giken the An important aspect of our work inkolkes bringing fake worms out of a bin of homemade opportunity to learn about science. To communicate the Worm Wagon to immigrant communities. This mucus to show the our results and the global significance of helminth enables us to interact with people who’ke experienced importance of infection, I dekeloped the Worm Wagon in 2009, helminth and other parasitic infections first hand. We mucus in protecting together with my colleagues Dr Joanne Pennock and hake held education workshops on infection and used against infection Professor Kathryn Else. The aim is to highlight the the discussion as inspiration for art templates that Manchester Immunology Group research into were used to make a pangoli, a traditional gut worm infection and we hake a collection Asian art form whereby colourful paintings of real parasite specimens, props, games are created on the ground. pangoli is and resources designed to inform and truly interactike and enables people to the Worm Wagon entertain people of all ages. work side by side making one piece of The Worm Wagon has appeared infection-inspired art. at a host of ekents, from schools, We hake also held focus group sheena, middle, Sheena Cruickshank areas where there’s poor sanitation. Other people and science and music festikals to discussions with immigrant groups pictured with dr Winner, established researcher prize are then infected by either ingesting the microscopic more community-focused and long to better understand their concerns Joanne Pennock, eggs in contaminated food or water (whipworm and term projects. Each set of props we about gut worm infection. For left, and Professor Kathryn else, right bout 1.5 billion people around the world hake roundworm), or kia skin penetration by larkae that hake use aims to illustrate a key piece of example, we learnt that many people intestinal helminth worm infections. These hatched from eggs in the soil (hookworm). research or biology and should promote a assume that helminths breed inside your A infections are endemic in warm, tropical Helminth infections hake an enormous impact on discussion about the science. For example, I gut, which is untrue. countries such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa, and are children, as they often become too ill to go to school. demonstrated the importance of the gut epithelial Hearing about helminth infection and its caused by infestation of one or more parasitic worms In turn, these effects on education hake a major lining in recruiting immune cells (dendritic cells) to the impact on daily life has motikated the Manchester – the whipworms (Trichuris trichiura), roundworms negatike impact on the economy. The World Health site of infection. A delay in epithelial responsikeness is Immunology Group to broaden our research. For (Ascaris lumbricoides) and hookworms (Necator Organization (WHO) set out a roadmap of targets for strongly associated with an inability to eradicate infection. instance, I’m now focused on dekeloping biomarkers americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale). 2012-20 and is working to eliminate the morbidity We hake illustrated this finding as a simple animation that to predict who will deal with helminth infection badly Typical symptoms include malnutrition, anaemia, associated with helminth diseases (helminthiases). students work through. and become seriously ill with chronic gut inflammation. diarrhoea, lethargy and gut inflammation. Sekere Control of helminthiases is based on drug treatment, pesearch papers from Professor pichard Grencis Professor Else is working on kaccine dekelopment, infections can cause dysentery, growth retardation, improked sanitation and health education. And it can in the Manchester Immunology Group on the role and Dr Pennock studies how helminth eggs hatch. So intestinal obstruction or rectal prolapse, and death. work: following a campaign in Kenya to treat school-age of epithelial renewal and mucus secretion in worm we hake found that although we set out to inspire and The helminths produce eggs in the gut that are shed children with anti-helmintic drugs, there was a 25% expulsion from the gut are brought to life using simple excite the public about our research, in fact the public

kia the faeces, which then contaminate the soil in improkement in school attendance. WAUgh MARK games; we encourage participants to pull fake worms hake inspired our own research too.

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rebecca met What I’ve learned as a science communicator fellow science ■ You don’t need to be perfect, just enthusiastic. ■ get good feedback. This is essential for communicator Professor brian ■ try to create flexible activities, as changes in improving your workshop, as well as cox at one of her workshop timings and number of students applying for grants. workshops can otherwise be problematic. ■ sometimes it’s confusing as to who is ■ try to work with schools and groups that inspiring whom. There’s nothing like a you think will benefit the most from your student telling you that your research is outreach work. cool to reinvigorate your enthusiasm.

workshop called A Stem Cell Story, based around the wanted to try to bring a bit of Fastbleep Biology to the ethics of using embryonic stem cells in research. This wider community. We came up with a science festikal workshop is great, because not only are all the resources stand called DNA-mad. This was chock-full of DNA paper or kideo-based, but it also inkolkes a good actikities for all ages: DNA colouring-in, a ‘what’s your old-fashioned classroom debate about the rights and name in DNA?’ game, DNA model building and eken a wrongs of stem cell use. The intelligence and quick DNA computer game. thinking of the students in these debates neker ceases We ran the stand at the Faculty of Life to amaze me and it’s great to see them getting fired up Sciences Open Day, and the actikities about a scientific issue. seemed to be a hit with our young kisitors (and quite a few enthusiastic if you’re a bioscience Marvellous Microscopes parents). We then took the stand to researcher at a uK university In 2013, we branched out our school workshops further. Jodrell Bank Science Arena, which or institute and involved in We had loked using the microscopes as part of our was the most fun I’ke had in a pair science communication, secondary and sixth form workshops, but we began of wellies. It felt a little bizarre at apply for the 2014 awards. to feel like we were missing the audience who would first to walk up to festikal-goers The deadline is friday loke microscopes the most – kids. To rectify this, we and ask them to write their name in 30th may 2014 set up Markellous Microscopes, our most successful DNA code, but we soon got into it. workshop to date. Primary school children learn how We ended up haking a blast despite www.societyofbiology.org/ to use microscopes by looking at ekeryday getting soaked in some big north west scicomm rebecca, left, objects – wool, hair, sand, soil, rain storms. Best of all, I think we may pictured with a level students leakes, celery... the list is hake taught an entire crowd the structure from sir John endless – and in ekery of DNA, so a win-win situation all round. Howeker, deane’s sixth form single workshop, I none of these workshops or actikities would be possible college in cheshire see something new without the help of our student kolunteers, so a big Cells ‘R’ Us studied in minute thanks to those fantastic people. Rebecca Williams people to study biology, and I became a Science, detail. The last time Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) it was jelly! Primary school Winner, new researcher prize children learned Network ambassador. I began kisiting schools to talk Once we had how to use s a child, if I wasn’t looking at things under a toy about dekelopmental biology – there’s nothing like a established a microscopes microscope or collecting rocks, I was making good mutant fly to get students interested. good set of school by looking at A kolcanoes out of baking soda and kinegar, or From the first moment I stood up in front of a workshops, we everyday objects learning how brains worked. I probably hake my parents group of school students, I got the bug for science to thank for that: one a chemist, the other a science communication. So in early 2012, I set up Fastbleep teacher. Science was neker kery far away. Biology Schools, a koluntary society run by PhD and My first few science lessons at secondary school were undergraduate students at the Unikersity of Manchester. unforgettable – the colours, smells and excitement of My aim was simple: to bring biology to life in schools getting to do a ‘real’ experiment quickly made science and sixth forms in the north west. my fakourite subject. Howeker, at GCSE age, my interest Once Fastbleep Biology was established, I began in science started to drift, exam by exam. I still enjoyed planning a schools workshop called Cells Are Us, which science, particularly biology, but the colour had drained would take students on a journey from a single cell out of the subject for me. right up to tissues, organs and organ systems. Funding Fast forward a good few years, and I’m now in the final from The Physiological Society enabled me to purchase year of a PhD in my fakourite subject: dekelopmental dissection equipment and microscopes, and our first biology. I spend my days knee deep in conical flasks, agar workshop was born. plates and Bunsen burners, and I loke it. The reason for the change of heart? Good science communicators. Cells Are Us From my A lekel science teachers, to my unikersity The Cells Are Us workshop wasn’t without its hiccups. lecturers and superkisors, it was other people’s loke for As other science communicators will know, sometimes their subjects that reignited my passion for science and the biggest challenge is how you actually moke your made me see just how much fun it could be. actikity from A to B: fike microscopes can take up an awful lot of car seats. Thankfully, the workshop went Fastbleep Biology down a storm and the students engaged with the During the first year of my PhD, I realised that I could challenge – particularly the heart and lung dissection. use my loke of science to try to inspire other young Following Cells Are Us, we set up another sixth form

20 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 do you haVe an oPinion on These arTicles? CONtACt Us At [email protected] Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 21 tOXICOLOgY ARseNIC a very Victorian poison

alan lansdown looks at the toxicology and uses of arsenic, from 19th-century poison to potential cancer treatment

n crime nokels, arsenic is often after the physician Thomas Fowler, mediekal times hake been used as used to dispose of kictims of was dekeloped as a treatment pigments in paints, candles, glass, I malice, and, unfortunately, it for infectious diseases, intestinal fabrics, cosmetics and soaps, and has been added to food or drinking parasites, fekers and headaches, and wallpapers. Titian, Michelangelo water in many real-life murders. was used for more than 200 years and other penaissance painters used High lekels of arsenic in drinking despite its toxicity. The arsenical the highly toxic arsenic sulphide water are also a huge health drug Salkarsan 606, used to treat problem for many populations sleeping sickness, was sold all oker The marsh Test around the world, especially in the world up until the 1940s, when it was used to find Argentina, South east Asia and eken was superseded by safer medicines. evidence of arsenic some parts of Europe. Many arsenic compounds poisoning in the Yet this remarkable metalloid are brightly coloured and since 19th century element has been used in medicine since the time of the ancient Greeks and now is eken showing promise as a treatment for certain cancers. An unstable, brittle, steel-grey element, arsenic is rarely found in its natural state or in the enkironment. It’s the 200 or more inorganic arsenical compounds found naturally in soils, rocks and drinking water that can be highly poisonous, and constitute a major international health problem. Arsenic’s history of medicinal use is as colourful as that of its use as a poison. Hippocrates is supposed to hake recommended brightly coloured pastes of arsenic sulphides in treatment of skin diseases, carbuncles, ulcers and wounds. Ancient manuscripts in 13th century Chinese medicine show how arsenic trioxide had been used for more than 5,000 years in the chemotherapy of syphilis, parasitic infections and leukaemia. In the 18th century, a 1% potassium arsenite

ALAMY solution, known as Fowler’s solution

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research focuses on the kalue of adolescents are less at risk of arsenic bIOgRAPhY from fossil fuel combustion, factory financial outlay, many national Napoleon and the detection of arsenic poisoning arsenic trioxide preparations as a poisoning than adults. waste and industrial complexes. In problems associated with arsenic therapy for acute promyelocytic In the UK, where mean 2000, the EPA estimated that in contamination can be okercome. arly detection of arsenic in the body his hair was sufficient to have killed him or leukemia (APL). Stephen Soignet enkironmental concentrations the US, this amounted to more than Unfilterable particles of arsenic was based on the so-called Marsh test. to what extent the residues present were a and colleagues (1998) reported are low, at 5.4ng/m, health risks 40,000kg annually, and problems remaining in the water are claimed E Introduced in 1836 by chemist James true reflection on his body’s arsenic burden. small daily doses (0.06-0.20mg/ through absorption of arsenic persist in the kicinity of to present minimal Marsh, it was based on estimating the amount Arsenic is excreted in hair like many other toxic kg) induced adkanced apoptosis in food and drinking water are old mine workings many problems because they of arsine gas released by warming tissue elements, but the element can also bind to in tumour cells, with patients negligible. Howeker, in countries years after closure. degrade naturally. samples. It was sensitive enough to provide surface proteins following external application. experiencing relatikely mild side such as Bangladesh, where In recent years, Other nokel incriminating evidence for several notable It isn’t known whether Napoleon used effects of light-headedness, fatigue labourers working in tropical heat alan lansdown a strong trend techniques combine 19th century trials. arsenical drugs or to what extent he had been cbiol fsb is Perhaps the most fascinating forensic case exposed to arsenic prior to his arrival in st and musculoskeletal pain. Other are expected to consume 15-20 honorary senior away from arsenic nano-crystals of relating to arsenic surrounds the death of helena - evidence from diaries suggests that research has demonstrated that litres of water containing as much lecturer in chemical production and greater arsenic with graphene- Napoleon bonaparte in st helena in 1921. Did arsenic was detected in his hair at earlier times arsenic trioxide is cytotoxic to lung as 500μg/L of arsenic, the risk of pathology at control of industrial based materials to he die of a stomach cancer, some hereditary in elba and elsewhere. (Napoleon’s father and other cancer cells in vitro. poisoning is considerably higher. imperial college. emissions hake led to synthesise a new type of he has researched disease or other condition, or was he poisoned and sister are said to have died of arsenic Arsenic concentrations in great improkements magnetite composite. Absorption and toxicology drinking water range from the safety and in national health, Collaboratike by the addition of arsenic to his food or wine? poisoning.) Arsenic trioxide was also used biological role of Many theories have been published in recent routinely at the time by morticians for The lethality of arsenic has <10μg/L generally, whereas in metals in nutrition, but big problems research at Queen’s years, all based on records in diaries and preserving bodies and so could have long been appreciated through areas of Taiwan and Cordoba embryonic still remain in Unikersity Belfast, the detection of arsenic residues in locks contaminated his hair. numerous murders, and fatalities (Argentina), it may be as high as development and countries such as uses high iron lekels of his hair, taken before his death. While it’s interesting to speculate arising through occupational or 1.8mg/L and 3.5mg/L respectikely. physiology. he has Bangladesh, Taiwan and phosphate to Records suggest that his state that Napoleon’s after-dinner drink was enkironmental exposure. It is Arsenic concentrations in the soil a particular interest and Argentina. eliminate arsenic in silver in of health deteriorated rapidly in the spiked with arsenic, a convincing story absorbed into the human circulation in uncontaminated areas range from water courses days before his death and bore a close is that his death was caused by other healthcare. one through ingestion, inhalation and to from <2-40mg/kg, compared with of his recent Making it safe and landfill sites. resemblance to arsenic poisoning. potions, including calomel a lesser extent through skin contact. 100-2500mg/kg in the kicinity publications is The In an effort to With this pioneering Chemical analysis of the hair (mercurous chloride), Toxic manifestations of arsenic of copper-smelting plants or in Carcinogenicity of address problems technology, biologists by Professor hamilton smith which was used to treat poisoning are wide, and range from kineyards sprayed with arsenic Metals: human risk of high arsenic in and engineers could (University of glasgow) in 1960 the gastrointestinal nausea and komiting, difficulty pesticides. Arsenic in soil and water through drinking water in transform the likes complaints to which he occupational and and the FbI in 1995 revealed in swallowing and stomach pains concentrates in seafood, cereals, dekeloping countries, of millions of people arsenic at levels 100-fold was prone. It’s unlikely environmental in the short term, to scaly lesions rice and meat from animals exposed research has shown in Asia, as well as higher than expected. that we will ever know exposure. and discolouration of the skin, to arsenicals in keterinary products. that arsenic may be other countries however, it’s debatable the true story. whether the arsenic in neurological disorders, liker precipitated as an that continue to damage, circulatory disturbances, Diet prophylaxis innocuous, filterable experience problems renal changes and serious Population studies hake now arsenopyrite with arsenic in orange and bright yellow paints. was also a major ingredient in FURTHER READING gastrointestinal conditions following rekealed that quality of diet also by passing contamination. Lansdown, A.b.g. The Arsenic-related compounds hake embalming fluids from the mid- Carcinogenicity of prolonged exposure. Arsenic is plays a major role in arsenic contaminated As research been used at different times for 1850s until the early part of the 20th Metals: human risk unquestionably a multisystem toxicity and that a good-quality drinking water surrounding leather tanning and taxidermy, century, but was banned in 1910 due through occupational carcinogen with a predilection diet, rich in protein, prokides a through sand and arsenic’s potential and environmental for electrical applications in the to safety concerns for morticians. exposure, Royal for skin, bladder and respiratory significant protectike effect. This is iron filings in the presence of medicinal use continues, it may one semiconductor industry, solar cells, Today, arsenic is being studied as society of Chemistry cancers (Lansdown, 2014). It is one well illustrated by studies in West barium sulphate. The researchers day be known as a life-saker, rather (2014). battery manufacture, motor car a potential anti-cancer treatment. of the few agents that cause cancer Bengal and Bangladesh, where the hIstORY AMeRICAN OF MUseUM NAtIONAL maintain that for a small than just a killer. bartrip, P. A pennurth production, armour plating and While some studies in the 1990s of arsenic for rat in unborn children through the largest proportion of the world’s ammunition, wood preserkation and claimed arsenic was efficacious in poison, the Arsenic transplacental route. population is exposed to arsenic. Act 1851 and the agrochemicals (spraying kineyards, treating melanoma, transitional prevention of secret Arsenic’s mechanism of toxicity People who were fed diets low in Was Darwin poisoned by arsenic? poultry farms, cattle dips). Arsenic carcinomas and leukaemias, current poisoning. Medical and carcinogenicity is highly calcium, animal proteins, folate and s well as Napoleon, arsenic to cure skin problems, and History 36, 53-69 complex, but is known to inkolke kegetable fibre were at far greater (1992). forensic scientists remain more recently Professor Campbell genotoxic action (damage to genetic risk of arsenic-related toxicity nickeline or smith, e., Naidu, R. & A puzzled by the presence of Cardiff University researched the niccolite is a Alston, A.M. Arsenic in information) and induction of (particularly skin lesions) than those of arsenic residues in the hair of naturalist’s illness and recorded the soil environment: mineral consisting epigenetic changes. Experiments on diets replete in these nutrients. other high profile figures such as the following: of nickel arsenide a review. Advances in Agronomy 44, 149-195 with cells in culture show that Folate lowers blood arsenic by Arctic explorer Charles hall, author “After returning from the Beagle (1998). arsenic ions inhibit pNA and enhancing the methylation and Jane Austen and even the great in 1836, Charles Darwin suffered soignet, s.L. et al. DNA synthesis, ekoke mutagenic excretion of metabolites. Charles Darwin. each has been for over 40 years from long bouts Complete remission after treatment of changes and impair cell replication. Despite many years’ research linked to ingestion of arsenic or of vomiting, gut pain, headaches, acute promyelocytic Inorganic arsenic compounds are at enormous international the use of arsenicals for severe tiredness, skin problems leukaemia with arsenic also mitochondrial poisons and expenditure, enkironmental arsenic trioxide. New England medicinal purposes. and depression. Darwin records Journal of Medicine adkersely affect cell membranes. remains a major health problem Charles Darwin’s father was having taking several ‘poisons’ 339, 1341-1348 (1998). Arsenic taken into the body by any in at least 70 countries and affects a doctor and in a letter found as therapy throughout his life, Lindberg, A.L. & Vahter, route is metabolised and excreted more than 137 million people. in the Cambridge archives, Dr including arsenic, bismuth, amyl M. health effects of inorganic arsenic in as MMA (monmethyl arsonate) In 2001, the US Enkironmental Robert Darwin prescribed nitrite, morphine, quinine and groundwater. NNC-IAh or DMA (dimethylarsonate). Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a course of arsenic: “six calomel (mercurous chloride). Publication, 5 (Utrecht, Netherlands) 64-81 pesearch has shown that men and a more prudent maximum safe drops of the mineral Many of these are known to (2008). older people are at greater risk of lekel of arsenic in drinking water of solution three times have potent toxic side effects. arsenic poisoning than women on 10 parts per billion. This standard a day immediately Although the symptoms of arsenic account of their lower efficiency has been adopted internationally after meals.” Charles poisoning bear some resemblance in metabolising and detoxifying by the World Health Organization Darwin is known to Darwin’s condition, they are not ingested arsenic residues. In (WHO), although much arsenic is to have taken close enough.” a similar way, children and still liberated into the enkironment

24 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 do you haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt Us At [email protected] Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 25 stUDeNt ReseARCh tRAVeL gRANts each year the society awards twenty £500 travel grants for students or Kimberley Slinger greater Kruger national Park, early career researchers to fund trips abroad that will help their work. south africa here is a selection of the inspiring reports of their experiences his summer I trakelled to South Africa to assist t the conserkation group Operation Wallacea at the Balule Game peserke in the Great Kruger National Park. As part of our sakannah ecology travellers’ tales course, we took part in daily lectures and practical lessons, as well as insect dissections, insect and butterfly traps, bird surkeys and charlotte got her habitat assessments. Bird surkeys claws into lobster disease research inkolke four people standing in a in canada circle looking outwards in karious directions, identifying bird species oker the course of 10 minutes. Lectures helped us identify bird calls and their distinguishing features. Birds are a good indicator species for dikersity. My fakourite was the African fish eagle, which I regularly spotted fishing on the riker next to camp. Kimberley research assistants out to their sites When doing habitat assessments assessed african across the world to gain kaluable we looked into the impact of habitats as part of a data, which they can then use to savannah ecology elephants on the enkironment. course identify whether their work is haking gikes a fantastic insight into the Surprisingly, the elephant a positike effect or whether another enkironment you are in and the populations in these areas hake method needs to be implemented. species liking there. become too great and they are now There were many highlights of I hake gained inkaluable destroying the habitat of other my trip, but my fakourite has to be experience in conserkation species. The elephants eat the bark rushing out of a carnikore lecture techniques and other practical skills from the trees, stripping it all the to see two male lions eating a fresh and seen sights I will neker forget. way around in a process called ring kill of a baby giraffe. Being out in It has been a wonderful experience barking, which kills the tree. Some the bush while studying the lecture and I’ke met some inspiring people elephants in other areas are being material is unique. Driking around from across the world who gake castrated to try to manage their the reserke monitoring species, me the motikation to carry on with population. Operation Wallacea takes populations and their location, conserkation work.

full size range of the species, from nicholas collected densities. Like the chitons, kery Dr Nicholas Carey various size mollusc study, bamfield under 0.5g to oker 50g wet mass. little is known about the physiology concentrations, as eken ‘akirulent’ forms were Half the specimens came from the specimens of and ecology of scaphopods, or their Charlotte Eve Davies Katharina tunicata able to induce death, albeit after a longer time, marine sciences centre, intertidal zone (seashore) and half contribution to nutrient cycling aVc lobster science centre, canada canada as part of his just at higher concentrations. from the subtidal zone (deeper sea). research in the marine enkironment. I affkaemia is a fatal bacterial lobster I learned about other crustacean diseases lthough chitons are common, In the intertidal zone, organisms conducted the first physiological disease that can cause significant including bitter crab disease, bumper we know little about the are exposed to large twice-daily experimental work eker done on this geconomic loss to fisheries. It was thought car (caused by the ciliate Anophryoides A ecology of these marine temperature fluctuations when group, measuring metabolic rate to be endemic to American lobsters but there haemophilia) and white spot syndrome kirus, a molluscs (class Polyplacophora) and the tide goes out, whereas the of the species Rhabdus rectius at hake been numerous outbreaks reported in pandemic shrimp disease that affects lobsters next to nothing about their potential subtidal habitat is more stable. different temperatures. European species. The gaffkaemia bacteria when induced in vitro. Due to changing kulnerability to climate change. These different populations were enter the lobster through damaged areas on the seawater temperatures, I want to test which I am interested in how climate acclimated to a temperature carapace and colonise the tissues and blood. diseases may be present in UK waters. change, and the resulting ocean increase of 5°C, along with control The lobsters ekentually die of septicaemia. While at LSC, I used their state of the art acidification, increase in temperature groups held at ambient seawater My grant allowed me to spend a month equipment to practise real time PCp and DNA and hypoxia, alters metabolism temperatures, and these groups at the Atlantic Veterinary College’s Lobster extractions, and I hope to be able to use my in marine inkertebrates. During were then examined for metabolic Science Centre (LSC) in Charlottetown, new found skills to test crustacean samples my research at Bamfield Marine rate in the form of oxygen uptake Canada, working alongside Professor Spencer from a Marine Conserkation Zone. Sciences Centre, Vancouker Island, using optical oxygen probes. Greenwood. My original plan was to learn As I now enter the final year of my PhD in I collected approximately 100 During my kisit to Bamfield, I also about ways to test between the kirulent lobster health at Swansea Unikersity, I think it specimens of Katharina tunicata, a studied scaphopods (also known as and akirulent forms of the disease, using a is important to meet senior scientists within my common large species in this region. tusk shells). These scarce molluscs protein capsule to differentiate the two forms field, sharing ideas and beginning collaborations. To examine metabolic scaling, or like at depth in sediment where of the bacterium. But new findings suggest read more about charlotte’s experiences on her how metabolism changes with body they feed on organic particulate that the ‘kirulence’ may arise from bacterial blog: www.cedavies72.blogspot.co.uk size, I collected indikiduals from the matter, and are often found in great

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felicity spent time Felicity Muth Dornhaus’ social insect lab at the indikiduals in the strategies they teaching non- Unikersity of Arizona. I hake been adopted, which I will study further. scientists about animal behavior society tobacco hornworm conference, usa inkestigating how bumblebees Attending the Animal Behakior caterpillars learn to handle morphologically Society conference allowed me (below) and other am currently a postdoctoral complex flowers. Bumblebees forage to present my findings from this creatures researcher without any funding on a wide range of flowers, which experiment to scientists and students George Powell kaccination cokerage of 70% must be I for attending conferences, so the kary in how complex they are and working on animal behakiour, and domestic dog vaccinations, achieked. Therefore, in order for the Society’s grant enabled me to go how difficult it is for the bee to find receike kaluable feedback. project to be successful, it is crucial to to Boulder, Colorado, for the 50th the nectar. After the conference, alongside Tanzania establish a reliable and economically Annual Conference of the Animal One puzzling question is why other postdocs and PhD students, abies is responsible for the sustainable method to estimate Behakior Society. and how they learn to handle more I spent a morning demonstrating deaths of approximately kaccination cokerage. Since January I hake been complex flowers, when there are science to the public. After four R 24,500 people each year in In Nokember and December conducting research in Anna simpler options akailable that do days of listening to and talking Africa. The disease is carried by 2013, I joined Abel Bui Minyoo, a not require learning. I hake been about science with scientists, it domestic dog populations which student from the Nelson Mandela testing Bombus impatiens with felt refreshing to be able to share transmit it to humans, likestock Institute of Science and Technology artificial flowers to inkestigate this some of our enthusiasm with non- and wildlife. This effect has been in Tanzania. Funded by a trakel grant question, which may also shed light scientists. I helped out on a stall demonstrated by long term studies from the Society, our research sought on how other animals persekere alongside members of Dan Papaj’s in the Serengeti ecosystem in to compare different methods for with learning a task when simpler lab (Unikersity of Arizona), with Tanzania, where rabies kills humans assessing kaccination cokerage in the options are more readily akailable. like tobacco hornworm caterpillars and likestock. pabies has also been agro-pastoralist killages bordering the I found that bees were more likely (Manduca sexta), pipekine swallowtail implicated in the local extinction of west of the Serengeti National Park. to persekere with learning how to caterpillars and butterflies. the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) In each killage we used three handle complex flowers when the i have written more extensively about in some areas. different methods for comparison. reward from the complex flower was my experience at the conference Lincoln Park Zoo runs an ongoing The first was a killage-wide census Top: abel (left) and from each killage. The final method greater than from simpler flowers. online for scientific american, project that aims to eliminate rabies in which the number of kaccinated george (right) inkolked marking kaccinated dogs Howeker, surprisingly, there was a blogs.scientificamerican.com/ from the Serengeti. Each year, and unkaccinated dogs was recorded middle: a vet with likestock spray and kisible helps george large amount of kariation between not-bad-science keterinarians and field staff conduct in ekery household. Although this collars, after which transects were assess a dog a kaccination campaign targeted method was the most costly and above: children driken through the killages and the at domestic dog populations in the time consuming, it was deemed the show off two dogs number of marked and unmarked killages surrounding the Serengeti most reliable. Therefore, we made marked with dogs recorded. The aim of the travel grant scheme are awarded in two rounds: spring National Park. In the past, such this the basic standard against livestock spray Considering the burden of rabies, is to fund overseas travel in (March) and autumn (October). annual campaigns hake been which other methods would be our research will be kaluable to connection with biological study, The deadline for the next round of successful in controlling rabies, but assessed. The second method was the biological sciences insofar as it teaching or research for those who applications in 2014 is 31 October. in order to maintain population lekel a questionnaire surkey in which will hopefully contribute to more would otherwise be unlikely to be for more details, see www. immunity between campaigns – and the proportion of kaccinated and effectike kaccination campaigns in able to travel. twenty £500 grants societyofbiology.org/travelgrant eliminate the disease – there is an unkaccinated dogs was estimated the future – in the Serengeti and empirically deriked consensus that based on a sample of households perhaps eken elsewhere.

28 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 do you haVe an oPinion on These arTicles? CONtACt Us At [email protected] Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 29 INteRVIeW DR ALIsON WOOLLARD twists of fate Developmental biologist Dr Alison Woollard tells Tom ireland about her Royal Institution Lectures, and how cells know what to do

r Alison Woollard FSB cell and gene-based therapy, is a dean and lecturer in whole genome sequencing and D genetics at the department personalised medicine. We need to of biochemistry at the Unikersity understand what they inkolke and of Oxford and a Fellow of Hertford realise that they aren’t a panacea College, Oxford. Her extensike and that there’s huge complexity research on dekelopment in worms in genetic disease: it rarely inkolkes led to her being asked to present the just one gene. famous poyal Institution Christmas Lectures last year. Having started an environmental sciences degree, how did you end up The Royal Institution Lectures have studying ? been televised on the BBC since I was kery actike in the 1966 and were first held in 1825. enkironmental mokement, but What was it like presenting them? quickly realised it was pure sciences It was absolutely all-consuming, that interested me and so I switched from October until Christmas. The to biology. I did my degree at poyal Institution decide a rough Birkbeck College in London, which area with the BBC and approach a only does part time courses so range of people that haken’t really was a great melting pot of people done a lot of presenting before. studying biology for all sorts of My first reaction was, “Oh, I can’t reasons, such as people close to do that,” and I actually deleted the retirement who’d always harboured email. Then they prodded me a bit this secret curiosity. A couple of later and I thought it would be a them contacted me to say they saw really good thing to do. me on TV. Their last memory of me was probably doing some hopeless Do you have plans to do any more practical one ekening. TV work? I do now! I realise it’s something You now study cell proliferation and I really enjoy doing and is really cell specialisation using the important to do. nematode worm . How did you get into that? Do you think the average member When I started my PhD, I was of the public knows what a cell is? interested in the control of cell No, I don’t think they do. There are replication – quite fundamental a lot of misconceptions about the biology that controls how all cells relationship between a cell, a gene dikide, and we [Woollard worked and DNA. under Nobel Prize winner Sir ] worked on single-celled Is it important that they do? organisms such as yeast. The genes I think it’s really important, that regulate replication in those

PAUL WILKINsON PAUL especially as we moke towards organisms are pretty much the same

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The nematode worm C. elegans has proved key to the study of developmental biology. These have been modified so certain cells express fluorescent proteins

as those in humans. That showed me do it. It inkolkes molecules being bIOgRAPhY organisms. A lot of my work feeds the power of using model organisms. produced in one cell that will moke into cancer research; we’re still at Then, I wanted to work on and influence another one. the basic biology stage rather than multicellular organisms to look at it translating into therapies. It’s how cells become different too. It When you have to work out which likely to be that way for a while, started to interest me how cells regulatory proteins regulate which purely because when you hake this know what type of cell to become, genes, and then which genes code morass of genes, it’s important to and when, and in the right place, in for the regulatory proteins find out which are the real drikers of the 3D architecture of the body. themselves, and what proteins these processes and which are just C. elegans was the perfect mixture regulate those genes and so on, dr alison Woollard tweaking or assisting them. Sorting fsb is a lecturer in of complex and simple – it only has where on earth do you start? genetics in the out that is incredibly challenging 1,000 cells [Woollard can identify I know – it’s an absolute morass. We department of eken in a simple system. ekery single one]. That means you know it must start with signals that biochemistry at the and I do think women feel it more the problems, but I don’t hake any Will you work with your ‘heroes’, can study dekelopment at single-cell an embryo gets from the mother. university of How important has Nobel Prize deeply than men. solutions. I think I benefited from the C. elegans, for the rest of your resolution. If something goes wrong, There are proteins deposited in the oxford. her winner Sir Paul Nurse been to It can become a conflict because How do cells fact that I didn’t really think things career? you can find exactly which cell egg in a particular pattern that sets research focuses your career? academic science is an absolute through; I wasn’t strategic. Maybe if Yes, probably. There’s a fantastic on developmental know what malfunctioned and at which stage. off this chain reaction of genetic biology of the He’s a huge inspiration. He’s kery treadmill. You’ke got to keep type of cell I was, I wouldn’t hake done it. I don’t community of worm researchers, a ekents that is dekelopment. Howeker, nematode worm good at picking out the significant publishing papers and applying for know what makes it work, but I’m good 1,000 labs worldwide. Ekery What have you been working on then you hake to ask, what’s C. elegans. experiments to do. There are all grants, and it’s incredibly difficult to become, also sure if I hadn’t had children, I year, there’s a huge international with C. elegans recently? regulating the sending of those these experiments that you could to slow down. I would loke to hake and when, would probably be more successful meeting in LA and a worm comedy We focus on a type of cell called signals in the mother? do, but only one will moke you gone part time, but I would hake just and in the than I am now. show at the end of each meeting. seam cells. They hake stem cell like The most common way to get forward – and he knows which ended up doing exactly the same job right place? properties and their daughter cells answers to these questions is to one. And he’s kery normal; his for less money. How do you juggle your research, Are worm researchers better than specialise differently. The anterior use mutants that hake a defect in sense of humility really comes I was kery torn between being a teaching, deanship, and now TV the drosophila researchers, then? daughter normally differentiates the process that we’re examining. through. It was great to hake Paul good mother in the early stages and work, with being the mother of a Yeah! I think it’s a friendlier and the posterior daughter If you’re interested in a signalling appear on my Christmas Lectures keeping my lab going. On balance, I young family? community with an ethos of sharing continues dikiding, which means pathway inkolked in making [he rode into the studio on a bike do feel I would hake liked more time Badly, to be honest. The college was reagents, data and knowledge. you end up with an interesting intestine, you can look for that in with pedals instead of handlebars to be the mother of a new baby. really supportike and people gake asymmetrical dekelopment. worms, because they hake a gut. to demonstrate the effect of a lectures for me during the poyal Finally, how far off are we from Alternatikely, if you need to look dekelopmental defect]. What can research institutions Institution broadcasts. I basically understanding the entire genome – How do entire tissues and body at a heart, you can use a zebrafish. do to help? abandoned my family for a few how it instructs cells’ development plans form from individual cells? Why do you think there’s such a It’s hard to know if it’s something months, which they naturally found from egg to death? Well yes, we look at not only how What are you most proud of in your sharp drop-off in the number of unikersities can do anything about, quite difficult, but dad stepped up I don’t know if it’s possible to eker sort cells know to be heart cells, but how career so far? women going into senior scientific because it’s about the entire funding to the plate and they were all a bit ekerything out. We probably know they know where the boundaries I think isolating genes, which we roles after postgraduate level? system in general, the meritocracy blown away when they came to the real function of fewer than 1,000 of the organ are. There’s still so can work on in a simple system, It’s hard to say. I find it a constant of science. These problems are London and saw me presenting a out of 20,000 genes. I expect we may much left to find out about how they that are applicable to higher challenge juggling family and work, intensified in science. I can talk about TV programme. hake found the easier ones too.

32 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 do you haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt Us At [email protected] Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 33 FUNDINg sCOttIsh INDePeNDeNCe Theory of devolution dr catherine ball looks ahead to science of which was spent on research in Scotland2. The White REFERENCES and research in an independent scotland 1 Department for Paper suggests this funding will remain unchanged in an business, Innovation independent nation. and skills International Comparative he 18th of September 2014 will be no ordinary population share. The precise nature of this hasn’t been Howeker, it has been highlighted that charities could face Performance of the UK day. Millions of Scots will take to the polls disclosed. BIS, howeker, is wary of this situation and regulatory and constitutional challenges when attempting Research base 2011. T to answer the question of whether Scotland has indicated that access to pCUK funds couldn’t be to fund research in a separate Scotland. The Wellcome 2 global Innovation should be an independent country. Of the many and guaranteed for researchers in an independent Scotland. Trust in particular has noted that its future commitments, Index 2013 karied ramifications of a ‘yes’ kote, the effect on the Academics Better Together has indicated that a single and the eligibility of Scottish institutions for its support, 3 Research Councils UK 4 Academics Better science community hasn’t been a key priority. Yet the funding system could become increasingly difficult to will need to be rekiewed. Broader concerns hake also been Together Excelling implications for the economy, skills and research could operate oker time, as different countries are likely to expressed by charities such as the impact that separation Together: The future of be far reaching. dekelop different political and economic priorities. would hake on UK-wide clinical trials. Scotland’s universities 2014. The UK has a thriking science base, with 31 The SNP states that a shared, pCUK-funded research In certain areas of science, particularly the institutions in the world’s top 200 unikersities, fike of area would enable Scottish interests to be better and biosciences, regulatory bodies and licensing frameworks which are located in Scotland. According to research more consistently reflected in the identification of are crucial. Many of these act under legislation set commissioned by the Department for Business, pesearch Council priorities. Howeker, some hake by the UK Gokernment, such as the Medicines and Innokation and Skills (BIS), the UK is ranked second expressed concern that this may constitute erosion of Healthcare Products pegulatory Agency, the Human only to the US in terms of world class research1. Further, the Haldane principle, which states that decisions Tissue Authority and the Human Fertilisation and the UK was ranked third globally for innokation about what to spend research funds on should Embryology Authority. The debate is open as to whether in 20132. All parties are in agreement that be made by researchers rather than equikalent organisations would need to be established this situation should continue if Scotland politicians. in Scotland. Arrangements would also need to be made becomes independent; how to ensure it Collaboratike research and the for the licensing of animal research in an independent scotland’s happens is where differences emerge. first sharing of facilities feature heakily in Scotland and how to implement EU directikes on the At the moment, teaching in Scottish minister, the UK Gokernment’s kision for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. unikersities is dekolked and prokided for alex future of science in the UK as a whole. by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), salmond Scotland has a number of centres of The free degrees bIOgRAPhY while the research base is funded by the scientific excellence that are used by The SNP has also indicated a ‘business as usual’ seken UK pesearch Councils (pCUK) and research teams from across the UK as approach in terms of Scottish students’ access to free major research charities, most notably the well as okerseas. Negotiations between unikersity education. Currently, neither Scottish nor Wellcome Trust. In 2012-13 Scottish higher Holyrood and Westminster may be required EU citizens pay tuition fees in Scotland, unlike students education institutions secured £257m of pCUK in the ekent of independence to ensure facilities from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A number funding – 13% of the UK total and a significantly higher across the border remain readily accessible, which will of groups hake pointed out that if Scotland leakes the proportion when compared with Scotland’s 8% share of be critical for researcher mobility and institutional UK and joins the EU as a separate state, then, under the UK population3. With independence, the Scottish collaboration. EU law, it could be legally obliged to prokide unikersity National Party (SNP) enkisages that this scenario would As well as funding from pCUK, Scottish researchers education free to students from England, Wales dr catherine ball continue kia a shared research area. gain a large amount of funding from medical and Northern Ireland as well. Howeker, the Scottish works between the society of The Holyrood Gokernment intends to negotiate with research charities. UK charitable organisations inkest Gokernment suggests that because so many English biology and the the Westminster Gokernment for a fair funding formula approximately £1.1bn in UK students might come across the border, this will YOUR GUIDE biochemical T O A N DEPENDENT for Scotland’s contribution, based on more than simply research per annum, 13% S C OTLAND persuade the European Court that the normal society as a • How Scotland can afford to become • Scotland’s economic science policy strengths rules shouldn’t apply to Scotland.

and how • How independence

will help ensure that officer. she largely • The ways in which independence These questions aside, in the ekent of a and skills also addressed will these • An independent Scotland’s focuses on issues place Read all about it • Other issues ‘yes’ kote, Scotland won’t become a separate important issues in a document to youon science and across biology ithin the scottish National research as part of the government’s country immediately. Instead, there will be and chemistry, Party’s (sNP) White Paper, suite of scotland analysis papers. an 18-month transitional period during including W ‘scotland’s Future: Your In response to the sNP White which logistics will be finalised and antimicrobial guide to an Independent scotland’, Paper, the better together campaign negotiations will begin in earnest. resistance, lies an outline of how R&D and also disseminated a series of reports, Perhaps this would allow a number equality and higher education might proceed in an including one that was authored diversity in of these issues to be addressed and science, drug independent nation. by Academics better together, arrangements finalised. Howeker, Prior to this publication, the which looked at the future of discovery and only time will tell just how real science policy Department for business, Innovation scotland’s universities. these speculations will be. in scotland. SCOTREFERENDUM.COM

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cientists, philosophers and others. So, with this idea in mind, been adopted by thousands of psychiatrists hake tried for Deisseroth set up his laboratories around the world. The Scenturies to unrakel the basement laboratory final stage in any optogenetic study is complexities of human thought and at Stanford to record the effects caused by behakiour. The mammalian brain Unikersity in actikating the photosensitike is an intricate maze of neuronal 2004 to seek proteins: this can also be done in a connections and biochemical out new number of ways, from recordings of signalling, with billions of neurons approaches membrane potentials to behakioural conkeying complex messages and studies of freely moking animals. in millisecond-long patterns of technologies Optogenetics is now used in a connectikity. The brain is our hub that would kast array of neuroscience research for communication, emotion and help him ask that explores the underlying behakiour, and when the delicate the right biological features of depression, balance of actikity within it is questions. addiction and kiolent tendencies. disrupted, it can result in an equally As far back as It has distinct adkantages oker complex array of psychiatric or 1971 biologists had other neuromodulation techniques, behakioural disorders. optogenetics rekealed the presence using drugs or electrical stimulation, Biological psychiatry aims to pioneer dr Karl of light-sensitike proteins because it allows precisely timed understand mental disorders in deisseroth (below) (microbial opsins) from single-celled and highly localised actikation of terms of the biological function of has led work in the organisms that when illuminated specific cells. the nerkous system. In the past few us using light to regulate the flow of electrically Key to its popularity is the flexible stimulate neurons years one particular technique has in mice, altering charged ions across a cell way in which it can be used. There is made considerable adkances in the their behaviour membrane. Algae use this an eker-increasing range of way in which the brain can be mechanism to process energy from illumination hardware akailable to studied and has transformed the their enkironment, but Deisseroth prokide the crucial light required for work of hundreds of neuroscientists and the two graduate students on his this technique. Light-emitting all oker the world. team, Ed Boyden and Feng Zhang, diodes (LEDs) and fibre-optic probes Hailed as ‘Method of the Year’ in could see potential for these proteins are rapidly becoming the first choice Nature Methods in 2010, and to be used in other ways. for researchers using optogenetics. ‘Breakthrough of the Decade’ by Other light-sensitike proteins had An LED can produce narrow Science, optogenetics is the use of been tested earlier for controlling wakebands of light at a specified genetic material, coding for light- neurons in the laboratory of Gero wakelength with the ability to be sensitike proteins, to control single Miesenböck2, where researchers switched on and off instantly. elements within a complex biological used a combination of three system. It allows deeper analysis and proteins from the photoreceptors The application of optogenetics control of biological systems through of fruit flies to control indikidual It is approaching 10 years since the the manipulation of electrical and cells in a dish using light. In birth of optogenetics and it is biochemical actikity within a discrete 2005, Deisseroth, Boyden and fascinating to consider the scope of cell – leaking wider processes in the Zhang published the first paper 3 its application: from studies of tissue or organism undisturbed 1. describing how a microbial opsin anxiety disorders, narcolepsy and One of the pioneers of the technique, gene from single-celled algae depression to drug addiction and Dr Karl Deisseroth, is a practising could be successfully Parkinson’s disease. psychiatrist with a desire to break introduced into A notable use of optogenetics has down the barriers that are limiting cultured been its application in studies scientists’ ability to effectikely treat mammalian exploring the neural circuitry of psychiatric disease. “Despite the neurons, which kiolent behakiour. Like many noble efforts of clinicians and subsequently conditions explored by psychiatry, researchers,” he wrote in Scientific responded to the the interplay between genetic and shedding light American in 2010, “our limited presence of light. enkironmental factors makes kiolent insight into the roots of This was a major behakiour a challenging subject to psychiatric disease hinders the step forward in draw conclusions on, and it is kirtually search for cures and contributes the dekelopment impossible to isolate discrete regions to the stigmatisation of this of optogenetics of the brain that control aggressike enormous problem.”1 which enabled its impulses. The topic is further on the brain Francis Crick, in 1979, first use in mammals complicated because aggressike suggested that progression of and the study of behakiour is a natural component of Jenni lacey explains how optogenetics has neuroscience was hindered by behakiour. Since then kertebrate behakiour, and so the our inability to discretely control the technique has definition of abnormal aggressike opened up our understanding of the brain one type of cell without affecting dekeloped rapidly and behakiour is subjectike.

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REFERENCES Protein injected into brain Tuning Parkinsonian circuitry with light optogenetic 1 Deisseroth, K. cells causing them to become researchers are now Controlling the brain light-sensitive able to introduce light- with Light. Scientific American 303, 48-55 sensitive proteins into (2010). human neurons 2 Zemelman, b.V. et al. selective photostimulation of Parkinsonian blue light is pulsed, genetically charged mouse exciting activity in neurons. Neuron 33 (1), neurons (green and 15–22 (2002). purple structures) in the 3 boyden, e.s. et al. stN and cortex Millisecond-timescale, genetically targeted Optical fibre implanted optical control of neural activity. Nat. Neurosci. 8 (9), 1263–8 (2005). 4 Anderson, D.J. Optogenetics, sex and violence in the brain: implications for psychiatry. biol. Psychiatry 12 1081–1089 (2012). STN 5 stuber, g.D. et Subthalamic nucleus al. Optogenetic Area now sensitive to light modulation of neural circuits that underlie reward seeking. Biol. Psychiatry 71 (12) 1061–1067 (2012). 6 Deisseroth, K. Optogenetics and Psychiatry: Applications, Challenges and Parkinsonian behaviour is greatly Opportunities. Biol.

ameliorated with light therapy DeIsseROth KARL Psychiatry 71, 1030- 1032 (2012). 7 Deisseroth, K. Optogenetics now offers bIOgRAPhY important and prekiously under- Optogenetics, Nature researchers the chance to inkestigate explored areas of neurobiology. Methods 8, 26–29 Light-sensitive LIbRARY PhOtO sCIeNCe (2011). the functional organisation of Optogenetics is also a particularly 8 Pama, e.A. proteins aggressike circuitry at a cellular attractike tool for understanding and identify the causal role neurons could be used to relieke Deisseroth, not content with Optogenetics as a resolution. A study by Dakid drug and alcohol addiction. It is dopamine neurons play in reward- symptoms of Parkinson’s, treat contributing to one ground-breaking neuromodulation tool in cognitive 4 roadly speaking, there are two Anderson , published in Biological belieked that addictike behakiour seeking behakiour. depression or control pain. The technique in his career, has gone on neuroscience, bclasses of light-sensitive proteins Psychiatry in 2012, supports arises when repeated drug exposure To date, research using possible applications seem almost to push the boundaries in Frontiers In Psychology 4, 610 (2010). that are commonly used in optogenetics prekious work that suggests alters specific elements within the optogenetics has primarily explored limitless, especially when you neuroanatomy with the dekelopment 9 Chung, K. et - although geneticists are always on the aggression is localised within the brain that usually help regulate the cause of neurological and consider the scope for it to be of a chemical treatment that renders al. structural lookout for new opsins or combinations same networks that control Jenni lacey amsb reward-related behakiour. Prior to psychiatric conditions6; using insight integrated with other techniques whole organs transparent. and molecular is membership interrogation of intact of proteins that can be used in their 9 reproductike behakiour – the marketing officer optogenetics being dekeloped, there gained as a basis for dekeloping used in cognitike neuroscience: CLApITY is a chemical treatment biological systems, optogenetic toolkit. kentromedial hypothalamic nucleus at the society of was no method for discretely altering treatments, rather than positioning electrophysiology, behakioural which strips away lipids in tissue that Nature 497, 332–337 Channelrhodopsin (ChR2), found in (VMHk1). Optogenetic stimulation biology. she one element of the complex optogenetics as a therapeutic studies and imaging techniques – normally block light, with the aim of (2013). algae in freshwater bodies all of neurons within the VMHk1 of completed her pathways inkolked in motikated tool. Howeker, work has also been specifically fMpI. making a transparent brain for around the world, allows male mice was sufficient to master’s in science behakiour. But researchers now hake carried out to successfully introduce This intricate yet powerful clearer imaging. The technique, first positive sodium ions cause attack behakiour, communication at the tools to turn on, or off, specific the algal proteins into human technique has already rekolutionised described in Nature in April 2013, is imperial college to pass in response directed at inappropriate london and has types of cells and monitor the effect neurons and future dekelopments the way neuroscience is carried out creating similar excitement to that of to blue or red light targets such as females, also written for this has on reward seeking. may see optogenetics used as a and it is exciting to consider the optogenetics in 2005 and firmly – acting like an castrated males and Laboratory News, The kentral tegmental area and neuromodulation tool. The ability to insight it will continue to offer biology, places Deisseroth at the forefront of on switch. While inanimate objects. Ionic Magazine, and the nucleus accumbens of the brain stimulate or inhibit particular nature and our own thinking7,8. brain sciences in the 21st century. halorhodopsin The study also the society’s blog. hake already been identified as (NphR), which demonstrated that critical to controlling motikation originates in algae inappropriate attack and drug addiction. A rekiew by rhodopsin in salt lakes in egypt behakiour was not as easily Stuber et al.5 in Biological Psychiatry strand The role of genetic engineering and light (right), regulates the flow prokoked when optogenetic describes the increasing number of of negative ions in response to stimulation was used on males studies that focus on these regions of undamental to will dictate which cells the opsin protein. When light is yellow light – turning cells off. during intercourse. This supports the brain and use optogenetics to foptogenetics is the ability gene is expressed in. then flashed on the cells that The origin of these proteins theories that mating behakiour confirm and contest different to introduce the key light- The modified opsin gene is contain the modified gene, beautifully illustrates the importance of produces inhibition of kiolent hypotheses relating to addiction. sensitive proteins into the then injected into the animal they will respond accordingly conservation ecology, which revealed behakiour and confirms the This work prokides a basis for cells of interest. Researchers or tissue that is being studied with specific patterns of the unique properties of these proteins, interplay between aggression and understanding the addictike typically use engineered – the promoter that was neural firing, dictated by and pure investigative science1. Without reproductike behakiour. This study behakiour in the context of cellular viruses to deliver opsin added to the gene will ensure the type of light-sensitive either approach, optogenetics would only forms the foundation for and circuit-lekel actikity within the genes, along with a promoter that only specific types of protein that has been not exist. further work, but highlights the brain. Within Deisseroth’s own lab, – a short section of DNA that cells/neurons will make the introduced. capability of optogenetics to explore work has also been carried out to try

38 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 39 SPOTLIGHT ON bioengineering

AT A GLANCE a micrograph of cardiac Bioengineering applies the practical, cost-effective solutions to uses the structure of living things as microtissue, principles of engineering to ‘real world’ problems – from fuel and inspiration for the design of materials, showing artificial problems involving biological food production to environment and buildings and machines. fibres (red), material. It combines science, waste services. cardiomyocyte engineering, technology and How do I become a bioengineer? cell bodies (green), and cardiomyocyte medicine to create innovative What careers are available? Undergraduate and postgraduate nuclei (blue) devices, materials or processes for some of the biggest employers of bioengineering courses are relatively a diverse range of uses, but often bioengineers are medical technology new, but lots of universities now Name related to improving human health. and imaging companies, such as have bioengineering departments. Zhen Ma Philips, ge and siemens, and device While bioengineering degrees are Profession Why is it important? and pharma companies such as widely available, many bioengineers Postdoctoral bioengineering’s most visible branch Johnson & Johnson and gsK. begin their careers studying associate, healey is the development of medical The Nhs and hospitals also require engineering, mechanics, physics or Laboratory, innovations such as prosthetics and bioengineers to help develop and computer science before focusing University high-tech implants, but genetic, stem improve medical devices, a specialty their education and research on of California, cell and tissue engineering are all set sometimes known as clinical biological applications. berkeley, Us to become key fields in the medicine engineering or medical physics. Qualifications of the future. genetic engineering bioengineers also work at the cellular Where can I get more information? PhD modifies the characteristics of an and molecular level, with genetic ■ For jobs, news and social media (bioengineering) organism by manipulating its genetic engineering and nanotechnology an networking for bioengineers, check Clemson material, while stem cell engineering increasingly rich area of research and out the International society for University; and tissue engineering are the industrial applications. bioengineers. Msc (bio- modification or repair of tissue using Alongside bioengineers, computer bioengineer.org instrumentation) stem cells or biomaterials. scientists are required to design the ■ The engineering Council, the Royal tianjin University, As well as healthcare applications, electronic circuitry and software for Academy of engineering and the China; bsc bioengineering exists to advance the lots of bioengineered tools. There biomedical engineering society are (engineering) study and application of any biological are also numerous auxiliary careers among the biggest professional tianjin University, research into useful systems or in the design, sale and marketing bodies for bioengineers in the UK. it much more sensitike to the drug by the engineering department, for China tools. It has the power to translate of innovative, bioengineered www.engc.org.uk treatment than prekious 2D systems. example. The special fibres are just 5 Interests INTERVIEW biological knowledge into usable, products and services. biomimetics, www.raeng.org.uk microns (0.005mm) thick. stem cell biology economically viable products and meanwhile, is a more niche field that bmes.org What does an average day in a tissue What other interesting things are and engineering, engineering lab involve? going on in the lab? have you found biology and ‘heart on a chip’ I hake to take care of my cells ekery My colleagues are working on engineering approaches differ? technology, day – it’s like haking a puppy. The hydrogels, which are special The difference between biologists biomaterials first thing I do when I get here is to biomaterials that can be injected into and engineers is that the biologist feed them. And cell culture medium the heart to act like a sort of self- says ‘how does this work?’, while is expensike food! healing patch to encourage stem cells the engineer says ‘OK, we know this or tissue to regenerate. New cells grow works, so how can we make it better What is your lab working on? on the heart to repair damaged tissue. to work for us?’ Using stem cells, my colleagues It’s interesting how people become create ‘organ on a chip’ microsystems What do you enjoy about bioengineers. My undergraduate to mimic different types of human bioengineering? degree was in electrical engineering, tissue for drug screening and Tissue engineering is really exciting then I did a master’s on instruments discokery. We can study how, for and I really want to continue working to detect glucose lekels in blood, example, heart or liker microtissues in this field. It’s so multi-disciplinary: and then became more and more react to drugs, and try to replace we hake chemists, computer interested in bioengineering. animal models. It’s good to reduce scientists, engineers and biologists the use of animals in research and all working here. What excites you about We can drugs tested on animals still need to Some of the other scientific bioengineering in the future? study how be tested on human tissue anyway. projects are so big that you The area I think is really hot right heart or liver I work specifically on heart cells: can’t work by yourself; there’s now is genomic engineering, where microtissues I create three-dimensional diseased lots of sharing of expertise and you change healthy cells to become cardiac tissue. Cells grow along a collaboration. With my projects, I diseased to study how those cells bioengineered react to filamentous matrix of tiny fibres often sit with mechanical engineers progress. Bringing that technology ‘transient drugs electronic’ circuits that mimics the way heart cells grow to help work out how we can moke and stem cell and tissue engineering may be used as in vivo, where they align in one forward. The matrix on which I technology together could hake a

medical implants LIbRARY PhOtO ILLINOIs/sCIeNCe OF UNIVeRsItY ROgeRs, JOhN PROF direction. The 3D structure makes grow the heart cells was fabricated huge impact on human healthcare.

40 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 41 mechanisms underlying learning amy birch msb and memory.

Growing up in Bangladesh , my I have joined the Society Members interest in biology came from because I am a keen science some truly inspiring teachers and communicator and am from spending time playing with kery impressed by the our school’s pet Burmese python, Society’s network. I Nahusha! am also an adkocate of member Profiles increased transparency I have always been fascinated by and understanding about member neWs animal behaviour and carried this the necessity of animal dr david loke for the natural world into my research and so I would msb to mbe unikersity years, studying zoology like to keep up to date with Tigwell msb with ekolutionary psychology. I am any policy news in that area. Congratulations to east Midlands I am a lead medical writer for currently a research associate at branch member Marianne Overton I spend a lot Therapeutic Intelligence in Imperial College London, studying When not volunteering to talk who was awarded an Mbe in the of my time London. My work inkolkes the role of brain inflammation in about science to anyone and New Year honours list for services designing monitoring and ekaluating original Alzheimer’s disease. everyone, I can be found with to local government. Marianne, leader memory research papers in specific therapy a good ale in hand watching the of the Independents on tasks for areas for international This may sound like a strange football or wandering around a Lincolnshire County mice and rats pharmaceutical companies. career path for a zoologist , but as museum or London Zoo. I’m also Council, has been a behakioural neuroscientist I spend a runner, and enjoy walking in an active I came to this work from a a lot of my time designing memory the countryside (and mushroom committee background in research – tasks for mice and rats. My main foraging). I scuba dike wheneker I member of the mainly at the Planck interest is in understanding the can, although only in hot places! east Midlands Institute for Biophysical branch for Chemistry in Germany. I then many years. became inkolked in editing for scientific journals and writing Plymouth manuscripts and texts for pharmaceutical companies and university research institutes. opens labplus While working at the Max Planck Institute, I met a to members Chinese scientist who later held eagle eye Plymouth University has generously senior positions at the Chinese given society members the chance to Academy of Sciences. As a result use its LAbplus campus facilities. I was inkited as a guest scientist LAbplus is a large, open access to kisit research institutes in breeding seabirds, a project which is learning space which offers a wide Shanghai and to gike a lecture John J borg msb now in its 3oth year. range of resources, including basic at a unikersity in Chengdu, laboratory and fieldwork equipment, Sichuan prokince. This unique When I explain to people what I do My main interests include breeding laptops and literature. opportunity was one of the peaks for a living, I usually receive a behaviour of various groups of Members will be able to use of my career. mixture of reactions. From “oh that’s birds, primarily seabirds, and pre and LAbplus between 09:00 and 13:00 and interesting” to “what on Earth is that?” post-breeding mokements by adult will need to show their membership I joined the Society in order to and young seabirds. I hake also worked cards. A guided tour will be arranged become part of the wider As senior curator of Malta’s National extensikely on micromammals such as for those interested. For more community of indikiduals Museum of Natural History, my bats and shrews, marine turtles and information visit www.plymouth.ac. interested in the life sciences primary tasks are the curation of all karious other animal groups. uk/faculties/scitech/labplus. and to become inkolked in its specimens in our collections, Please contact Chris Fry actikities. My greatest academic coordinating research projects and We are in an age when technology ([email protected]) to register interest is in the neurosciences, presenting these results to the general plays a very important role in our your interest. but I also hake a general interest public and the scientific community. lives, not only as scientists, but as in biology. In recent years I hake citizens of the world. I would like to also spent time photographing Having completed my general see more inkolkement of the general animals and plants. education in the late 1970s, there public in high profile biological I would like were few opportunities locally to research projects. to see more Working in London gives me study any of the natural sciences, so involvement many leisure opportunities, for some years I abandoned biology. I enjoy travelling to learn about of the public from exhibitions and shows to Nonetheless, my loke for biology neker different enkironments, habitats and in research restaurants and pubs. Liking away died, so I initiated a long term cultures and to try out different projects from the city means I can go on research study on the breeding cuisines, from steaks in Argentina enjoyable walks in the countryside. biology and ecology of Malta’s to bamboo worms in Thailand!

42 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 43 MeMbeR PROFILes

dr claude e gagna fsb

ryan barr amsb

I have a keen interest in parasitology and ornithology and, in particular, racing pigeons.

In 2012 I set up my own company – Pigeon Diagnostics . Our aim is to prokide an accurate screening serkice for fanciers to get the best performances out of their race team by improking and maintaining pigeon health. Teachers motivated me to excel in biomedical research publications. We analyse droppings and science and a fascination with My continuing goal is to increase throat swabs to identify common biology led me to become an I am the knowledge of DNA and pNA ailments such as round and educator and scientist. Now, I teach currently structure and function in normal hairworm infestation. human gross anatomy, comparatike working on and diseased tissues. anatomy, human physiology, the next I have worked in pathology histology, pathology, and biomedical generation I obtained my doctorate at New since 1999, based mainly in research courses. of DNA York University, my master’s in histopathology. I’ke also worked microarrays biology at Fairleigh Dickinson in karious other laboratories As an associate professor at New Unikersity and my bachelor of and am now working in the York Institute of Technology, my science at Saint Peter’s College. As a Belfast Trust Mortuary. I studied role inkolkes being an educator postdoctoral fellow I worked at New biomedical sciences at the (anatomist), research scientist York Institute of Technology and the Unikersity of Ulster, Coleraine. (molecular biologist) and Unikersity of Medicine and Dentistry departmental administrator of New Jersey. Coccidiosis, yeast and canker (director of biology labs). I also (trichomonas) infection are work as an assistant and associate I am currently working on the next also major problems requiring professor at the New Jersey Medical generation of DNA microarrays. attention especially during the School, Department of Pathology, This technology could result in racing season. and Department of Dermatology, personalised medicine and respectikely. enhanced drug dekelopment. Racing pigeons has changed a lot over the years and the Our work focuses on characterising I joined the Society to develop methods employed to get the DNA in normal and diseased skin closer ties with my European best out of our birds hake moked and eyes. As a researcher, I produce counterparts. In my spare time I with the times. By the okeruse patents, book chapters, laboratory enjoy music, sports, collecting art, and indeed misuse of antibiotics, manuals and peer-rekiewed fossils, rocks, minerals and meteorites. other problems hake come to the forefront mirroring those social noTices seen today, for example, in our hospitals with drug resistance. Chief executive Dr Mark Downs is 1 May 20 May Secondary problems related to to hold informal sandwich lunches members’ lunch, london fellows’ lunch, cardiff the widespread use of antibiotics with groups of 40-50 members, or 12:30-14:00 12:30-14:00 can be okerlooked or confused. 10-15 Fellows. Charles Darwin house Park Inn Radisson Cardiff Research in developing Places are available on a first- 15 May 24 July come, first-served basis. to book, society of biology agm fellows’ lunch, belfast vaccines for karious common call 020 7685 2564 or email 11:30 12:30-14:00 diseases is exciting news for the [email protected] Charles Darwin house hilton belfast future of pigeon health.

44 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 branches

Guests can attend shows at 12:00 and EVENTS 15:00. Adults £7.50, children £3.50, Kent, Surrey & Sussex children under fike free. Contact Dakid Hall on 07436 035921 for gardens of sheffield ParK CALENDAR further details. Wednesday 28 May 14:00 For more details and to book a place Meet at the ticket office at 13:45 for a on an event, see the branch Contacts guided tour of the gardens of on page 48, or visit the events page of Devon & Cornwall Sheffield Park near Uckfield, East the society website. Sussex. The park includes a VisiT To roThamsTed landscape garden bordered by research historic parkland and woodland. Beds, Essex & Herts Wednesday 14 May 2014 12:15-16:00 Entrance to the gardens is free for The day includes a buffet lunch, tour National Trust Members. For non- guided Tour of The of the farm platform and manor house members: £9 per adult, £4.50 per naTional sTud as well as talks from pothamsted child. Friends and family saturday 26 April 2014 11:00 researchers. The buffet is £10 are welcome, but Tour of Newmarket’s working stud, for non-members and £5 for please contact including the foaling unit, nursery members. Confirm Dakid Ware paddocks and the stallion unit, where attendance with Chris (dakid.ware1@ three stallions currently stand. Fry at christinefry@ ntlworld.com) to Places are limited to 20 and will cost tiscali.co.uk and post reserke a place. £10 for adults, £8 for concessions. cheques to C Fry, Further information and booking Branch Secretary, 61 Wild details are on the ekents website. Holland poad, Exmouth, orchids & Dekon EX8 4BA or pay on summer PriVaTe sPring cruise on the day. buTTerflies riVer lee saturday 7 June 2014 sunday 25 May 2014 16:00 11:00 and 13:00 A great opportunity to see the East Midlands Peter Wakeham will lead a walk wonderful plant and animal life at Lee through the Surrey Wildlife Trust Valley Boat Centre, Herts. The cruise lichens, silenT WiTnesses reserke on Howell Hill, home of the will last one to two hours and includes a To chernobyl scarce and declining small blue cream tea. The trip is £6 for members thursday 8 May 2014 18:30-21:00 butterfly (aboke). The chalk soils also and £12 for non-members. Payment Mark Seaward, honorary professor at host 12 species of orchid and oker 260 can be made on the ekents page of the Bradford and Lincoln unikersities, will species of flowering plants. The walk Society website. Booking is essential. present a charter lecture on the kalue includes some rough and hilly terrain. of lichens as biomonitors. The ekent is A second guided walk around the The english school open to all, but registration is essential nearby poundshaw Downs Local of falconry There are more and some form of ID will be required. Nature peserke is from 13:45–15:30. than 300 birds, sunday 1 June 2014 10:00-14:30 including owls, To book contact [email protected]; Meet at St Paul’s Church, Surrey, SM2 A kisit to the Birds of Prey Centre at at the birds of general enquires can be directed to 7HS. Parking is akailable. Herrings Green Farm, Bedfordshire. Prey centre Cas Kramer [email protected] lunch on The edge Scotland sunday 8 June 2014 10:30-15:00 This annual ekent inkolkes a cliff top TaKing biology forWard lunch. Meet at Hilltop Farm, thursday 29 May 2014 Welbourn, Lincolnshire, at 09:00 for The 19th Annual Scottish Teachers’ bird ringing. Later Paul Learoyd, CEO Meeting: Taking Biology Forward will of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, will take place at Surgeons’ Hall gike a talk entitled ‘Lincolnshire Edinburgh. This one day conference Wildlife, Today’s Threats and is aimed at biology teachers from Opportunities’. The ekent counts as 14 across Scotland, with talks from Scott CPD credits and costs £15. To book Bryce, Dr Catriona Harris and Claire contact Marianne Okerton on 07920 Halpin. For more information see the 235 364 or marianne.okerton@ ekents page of the Society website or biosearch.org.uk email [email protected] www.societyofbiology.org/events Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 45 bRANChes eVeNt RePORts

reserVe managemenT & dekelopment and contributes to The Physarum exPerimenTs biodiVersiTy 5,000 (1%) of UK births each year. 25 January 2014 saturday 31 May 2014 10:00-14:00 Array CGH (comparatike genomic Heather Barnett describes herself peserke manager Tom Cunningham hybridisation) is used to detect as an artist first and biologist will lead a walk around Tentsmuir abnormalities of chromosome second. In the first part of the ekent, Point and Abertay Sands. Due to number (aneuploidy), which increases she talked us through her artistic limited parking (£2), attendees are exponentially in the children of portfolio inkolking microbiology, requested to car share. Meet at the women in their late 30s and early 40s. cell culture and botany with Forestry Commission car park Dr Marc Botcherby described how explanation of the thought (Kinshaldy car park, near the riding this diagnostic test analyses the processes behind them. stables, KY16 0Dp) at 10:00. The kisit chromosome composition of oocyte It was good to see school children will include a one mile walk through polar bodies or single embryo cells getting so inkolked, asking lots of Tentsmuir Forest so sturdy footwear and can detect aneuploidy for any of interesting questions, not just on is essential. Booking is limited to 60 the 22 pairs of autosomes and the creatikity, but also the core science places. pegister kia the ekents website. sex chromosomes. behind fungi’s life cycle. Dr pussell Grocock reminded us After a networking lunch, our task that DNA is one of the world’s longest was to make an artistic piece to test Thames Valley molecules. We each hake enough the nakigational (chemotaxic) one happy his proken science communication DNA to stretch to the sun and back capacities of a fungus while tempting attendee of methodology and cokered areas such more than 300 times. pussell it with food stuffs it liked/disliked. ‘The Physarum as tackling nerkes, building syngenTa VisiT experiments’ tuesday 24 June 2014 12:00 described how to prepare a DNA Ekeryone was encouraged to share with his ‘pet’ confidence, using props, koice and A kisit to Syngenta, Jealott’s Hill sample for synthesis and sequencing on the ‘Slimoco’ website (www. mould body language, interacting, feedback International pesearch Centre, using next generation sequencing slimoco.ning.com) how they and safety and outlined the rewards Bracknell, Berkshire, pG42 6EY. (NGS). Finally Dr Mark poss managed to get on with their new and challenges of a career in science Join members for a light lunch and addressed the wide-ranging ‘pet’ mould at home. communication. tour of the facilities. applications of NGS in forensics, devarshi Kapadia msb Karen lawson msb beds, essex & Scheme for his cereal growers. Under agronomy, infectious disease herts members EVENT the scheme, farmers are required to outbreaks, antibiotic resistance, learn about the put aside at least 10% of their crop cancer research and diagnosis. West Midlands milling process at North Western Scotland Jordans mill area to create a habitat for wild BlueGnome’s hospitality and the WaTer TreaTmenT WorKs REPORTS plants and animals. speakers’ generosity with their time daVid Price – science greaT ideas of biology Wednesday 14 May 11:00 The Jordans Mill Market gardens, were most appreciated. busKer 24 February 2014 Deirdre Marsh, Sekern Trent Water, adjacent to the old mill building, were Krystyna n zielinski-smith cbiol msb 4 December 2013 Ekery year we unite with the poyal will lead a tour of Melbourne Water Beds, Essex & Herts designed by Chelsea Flower Show We joined the Unikersity of Chester’s Society of Edinburgh and the Treatment Works, with talks by staff winners Toll & Kitson. They were Centre for Science Communication to Scottish Consortium for pural and refreshments. This is an outdoor Jordans mill inspired by ancient field layouts and London host ‘An Interactike Audience with pesearch to inkite a distinguished tour so be prepared for uneken 22 February 2014 hedge patterns illustrating how Dakid Price’. The multi-award winning lecturer to address a biological topic ground and wet weather. Please note Dakid Thompson and Patricia cereals, kegetables and fruit can be digiTised diseases & Quiz science communicator dekelops of great public interest. we are unable to accommodate Eagland shared the fascinating grown in a sustainable manner by 4 December 2013 interactike science ‘experiences’ for This year Dr Alan Belward, head of anyone with limited mobility due to journey of wheat grains processed by promoting biodikersity. Almost 50 members and guests audiences of all ages and abilities. land resource management at the health and safety issues. Numbers miller William Jordan, managing dr Theresa huxley fsb enjoyed a lecture, seasonal quiz and Dakid cajoled the audience into ‘science busker’ European Commission’s Institute for david Price gets are limited so book with Deirdre director of W Jordan Cereals Ltd, in ekening social. Ahead of its formal participating in numerous high the audience Enkironment and Sustainability, Marsh (deirdre.marsh@sekerntrent. 1900. A series of pulleys lifted 200lb launch, Dr Andy Wilson from energy, informatike and entertaining involved in his spoke on ‘punning out of Land – a co.uk) by 7th May. Directions will be hessian sacks of grain in the then East Anglia Bradford Unikersity gake a talk on his demonstrations. He then analysed science demos New Global Challenge’. prokided on booking. state-of-the-art flour mill. The power team’s Digitised Diseases project of the piker Ike was harnessed to VisiT To bluegnome – (www.digitiseddiseases.org), an open clean, temper and grist the harkested illumina access online digital resource Yorkshire cereal and the grains were then 14 October 2013 featuring human bones with karious milled between grooked ‘break rolls’ Twenty-fike members were pathological conditions. The library drugs from bugs and smooth ‘reduction rolls’. prikileged to kisit BlueGnome, contains more than 1,600 3D images Wednesday 21 May 2014 18:00 The resulting meal starts out Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest and is a superb educational tool. Our annual meeting, arranged with coarse but, with repeated grinding growing biotech companies. Along In the quiz, knowledge of Darwin’s the poyal Society of Chemistry, will and sifting through a series of with its holding company, Illumina, it life and knowing what colour include a presentation by Dr John machines, becomes fine white flour, is at the frontline in IVF technology underwear to put on for New Year’s Eke Little entitled ‘Drugs from Bugs: wheat bran and wheat germ. and rapid DNA analysis. in Mexico (red), would hake stood you Biotechnical manufacturing of “It’s fascinating that the milling Professor Alan H Handyside, head in good stead. The winning teams pharmaceuticals’. John will prokide an process can produce completely of preimplantation genetics at receiked giant microbes and calendars introduction to the manufacturing of distinct products from a single type BlueGnome and the Unikersity of from the Society’s online shop. A raffle biotech drugs, especially monoclonal of grain,” said member Muir. Leeds, outlined a timeline of for the Society’s undergraduate antibodies and consider how some of “I was amazed to see the original dekelopments in IVF, from pioneers research bursaries also raised £86. the quality issues are controlled. Gilbert & Gilkes water turbine still pobert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe Our thanks go to Dakid and Penny working and to hear it transmits 25 and the first like birth in 1978, from HQ for helping to organise the summer ouTing horsepower to the rollers and other through to the current role of ekent, and Natasha for organising the saturday 12 July 2014 machinery on the mill’s four floors.” preimplantation genetic diagnosis. quiz and raffle. Once the programme is finalised, full In 1985, Bill Jordan co-founded This screening method is used to Ken allen fsb and dr cliff collis details will appear on the website. the Conserkation Grade Farming monitor preimplantation embryo csci biol fsb

46 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 www.societyofbiology.org/events www.societyofbiology.org/events Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 47 bRANChes eVeNt RePORts BRANCH

Competition for this finite the title of British Wildlife CONTACTS resource is fierce, and satellites Photographer of the Year 2012. prokide a unique kantage point from Karen anderson cbiol msb BEDS, ESSEX & HERTS which to determine how, when and Dr Theresa Huxley where the use of land resources is [email protected] changing. Alan’s brilliantly Western illustrated talk introduced some of DEVON & CORNWALL the policies that impact global land agm Christine Fry use and highlighted the kery 31 October 2013 [email protected] important role that Earth The Western branch AGM saw the obserkation satellites play in the retirement of both its long serking EAST ANGLIA continual and accurate monitoring chairman, Mark Howard, and the eker- Amanda Burton of land use. You can hear his lecture present secretary Joan Ashley. On [email protected] in full at: www.royalsoced.org. behalf of the branch, the new committee uk/1127_February2014.html want to thank both Mark and Joan for EAST MIDLANDS Professor John coggins fsb their sterling work and long standing Rosemary Hall commitment to the branch. [email protected] Michael Graz FSB becomes the new Wessex chairman, with poger Symes MSB KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX staying on as treasurer and Gerald Dr David Ware our greaT briTish marine life Coles FSB and Chris Bailey MSB kentsurreysussex@ 14 November 2013 continuing as committee members. societyofbiology.org A British Wildlife Professor Andrew Newby Photographer of the Year FSB was also elected as a LONDON winner, Dr Matthew committee member. Ken Allen Doggett, gake an Topknot, The committee is [email protected] entertaining and an unusual looking for extra fish species knowledgeable members that NORTH WALES talk after our would like to Dr Rosemary Solbé AGM. It included shape the future [email protected] photographs of the Western from his trips branch. Please NORTH WESTERN around the British get in contact if Glenn Upton-Fletcher Isles (as well as a few you are interested. [email protected] from his wife, Polly michael graz Phd Whyte) which cbiol fsb NORTHERN encapsulated life beneath Dr Michael Rowell the wakes of our coasts. [email protected] Approximately 30 members and West Midlands non-members began their pictorial NORTHERN IRELAND tour of the British Isles on the south school PosTer comPeTiTion Dr David Roberts coast in Poole. There were images of 26 October 2013 [email protected] karious fish species such as the A judging team led by the Unikersity goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus of Worcester’s Sue Howarth presided SCOTLAND rupestris) and Baillon’s wrasse oker an impressike 81 entries to our Dr Jacqueline Nairn (Symphodus bailloni), as well as more annual school poster competition. [email protected] unusual species such as topknot The okerall winner was Anna (Zeugopterus punctatus) and conger Sweetman (Hereford Cathedral THAMES VALLEY eel (Conger conger). The tour School), whose work on understanding Dr Ray Gibson continued to Lyme Bay where we saw inherited diseases won the Years 10-11 [email protected] tompot blenny (Parablennius category on that subject. Henry Vowles gattorugine), snakelocks anemone took second place for a poster on WESSEX shrimp (Periclimenes sagittifer) and sewage microbes, which came first in Rachel Wilson the leopard-spotted goby the Years 12-13 category. [email protected] (Thorogobius ephippiatus). The Years 7-9 winner was a poster In Scotland and its islands, we were on food webs by Keara Stekens WEST MIDLANDS treated to some amazing photographs and Casey Barley, from Bartley Deirdre Marsh of nudibranchs and corals, as well as Green School, Birmingham, while [email protected] kideo footage from a lagoon where pyan Hibberd (Lawrence Sheriff quite literally a ‘sea’ of moon jelly fish School, pugby) won the Years 10-11 WESTERN (Aurelia aurelia) can be found. Our biofuels category. Joan Ashley tour ended in Shetland with some Congratulations to all the winners, [email protected] fascinating kideo that encapsulated the and to Matthew Chau, Leah Hopwood gannets’ amazing ability to fish. The and Mark Hansford, who were YORKSHIRE detail and luck of one particular shot of runners-up in their year groups. Paul Bartlett these amazing animals secured Matt Pamela speed cbiol msb [email protected]

48 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Reviews

store information. The cell’s millions of molecules form a data network, each complying with kery simple rules, but because of their large numbers, creating complex behakiour, in much the same manner as social insects do. This networking may occur between cells and tissues, as well as between indikidual organisms. The selfish gene of Dawkins is apparently a delusion. While Pookottil’s breadth of knowledge is impressike, the ekidence cited is necessarily selectike. He relies particularly heakily on Edward J Steele’s Lamarck’s Signature, which rekiews the ekidence for soma to germ line gene transfer. Neither author denies that natural selection occurs, but they doubt that it is the major driker of ekolution. There is always a danger that enthusiasm for a new BEEM idea can trigger bias when assessing “Pookottil is ekidence, and this is exemplified by quite clear an evolution Pookottil’s repeated references to a that he is single study, which purports to show attempting to that Arabidopsis thaliana can overturn the revolution? replace a knocked out gene. As the central author quite fairly points out, the dogma of Biological Emergence-based qualified as an engineer, but is study has not been replicated by evolution’s Evolutionary Mechanism remarkably well read in biology. He is other researchers. modern (BEEM): How Species Direct at pains from the outset to clarify that Although it would be interesting synthesis” their own Evolution he presents only a hypothesis, which to see a critique of BEEM by raju Pookottil has not been tested. experts in molecular and Fossil Fish Publishing, £9.00 The hypothesis essentially is that ekolutionary biology, okerall I am If the central idea of this book turns liking organisms possess emergent most uncomfortable with out to be correct, the intelligence at multiple lekels, from Pookottil’s rejection of parsimony. author could be the cellular to the societal, that this His explanation for ekolution is looking at a Nobel intelligence can generate gene many orders of magnitude more Prize. In short, he mutations, that mutations are tested complex than natural selection, suggests that natural for fitness, and that the new genes and relies on complexity if it is selection may not be can be passed on to subsequent going to work. Descriptions of the main mechanism generations. This chain of processes networks at karious lekels may of ekolution. is set out with admirable clarity, the sound plausible, but how they While the lay structure of the argument is well might be kertically integrated – literature abounds thought out, and a wealth of scientific i.e. from cells to tissues to whole with outlandish studies is cited. organisms – is eken more obscure. assertions usually Pookottil is quite clear that he is Nekertheless, it is important that categorised as pseudo- attempting to okerturn the central the established consensus on any science, this book is dogma of ekolution’s modern aspect of science is open to rather different. paju synthesis. He does not see DNA as challenge, and for that reason the Pookottil is not a the controller of the cell, but rather book is worth reading. biologist, haking as a library created by the cell to les rose cbiol fsb

Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 49 ReVIeWs

Radar frequently been made oker the years. informatike. As we should expect particular species that has either died Organic Entomology: Occasional rekiews hake not from this author, considerable out or is in trouble, which is a neat Production Observing supported such claims. This prominence is giken to genetics. touch. It is written in a reporter’s and Food Insect Flight comprehensike book is welcome in Jones takes an impressikely broad style, giking great detail about how Quality and Migration that it not only cokers the quality of approach, from family trees, kia scientists ekolke certain theories, “Public alistair drake and crops such as kegetables, fruit and parasite resistance, to the dangers of eken how they get their knees dirty in perceptions don reynolds cereal grains, but also deals with the small gene pools – as seen in certain the field or ruin their lab coat. It is a about organic CAbI, £155.00 quality of meat, milk products and religious sects. I was surprised, book that can be dipped into or read food are It is incredible to eggs. Quality is measured in terms of howeker, not to see more cokerage of from coker to coker. think that radar technology, nutrient content, freshness and the the Mormons’ phenomenally detailed There is no index, but there are lots discussed and dekeloped to detect planes and ships, absence of potentially harmful and enormous genealogy records. of endnotes and a large ‘selected generally has contributed to our understanding chemicals and pesticide residues. Biology in general features quite bibliography’. This rekiew copy was found to be of insects as small as aphids. This The safety of organic food, which is strongly in the book, and religious an ‘uncorrected proof’ issued prior to without book contains both detailed considered in a separate chapter, dietary laws are examined in the light publication in February 2014, so foundation” information about radar systems used serkes as a reminder that results are of modern food safety. The other future editions may kary slightly. in entomology, and the adkances in dependent on conditions. On the one sciences are not okerlooked. We don’t John feltwell cbiol fsb knowledge they hake brought about. hand hormones may sometimes be know why the walls of Jericho fell Early chapters explain radar found in conkentional products and down, but some plausible Spectrums: principles in great detail – the physics on the other, organic food may be mechanisms are considered. Our Mind- and engineering of the different contaminated with harmful bacteria. Surprisingly, there is no boggling Hunting the the role of the actikist in the fight designs – but you don’t need to The book’s analysis is eken handed bibliography or reference list. It would Universe Hunters: At War against the hunters. Hunting the understand the technical details of and well referenced and concludes be good to know where to go for more from with the Whalers Janet Preece Hunters radars to find this book kaluable. that organic and conkentional foods detail on some of the stories. But Infinitesimal laurens de groot “As whaling It prokides an extensike rekiew are basically similar. Jones might be justified in expecting to Infinity Adlard Coles How to Succeed boats harpoon of insect pest mokements and Public perceptions about organic readers to use their internet search david blatner Nautical, with Distance minke forecasting. For example, before food are discussed and generally skills for that and this does mean that bloomsbury bloomsbury, £12.99 Education whales, de radar studies, the role that migration found to be without foundation. Belief a good read is not broken up by Publishing, £12.99 With the extensike bryan Walker Groot and played in outbreaks of the African that there is a fundamental difference flipping pages back and forth ekery If you are at all curious about your news cokerage of helmAid, 2013 his fellow armyworm caterpillar was unknown. underpinned the thinking of the time a reference mark is encountered. place in the unikerse, or how the kery the actikities and arrests of the Free download campaigners padar obserkations rekealed that the founder of the organic mokement in The style is gentle and respectful of small compares to the kery large, Greenpeace Arctic 30 in 2013, from www.network risk their lives moths fly hundreds of metres aboke the UK, Lady Eke Balfour. She the Bible as a cultural icon. Jones then you should read this book. If you Hunting the Hunters must certainly learning.org attempting to the ground, which affects their flight belieked that health-promoting admires the beauty of its language, hake neker been curious about the be a timely publication for anyone Online delikery is thwart their speed and direction, and that their ‘factors’ were transferred from but is under no illusions as to its unikerse, then you should also read wanting to find out more about the becoming an increasing focus of efforts migration strategy includes organic matter by mycorrhizal keracity as a historical record. As the this book. I guarantee you will enjoy it life of an actikist. Set at the opposite unikersity undergraduate education, ” deposition during rain. This led the hyphae to crop roots. It is worth book progresses, the narratike and if nothing else you will neker end of the planet in the freezing and distance-enrolled student way for predictions based on satellite recalling that the subtitle of her first acquires a slightly harder edge and again be short of something waters of the Southern Ocean, de numbers are growing worldwide. In maps of cloud coker. book, The Living Soil, was “ekidence Jones leads the reader on a journey interesting to say at a dinner party. Groot begins by explaining why he addition, there is a proliferation of Much of Radar Entomology is of the importance in human health of which has an inekitable destination. Spectrums is an excellent read. gake up a successful career as a free courses offered by elite dedicated to migration, but other soil kitality, with special reference to One of the best books I hake read. It is engaging and highly educational. detectike in the Dutch police to institutions that are akailable to flight behakiours are also recorded. national planning”. Although not les rose cbiol fsb The author takes the reader on an become a serious actikist with the anyone with an internet connection The mating flight of the honeybee, for dealt with directly, the book finds exploration of the unikerse, from the charity Sea Shepherd. and a desire to learn. example, normally takes place too there is no fundamental difference The Sixth smallest to the incomprehensibly As Japanese whaling boats This e-book is an enjoyable read but high for humans to see (although it can between food types. Extinction: An large. Blatner cokers six spectrums, harpoon minke whales, de Groot and a distinct misnomer. Its title implies often be heard). padar obserkations dr Victor m shorrocks cbiol msb Unnatural all chosen to be representatike of our his fellow campaigners risk their likes that the slim kolume will impart rekealed the drones’ remarkable History ekeryday experience, namely: attempting to thwart their efforts. generic adkice on how to be a high ability to detect queen pheromone – The Serpent’s elizabeth Kolbert numbers, size, light, sound, heat and Their techniques, such as deploying achieker in off-campus flexible they moke towards a queen from up to Promise: The bloomsbury time. Exploring these areas gikes us a prop foulers and launching cans of learning. Howeker, the content 240 metres downwind. Bible Retold as Publishing, £20.00 fascinating perspectike on our place butyric acid, are described with focuses almost exclusikely on the In conclusion, this thorough rekiew Science Author Elizabeth in the unikerse. realism and passion and dramatic author’s experience of teaching of the contributions of radar steve Jones Kolbert is a staff Each chapter is a tour de force, ekents unfurl throughout. postgraduates in the narrow field of entomology to our understanding of Abacus, £9.99 writer at the New Yorker and has full of interesting facts and figures Haking neker really thought about humanitarian aid. insect behakiour and ecology is to be The title is slightly written prekiously on climate change and making good use of charts, what happens between whalers and All examples and references recommended. misleading as – a subject that has some mention in illustrations and tables to help the anti-whalers, I now hake a deep respect prokided are in this context, from dr rebecca nesbit msb Jones doesn’t really this latest book, with the human- reader grasp the concepts discussed. for the people who put their likes on the which the reader is left to extrapolate re-tell the Bible. The text falls into influenced effects the main party to For instance, I was intrigued to line for a cause that they are passionate information that may be relekant. Organic two main categories: science stories this latest extinction process. discoker that Isaac Newton originally about and which many of us would Furthermore, most pages are Production and inspired by the Bible; and Bible Kolbert has trakelled to all the dikided the spectrum into just fike agree with. From the first sentence, dedicated to a treatise on how to Food Quality: A stories explained in scientific terms. karious places where key finds hake main colours (red, yellow, green, blue you are transported into a world that prepare a research project proposal at Down to Earth The latter category more closely been unearthed, or to museums with and kiolet) and only later included most of us will neker experience. the master’s lekel, especially for part Analysis reflects the title and only parts of the artefacts that tell all sorts of tales. She orange and indigo to make seken The style of writing is easy to read time registered dekelopment workers. robert blair Bible are cokered. has pieced together rather chatty colours so that the rainbow could be and draws the reader in. Although I Much of this is worthy material, Wiley-blackwell, Nekertheless, the science stories are chapters that help to explain the compared to the number of notes am not a huge fan of autobiographies, albeit rather formulaic. In particular, £130.00 brilliantly told, and while the Bible decline and fall of dozens of species in a musical scale. I highly recommend I thoroughly enjoyed reading de strategies to self-organise learning Claims that food stories might hake in a few cases from the Sumatran rhino to the Spectrums. My only complaint is that I Groot’s story and would recommend processes and to reinforce the from organic farms is superior to that rather speculatike explanations, again Panamanian golden frog. wish it were longer. it to anyone interested in experiential cycle are discussed. from conkentional farms hake the latter are highly entertaining and Each chapter is sub-headed after a dr oliver Jones cbiol msb conserkation, if only to understand An up-to-date list of useful website

50 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 51 ReVIeWs

This book is a rich collection of papers that shine a light on the promising approach of materiomics. It would be a kaluable guide to assist students and established researchers alike. alexander Waller cbiol msb

Penguins: Their World, Their Ways Tui de roy, mark Jones, Julie cornthwaite Christopher helm, £35.00 This substantial and comprehensike kolume is based on the 18 species of penguins found worldwide. With more than 400 high quality photographs and up-to- date scientific research, this is an impressike work with high kisual impact. Tui De poy and his resources is prokided. Since it is biological materials at different co-authors hake harkested a wealth Penguins: prokided as a pdf file freely akailable hierarchical lekels and oker a range of material oker 15 years, the Their World, online, the text lacks the editorial of functions. majority written and photographed Their Ways scrutiny of a reputable scientific It recognises both the unikersal from personal encounters with “De Roy publisher. This is a pity since the core similarities of building blocks and the penguins in their natural habitats in details their content does impart some tips of kalue dikersity of structural architectures the southern hemisphere. distribution, to the generalist biological researcher. which ultimately make the materials Penguins is dikided into three behaviour, The principles also apply to anyone fit for nature’s kast array of purposes. sections. The first categorises the 18 diet, feeding seeking employment, changing The integration of multi-scale models species into six groups, the Jackass, and life career paths or looking for personal and analytical techniques makes it a True Antarctic, pockhoppers, dekelopment during retirement. powerful approach as a diagnostic tool Crested, White Flippered and Yellow cycles” A significantly rewritten second for diseases and as a framework for Eyed, and the King and Emperor edition that targets a mainstream fast and efficient biomaterial design. penguins. De poy details their audience, with an appropriate title, The chapters of this book walk distribution, behakiour, diet, feeding would be welcomed. In the meantime, less familiar readers through the and life cycles with stories based on with little cost implication, readers conkergent principles of materiomics, his real life experiences. may wish to examine the current the fundamental techniques and Co-author Jones introduces section kersion online. recent dekelopments that hake two, ‘Science and Conserkation’, and Professor andrew Taylor-robinson transformed this into an exciting and discusses ‘Penguins and People’. He cbiol fsb expanding field of research. The tells the story of the King penguin at techniques include atomic force Edinburgh Zoo who was knighted by Materiomics: microscopy, piezoelectric dispensing the King of Norway. High- of picolitre droplets for water contact Original and current work from 16 Throughput angle analysis, FTIp and x-ray scientists is presented with a double Screening of photoelectron spectroscopy. page for each contributor to explain Biomaterial All of these methods and their studies and conclusions. It Properties technologies allow for rapid includes research into ekolution, Jan de boer and screening for bulk and surface climate change, pigmentation and clemens a van characterisations. papid screening monitoring. Section three discusses blitterswijk (eds) enables the creation of material all 18 species and gikes details of their Cambridge University Press, £75.00 libraries and potential selection of de physical features, population and The study of biological materials is novo materials based on ceramic, distribution, breeding, food and inherently complex, due to the metallic or bioorganic chemicals for principal threats, as well as some multifarious combinations of applied materiomics. ‘fascinating facts’ such as which structures ranging from nano to Landmarks in the technological species is the fastest swimmer and macro scale, and the changes of these dekelopments of this growing science how penguins remoke excess salt materials oker time. The holistic are highlighted as classic from their bodies. approach of ‘materiomics’ experiments within insert boxes. This book enables you to consider amalgamates knowledge, The bulleted summaries at the end of more scientific aspects of the world of computational models and each chapter gike an accessible penguins and it would be attractike to experimental techniques to prokide rekiew of the key points, technical readers of all ages. a deep insight into the behakiour of benefits and applications. Jean Wilson mbe cbiol fsb

52 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 FROM THE TREASuRER

Charles Darwin House (CDH) and Council had no hesitation in agreeing to purchase 107 Gray’s Inn poad (alongside fellow CDH owners the Biochemical Society, the British Ecological Society, the Society for Experimental Biology and the Society for General Microbiology). As a result our fixed assets hake increased to £1,075,800 (£911,800 in 2012). We hake a 9.2% share in the equity and in any profit from letting out conference and meeting rooms. The Annual peport summarises the impressike range of actikities cokered by the Society in 2012- 13. Some of these are funded by specific grants and are therefore ‘restricted’, but most of our core actikities, such as the kery successful Biology Week and much of our work on education his is my first year as honorary grants for specific pieces of work. and careers, depend on treasurer and I’d like to begin In particular, we were awarded unrestricted funds. Tby thanking my predecessor, a large grant from the UK The majority of these come William Marshall, for all the work Commission for Employment and from indikidual membership he did oker the last four years to Skills to support our accreditation subscriptions, which hake not been ensure the finances of the Society work. As a result, we hake a large raised during the four year lifetime were healthy, and for the help he increase in turnoker and surplus of the Society. Council agreed that, gake me during the handoker. compared to 2011-12; expenditure in order to maintain and expand I am pleased to report that the on this grant will be shown in our core actikities and increase the Society continues to be in a good future financial years. In addition benefits to members, there should financial position and at the end of to funds, the Biochemical Society be a small rise in subscriptions the year the balance sheet shows has seconded a member of staff to from January 2014. a total income of £2,646,100 the Society and we thank them for Finally I would like to thank Mark (£1,805,300 in 2011/12), a turnoker this gift in kind. The Downs and his team at CDH, our of £2,380,300 (£1,753,000 in As a result of the increased Society professional accountant Elizabeth 2011/12), and a surplus of income income and turnoker of the Society, continues Liberda-Moreni, Daniel poss, chair oker expenditure of £265,800 we will increase our pekenue to be in of the audit committee, and our (£52,000 in 2011/12). peserke Fund from £456,000 to auditors BDO LLP, for all they hake Most of our core income £560,000. This ensures that we a good done to ensure that the Society’s continues to come from hake six months’ funding akailable financial financial position continues to be membership subscriptions, but for Society actikities. position sound and transparent. this year about a third of our The Society is one of fike dr Pat goodwin cbiol fsb, total income has been from professional societies which own honorary Treasurer

send your comments to biofeedback, society of biology, charles darwin house, 12 roger street, london Wc1n 2Ju biofeedback or email [email protected]

SWITCHING CHANNELS dismissal that “this is like arguing of the whole point of Frances ThThe socieTy of biology magazinee ■ issn 0006-3347Biologist ■ socieTyofbiology.org Vol 61 no 1 ■ feb/mar 2014 I’d like to comment on Brian Ford’s that carburettors are the key to Ashcroft’s book and the distinguished obtusely pernickety rekiew of supermarket shopping” is cheap and research which entitles her to write The Spark of Life (The Biologist completely inappropriate. There would about the subject with authority. Vol 61(1) p35). be no organisms if cell membranes I had the prikilege of interkiewing THE FUTURE Channels and exchangers carrying and specific membrane channels had Ashcroft on her book for Voices from OF FUEL Could biofuel from algae substances, including particularly not also dekeloped. It would hake Oxford. peaders who would like to reduce our need for oil?

URBAN ENVIRONMENT MICROBIOTA INTERVIEW DEEP ROOTS GUT INSTINCT AGE OF SUCCESS charged substances, are absolutely been impossible to generate internal see a more balanced assessment of Saving trees during e body's bacteria and Linda Partridge on the urban development its impact on our health biology of ageing necessary for all processes in enkironments distinct from the the book might wish to watch the liking systems – they are found in external enkironment. interkiew and judge for themselkes. ekery organism on Earth. Brian’s This is a serious misunderstanding denis noble frs

Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 53 Museum Piece BioloGiCAl exHiBitS FRoM ARoUND tHe WoRlD

The giant turtle hangs in the man and environment gallery at cardiff

he enormous Ireland, but are known to trakel leatherback turtle thousands of miles across both the T on display at the Pacific and Atlantic oceans migrating National Museum of Wales in or foraging for jellyfish. They can be Cardiff attracted worldwide attention distinguished from other sea turtles when it washed ashore on Harlech not only by their size, but because beach, Gwynedd, in 1988. At oker 3m their shell is made of skin and oily long and weighing 914kg (144 stone), flesh rather than bone. it was the largest and heakiest turtle The giant turtle now #007 eker recorded. hangs in the museum’s After an autopsy, museum staff set Man and Enkironment THE LARGEST about the difficult task of preserking gallery, alongside and mounting the enormous reptile, information on TuRTLE IN which had drowned after being leatherback ecology and trapped by fishing lines and was a humpback whale. THE WORLD thought to be around 100 years old Museum staff recently when it died. embarked on a The massike skin – 2.5m flipper to painstaking four-month flipper – had to be remoked, preserked project to restore the National and stretched oker a mould of the specimen to its former glory after Museum of turtle’s body to produce a life-like years of low humidity caused the Wales, Cardiff pose for display. The skeleton was giant skin to crack in places. remoked and also prepared for display The National Museum of Wales alongside the body. is open 10:00-17:00, Leatherbacks are increasingly seen Tuesday to Sunday, in the waters around the UK and www.museumwales.ac.uk/cardiff

54 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 SCIENCE COMMUNICATION TRAINING DAY 11 June 2014, Charles Darwin House, London, UK This interactive workshop aims to enhance your communication skills and demonstrate the impact of your research to schools and the public. Application is available at: www.biochemistry.org/SciCom2014 Attendance is FREE Application deadline: 1 May 2014. for members of the organising Societies!

WIN A £25 crossword BOOK Blow your mind with the latest biology brain-teaser TOKEN

Across adhere to the normal combination of 1 Are cells live? see movement (9,6) definition and cryptic indication. 9 some popular variety (5) 10 Wild beasts rut (9) How to enter 11 I need a nitrogen mixture (7) To be in with a chance of winning 12 One eats palm hearts (5) a £25 book token please send us 13 Cold on one’s own (5) your completed puzzles by 15 Flea performs (4) Wednesday 30th April 2014. 17 sounds like sea’s depth (4) Please include your name, address 18 Is after some iodine compound (7) and membership number with your 20 Phosphorus found with mineral (4) entry – an email address would be 21 stop the flow (4) handy too. 23 Depend on organic constituent (5) Post your entries to: Crossword, 25 said to be amusing chap (5) The Biologist, Society of Biology, 26 travel round about middle of Charles Darwin House, 12 poger country (7) Street, London, WC1N 2JU. 29 A toxin I do break down (9) 30 Leaders in genetic engineering make Winners major advance (5) Well done to last issue’s winners, 31 I devise gym tests to be flexible (9,6) Alisha Minhas and James Goodman MSB. Book tokens are on the way. Down 16 In inn, got a round - well oiled Volume 61 1 I’ll get drunk with a beer that can be after that (9) no 2 trusted (8) 18 Mild case got round health checks (8) compiled last issue’s solution 2 have concern about third of investment 19 Colt’s tiny limb (5-3) by Doug Vol 61 No 1 being cut (5) 22 give the opportunity to turn off in a stanford 3 Wild area is something that you might little road (6) find invigorating (3-3) 24 Fitting tightly, jeans on bottoms not 4 Review insect poison - not so bad (10) attractive (6) 5 be upset british standard declines (4) 27 send money and watch, it returns (5) 6 girl, at heart awkward teen, shows 28 Minute home, one that is small (4) inability to be on time (8) 7 Playing a role on stage meant struggling with onset of nerves etc. (9) This issue 8 smoothly starts off seven ply (6) A return to the basic format, with 14 Following custom in Old english all Across answers from the world abbreviated verbs can undergo of biology and their clues lacking alteration (10) any further definition. Down clues

Vol 61 No 2 / the bIOLOgIst / 55 DR MARK DOWNs Fsb, ChIeF eXeCUtIVe, sOCIetY OF bIOLOgY

Final Word DEBATING EQUALITY

s The Biologist editor talent in the scientific workforce. responded to the House of Commons makes clear in Although the debate is often focused Science and Technology select Nelson’s Column, around gender or ethnicity, dikersity is committee inquiry into women in there remains much much broader and discrimination STEM careers, offering ekidence on to do to ensure that takes many forms. The work and why numbers in STEM academic womenA hake equal opportunities in organisational psychologist Tinu careers decline further up the career the scientific workplace. Biology has Cornish made this clear in a recent ladder and what careers women traditionally attracted more women lecture at a Science Council general transfer to when they leake than most areas of science, but as meeting (the Society is a member academia. We also set out our kiews they moke up the career ladder the body) when she spoke passionately on what unikersities, the higher numbers dwindle. about the issue of unconscious bias. All education sector and gokernment This situation is also reflected of us hake a tendency to surround should do to retain women graduates within our membership. More than ourselkes with people who think and and PhD students in academic 50% of student members are women, act in a similar way and it is easy to careers. Many of our concerns were but by Fellowship grade the appoint or promote indikiduals with highlighted in the committee’s percentage falls to around 18%. characteristics most familiar to us. subsequent report. This is broadly in line with female Our partnerships with other Looking ahead, the difficulties professorial appointments in British organisations ensure the Society of faced by those returning to a unikersities, but is nonetheless a Biology is a central player in the scientific career in academia after an poor reflection on our collectike dikersity debate. We are a core member extended break hake been identified ability to ensure greater of the STEM Disability Committee, a as an area of focus for the Society. opportunities for women to remain cross-STEM collaboratike group Topics likely to be cokered include: in a career or return after a break. established in 2011 to consider difficulty in obtaining funding; lack As a professional body it is practical ways to improke policies, of access to current scientific important that we help facilitate a It is practices and prokision for disabled literature and funding for equal or change while recognising that important people. The group’s interests include lower qualifications; how the inequality can take many forms. that we help those aspiring to a STEM career as well research assessment process We currently offer reduced facilitate as those already employed in a STEM handles career breaks; the difficulty membership for anyone on a career a change role. The Committee is undertaking a in updating technical skills; and the break and a number of our Member while number of projects, including support lack of opportunities to gain Organisations offer specific recognising for assessors who conduct Disabled experience. We hope to tie this in to programmes to coker childcare costs Students’ Allowance Needs how the Society can best stay in during a career break for the that Assessments for STEM students, contact with members on career opportunity to maintain contact inequality dekeloping British Sign Language breaks and offer further support. with the profession, perhaps by can take signs and glossaries for scientific We are seeking to establish a attending an academic conference. many forms terms, and supporting dyslexic working group to dekelop and guide Lack of dikersity, as described in a students with maths. our work in this area. If you would recent poyal Society report, is a loss of On gender specifically, we recently like to help, please let us know.

56 / the bIOLOgIst / Vol 61 No 2 CLINICAL CELL & TISSUE ENGINEERING

Part-time MSc / Diploma / Certificate

UCL is a World leader in the development of advanced therapy medicines (ATMPs). This course is designed for a range of professionals to obtain practical skills and the essential knowledge to develop careers in this rapidly emerging field. Sessions will cover: Process design & development / QC & QA / regulatory affairs / qualification & validation / clinical trials / scale-up & -out / CMOs / QP release, etc. Lectures are provided by scientists and clinicians actively involved in ATMP discovery and trial from academic and industry both within the UK and mainland Europe. Practical sessions will be in GMP labs at UCL.

The course is aimed at scientists, clinicians, pharmacists and regulatory affairs experts with a desire to work at the translational end of ATMP development. Flexible study is encouraged through the 3 levels of achievement: Certificate – 2 terms in year 1 Diploma – 5 terms in years 1 and 2 MSc – 6 terms in years 1 and 2 plus a research project

Attendance is for 1 day per week for each 10 week term to allow day release attendance.. For further details please contact: Ms Kathryn Knapp – Programme Administrator CentreCCentreentre Centre [email protected] CellCC ellell Cell Dr Julie Olszewski – Co-ordinator/tutor [email protected] GeneGGeneene Gene

Dr Edward Samuel – Teaching Fellow TissueTTissueissue Tissue [email protected] TherapeuticsTTherapeuticsherapeutics Therapeutics Dr Mark Lowdell – Course Director Institute of ImmunityInstitute of & ImmunityInfection & Infection UCL Institute of Immunity & Infection [email protected] of Immunity & Infection