The socieTy of biology magazine ■ issn 0006-3347Biologist ■ socieTyofbiology.org Vol 60 no 3 ■ JUne/JUly 2013

touch wood how arboreta can protect the UK’s forests

PhARMAcoLoGY RESEARch INtERVIEw RAdIoActIVE REMEdIES GEt INVoLVEd BRucE hood Fighting cancer with The 10 best citizen Psychology, neuroscience rare radioisotopes science biology projects and our sense of self TheBiologist the SOCIetY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINe

Volume 60 No 3 June/July 2013 contents 24

20

12

16 the eureka amoeba News

The single-celled organism ThTHE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINEe ■ ISSN 0006 3347Biologist ■ SOCIETYOFBIOLOGY.ORG VOL 60 NO 3 ■ JUNE/JULY 2013 IN thIS helping to fight epilepsy. 4 society news 34 member news 20 the nuclear option 40 branch events ISSuE Dr Ulli Köster explains how touch 42 branch news rare radioisotopes help wood How arboreta can protect treat cancer. the UK’s forests Regulars 9 where have all the botanists gone? 24 ten great citizen 3 nelson’s column Botanist Sarah Whild science projects 8 opinion

PhARMAcoLoGY RESEARch INtERVIEw RAdIoActIVE REMEdIES GEt INVoLVEd BRucE hood explores the apparent decline James Borrell’s top 10 Fighting cancer with Th e 10 best citizen Psychology, neuroscience 10 Policy update rare radioisotopes science biology projects and our sense of self in plant identification. projects from around 32 spotlight the world. 37 reviews 12 Seeing the wood for the trees 28 Professor Bruce hood 45 biofeedback Simon Toomer explains the The experimental 46 museum piece modern day arboretum’s role psychologist on why our 47 crossword in managing our forests. identities are an ‘illusion’. 48 final word

Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 1 the BIOLOGISt Vol 60 No 3 June/July 2013 contacts

EdItoRIAL StAff Allan Jamieson BSc PhD CBiol FSB Society of Biology director of Membership, Marketing Catherine Jopling BSc PhD MSB charles darwin house, and communications 12 Roger Street, Susan Omar BSc PGCe CBiol CSci MSB MRSPh FRGS Jon Kudlick London wc1N 2Ju Editor Leslie Rose BSc CBiol FSB FICR MAPM tel: 020 7685 2550 Sue Nelson Fax: 020 3514 3204 Managing Editor [email protected] tom Ireland MSB AdVISoRY PANEL www.societyofbiology.org [email protected] Ian Clarke, horticulture Research International, UK communications Assistant Clive Cornford, Unitec, Auckland, New Zealand Views expressed in this magazine are Karen Patel AMSB Sharon Grimster, BioPark, UK not necessarily those of the editorial [email protected] Board or the Society of Biology. Marios Kyriazis, for membership enquiries call 0844 858 9316 Biogerontologist and anti-ageing physician, UK © 2013 Society of Biology [email protected] Alan Lansdown, Imperial College London, UK (Registered charity no. 277981) for subscription enquiries call 020 7685 2556 Walter Leal Filho, [email protected] hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany The Society permits single copying Don McManus, Bancroft Centre, Australia of individual articles for private study or research, irrespective of where EdItoRIAL BoARd Peter Moore, King’s College London, UK J Ian Blenkharn MSB FRSPh the copying is done. Multiple copying Brian Osborne, Australia of individual articles for teaching Phil Collier MSc PhD CBiol FSB FLS Fhe John Scott, University of Leicester, UK purposes is also permitted without Cameron S Crook BSc MPhil CBiol MSB MIeeM FLS Robert Spooner-hart, University of specific permission. For copying or Rajith Dissanayake MSc PhD FZS AMSB Western Sydney, Australia reproduction or any other purpose, Catherine Duigan BSc PhD FSB FLS written permission must be sought from Kathleen Weathers, Institute of the Society. exceptions to the above are John heritage BA DPhil CBiol FSB ecosystem Studies, USA those institutions and non-publishing

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BIOPhYSICS QUANtUM BIOLOGY website for further details. TheBiologist MAKING thE QuANtuM LEAP The Biologist is produced on behalf reveals how Professor Johnjoe Mcfadden of the Society of Biology by quantum physics could help explain some A wINdow of biology’s most mysterious phenomena Think Publishing Ltd. the classical laws break down Nowhere is this more apparent completely, corresponding to our Famed for the ödinger’s than in heredity, where the colour intuition that stochastic fl uctuations, 124-128 Barlby Road ore than 60 years ago ‘Schr Erwin Schrödinger, one Cat’ thought of a person’s eyes, their propensity rather than classical laws, govern of the founding fathers of experiment, which to disease, perhaps even their the dynamics of objects composed of M demonstrates the intelligence or personality, depends small numbers of particles. quantum mechanics, insisted that problems of on the dynamics of just a single Although the physical nature certain aspects of biology were quantum physics, dinger inherited molecule of DNA. Nothing of heredity had not yet been inexplicable by classical laws. Erwin Schrö , was London W10 6BL In his book What is Life? (below right) in the inanimate world approaches established in 1944, it was known an early this extreme sensitivity to quantum that genes were very small and published in 1944, Schrödinger proponent of the level events. Yet all living cells thereby, Schrödinger argued, considered the question of why the use of quantum manipulate atoms and molecules composed of insuffi cient numbers macroscopic world obeys classical laws in biology. according to quantum laws. One of of particles to be subject to the oN thE LIfE laws (thermodynamics, Newtonian the biggest questions of 21st century classical laws. The stability of mechanics, etc) despite the fact that www.thinkpublishing.co.uk biology is the extent to which this heredity, Schrödinger macroscopic objects are composed matters. How much of biology insisted, could not be of fundamental particles obeying a depends on non-trivial founded on the very different set of rules: quantum quantum laws? statistical laws. mechanics. Schrödinger pointed Schrödinger proposed out that the large objects behave when laws break down that genes were some 020 8962 3020 classically because their dynamics are Classical laws are kind of organic crystal, governed by the dynamics of trillions N limited by the ‘1/√ but a “more complicated of randomly moving particles whose rule’: fl uctuations scale organic molecule in which quantum properties are averaged out according to the reciprocal of every atom, and every group of to zero; from the averaging of all that the square root of the number of atoms, plays an individual role...” random motion emerges the classical particles involved. For example, gas Or, order from order. He called ScIENcES laws: order from disorder. Schrödinger’s revolutionary laws accurately predict the volume these novel structures aperiodic of a balloon (at fi xed temperature20 crystals and proposed that they insight was that living organisms and pressure) fi lled with, say, 10 obeyed quantum laws. He further might be different because some of particles of air, because fl uctuations suggested that gene mutations their macroscopic properties are from the laws will be of magnitude were caused by quantum jumps driven by small numbers of particles 20 design 1/1010 (1/√10 ) of the predicted within the crystals; and went on ANIMAL BehAVIOUR in highly structured confi gurations volume, which is clearly negligible. to speculate that biology was NeStING hABItS that might preserve aspects of However, if the balloon contains only governed by new laws, rooted in their quantum character; what he 100 particles then fl uctuations will the quantum world (Fig. 1). termed order from order. Life’s 100, one 10th be of magnitude 1/√ Was he right? A decade after sensitivity to the dynamics of small of expected values – and no longer What is Life? Watson and Crick Alistair McGown numbers may allow quantum The Biologist si a bi-monthly magazine negligible. With even fewer particles, mechanical features to loom large / 13

in the biological world. Vol 60 No 2 / the BIOLOGISt ILLUStRAtION: JONAthAN eDWARDS JONAthAN ILLUStRAtION:

(published six times per year) that carries 22/04/2013 15:55 Production editor a blue tit feeding

fEAthERING its chicks in a tree / Vol 60 No 2 the full richness and diversity of biology. 12 / the BIOLOGISt thE NESt hole nest. Clare harris

dr charles deeming explores the subtle Sub editors Science is brought to life with stimulating and factors that will determine the size and authoritative features, while topical pieces shape of individual bird nests this spring Sam Bartlett, Sian Campbell ird fests rafge frzm simple scrapes zf the grzufd tz fests were built afd hzw they B czmplex wzvef hafgifg fufctizfed. Geferal zbservatizfs BIOGRAPhY structures. The rzle zf a bird’s fest suggested that the fests zf these is usually seef as a receptacle fzr familiar birds varied if size but it Publisher discuss science policy, new developments the eggs zr chicks, but receft was ufclear why. research is czfsiderifg the ) fest is much larger thaf the fufctizfal characteristics zf fests bird (Fig. 1), which suggests that if zrder tz better ufderstafd their the time afd physical effzrt tz czllect rzle if bird reprzductizf. all this material is efergetically If geferal, bird fests tefd tz be demafdifg (fest mass is a fufctizf John Innes or controversial issues. Aimed at biologists Dr charles Deeming characteristic zf the species that zf female bzdy size 4, afd fzzd built them if terms zf lzcatizf, shape supplemeftatizf caf shzrtef the cbiol fsb has been studying various afd czfstructizf materials perizd zf fest czfstructizf 1,2. Nests 5), afd we aspects of caf be lzcated zf rzck ledges, withif have fz idea zf hzw zr why such a incubation and vegetatizf, zf zr abzve the grzufd, variety zf materials are chzsef. development in [email protected] everywhere, its straightforward style also zr withif cavities if trees zr the If this article I relate studies that birds, particularly grzufd. But variatizf if fests built my czlleagues afd I have ufdertakef ostriches, and by the same ifdividual bird was tz try tz afswer these questizfs reptiles for over 30 years. a senior shzwf receftly tz be czfsiderably with the emphasis zf a better lecturer in the greater thaf first thzught ufderstafdifg zf hzw the school of life 3. We have little quaftitative data efvirzfmeft affects fest sciences, makes it ideal for educators and students at zf just hzw much zf a particular czfstructizf afd fufctizf. We University of fest material, such as grass zr mzss, study species zf tits largely because lincoln, charles won an ig nobel is used if a fest zf afy particular they are czmmzf afd czfvefieftly Prize in 2002 for his

species afd whether this shzuld fest if artificial bzxes, which are work looking at be czfsidered as a defififg easy tz fifd afd mzfitzr. ostrich courtship characteristic zf that species. behaviour directed Non-member rates: £116.00 all levels, as well as the interested amateur. towards humans. Nest building in blue and great tits Much to learn Great tits afd blue tits take arzufd )fter 30 years wzrkifg zf 14 days tz czfstruct a fest withif a ifcubatizf afd embryzfic festbzx 5. Durifg the sevef days develzpmeft if birds afd reptiles if leadifg up tz clutch ifitiatizf, a labzratzry czftext, I came tz lififg materials are added afd Birds realise just hzw little I kfew abzut the bird mzulds afd lifes a cup at building in hzw bird fests wzrked. Havifg the efd furthest away frzm the early warm established a small pzpulatizf zf eftrafce hzle (Fig. 1). periods are great tits ( )t Risehzlme Park, blue tits likely to Vol 60 no 2 ■ aPr/may 2013 Parus major) afd blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus weighed arzufd 10g, yet they built construct a ■ socieTyofbiology.org ISSN 0006-3347 ) breedifg if -3347 fest bzxes at Risehzlme Park,■ ISSN 0006Biologistfests that averaged 26g (rafge = light, poorly THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINE ThUfiversity zf Lifczlf,e I decided tz 16–43g). Larger great tits (18g) were insulated nest ifvestigate hzw these particular alsz przducifg 26g fests 6 Submissions of interesting and timely similarity implied that size zf the. This bzx

26 / the BIOLOGISt INtERVIEw / Vol 60 No 2 articles, short opinion pieces and 26_BIO_60_2_GREAT_TITS.indd 26-27 Advertising in The Biologist represents dIGGING Vol 60 N o 2 / the BIOLOGISt / 27 letters are welcome. Articles should be dEEP an unparalleled opportunity to reach TV's alice roberts THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINE ■ The ISSN 0006-3347 ■ socieTyofbiology.org aimed at a non-specialist audience and talks anatomy Vol 60 no 1 ■ feb/ and archaeology a large community of professional 'People have cast convey your enthusiasm and expertise. me as a sort of biologists. Instructions for authors are available snarling attack dog. Which i'm not' on the Society’s website or on request for advertising information contact from the editorial office. Contact tom tiffin, [email protected] [email protected] Ian Carter, [email protected] 020 7183 1815

RESEARch BIoPhYSIcS GENEtIcS BuILdER BIRdS QuANtuM BIoLoGY cRAcKING thE codE Factors aff ecting Cutting-edge physics for A decade on from the nest sizes biological problems 2 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 human genome project

26/03/2013 10:01

00_BIO_60_2_COVER.indd 1 Nelson’s column

love lists and charts – be it the from botany to developing new botanists have gone? (page 9). It’s a UK singles top 40 from 1976, drugs, depend on it. valid question and a worrying trend naming and shaming the The increasing popularity of – one that, I’m reliably informed, could world’s most obese nations, or citizen science prompted scientists also apply to bacteriologists. This may 10 surprisingly brutal facts from the NERC Centre for Ecology & well be the first of similar questions aboutI dragonflies. I’m not making Hydrology and London’s Natural covering different areas of biology that last one up either. Somehow History Museum to review more over the coming months. certain facts from these shortlists than 200 citizen science projects As always, this issue of The always stick in the mind (dragonflies from the UK and around the world. Biologist covers an impressive range are much more efficient at catching It culminated last year in a practical of subjects: from the importance of prey than sharks) and I hope that’s guide on how to develop, implement arboreta in protecting forests (page exactly what will happen with James and evaluate these projects – 12) and how an amoeba can help Borrell’s personal choice of 10 great especially useful when citizen science treatment for epilepsy (page 16), to citizen science projects on page 24. is growing in use. A few months ago, cognitive neuroscience (page 28) and After once presenting a Radio 4 for instance, an amateur botanist a James Bond themed article on series on citizen science, featuring (and microbiologist by training) in neutron special agents in the war everything from orchid hunting to the US discovered more than 100 against cancer (page 20). tracking comets, I thought I was previously ‘lost’ plant species with Incidentally, citizen science can Many areas pretty clued up on what’s currently a team of volunteers. also be applied to cancer. In of biology around. Indeed I did recognise a few Citizen science obviously helps February, Cancer Research UK projects on James’ list but, excitingly, scientists and, as far as I’m aware, announced it was collaborating with depend most of them were new to me and are certainly doesn’t put them out of a job. several other organisations to try to on citizen totally inspiring. Let’s hope it So what Sarah Whild, a senior find ways for people to use their science encourages even more people to get lecturer in plant ecology at home computers to search for involved in citizen science projects as Manchester Metropolitan University, mutations in DNA that lead to cancer. nowadays many areas of biology, wants to know is where all the We are all scientists now.

sue nelson, editor

Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 3 oBItuARY Sir Robert Edwards 1925-2013 Bioscience teaching award

he Society has named Professor Tim Birkhead Society news t its Higher Education Bioscience Teacher of the Year. Judges were particularly impressed with Professor Birkhead’s long-term commitment to teaching and the range of innovative methods he adopted. As a coordinator and lecturer on undergraduate All the fun of the Fair courses on animal Prizewinner cecylia Watrobska with TV science behaviour presenter greg foot and the and the society’s Jon Kudlick. history of science, Professor Birkhead is passionate about teaching that Tributes paid to IVF pioneer is informed by research and is a strong advocate of field courses. ir Robert Edwards Hon FSB, aboVe: edwards world’s first ‘test tube baby’ – was On the day of the awards, held physiologist and pioneer of pictured in 2003 born at Royal Oldham Hospital at the Heads of University in vitro fertilisation (IVF), with louise brown, to worldwide media attention. Biosciences (HUBS) spring S the world’s first has died aged 87. ‘test tube baby’. According to the BBC, Edward’s meeting in Buckinghamshire, he Edwards is credited with most famous work was inspired by had just returned from field work bringing as many as 4 million his belief that “the most important in Costa Rica. The prestigious judging panel children into the world following thing in life is having a child”. included particle physicist Professor his successful development of IVF wonderful recognition Brian Cox, renowned space scientist with gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe A remarkable man “I am absolutely thrilled by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Nobel in the 1970s. A Fellow of Churchill Professor Martin Johnson, emeritus this award, which is wonderful Prize-winning biochemist Sir Tim College, Cambridge, Sir Robert professor of reproductive sciences recognition for 35 years of Hunt, and the Science Museum’s was awarded the Nobel Prize for at the University of Cambridge, research-led teaching,” said inventor in residence, Mark Physiology or Medicine in 2010 was among Edwards’ first graduate Professor Birkhead. “It wouldn’t Champkins, among others. and knighted in 2011 for services to students between 1966-69. “Bob was have been possible, however, Students aged 11-18 from across human reproductive biology. a remarkable man who changed without the unstinting support the UK were given the chance the lives of so many people. He was from my department (Animal & to enter the National Science frequent opposition not only a visionary in his science Plant Sciences), the University & Engineering Competition by In a Cambridge laboratory in but also in his communication to of Sheffield, and 35 cohorts of completing a project or activity in 1968, for the first time, Edwards the wider public about matters amazing undergraduates.” any field of science, technology, successfully fertilised a human scientific in which he was a Professor Birkhead receives engineering or maths. egg. Later he remarked that he great pioneer,” said Professor the Ed Wood Memorial Prize of The UK Young Scientist of the would never forget the moment Johnson. “He will be greatly £1,000, one year’s subscription to Year, Emily O’Regan, also focused he discovered the technique had missed by his colleagues, an Oxford University Press (OUP) on species preservation, with a been successful. “I looked down the students, his family and all journal of his choice and one year’s project on the breeding and mating microscope,” he recalled, “and what the many people he has helped free membership of the Society. habits of Chilean flamingos. I saw was a human blastocyst gazing to have children.” The runner-up in the award was he Society enjoyed a busy Vaughan Memorial School in up at me. I thought, ‘we’ve done it’.” Born in Yorkshire in 1925, Dr Christopher Willmott from the three days at The Big Bang London, was one of 450 innovative As Edwards refined the technique Edwards served in the British University of Leicester. The judges t Fair in March, as 65,000 young finalists chosen to showcase and Steptoe developed ways to army during World War II before praised his original and innovative visitors flocked to London’s ExCeL their work to a world-class panel of extract eggs from women with returning home to study first approaches to teaching bioethics. centre for the largest celebration of judges. She captured their attention fertility problems, the pair’s agricultural sciences, then animal The other shortlisted science in the UK. with her project, ‘Crested crisis: research was met with frequent genetics. He married Ruth Fowler, candidates were Dr Anne One young biologist, Cecylia Determining the microhabitat opposition. The Medical Research the granddaughter of physicist Goodenough (University of Watrobska, is celebrating after preferences of Great Crested Newt Council initially refused to fund the Ernest Rutherford and daughter Gloucestershire), Dr Jane Saffell receiving The Society of Biology prize Larvae’. The project was inspired by research, the Vatican was critical of physicist Ralph Fowler, in 1956, (Imperial College London) at the fair’s prestigious National Cecylia’s passion for newts and her Pm David cameron and a number of lawsuits were producing five daughters and 12 and Dr Elizabeth Sheffield Science & Engineering Competition. determination to prevent the loss of chats to one of the launched to obstruct them. Despite grandchildren. He died peacefully in (University of Manchester). Cecylia, from The Cardinal this valuable species. young delegates. this, in 1978, Louise Brown – the his sleep following a long illness.

4 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/news www.societyofbiology.org/news Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 5 SOCIetY NeWS VOICe OF the FUtURe/BIOLOGY ChALLeNGe/Set WINNeRS/OLYMPIAD teAM/SOCIetY AGM

The society’s director of parliamentary Dr alan bedford receives affairs stephen benn (second from left) a President’s medal from and young scientists and engineers from Well done, Olympians! Dame nancy rothwell. Voice of the future. he Society and volunteers from UK Biology Competitions tare pleased to announce the four students selected to represent the UK at the 2013 International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Switzerland in July. They are: ■ Scarlett Harris, Godalming Sixth Form College Scarlett Harris Matthew Johnston ■ Matthew Johnston, The Judd School ■ Katherine Lister, Society Greenhead College challenge ■ Anna Sozanska, St Leonards-Mayfield School. AGM answers more The first round of the British Biology Olympiad this year had celebrates than 3 million 4,200 students taking part. The competitions involve both theory and Society’s questions Katherine Lister Anna Sozanska practical tests to identify some of the top pre-university biology students first three record 31,000 school Voice of the Future in the world from 60 countries. A students took part in the Society’s 2013 Biology years Challenge competition, he Society marked its third collectively answering more goes live on air tyear and awarded three than three million questions. President’s Medals at its Annual Around 540 schools took oung scientists and engineers for disagreeing with General Meeting in May. Chaired part in the competition, now swapped places with ministers Government policy. by Society president Professor in its fifth year. Open to all Y and MPs from the Science and The biggest Dame Nancy Rothwell, the AGM school students aged 14-15, the Technology Select Committee as part challenge facing approved formal resolutions and competition encourages pupils of the Society’s second Voice of the science is the several changes of Council were to take an interest in biology and Future event in March. combined also announced. natural history topics beyond Broadcast live on BBC Parliament, demands of a Dr William Marshall was the school curriculum. the meeting allowed young scientists rising population thanked for his contributions as aged 16-35 to probe MPs on science and climate honorary treasurer and tomorrow’s biologists policy, funding and education. change, as well as the Dr Pat Goodwin (right) Society chief executive Dr Mark Science minister David Willetts threat of anti-microbial was announced as Downs said: “It is fantastic to faced tough questions on tuition resistance, he said. the new honorary see so many young people fees, immigration and inequality science minister Members of the Science and officer for this role. David Willetts engaging with biology. Biology is in UK science, while the UK faces questions Technology Committee said President’s integral to tackling many of our Government’s Chief Scientist (above), while the horse meat scandal was a Medals, awarded 21st-century challenges, from Professor Sir John Beddington (below) house question of fraud prevention rather to members and food security to disease, and we was asked about key issues such as of commons than a public health issue, and Fellows in recognition need inspired young people to climate change, food security and speaker John discussed how more rigorous of a significant contribution to bercow introduces support this.” the recent horse meat scandal. proceedings, testing could be funded. the Society, were presented to The number of participants Willetts conceded more has to as seen on You can watch the full All SET for Britain Professor David Coates, Dr Alan beats the previous record from be done to increase the number of bbc Parliament. proceedings at www.parliament.uk ET for Britain, a prestigious Pictured with research on a new technique to Bedford and Mrs Veronica Smith. last year, when just over 29,000 women in senior science positions in competition to recognise prizewinner study blood flow in tumours. Silver All three shared a commitment students took part. the UK and was forced to defend the Britain’s most promising Joanna brunker was awarded to Nick Morant, 30, to the Society including prior S are Professor recent rise in tuition fees. But he said scientists and engineers, took Jonathan ashmore, a scientist in the Department of involvement over many years with the UK is not comparable with EU place in the House of Commons president of Biology and Biochemistry at the the previous Institute of Biology. countries that do not charge tuition in March. The competition is The Physiological University of Bath, for his research The charter lecture, given by fees, such as Germany, where fewer designed to support and promote society, bP’s describing a novel DNA polymerase Professor Martin Humphries, people go to university. British scientists in the early stages John Pierce, the for use in DNA detection. focused on his cell adhesion society’s chief Sir John reassured young of their careers, and allows them to executive mark Nicola Hemmings, 28, a research and the importance check out the society’s new scientists about transparency and present their work to MPs. Downs and postdoctoral research associate in of serendipity in making new independence in Government science The 2013 gold medal went to director of the Department of Animal and Plant scientific discoveries. website, with a dedicated site parliamentary for The Biologist coming soon advice, prompted by questions about Joanna Brunker, 26, a PhD student Science at the University of Sheffield, For more details of changes Professor David Nutt, the former in the Department of Medical affairs stephen gained a bronze medal for research to Council, please see the www.societyofbiology.org benn. chair of the Advisory Council on the Physics and Bioengineering at on diagnosing fertility problems in Society website. Misuse of Drugs, who was sacked University College London, for her critically endangered birds.

6 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/news www.societyofbiology.org/news Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 7 OPINION COMPUteR VIRUSeS/the DeMISe OF BOtANY?

address book. Within a short time Melissa had spread globally, causing damage estimated at around $80m, and its variants still circulate. Where have all the Last summer, the Shamoon virus targeted Windows PCs operating in the energy sector and is thought to have originally been released botanists gone? for industrial espionage. As winter approached, a virus attack crippled Sarah Whild looks at why a once cherished the turbine control system of a US power company after a technician subject seems to be disappearing inserted an infected USB computer drive into the network. It kept the he demise of botany as a own. It appears to be harder to get REfERENcES particularly among the under-40s. plant offline for three weeks. subject is well known (Jones, funding for plant-based research Drea, S. The end of While undergraduate degrees in Shivering through winter power 2010 and Drea, 2011) and even though crop science is vitally the Botany Degree botany or plant science have all but t in the UK. Bioscience cuts, we may have missed the merged in 2013 one can no longer study important. Education, 17 (2011). disappeared, part-time courses in SpyEye and ZeuS code that began to a botany degree in the UK. This harberd, N. Seed field botany, biological recording or circulate in 2011, attacking mobile could, however, be a matter of Rise of the amateur to Seed – The vegetation science are flourishing. secret life of plants phone banking security systems and semantics: plant science is arguably Biochemistry, genetics, and (Bloomsbury, 2006). This year an online botany course raising concerns about the safety of a more appealing name, and there molecular ecology can all feed Jones, S. Where have sponsored by the BSBI and the our now ubiquitous smartphones. are plenty of plant science degrees into plant science without their all the British botanists Field Studies Council was fully gone, just when we Successful herd immunity, in the UK. practitioners labelling themselves need them? subscribed and could have been when vaccination reduces the Yet several of the institutions as botanists. Harberd (2006) The Daily Telegraph, filled at least twice over. Short amount of infection circulating commonly associated with botanical laments the loss of connectivity 14 September, 2010. courses and day schools are offered REfERENcES in a community and thereby excellence do not offer any plant- between laboratory-based at a number of higher education Forrest, S. & the probability of exposure of based degree titles at all (but do researchers and the natural world (HE) institutions and through Beauchemin, C. Computer immunology. unvaccinated individuals, could be offer zoology). And there does not – but does the science suffer as wildlife trusts, records centres and Immunological achieved with computing systems appear to be much plant biology a result, and does this mean all professional organisations. Binary bugs Reviews. 216, 176-197 as it is for biological infection. even in a plant-based degree. Take ‘traditional’ botanical activities are (2007). This would require universal and the BSc in biological sciences in decline? funding shortfall Ian Blenkharn explores how the study Lightfoot, N., Rweyemamu, M. continued antivirus software use. (plant biology) at one Russell If this is so, who will document In 2008 the House of Lords Select & heymann, D. L. Yet it is common to find computers Group university, for example: changes in distribution and Committee on Taxonomy reported of infectious diseases has lessons for Preparing for the next pandemic. BMJ. lacking operating system and specialisation is allowed in the abundance of species to assess that the need for botanists and the prevention of attacks on computers 346, 364 (2013). programme updates, with outdated second and third years with options biodiversity? Who can confirm that other field taxonomists, in order to Murray, W. h. The or disabled antivirus software. such as animal biology, ecology it is in fact Arabidopsis thaliana audit biodiversity change, was part and smartphones application of epidemiology to The increasing diversity of small or genetics, and field modules having its genes sequenced and not of our responsibilities under the sniffle, a sneeze and a or networks. The paradigm is clear, computer viruses. but powerful privately owned studying Barbary macaques or Capsella bursa-pastoris? Rio Convention. Computers & Security headache are early signs the damage extensive. 7, 139-150 (1988). computing devices, linking daily to zoology in the US. Thankfully, amateur naturalist The Joint Nature Conservation A of a common cold. Do we Applying epidemiological major academic and commercial Jones (ibid.) described the activity is on the increase. The Committee has a European then take to our bed, or carry on principles to computer viruses networks, mostly lack antivirus and disproportionate number of animal Botanical Society of the British Isles obligation to monitor for change regardless and pass the infection to is not new (Murray, 1988). In an other malware protection. researchers to plant researchers at (BSBI) has 3,000 members, many in biodiversity, delivered mainly work colleagues and others? Basic hospitable but vulnerable computing Epidemiological studies will Oxford, and it is true in most major active as field botanists making through voluntary recording hygiene measures can restrict the environment, a virus can spread continue to support the new research universities, as botanical records. The schemes and societies such as the spread of a virus but we are not rapidly and do much damage. discipline of computer immunology well as at teaching British Bryological BSBI and the BBS. Forward thinking always successful – generally, we Nothing has changed except the (Forrest & Beauchemin, 2007) and institutions Society (BBS) has HE institutions are providing do not try hard enough. abundance and diversity of threats, may be our saviour, though perhaps such as my had an increase in continuing professional development Computer viruses are no and the ever increasing potential not in the near future. Lightfoot & membership in the training in field taxonomy via different. Our basic computer for disruption and data loss. Murray colleagues (2013), calling for last 10 years, postgraduate programmes or short hygiene standards are lax. At-risk could not foresee an all powerful cross-sector collaboration to courses, but funding is virtually files are exchanged via email, file panacea, no general vaccine and no improve preparedness to new global nonexistent, with student loans only sharing, smartphones, and other defence against bad code. But he was biological viruses, echoed a need available for undergraduate degrees. unprotected storage devices. This, aware that good hygiene helps. ian blenkharn cbiol for increased effort in prevention of If we are to sustain our supply msb is a consultant combined with the use of websites It still does, and simple measures healthcare and computer virus outbreaks. of botanists, one of the biggest compromised with malicious code, can break the chain of infection. It environmental Applying the principles of impediments is funding for this conspires to create a persistently necessitates great care, a full and microbiologist. epidemiology and immunology, training, requiring a serious high risk of infection. clear understanding of the risks ceo of blenkharn with a good measure of hygiene, sarah Whild is commitment by Government. Like biological viruses, computer involved, and universal antivirus environmental, to the study, prevention, and senior lecturer in So where have all the botanists he is a lecturer at plant ecology at viruses also exhibit precise target software installation. This may be the school of management of computer virus manchester gone? There may be few botanists specificities, with a closely defined rather obvious but we continue to Psychology, social infection provides an imperfect and metropolitan in the lab, but the good news is vector and host range, variable fall into the most elementary traps. Work & human incomplete defence. However, as University and they are being trained and seem latent period and virulence, In the 1990s, the Melissa mass- sciences and with the management of infectious chair of the to have migrated out into the field. marked polymorphism and the mailing macro virus spread widely the college of diseases, this may ultimately prove Training and Hopefully, if the sun is shining, they nursing, midwifery a liverwort from education ability to respond to attacks (by when users clicked on an email & healthcare, successful in preventing widespread ernst haeckel’s committee, are out there botanising. antivirus software), as well as a attachment, allowing it to copy University of virus proliferation. There are few Artforms of botanical society Turn to page 12 for our feature on how demonstrable ‘pathology’ to devices itself to 50 contacts in the victim’s West london. more important tasks. Nature, 1904. of the british isles. arboreta safeguard our forests.

8 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 9 Hard to Open

Policy update similar after an embargo period of six months. The best tweets from At a February conference on open the annual conference access at the Royal Society, Dr Tony Peatfield spoke on behalf of the RCUK of the UK Plant and emphasised its view that making Sciences Federation research openly available is a ‘journey’ variety of underlying causes, but rather than an event, and that April’s PlantSci 2013 many are open to scientific analysis implementation of the policies would conference in Dundee and solution. The ‘Green Revolution’ be flexible in these early stages. witnessed plenty of in agriculture in the decades after David Willetts, Minister for discussion on how plant the Second World War occurred Universities and Science, outlined science can help feed a growing without water as a limiting factor, the Government’s preference global population, a debate where but our next required step up in for the gold open access route, technology, science, money and crop productivity will have to be stating it “unambiguously achieves politics collide. Speakers included water aware. the objective of open access to the University of Oxford’s Charles Irrigated agriculture covers 18% taxpayer-financed research when Godfray, David Baulcombe from the of cropland worldwide and produces it is published … and it honestly University of Cambridge and 40% of all crops. Drought and water recognises that there are some costs Jonathan Jones from the Sainsbury stress-tolerant crops will be needed to publishing”. A green approach Laboratory in Norwich. as groundwater becomes depleted would not be a financially sustainable here are just a few of the tweets. and rainfall is insufficient. Livestock business model, he said. production, too, is heavily dependent A flurry of consultations was @anneosterrieder on water, and not only for fodder. launched earlier in the year before Charles Godfray: population Many campaigns to reduce the The ramifications of open access the RCUK open access policy was possibly going to peak at 9 bill. proportion of meat in diets invoke are still not fully understood as implemented on 1st April. One, by People will demand high-quality the water savings as an important the House of Lords Science and diet needing more resources factor. Indeed, a diet rich in red meat funders put policy into practice Technology Select Committee, asked to produce. is generally cited as being the cause RCUK for greater clarity on various @markatsocbiol of consuming the most water. he UK has made significant aspects, including embargo periods. Starting to see population increase The quality of available fresh water steps towards extending RCUK has since published a revised flatten out. But food demand is also in the spotlight, particularly t access to publicly funded It has a policy that attempts to provide some increasing as China and others shift in population-dense countries. research in the last few months, with complex, clarification and has committed to a to western diet. Provision of clean water and the Research Councils UK (RCUK) controversial policy review next year. Troubled water @rebeccanesbit sanitation have undoubtedly brought implementing its policy on open impact on The Higher Education Funding The problems of supplying clean water great improvements in human health access from April onwards. Council for England is also developing People go hungry not because we international don’t produce enough food but but a further 1.5 million deaths Open access has proved publishing its open access policy in light of the to an ever increasing population are just could be prevented annually by the controversial due to the complex RCUK’s developments. because they can’t afford it (or as urgent as the demand for food extension of those services globally. financial and practical repercussions can’t reach it, eg war zones). Increasingly, the build-up it will have upon the international Membership feedback @mimiTanimoto umans have always needed We are by now used to hearing of pharmaceuticals and publishing system (The Biologist RCUK-funded researchers will begin Sustainable intensification should water to survive yet the that world population increases personal-care products in rivers Vol 59 (3) p12). With this is mind, the to experience this policy shift in the take the best from agroecological h amount of water we use has will mean that we need 50% more is drawing concern and calls for Society’s Research Dissemination coming months as universities start and organic – Charles Godfray. altered drastically over time. This food by 2030, but the anticipated improved extraction near source, Committee has been working with to administer APCs and articles are @rebeccanesbit amount varies wildly across the need for 30% more water gets or the substitution where possible members, member organisations made openly available. Following At least 30% of food is never globe, dependent not so much on less attention. Along with reducing of more biodegradable compounds. and external partners to engage with this, the Finch Group is planning a consumed. We need to reduce this local climatic conditions, but lifestyle. our carbon footprint we must The challenge may be greater Government and funders in advance review meeting in September. but the reasons are complex. In industrialised, urbanised seriously consider how to reduce in areas with ageing, medicated of its implementation. The Society will feed back evidence countries most of the water we use water footprints. populations but much is yet to be from our membership on what @plantscience is never seen or drunk – it is One obvious route is through discovered about risks as well as Processing charges impact the open access policy has Important that we don’t lose sight consumed in the course of producing changes to food production and use. solutions in this field. The Government states a preference had on research within the biological of ‘discovery in science’. Without our food, clothing and services. Post-harvest losses and wastage of It is fair to say that we need to find for the ‘gold’ open access route, where community, plus the thoughts of basic science there will be no The bulk of our imported water is food continue to be high – farm gate a way to produce more food with authors pay for publication through learned society publishers, industry impact – David Baulcombe. not in plastic bottles but embedded to market water wastage can be as less water and produce less bioactive article processing charges (APCs). If and others. We rely on member input @weedinggems within the products of overseas high as 30% in some less developed effluent or run-off at the same time an open access option or APCs are to inform our policy work. David Baulcombe: science is agriculture and industry. Worldwide, economies. In the UK and other if we are to even maintain current not available, authors must follow If you wish to report your Dr laura apolitical. But its application is agriculture is the big ticket item, industrialised economies we throw bellingan fsb, standards. The thinking caps are the ‘green’ open access route, where Jackie caine msb, experience of changing research very political. Your world view accounting for about 70% of water away about 30% of purchased food. head of on but how soon will the practical articles are made openly available senior science publication policy, please email is important. use, most of that domestic. These are big statistics with a science policy changes we need begin to take effect? through an institutional repository or policy officer [email protected]

10 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/policy www.societyofbiology.org/policy Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 11 FOReStRY ARBORetA

Westonbirt, now the national arboretum, was created in the 1850s using SEEING thE trees and shrubs from north america and the far east. wood foR thE tREES

The forestry commission’s Simon toomer explores the importance of arboreta in protecting the UK’s forests

ast year was remarkable BIOGRAPhY of pests and diseases that we have for the UK’s trees and seen in recent years. A growing L woodlands, both ecologically awareness of this has prompted a and politically. It became clear 21st-century hunt for new species, that the threat to our trees and to replace those now considered forests is more acute than the most unviable, and more species (and pessimistic plant pathologists had genotypes within them) to create a been predicting. Alongside sudden diverse and resilient species mix. oak death, Asian longhorn beetle, Unlike most agricultural crops, oak processionary moth and a long simon Toomer is trees live for a very long time list of other recently discovered or director of and species choice has long-term invading pests and diseases, an even Westonbirt, implications. Experience over the the national more worrying addition arrived: arboretum. last few decades has told us that Chalara dieback in ash. originally trained in we do not know which diseases will The arrival of Chalara fraxinea environmental arrive over the life span of even a in the UK made national news, and biology and short lived tree, let alone what a gave rise to accusations of political forestry, he has changing climate may throw at it in complacency and calls for bans on worked as a the way of drought, heat and new practical forester, imported planting stock. While woodlands pests. Therefore, one of the richest 2012 saw a spate of tree disease advisor and sources of these ‘new’ species is the incidents, for observers of UK arboriculturalist network of arboreta, in which the forestry and arboriculture over the in the private UK is particularly well endowed. last decade it was nothing new. The and local The origins of most arboreta authority sectors. combination of climate change and may lie more in pleasure and indiscriminate plant movement by recreation than science and study, but collectors and traders has led to a nevertheless their diversity, maturity steady rise in tree diseases. and (often) well-recorded history give Both groups have tended to rely them a head start over new trial plots. heavily on a favoured palette of relatively few species. While a few the arboretum North American conifers dominate The concept of the arboretum as our commercial forests, such as Sitka a place for the cultivation, display spruce and Douglas fir, our streets and appreciation of trees developed are often planted with cloned planes, from the late 18th and 19th centuries limes and other familiar species. as a distinctive side shoot from the As a consequence of this European tradition of landscape species conservatism and genetic gardening. Early private arboreta, narrowing, our forests and urban through the inclusion of species from treescapes are highly vulnerable to newly discovered (or conquered)

JANe GIFFORD/ FOReStRY COMMISSION FOReStRY JANe GIFFORD/ the kind of catastrophic invasions parts of the globe, demonstrated the

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more drought tolerant species range of different climates at the Portugal, northern Spain, and may be needed. same time, and measure how they France. A total of 37 sites will Introducing a wider portfolio of respond to climatic variables such as be planted throughout the region, species is key to adapting our forests temperature and water availability. three of which will be in the UK. and woodlands to climate change Westonbirt is participating Each site will be planted with or the impact of pests and diseases. in an EU-funded project called the same three provenances of Arboreta such as Westonbirt play REINFFORCE (REinforce 30 species, including familiar trees a key part in the tree selection and INFrastructure for monitoring such as Douglas fir and Scots pine, improvement process. From the and adapting European Atlantic as well as others that might have 1960s to the mid-1980s trials were FORests under Changing climatE), potential in the future such as Atlas set up at Westonbirt for selecting and which aims to establish a network cedar and some alternative pines. red band needle blight has improving larch (especially hybrid of species trials in different climates There are also species such as affected corsican and lodgepole pine plantations in the UK. larch), western red cedar, lodgepole along the Atlantic rim of Europe. carob and cork oak that are mainly pine and southern beeches. Many As well as the Forestry of interest to the southern partners of these trial plots still exist and Commission, there are 10 other and which are not expected to do have become integrated into the partners in the project – from too well here. arboretum landscape. As in the past, climate adaptation of our forests is not just about developing new species but about testing and selecting appropriate provenances of our existing species that might be better adapted to the future climate. The term provenance is often confused with origin. Strictly speaking, it refers JANe GIFFORD/ FOReStRY COMMISSION FOReStRY JANe GIFFORD/ to the location of the plants from which the reproductory material (usually seed) has been collected, whether grown naturally or cultivated. Origin describes the natural range from which the plant worldly and ambitious status of their recreation and instruction of the ones that claim some scientific material is derived. owners and creators. inhabitants of Derby”. relevance is in their meticulous In species with wide geographical Westonbirt (now the National) Strutt commissioned the creation attention to records. distributions, populations of Arboretum in Gloucestershire, of an arboretum that would serve as Their collections of reliably trees tend to become adapted to is a good example. The wealthy a standard of nomenclature “with identified specimens are their local climatic and ecological entrepreneur Robert Holford a degree of correctness scarcely fundamental to the sustainable use conditions, and it is suggested “painted” the arboretum’s to be found in any other garden”. and conservation of biodiversity, that planting a proportion of more sumptuous treescape using the Ironically, its planter chose an similar to the role played by zoos. southerly provenances could help latest trees and shrubs arriving from aesthetic ‘gardenesque’ planting Many state forest services have certain species adapt to future North America and the Far East in arrangement despite this clear adapted the arboretum concept to climate change. However, more the 1850s. Most arboreta at this time intention for botanical rigour. trial new species for forestry and information is needed on how such were planted with recreation and Although recreation remained for scientific research, education provenances are likely to grow pleasure as their main functions, an important objective of Derby and conservation. These are often in Britain as there are risks: for thE NAtIoNAL ARBoREtuM but during the Victorian age many and other civic arboreta, they did in regular plots that mimic example, trees raised from seeds also claimed a ‘scientific’ purpose; raise learning and understanding plantation conditions. collected further south tend to have n Great Britain, the Forestry Its scientific value is now value of the collection as a a response to the desire to bring of trees as objectives, comparable a higher risk of spring frost damage. ICommission and Natural measured by the range and resource for science include understanding and order to the with those of much earlier physic forestry and climate change Resources Wales manage number of taxa represented, screening for chemical unruly chaos of the natural world. gardens planted for the study of Climate Britain has only one major native Pan-European species trial around 20 tree collections of and by the quality of curation compounds in conifers for These were often planted in a medicinal plants. change is timber producing conifer species To help increase our knowledge varying size and composition. in terms of reliability of pharmacological research, systematic (taxonomic rather than projected to – the Scots pine. Consequently, we about alternative species and As well as creating collections, identification, documentation, and providing reliably identified ornamental) arrangement; pines in A new role for arboreta have a rely on introduced conifers and provenances, a new series of trials the Forestry Commission and standards of maintenance. samples for comparative one place, oaks in another. Even so, In the early 20th century, many serious a mix of native and non-native has recently been established that inherited Westonbirt The Forestry Commission’s studies by european scientists whether these arboreta had any real private and civic arboreta fell impact on broadleaves for timber production. will pick up some of the research Arboretum in the 1950s, about collections are accessible to on the drought resistance function beyond the amusement of into dereliction. Others passed to our forests Diseases such as red band needle threads from the 1980s, particularly 100 years after its creation. a range of users including of conifers. their wealthy creators is debatable. charitable or public owners, and this century blight (Dothistroma septosporum) for species that might substitute Through many years of botanists (particularly The arboretum’s database is It was not until the mid-19th have been maintained for their on Corsican and lodgepole pines and for currently used ones that are verification, mapping and compilers of field also used as an authoritative century, when civic pride prompted heritage and recreational value, but Phytophthora ramorum on Japanese susceptible to new pests and diseases. recording, the arboretum has guides), horticulturists, source in developing other the creation of a number of city inevitably they have had to respond larch have given a new urgency to We are also trying some new been transformed from a arboriculturalists, foresters, databases and tools such as arboreta, that clear objectives to new demands and the need to find the need to select new species. approaches to overcome some of the private arboreal folly into conservationists and the London’s Right trees informed planting style and choice relevance in a new age. New arboreta Climate change is also now problems of trying to test species a modern, multifunctional pharmacology researchers, as for a Changing Climate of species. Derby Arboretum, have been planted with much clearer projected to have a serious impact for the future climate while the plant collection with well as interested and informed decision support system, planted in 1840, was the first and more specific objectives. on our forests over this century, present climate is still changing. recreation, learning and members of the public. which can be found online at example, sponsored by the The key to the value of the early particularly in more southern and One way is to grow particular research as its objectives. Recent examples of the www.righttrees4cc.org.uk industrialist Joseph Strutt “for the public arboreta and all subsequent eastern parts of the country where species and provenances across a

14 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Do yoU haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt US At [email protected] Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 15 MeDICAL ReSeARCh ePILePSY thE EuREKA AMoEBA clear how valproic acid works, involved in cell movement and BIOGRAPhY enable researchers to rigorously stifling the design and testing of differentiation, and subsequently analyse the function of defined new compounds. to transfer these discoveries to proteins in cell function or in Epilepsy researchers are generally mammalian systems (eg immune development (Fig. 3, over). looking for new drugs that block cell movement). Dictyostelium has Dictyostelium can also be used the elevated electrical activity that also recently proven an excellent to quickly and easily monitor the leads to seizures. Standard models model for understanding molecular effect of therapeutic drugs, or other for seizure and epilepsy research aspects of altruistic behaviour, chemicals, where the behaviour of involve stimulating and recording various aspects of disease signalling cells can change rapidly following electrical activity in rat neurons and infection, and as a model for Professor robin drug exposure, and this can be in slices of (rat) brain kept alive exploring the cellular functions of a Williams is head of used to dissect the biochemical and the centre for in a dish, or in whole live animals range of proteins. biomedical molecular mechanisms controlling (normally rats). A series of important sciences at royal how the drug works. However, there is increasing characteristics gives rise to the holloway What has often held back the social concern about the use of diverse range of experimental uses University of wider application of Dictyostelium animals in research, reflected in for Dictyostelium. This includes london, where he is as a model in drug related research changing funding and legislation the ability to rapidly delete a target professor of is the concern that discoveries are molecular cell (eg Home Office licences). As a gene – since the organism is haploid biology. he first unlikely to successfully translate to result there is a greater adoption (one set of chromosomes), mutants used Dictyostelium more complex systems (such as the of the ‘3Rs’ approach (reduction, lacking the encoded protein can be in 1998 to explore mammalian brain during seizures). replacement and refinement) in readily constructed. Because the bipolar disorder However, in recent years, a range biomedical research to minimise single cells can then be isolated and drugs. he has set up of studies has highlighted the use animal use. Research in this area is propagated (Fig. 1, left), genetically a research group to of this amoeba in the analysis of explore the costly (US$850m per drug), time pure cultures of these mutants can molecular how valproic acid works in consuming (clinical development then be used in research. mechanisms of preventing seizures and therefore and approval takes on average 8.8 Conversely, the expression of any valproic acid. contributed to the development years) and has a low success rate, gene can be elevated, creating cells of improved treatments. 8.2% (Miller, 2010). with an increased level of a defined research protein and, again, genetically pure organisations Epilepsy’s holy grail A new model cultures of these mutants can be increasingly To analyse how epilepsy treatments Dictyostelium discoideum (Fig. 2, created. These two approaches attempt to control seizures using a model over) is a social amoeba occurring ‘reduce, replace system, the first question to ask naturally in the leaf litter of or refine’ research is ‘does the antiepileptic drug on animals. forest floors in temperate have an effect on your model?’ In climates (Williams et Dictyostelium cells, the formation al, 1996). It survives of the fruiting body is blocked at aboVe fig. 1. half-century, mainly due to the by consuming concentrations of valproic acid Professor Robin SB williams explains A field of availability of animal models, where microorganisms how a simple amoeba has proved a perfect individual seizures can be artificially induced and multiplying Dictyostelium and used to test the efficacy of by binary fission. replacement for animals when researching cells, around potential new treatments. It was Its common new epilepsy drugs 10 um in using this animal-based approach name (social diameter, labelled that a group of French scientists, amoeba) comes with a fluorescent Meunier et al (1963), serendipitously from its unusual protein to and disempowering, they can also behaviour when “My child has regular seizures visualise the cell identified valproic acid as a potential and we can’t find a treatment to cause damage to the brain. wall and filopodia. epilepsy treatment when using exposed to starvation stop them – what can we do?” An estimated 50 million (Photograph it as a solvent to dissolve other conditions: the normally people worldwide have epilepsy. courtesy antiepileptic compounds. single-cell amoeba move rug-resistant epilepsy, in both Approximately a third of those Nicholl Pakes). The following year valproic acid towards a single point children and adults, presents diagnosed have uncontrolled seizures. was used in clinical trials and it to form a mound of cells, d a frightening situation for Improved, more effective treatments remains one of the most highly triggering cells to differentiate sufferers and their families. It are desperately needed and would prescribed seizure-control treatments and form a multicellular fruiting also raises difficult but important provide a significant step forward for used today (branded variously as body over a 24-hour period. questions for research scientists world health (Bialer & White, 2010). Convulex, Depakene, Epival, This life cycle has enabled to solve. Not only are the seizures Drug discovery for epilepsy Epilim, and Valcote). But despite researchers to closely examine the frightening, restricting, stigmatising has progressed rapidly in the last years of research, it is still not cellular and molecular processes

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REfERENcES RNA interference technology. This Bialer, M. & White, again does not completely remove fig. 3. A field of mature h.S. Key factors in all of the gene transcripts. Neither Dictyostelium induced to the discovery and form fruiting bodies in development of new does it affect all cells equally. So, NIChOLL PAKeS antiepileptic drugs. laboratory conditions. here is where another advantage of Nat. Rev. Drug. Discov. each fruiting body is 9(1), 68-82 (2010). is revealed, because Dictyostelium around 1mm tall. Chang, P. et al. The researchers can easily and rapidly antiepileptic valproic delete any gene of our choice acid and other medium-chain fatty (providing that the protein product acids acutely reduce is not vital). A pure strain of the phosphoinositide levels independently knockout mutant can be grown and of inositol in tested for changes in its response to Dictyostelium. Disease Models valproic acid. and Mechanisms 5, Using this gene knockout 115-124 (2011). technology in Dictyostelium we Chang, P. et al. examined a family of enzymes most Seizure control by ketogenic diet- commonly associated with the associated medium- production of phosphoinositide, chain fatty acids. Neuropharmacology called PI3Ks (phosphatidylinositol 69, 105-14 (2013). 3-kinase)(Chang et al 2011). Kossoff, e.h., Zupec- In humans, there are 14 PI3K Kania B.A., & Rho, J.M. Ketogenic diets: (catalytic and regulatory) proteins an update for child present in cells. It is therefore neurologists. Journal. extremely difficult to work out Child. Neurol. 24, 979- thE LIfE cYcLE of thE streaming. Cells then form c) a 988 (2009). if any of these proteins are the SocIAL AMoEBA loose mound d) a mound e) a tight Meunier, h. et al. target of valproic acid. mound f) an early culminate and Pharmacodynamic In Dictyostelium there are six properties of fig. 2. The life cycle of the amoeba finallyg) a mature fruiting body N-dipropylacetic acid. genes encoding these proteins, Dictyostelium discoideum. a) Single consisting of a round spore head Therapie 18, 435–438 and all these genes were deleted amoeboid Dictyostelium cell. held by a stalk and attached to the (1963). in a single cell line, enabling the Miller, G. Is Pharma b) Starvation leads to approximately ground by a basal disk. The process Running Out of Brainy resulting mutant to be exposed 100,000 cells moving towards a of fruiting body formation takes Ideas? Science 329 to valproic acid and assessed (5991), 502-504 single point in a process called around 24 hours. (2010). for resistance. What was hoped Ornoy, A. Valproic for in these experiments was production compared to valproic patient’s blood that may control that could provide alternative near therapeutic levels in humans rapidly reduced phosphoinositide acid in pregnancy: that the mutant would now be acid, but small chemical changes seizures in these children, rather new treatments for drug-resistant (Xu et al, 2007). production (Xu et al, 2007). Since how much are we immune to valproic acid effects in these active compounds caused than ketone body formation. epilepsy. Within this group of new, endangering the Some of this This result suggests that valproic these phosphoinositides play a embryo and fetus? on phosphoinositide production. a loss of activity. Excitingly, this group of active compounds are some that lack acid does have molecular targets conserved signalling role for cell Reprod. Toxicol. 28(1), Unfortunately, valproic acid suggested a ‘chemical target’ may translation, translation, translation the teratogenic effect of valproic 1-10 (2009). new, active within the amoeboid cell. Further function throughout multiple still blocked phosphoinositide exist for these compounds and, like compounds To convince clinical scientists of acid linked to the occurrence of analysis found that this effect was kingdoms of life, this identified for production in these cells in the a lock and a key, only some chemical the value of using an amoeba as birth defects when used during acknowledgment lack the caused by a rapid block in cell the first time an inhibitory effect of This work was absence of the PI3K enzymes. structures may fit the lock and teratogenic an animal-replacement model in pregnancy (Chang et al, 2013). movement, and that this unknown valproic acid on phosphoinositide supported by an This indicates that valproic acid inhibit the target. epilepsy research, we needed to As a tool for biomedical research, NC3Rs grant and effect of target was affected by the drug in a production that may be conserved represents a long- does not work by changing the But are any of these active valproic acid translate our results obtained in the social amoeba Dictyostelium similar short time period over which from amoebae to humans. standing collaboration activity of these enzymes. Although chemicals more effective than Dictyostelium to traditional epilepsy provides an animal replacement between RSBW and seizures were blocked in animal Identifying which enzyme(s) may Professor Matthew this helped to narrow down the valproic acid in seizure control? One research models. model that has a range of models (Xu et al, 2007). be the target of valproic acid among Walker, Institute of possible targets of valproic acid, of the active chemicals was decanoic Using standard techniques advantages over traditional systems. This tantalising discovery, a large array of proteins is a hard Neurology, UCL. it did not identify what the acid, a fatty acid that is a major of inducing seizures in slices of In addition it helps reduce the use however, did not identify how task. Answering this question using protein target is. The search for component of a special diet used in rodent hippocampus and applying of animals amid concerns that such valproic acid blocked cell movement the most common epilepsy research the target, the holy grail of epilepsy the treatment of children with drug- the medium-chain fatty acids we models do not fully predict human or whether the effect was related model, brain slices, makes the research, continues. resistant epilepsy (the medium- identified in Dictyostelium, we epilepsy progression and treatment to valproic acid’s clinical role in problem even more difficult. In these chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic found that this group of medium- anyway. The adoption of a multiple- epilepsy treatment. The next step traditional (mammalian) research Improve screening diet, Kossoff et al, 2009). chain fatty acids provided better model system with unique research was to identify what molecular approaches, chemical inhibitors While Dictyostelium has not yet Until recently, the best theory seizure control than valproic acid in advantages provides an important changes the drug caused to affect that are designed to inhibit specific led to the discovery of how valproic about how the diet works was that multiple in vitro seizure models and research tool. cell movement in the amoeba. enzymes are often used where, for acid works in the cell, an offshoot it increases production of ketone an in vivo model of epilepsy (Chang In the case of Dictyostelium, Dictyostelium has proven one example, you can block the effect of this research was the ability to bodies (small breakdown products et al, 2011; Chang et al, 2013). the well-characterised, genetically of the best models to study the of a drug by inhibiting the specific screen for better seizure-control of fatty acids) in the blood, and this These highly active fatty acids tractable eukaryotic model, with complex biology of cell movement. protein that the drug targets. chemicals that have the same helps inhibit seizures. However, included decanoic acid, which a life cycle consisting of both In this simple organism, a But these inhibitors often inhibit effect of reducing phosphoinositide subsequent experiments have cast completely blocked seizures in just independent single cells and key family of molecules called multiple proteins within a cell and production. This approach – called a doubt on this theory. over 20 minutes. This supported a a multicellular developmental phosphoinositides are produced rarely completely inhibit the specific structure-activity relationship study A series of studies conducted role for the MCT ketogenic diet in structure, provides such a model. at the front of cells, helping them target enzyme. – was then used to test a wide range more than 30 years ago on children elevating decanoic acid in the blood The continued use and acceptance to move forward. Analysing Alternatively, the biological of compounds chemically similar using the diet found high levels of to block seizures. In addition, these of Dictyostelium as a model will the effect of valproic acid on function of the protein can to valproic acid. This study found decanoic acid in their blood. This experiments identified a range therefore provide both an ethical phosphoinositide levels in moving be blocked, by reducing the some chemicals gave rise to a strong observation proposed the tantalising of new medium-chain fatty acids, and a valuable means to improve Dictyostelium cells showed the drug transcription of the gene, using reduction in phosphoinositide idea that it was this fatty acid in a with novel chemical structures, human health.

18 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Do yoU haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt US At [email protected] Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 19 MeDICAL ReSeARCh CANCeR thE NucLEAR oPtIoN

dr ulli Köster explains how rare radioisotopes, made in world famous physics labs such as cern, could provide new treatments for cancer

aws, Oddjob, Dr No… in the BIOGRAPhY ILL, to double up as factories to James Bond films we have support production of the rare J seen the famous British spy isotopes needed in these treatments. eliminate some notorious villains. If this seems surprising, that is In the medical world, the treatment because it is. The ILL’s High Flux of cancer is turning to its own Reactor was developed to provide group of special agents, displaying neutrons not for the production of a keen sense to seek out danger rare radioisotopes, but to study the and a deadly efficiency in bringing structure of matter. Yet biological down a very different, but equally Dr Ulli Köster is a materials on the nanometre scale, treacherous foe. nuclear physicist such as proteins, viruses and cell at the institut The source of interest is a new laue-langevin membranes, which are naturally generation of radiopharmaceuticals in grenoble. his rich in light elements, are ideal for based on a group of radioactive interests range analysis with neutrons, and today isotopes with properties that make from fundamental biologists work alongside neutron them ideal for more targeted science to applied scientists to decipher their structure cancer treatment. The hope is that nuclear physics for and work out how they carry out cancer treatment. these powerful weapons could not their body functions. only improve the success rates of treatment and diagnosis through homing beacons, time bombs personalised medicine, but also and detonations reduce some of the nasty side effects Most primary stage cancers can be associated with existing procedures. treated using surgery and radiation This most critical of missions – therapy but, for some time, once developing these specialised agents the cancer has spread the only to fight cancer – is being pioneered option has been chemotherapy. by an unlikely collaboration of An incredibly invasive treatment, research facilities: the Institut Laue- chemotherapy goes in all guns Langevin (ILL), one of the world’s blazing and destroys many cells leading centres for neutron science, in the hope that healthy ones will and CERN’s ISOLDE laboratory. recover more quickly. Together they are aiming to develop The search for alternatives has their own ‘golden gun’. led medical science to targeted The research is not only proving radionuclide therapy, which takes the effectiveness of these new a far more stealthy approach. The a researcher at work on cern's isolDe laser, radioisotopes in killing cancer cells radiopharmaceuticals used in this used in the production but also the potential for research treatment attack only cancerous of terbium isotopes.

CeRN institutes, such as CERN and the cells, which they can distinguish

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initially been developed to target REfERENcES medical treatment is high because and kill certain types of cancer 1 Morschhauser, they include both diagnostic F. et al. 90Yttrium- ABout thE ILL cell by triggering an appropriate Ibritumomab tiuxetan and therapeutic isotopes. Also biological action, such as in Consolidation of the fact that all four have the ■ Grenoble’s First Remission in immuno-therapy. Advanced-Stage same basic chemistry means Institut While on their own they may not Follicular Non- they can be delivered using the Laue- have demonstrated satisfactory hodgkin Lymphoma. same bioconjugate, perfect for Langevin J. Clin. Oncol. (2013) in efficiency as cancer killers, they press. doi: 10.1200/ personalised medicine. (ILL) could still become carriers of a JCO.2012.45.6400 The case for terbium is being led operates more potent radioactive payload. 2 Kwekkeboom, D. J. by research at the Paul Scherrer the most et al. treatment With This strategy can give new hope the Radiolabeled Institute (PSI), in collaboration intense to patients since valuable time is Somatostatin Analog with the ILL and CERN’s ISOLDE neutron source Octreotate: toxicity, gained “from bench to bedside”, but efficacy, and Survival. facility. At the end of 2012 this on earth. also to biotech companies that could J. Clin. Oncol. 26(13), partnership reported on the first salvage the efforts that went into the 2124-2130 (2008) . comprehensive pre-clinical study ■ Opened in 1971, it provides development of the bioconjugate. 3 Barbet, J. et al. of these four terbium isotopes in scientists with very high flux Radiolabeled On the other hand, when a new Antibodies for Cancer mice5. The results demonstrated neutron beams for research radiopharmaceutical is designed Imaging and Therapy. excellent tumour visualisation for in chemistry, biology, 4 Methods. Mol. Biol. from scratch , an optimised 907, 681-697 (2012). diagnosis and a significant inhibition physics, nuclear physics and radioisotope can be selected at 4 Müller, C. to tumour growth in therapy, materials science. an earlier stage. Previously the Folate based doubling survival periods compared radiopharmaceuticals radioisotopes were mostly chosen for imaging and to subjects that weren’t treated. ■ The ILL’s high Flux Reactor for their commercial availability at therapy of cancer and Previous work the ILL published in can also be used to make rare the time rather than their specific inflammation.Curr. 2011 showed how this isotope could radioactive isotopes for use in Pharma. Des. 18(8), physical properties. Therefore, 1058-1083 (2012) . be produced in the quantity and nuclear medicine. traditional therapy isotopes, such as 5 Müller, C. et al. quality required for clinical use6. iodine-131 (131I), are not necessarily A unique matched quadruplet of terbium optimised for all applications in radioisotopes for Pet Licensed to kill cancer in quantities to treat hundreds to nuclear medicine. While these and SPeCt and for α While studying matter is still thousands of patients per week, and CeRN and ß-radionuclide radiopharmaceuticals invariably therapy: an in vivo a major focus of the ILL’s a new irradiation system is planned from healthy surrounding tissues by Diagnostic imaging involves it may look like and treatment of cancer dates back to get their ‘man’, better choice of proof-of-concept work, its intense neutron flux, to perform the production of 177Lu, the characteristic proteins on the adding a gamma or positron-emitting the secret lair of the 1950s, with the use of radioactive the radioisotope could do so more study with a new developed to advance research 161Tb and other innovative isotopes receptor-targeted cancer cells’ surface. radioisotope as a marker. Traditional a villain from a iodine to treat thyroid gland tumours. efficiently, for example avoiding the in this field, has inadvertently routinely and efficiently. James bond folate derivative. J. The radiopharmaceuticals are diagnostic isotopes include While their use in diagnostics has need to isolate patients in special Nucl. Med. 53(12), 1951- made it one of few places in the While there may only be one movie, but 1959 (2012) . comprised of a bioconjugate (for technetium-99m (99mTc) or fluorine-18 pictured is the advanced quickly over the years, treatment rooms. world capable of producing high 007, the hope is that the success 18 6 Lehenberger, S. et example, an antibody or a peptide) ( F). Once attached to its target, the isolDe today helping identify a wide range As a result, the search is on for al. The low-energy ß- quality radioisotopes. Already of lutetium’s and terbium’s special connected to a radioactive isotope. radioisotope emits long range gamma experimental hall of cancers and other illnesses, their alternatives. There are over 3,000 and electron emitter the ILL has demonstrated it can agents – licensed to kill cancer cells 161 at cern where tb as an alternative 177 The bioconjugate plays the role radiation (or short range positrons ability to treat hasn’t progressed known radioisotopes but most 177 produce lutetium-177 ( Lu), the without collateral damage affecting rare radioisotopes to Lu for targeted of a homing beacon to find the that ‘annihilate’, to emit long range are used for anywhere near as quickly. can be ruled out straight away as radionuclide therapy. current ‘magic bullet’ in targeted the surrounding tissue – could cancer. This can be used in two ways gamma radiation) most of which they decay too quickly, leaving Nucl. Med. Biol. 38(6), radionuclide therapy which is kick-start a revolution in nuclear fundamental 917-924 (2011). depending on the isotope selected. escapes the patient’s body and can be research and Limitations and new agents insufficient time for delivery to the already in use in several European medicine and see the development detected by special gamma cameras. medical The targeted approach of such hospital and transportation to the countries, Australia, and elsewhere, of new, more targeted cancer drugs. The spread of the cancer can then be applications. radiopharmaceuticals is also a cancer cells. Another large chunk ABout cERN mapped throughout the body. limitation: they are trained to go can be struck off as they take too The second application uses after a very particular wrongdoer, long to decay, meaning they might The ill’s high flux reactor, used in ■ CeRN (the european Council for radioisotopes that give off shorter sometimes only one subtype of a take too long to tackle the cancer, the production of Nuclear Research) was originally range radiation (such as low energy, given form of cancer and therefore or would involve keeping patients medical isotopes. set up in the 1950s and is now the beta-minus radiation or alpha cannot be deployed against a in isolation for extended periods of biggest particle physics research particles or Auger electrons). These multitude of other cancerous cells. time while also potentially creating organisation in the world. isotopes, such as iodine-131 (131I), The first and second generation a long-term issue of waste handling yttrium-90 (90Y) or more recently radiopharmaceuticals showed after excretion. ■ Its most famous facility, the lutetium-177 (177Lu), act like a impressive results in treatment Large hadron Collider, opened in time bomb that is carried by the efficacy and limited side effects, Golden guns and magic bullets 2008. It can collide two opposing bioconjugate directly into the enemy but they are aimed at relatively The number of isotopes with ideal beams of protons with a force territory (the cancer cell), where they scarce enemies with low decay properties is in the low tens, seven times greater than any can release their destructive energy. incidence, such as thyroid cancer, but one group is currently the focus other particle accelerator. A major advantage of this approach The ILL and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma1 or of research at three of Europe’s is the potential for personalised CERN’s neuroendocrine tumours2. leading research facilities. Four ■ The World treatments, where doctors can use ISOLDE lab New agents have to be enlisted isotopes of the element terbium Wide Web the diagnostic phase to identify the are aiming to to take up the fight against the (161Tb, 155Tb, 152Tb and 149Tb) are project right homing beacon to find the develop their big killers3. The search for new something of a golden gun in nuclear began cancer cells in each individual patient, own ‘golden bioconjugates could benefit from the medicine. Like the best gadgets at CeRN before using that same bioconjugate gun’ [to fight wealth of targeted compounds that from Q’s lab, they are versatile, laboratories for the therapy later on. cancer] are already under the microscope in multifunctional and can be used to in 1989. The application of radio- the biotech industry. For example, track and kill potential targets. pharmaceuticals in both diagnosis there are bioconjugates that had Interest in their potential for

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All the data extracted is digitised, an ornithology then used to reconstruct the past enthusiast takes part climate and refine models. Yet, with in the oldest citizen scientist project in the more than 250,000 logbooks in this world, the audubon country alone, there is undoubtedly christmas bird count. plenty more work to do. Whale.fm 4 www.whale.fm The Whale Song Project (aka Whale.fm) is a research collaboration between Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Scientists want to understand The logbook of Old Weather more about the way whales and charles Darwin’s 3 ship HMS Beagle, www.oldweather.org dolphins communicate with one above, is one of Completely different from any another. Sophisticated sensory those studied as other project I have come across, organs have allowed cetaceans part of the old Old Weather aims to recover vast to communicate in a surprisingly Weather project’s amounts of weather data from old complex manner, with family or attempt to build a climate database. ship logs to help refine predictions closely related groups appearing to of our climate future. Clive develop certain calls or dialects. Wilkinson of the Climatic Research Through an online project, Unit, University of East Anglia, citizen scientists are shown a describes it like this: “If we wish to spectrogram of a certain call understand what the weather will collected via non-invasive tags do in the future, then we need to attached to the animals, or understand what the weather was hydrophones deployed on ships. doing in the past.” A map of the world’s oceans To this end they have studied identifies the location at which logbooks from the famous voyage of the call was recorded and, after the Beagle, historic expeditions to listening, participants attempt to the Antarctic and the vast English match it with other calls from the East India Company. Interpreting project’s extensive database. handwritten records poses a A project such as this not only significant challenge to computers, answers questions about the size and that is why crowdsourcing to of whale repertoires, but also shows volunteer citizen scientists online how well volunteer judgements has been crucial to the success of agree or differ, improving accuracy this project. in the future.

The Audubon Wildflower Count say what? orca calls are 1 Christmas Bird Count 2 www.plantlife.org.uk/ among the communications GREAt http://birds.audubon.org/ things_to_do/wildflowers_count being analysed to build up the christmas-bird-count Every year Plantlife runs a huge, whale.fm project database. If you thought citizen science is new, nationwide wildflower count in cItIZEN then think again. The Christmas the UK. It is good fun and helps Bird Count is in its 113th year and keep track of common and rare weighs in as the longest-running species alike. Plantlife works hard citizen science project in the world. to make this accessible to anyone ScIENcE Every winter tens of thousands who wants to get involved, and of Americans brave all manner of it does a great job. conditions armed with binoculars Participants are allocated a 1km PRoJEctS and checklists, completing surveys grid square close to their home right across the USA. and sent an ID guide with 99 of he rise of citizen science The only thing more astounding With more than a century of the UK’s wild flowers and a simple 10has been meteoric: from than the popularity of citizen data now available, this has offered recording form. Particularly T school groups bioblitzing science is the variety of projects researchers and conservationists an keen folk can revisit their site their playgrounds and armchair available to participants. unparalleled insight into the long-term throughout the summer and conservationists sifting through here James borrell, a health of bird populations in North include extra species if they wish. camera trap footage, to the conservationist promoting 2013 as America. Its success has spawned All the data eventually goes in to countrywide army of naturalists ‘the year of citizen science’, picks other programmes abroad, as well the National Biodiversity Network meticulously recording wildlife and some of his personal favourites as more specific surveys focusing on database, which is freely available submitting observations. from around the world. breeding birds or rare species. for all to access.

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be incredibly challenging and is described as one of the hardest Human problems in biology today. Society Science analysis The scientists behind Foldit are may be more collecting data to find out if humans on’t forget this This year the society is efficient than and their abilities might be more dsummer you also studying when house existing efficient than the existing computer can join in with the spiders come indoors. computer programs, to perhaps offer insights society’s flying ant information on how to programs into future methods. survey. last year identify females and we received over males, as well as an app Foldit MammalMAP 6,000 reports to help to record your sightings, 5 www.fold.it 6 http://mammalmap.adu.org.za/ research when and in can be found online at: From counting species and One way in which citizen researchers what conditions the ants www.societyofbiology.org/ monitoring climate right down to can help science and conservation emerge and take flight. housespiders cellular processes, citizen science is by providing eyes and ears across projects cover it all. Foldit, from a vast area, that would otherwise the Department of Biochemistry be too large or costly to study. at the University of Washington, MammalMAP is doing just this. Snapshot Serengeti with other carnivores, and predator- is a computer game allowing The result of collaboration 9 www.snapshotserengeti.org prey relationships, but it is also participants to contribute to between the University of Cape One of the problems of camera trap dangerously good fun. The response important research by solving the Town and University of Pretoria data is that there is so much of it. has been staggering, with thousands structure of proteins. in South Africa, this project aims A few hundred cameras over several of citizen scientists cataloguing Humans are good at puzzle solving to update the distribution maps of months can easily generate millions millions of images in just a matter and the game takes advantage of all African mammal species. of images, which are exceptionally of days. Calling the project a success more than 25,000 this trait to competitively predict a camera trap By collating reliable records time consuming to analyse. would be an understatement. people took part in image of a genet, how proteins fold. It can even design such as camera trap images or the big butterfly Enter Snapshot Serengeti, an part of the new proteins in an attempt to photographs contributed by citizen count last year, online project to study some of mammalmaP recording species prevent or treat important diseases. project managed scientists, wildlife authorities, Africa’s most iconic and elusive such as this Despite advanced computers, by Dr Tali hoffman, conservation organisations and species in Serengeti National tortoiseshell. identifying protein structure can pictured below. more, they hope to create an Park, Tanzania. It allows users open-access digital database. to view images and identify the This will provide a fantastic Bat Detective calls and pick out different types. species from a list provided. resource not only for conservation 8 www.batdetective.org Yet again, humans seem to be able Users can also narrow down the and landscape management, but Of the 1,200 or so species of bats to do this much better than many list using characteristics such as also for education and outreach. around the world, around one in five computer programs. The goal of horns, colours and build, to make The wonderful thing about is threatened with extinction over this project is to utilise human a cheetah and identifying the species easier. MammalMAP is how easy it is the coming decades. Bat Detective classifications to build a new and her cubs become Not only is the data from this Galaxy Zoo part of snapshot 10 to contribute. All you need is a is an international collaboration improved automated program serengeti, an online project helping researchers www.galaxyzoo.org photograph with the date and with the aim of monitoring to help monitor bat populations project to log understand intriguing questions Citizen science is not just location, then upload it to their bat populations. Indicators around the world. species in Tanzania. including how carnivores coexist Earthbound and no list would be virtual museum website. While of ecosystem health, bats also complete without mentioning the you are there, you might like to provide valuable ecosystem incredible Galaxy Zoo. check out FrogMAP, ReptileMAP, services such as crop pollination This project tries to make OdonataMAP or even EchinoMAP. and controlling pests. sense of some of the estimated However, surveying or monitoring 100 billion galaxies scattered across The Big bats can be difficult with traditional the observable universe. It does this 7 Butterfly Count methods so scientists are now using by using an online interface that www.bigbutterflycount.org special ultrasonic microphones allows users to catalogue the shape Proudly proclaimed by the Butterfly to pick up bat calls from the and structure of galaxies from deep Conservation charity as the world’s environment as they hunt or space images, all from the comfort biggest survey of butterflies, more socialise. These are turned into of their home computer. than 25,000 people took part in sonograms that allow users to The shape of a galaxy tells 2012, counting 223,000 individual view a visual representation of the scientists a great deal about how it butterflies and day-flying moths formed and events in its lifetime. right across the UK. The vast collection of images In keeping with the spirit of citizen utilised in Galaxy Zoo comes from science no specialist knowledge the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, one of is needed. Simply download their the first and largest of its kind. handy ID chart then spend With more than 70,000 15 minutes watching for butterflies classifications per hour being and submit your results online. Not received within a day of its only are butterflies a great indicator launch, and more than 50 million species, but many also appear submitted to the project during to be in decline. So dust off your its first year, it just goes to show deckchair, enjoy the sunshine and that the potential of citizen science count some butterflies this summer. is truly astronomical.

26 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Do yoU haVe an oPinion on This arTicle? CONtACt US At [email protected] Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 27 INteRVIeW PROFeSSOR BRUCe hOOD

ME, MYSELf ANd I

ruce Hood is an experimental understanding the neuroscience Professor Bruce hood tells psychologist specialising in of eye movements. The trouble is that Tom ireland how the kilogramme B developmental cognitive the more complex the function, neuroscience. Best known for his work the harder it is to disentangle the of neurons in our head creates on infant development, superstition various mechanisms. and identity, he delivered the 2011 an illusion of identity Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. In The Self Illusion you describe In his latest book, The Self Illusion, holding a human brain. It was clearly and consciousness he suggests the ‘you’ inside your a profound experience. what was so head is not really in charge of your special about it? actions at all. Psychologists like to build hypothetical models to understand processes. These Is there a schism between are usually box diagrams with lots of psychology and neuroscience or do arrows and feedback loops joining up they work well together? all the separate modules that must exist It really depends on who you ask. There and coordinate to produce complex are some psychologists who think that thoughts and behaviours. When you brain imaging can’t tell you anything hold or dissect a brain, there are no you don’t already know. Then there are arrows or wiring diagrams. So you are also some neuroscientists who think immediately impressed by the that psychology is just common sense. magnitude of the difference between In general most recognise that complex understanding how the mind works biological systems, such as humans, and the physical system that generates have different levels of explanation, the mind. Then there is the shocking from the molecular level to social realisation that the 1.5kg of tissue groups. Bridging the gaps between you are holding in your hands once these levels is the tricky part. dreamed, fell in love, told jokes and all the other personal experiences As a psychologist whose work that make up the individual. comes from a ‘neuroscience That’s a profound moment. perspective’, is it fair to assume you felt that neuroscience offered how much can neuroscience more interesting insights than really tell us about how a lump ‘classic’ psychology? of neurons creates self-awareness Yes, I think that’s true. Looking at the and consciousness? Holding a biology helps to constrain the sorts of I do not have an answer, neither does 1.5kg brain in explanations you can generate. My anyone, though there are a number of your hands early work on infant perception was ideas flying about. The main problem is you realise initially influenced by models with little substance dualism. The brain is it once fell or no reference to how they may be material and the mind is immaterial. in love, told implemented in the brain. When They are of different substance so how jokes, and cognitive neuroscience took off in the could one arise from the other? This is dreamed … late 1980s, it seemed that we might be usually the standard objection to my it’s a shocking understanding how the brain actually materialist stance. I don’t have an realisation performs the operations that make answer but I know that if I alter your perception possible. My thesis on infant material brain through drugs, disease

ADAM GASSON ADAM visual attention benefited greatly from or damage, then your mind will be

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dangerous is not responsible for their BIOGRAPhY which current areas of research actions. The problem is, what is an and technology in neuroscience acceptable brain disorder? really excite you? I have just finished my next book If someone has been traumatised about the effects of domestication on as a child so that they lack empathy, human evolution, so I am increasingly something that shows up as interested in the influence of others abnormal brain responses, does on how our brains operate. This is that make them less culpable? actually a very old area of social The more we discover about the Professor bruce psychology but recent neuroscience brain, the more we will be able to hood msb is an developments in our understanding experimental identify biological abnormalities psychologist of self and others make this territory between those who commit crime specialising in really exciting. and those who don’t. developmental I also think that social networking If you believe that punishment is a cognitive is fascinating, as clearly the next deterrent, and I am not convinced it is neuroscience. generation is interacting in ways that at the moment, then arguably it is a he is a professor at are completely new. Anyone with the school of factor that plays into the mix of factors experimental teenage children can see that that are responsible for whether or not Psychology at the happening before their very eyes. someone commits a crime. I guess that University of Unlike some, I am not overly it is for society to decide whether they bristol, and has concerned about new technologies believe punishment works. It also been awarded an but I do believe they have and will alfred sloan depends on whether they believe in free fellowship in continue to have a significant impact will – something that I personally don’t. neuroscience. on human behaviour. It is an exciting he has also worked time to be alive. daniel Bor’s book on consciousness, as a research fellow The Ravenous Brain, notes a at the University how does working on the science of fascinating case of Siamese twins of cambridge and the self, consciousness and University college joined at the head who were able to london, and as a development affect your own life? delve into each other’s memories faculty professor I find it challenging and enriching. and experiences. do you think at harvard. Even though I regard my self as an technology could ever tap into illusion, it does not change my other people’s experience in this experience. I still interact with way to see life through another others as a self and treat them as person’s perspective? such. But I am able to stop agonising No, and not just from a technological over my flaws to some extent. limitation. As I noted in the book, it is impossible to know what it would be like to think like a bat – a famous philosophical thought experiment. You cannot think like a bat with a altered as well. I think that reaction in the scientific community perspective the most shocking because When they were in this state of arousal, human mind because you cannot be consciousness is not a state but a and among the general public? the experience of a unified self is so they found the sex acts much more both a human and a bat at the same continuous process of interpretation. Yes, indeed it has divided opinion in Even though compelling and inescapable. That’s the acceptable. Which just goes to show time. Likewise, you cannot have When we are unconscious, we are both communities. Many colleagues are I regard my thing about illusions – even when you that our emotions can sometimes someone else’s mental experiences and simply not registering the world at the quite comfortable with the idea that the self as an know that they are not what they seem, override our moral reasoning. I think maintain your own at the same time. same level of inspection. When we mind is generated by the brain and, as illusion, it you cannot change the experience. we all could have guessed that, but still, You would become them. dream, we are conscious – just not such, it is the output of separable does not it has to be one of the more bizarre conscious of the external world but mechanisms. There is no point where it change my Your book contains some clever studies in the book. Bor also describes a thought rather of our internal memories. When all comes together as a unified self. After experience experiments to support your experiment in which each neuron of we are unconscious and not dreaming, all, that is the framework of cognitive theory that we very often don’t If a society fully understands why a man’s brain is replaced, one by we have no self-awareness but we know neuroscience. And yet some colleagues behave as we’d expect our ‘self’ to. it behaves the way it does and, one, with a silicon chip with identical the brain is registering information. So disagree that it is an illusion because do you have a favourite? potentially, that the self and free connections and functions. Most for me, consciousness is a continuum of we function as individual selves. It has to be Dan Ariely’s experiment, will are illusions, could it lead people agree that the man would experience, which I think is the output That’s where I think that they are which I cannot believe he got through to people ‘giving up’ attempting remain the same person, even of neural processes that work on both wrong. Vision appears to function an ethics committee. He had males to make rational decisions or when his brain is entirely silicon internal and external information. like a video camera but this is rate their attitudes to dubious sexual taking responsibility, and are chips. do you think humans will Not exactly falsifiable so not really completely wrong – which is one of the practices including unprotected sex, there implications for the concept ever build a computer that has testable – but an intriguing idea. reasons that early attempts to build group sex, kinky sex, sex with elderly of legal responsibility? consciousness and a sense of self? artificial vision failed miserably. The partners and even if they would drug This is a really interesting question as Yes, but it would be the consciousness having read and discussed your experience of self is very real and, yes, someone for sex. Not surprisingly, they neuroscience is increasingly entering and sense of self I described above – a book with colleagues and friends, it functions like an independent, generally thought these acts immoral. the courtroom as an extenuating state of continuous interpretation of Professor bruce hood their reaction to its central idea integrated individual, but that is not They were then given pornography circumstance in criminal proceedings. information. The closer you approach delivers the royal seems to be either a terrified denial how it could possibly operate. to view and asked to pleasure Most of us can readily accept that an the same level of human information institution christmas that this could be the case, or “well, As far as the general public is themselves while they again gave their individual who suddenly develops a processing in your computer, the closer lecture in 2011, and at his home, left. that’s obvious”. what has been the concerned, I think they have found this attitudes to these various acts. brain tumour which makes them it will be to human consciousness.

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At A GLANcE Professor Kennedy’s research SPotLIGht oN includes pollen count AERoBIoLoGY forecasting with the met office. clouds of pollen leaving the male Name cones of an umbrella pine, a Professor source of hay fever. Roy Kennedy Profession Director, National Pollen & Aerobiology Research Unit, University of Aerobiology is the study of airborne biological Worcester particles and their movement and impact on human, Qualifications animal and plant health. PhD in plant pathology, why is it important? University of Allergens in airborne pollen or fungal spores are the cause Sydney, Australia; of hay fever or allergic rhinitis in more than 20% of the MSc in mycology, UK population. Many fungal spores carried in the air are Queen’s pathogens of UK crops or cause allergies in animals, University and there is even research looking at hay fever come from birch tree pollen so tracking these particles is also important to the Belfast; INtERVIEw products to harden the lining of the early in the season and grass pollen. agriculture industry. BSc (hons) in nose so it is less sensitive. Don’t forget, I think people would be surprised botany, Queen’s what does your research involve? there’s also the indoor aerobiology by what you find over a 24-hour what careers are available? University Belfast We are best known for our pollen environment – house dust mites and period. Air samplers vary. The ones Aerobiology is a multidisciplinary field. Careers mostly Interests forecast, which we do in March, pets, and the materials they give off, from the 1950s, when aerobiology involve sampling air quality and public health, immunology Pollen and from the beginning of the season, that many people are sensitive to. really had just started, were the research, environmental protection or agriculture. fungal spore- through to October. We’ve been industry standard for a long time and Research and forecasting organisations around the related allergies, doing it for nearly 20 years. Pollen did you help to track the spread particulates were basically impacted world advise the general population and the medical and infectious concentration is dependent on of ash dieback? on a bit of sticky tape and then looked farming industries, and many commercial companies are agents, fungal vegetation coverage and phenology – We were involved with reviewing at under a microscope. developing allergen detectors or products to counter the genomics and when grasses and flowers are opening the information on ash dieback and Now we have high-volume symptoms of allergies. population and releasing their pollen – but also the techniques that could have been samplers that can sample 500 litres Aerobiologists often work closely with medical doctors, studies the weather, so it’s a collaboration used to alleviate it. of air per minute and separate plant pathologists, mycologists and meteorologists. with the Met Office. Many believe it only takes one or particulates into different sizes; Aerobiological observations are used in many other We also work closely with two spores to create an epidemic but or pregnancy test-style kits that disciplines: palynology (the study of dust), ecology, botany, Worcester acute hospital and this is generally not the case. give you a colour reading in phenology, climatology, meteorology and forensics. tweet our pollen forecasts to their We are not just talking the presence of particular respiratory doctors, many of whom about detecting allergens – a lab on a stick. how do I get into a career involving aerobiology? are honorary members of the unit. spores but the You can even get an Many working in aerobiology will have specialised in If you know in advance you can start likelihood of there app that calculates the microbiology. There are masters degrees available to take your medicine earlier and being enough concentration of certain that focus on allergies and infections from universities lessen the effects of the allergens. to establish airborne particles using such as Worcester and King’s College London. an infection. an iPhone. You don’t Many biology undergraduate courses run modules what other applications are there for Similarly, there need a lab any more. specifically on allergens. Basic and advanced aerobiology your aerobiology research? are threshold courses are also organised by the International Many fungal spores carried in the air levels of specific where is aerobiology Association on Aerobiology (IAA) – the next one is being are plant pathogens. So farmers can allergens required for research heading? held in Ukraine in July. minimise their pesticide use if they sensitisation in humans. For a long time aerobiology are able to track when particular has concentrated on microscopic where can I get more information? pathogens will pass over their crops how do you sample air for tests and we need to focus more on For more information and links, check out the IAA’s We tweet and when they won’t. biological particles? genetics and applying the science website and the UK’s National Pollen and Aerobiology our pollen We also recently found the amount About 20 stations across the UK of genomics to airborne biological Research Unit. of allergen within the pollen varies send us data. They are mostly other material. As well as whole cells, we ■ https://sites.google.com/site/aerobiologyinternational forecast to and research suggests it could be to do universities and hospitals, where the want to look at which individual ■ pollenuk.worc.ac.uk doctors in with climate change. We are working amount of pollen is measured on a genes are present and causing The IAA organises the Quadrennial Congress (International Worcester with physicians at Worcester Acute daily basis. That is then sent to us allergy, and what’s going on within Congress on Aerobiology – ICA) which will be held in Hospital on using immunotherapy and fed into our daily forecast. populations of fungal pathogens and

Sydney, Australia, in September next year. MAUDSLeY/ShUtteRStOCK BRIAN treatments for controlling allergies The two major allergens that cause allergen producing pollens.

32 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 33 member Profiles

about it and the enormity of what dan Quinton fSB it is telling us. The Douglas Adams quote – “Isn’t it enough to see that a For the last 14 years I have taught garden is beautiful without having biology at Caterham dchool in to believe there are fairies at the Member news Surrey and am currently head of bottom of it too” – says it all. Our regular round-up all about you, our Society members biology and head of science. Our department has won 15 Good School The world of DNA and genetic Guide Awards for its A-level teaching. engineering holds such member Profile extraordinary potential. I am so My passion for biology was jealous of pupils just about to start Social Notices ignited during the sixth form at their biology studies at university. Chief executive Dr Mark Downs is to career flight of a bird buff Loughborough Grammar School The future is so exciting. One area hold informal sandwich lunches From an early age I was interested by my inspirational teacher, Geoff I am researching at the moment daniel Giblin AMSB with groups of 40-50 members, or in the animal kingdom, particularly Witts. Since then authors such as is epigenetics – simply amazing In my current role I analyse 10-15 Fellows. Places are available in population ecology of birds and Richard Dawkins, Jerry Coyne and biology unheard of during my time clean water samples for on a first-come, first-served basis. processes of speciation. When I was Steve Jones have fuelled my passion at university. Cryptosporidium and other to book, call 020 7685 2564 or email 14 years old, I read On the Origin for biology. Charles Darwin is, of organisms to ensure water reaching [email protected] of Species by Charles Darwin, which course, number one. In my spare time I play the customers’ taps is safe to drink. made a big impact on my thinking double bass in jazz clubs – I 17 July and vocation. I studied biology at dt Peter’s spent 15 years touring the I studied microbiology at Fellows’ Lunch, London College, Oxford. Twenty-five years world as the bass player in the the University of Liverpool. 12:30-14:00 I think England, the Ud, Germany, on, evolution remains my passion; Otis Grand Blues Band – or Before that I went to Priestley Charles Darwin house and Canada will have a prominent in particular, trying to get people at right-mid for Oxted Vets’ College in Warrington, and studied 17 september role in the ornithological sector in to understand the misconceptions hockey team. biology, chemistry, psychology Fellows’ Lunch, Bristol the next decade. and IT at A-level. 12:30-14:00 Bristol Zoo I like the seriousness and I thoroughly enjoyed molecular I’d always been good at science 24 october professionalism of my colleagues biology but didn’t have the at school, and found I was better Members’ Lunch, London in the discipline. I love the ‘green fingers’ some people had at biology-based topics, which 12:30–14:00 enthusiasm that the Society shows in the laboratory. When I was made me carry on with science Charles Darwin house around the world and its dedication offered a place on an exposure through college and then on to issues related to biology. to business course during my to university. The event that alejandro spent PhD, I discovered I enjoyed triggered me pursuing a career member neWs three years in I enjoy reading about evolutionary solving the business problems. I in science was coming second Alejandro barcelona working biology, bird behaviour and knew I had found an alternative highest in the year for one of my dr Anna hine on identifying population ecology. I also love career path. Now I have the science exams at school. hummingbirds to observe and identify birds in benefit of combining my broad correa MSB in south and fSB wins central america. different natural ecosystems. business experience with my There seems to be a lot of I work in ornithological studies For instance, I identified a male original scientific background, investment in automation at innovation on a variety of different projects specimen of Piranga rubra outside which is perfect. the moment, particularly in life undertaken by NGOs, museums, of its recorded distribution range in sciences, which is exciting to be a award universities and a private foundation. January 2009, north of Chile. My early career was a mix of part of, as it should make our lab Dr Anna Hine FSB has been finance jobs at Unilever and processes more efficient and awarded Commercial Innovator For several years I worked in the dr Phil Boyd fSB Kraft Foods, where I completed cost-effective. of the Year by the Biotechnology laboratory of botany and ecology my accountancy training, and Biological Sciences at the University of Chile with I have held various finance followed by five years as a The Government recently Research Council. Dr Hine, Dr Juan Armesto and Dr Carolina director roles within the management consultant with published its water White Paper. senior lecturer at the University Villagrán. My research was on seed biotechnology industry since PricewaterhouseCoopers. It will introduce competition into of Aston in Birmingham, dispersal and plant-animal interaction 1999, joining Syntaxin as chief the water industry – probably the won for her development of in the uninhabited and pristine financial officer in 2007. Syntaxin To ensure I continue to have biggest challenge to the industry molecular technology for protein Islands of Chiloé in Chile. I also spent is developing a new class of wider industry exposure since privatisation. engineering in the biotechnology three years at the Museum of Zoology compounds to treat diseases in a I chair the finance and and pharmaceutical industries. in Barcelona with Dr Francesc Uribe range of therapeutic areas. I discovered taxation advisory committee I joined the dociety as it provides working on taxonomic identification I enjoyed of the Biotechnology Industry information and support from of hummingbirds of South and My background is in plant solving Association and I am a people who work in the same Central America. molecular biology, with a degree business non-executive director of profession that I do. It also allows in biotechnology and a PhD in problems Oxfordshire Bioscience Network. me to be part of an organisation genetics from the University of that influences Government the East Midlands branch would branch officer posts both in the and knew I Leeds. My PhD thesis involved To relax I like nothing better opinion in the industry I work in. East Mids like to thank dr Pat horton for east Midlands and previously at had found an growing moss tissue at scale in an than riding or working on her contribution to the Society of the thames Valley branch. her alternative airlift fermenter and then looking my motorbikes – I have three at I enjoy the gym, swimming and branch says Biology. Pat, who retired from work for Society of Biology career path the east Midlands branch at (Institute of Biology) branches for differential gene expression at present, only constrained follow Warrington Wolves rugby Christmas, has held various has spanned several decades. protein, RNA and DNA levels. by garage space. league club at home and away. tIM GANDeR thanks, Pat

34 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 35 MeMBeR NeWS NeW MeMBeR LIStS

aPril 2013 elecTion Support New, Transfer & Chartered Members your local Affiliate Siobhan Roche, Monika Romanowska, Newton, Ming him Ng, Caoimhe Ni Dhuill, Zainab Abubakar, Thomas Adams, Michael Robin Rumney, Benedicte Sampson, Khin Gareth Parry , Laura Penn, Olakunle Phillips, branch Adu, Yazi Al’joboori, Jarome Ali, Zoe Allen, hsu hsu San, Jennifer Saunders, helen Keely Plewa, Blandine Poulet, Katarzyna hannah Allum, Yusra Alsammarraie, Natasha Seaby, eleanor Senior, Polina Shipkova, Przybylska, Justyna Pudlis, William Ravis, our branches rely Alsop, Mf Altay, humayra Anjum, Jake Atkin, Joan Shutt, Rixta Sievers, Oliver Simons, Lynn Raw, David Reardon, Ian Ridgers, Rachel on your support. Iris Barbier, Anna Barnes, David Barthorpe, Adam Simpkin, Shivani Singh, Vicky Sleight, Rutland, elizabeth Rylott, Gracy Sailo- if you would like Sarah Bartle, Jonathan Bate, Katherine Kimberley Slinger, Thomas Smith, emma Lebeau, Anne Scott, Julia Scott, Mittal Shah, to give a careers Berry, holly Black, Matthew Bowdich, James Stanfield, Daniel Stobo, Jodie Stroud, trishna Shah, Ze Shan, Reuben Sharma, talk at your local Bradley, Christie Breen, Matthew Brennan, Camellia Sturgess, John Sullivan, Vaishnavi Suzanne Sharpe, Md Monowarul Siddique, school or help with Charlotte Bright, Natasha Bryant, James Sundaresan, Adam Syed, Yuiko takebayashi, Nigel Skinner, edward Smith, Philippa Smith, public engagement Buck, hayley Butcher, Shaynesia Byfield, Florence taylor, Rebecca taylor-Barnes, Jack Kevin Smyth, Mark Sullivan, Krishna Mohan activities then get Imogen Campbell-Black, Benedetta Thirkell, Charlotte Thomas, Jessica Thomas, Surapaneni, Lorraine Syme, Carly tetley, in touch with them Carbone, timothy Carden, Maria Carr, Lucy Andrew Thomson, Wai to, James toman, elinor Thompson, Karen topping, Colin trigg, – contact details Chadwick, elizabeth Charles, Mandy Chee, Chioumara tome, hayley tomlin, David Asif tulah, Ann Vernallis, Amanda Vernon, on page 44. Frances Cheesman, Ibtesham Chowdhury, townsend, trang tran, Carla turner, Beatrice Pegine Walrad, Randika Weerathunga, Peter Ka Chun Chung, Paulina Ciepla, Victoria tyrrell, emma tyson, Victoria Uchegbu, Woodward, Anna Zecharia. Clark, toby Clements, elizabeth Coker, Ubong Udoh, Matthew Wade, Conor Waldock, Daniel Copeland, Marzia Coslan, Rona Sophie Wardle, Kate Warriner, Rowan Watson, RScitech Costello, Anne Coulson, Olivia Cropper, Anna Ciaran Welsh, Gregory Wills, Abigail Wilson, Sharon Davison, Daniel hunter, eleanor Cullen, Gabrielle Cummins, Bartosz Cwikla, Christopher Wilson, tin Wong, Kelly Woods, McMaster, Zoe Milne, emily Reid, Linda Sears, Thomas Davey, Thomas Davies, Nicola Davis, Thomas Wright, Deyue Yang, Yangjinqi Yu, Kimberly Smith, Sara White. Charlotte Deall, Jason Dexter, Ravinder Stefan Zaharievski, Omar Zbili, Amanda Dhaliwal, Kate Dianat, Laura Draper, Georgia Zetterberg, Xiaoyue Zhu, Sartaj Zoha. 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Andrew Plygawko, Sheng Kai Pong, Megan harriet Kamendi, Andrew Kelly, Matthew Poole, Nicholas Poulson, Kathryn Powell, Lam, Sabrina Lamour, Mark Latham, David chartered Biologist fellow Nathan Price, Nicola Rae, Priya Ramakrishna, Lengel, Qiuhong Li, tony tsin Wai Liu, Jacob (cBiol fSB) Konstantin Rapoport, Devon Redfearn, Lo, Matt Longshaw, Andrew Macan-Lind, Shaukat Abdulrazak. Thomas Reed, Rachel Reeves, Jonathan Reid, Daniel Macklin, Philip Matthews, Catrin William Reynard-Bowness, Luke Reynolds, Middleton, Kieran Monaghan, Catherine chartered Scientist fellow (cSci fSB) Sophie Reynolds, Gabriela Roberts, Natasha Morris, Gwyneth Moss, Lorraine Muckian, N Irabanta Singh, Susan Shawcross, Andrew Roberts, James Robertson, harriet Robson, helen Musgrove, Michael Neale, Rosemary taylor-Robinson, Clifford Warwick.

36 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 our regular round-up of books published in the fields of biology Reviews and related sciences

hPV and cervical cancer: Achievements in Prevention and future Prospects franco Borruto and Marc de Ridder (Eds) springer, £135.00 Described as the “sum of the current available information on HPV”, this book is indeed that, and then some. Every page in this compendium is crammed with information, from the history of how the HPV virus was identified, to the present use of therapeutic HPV vaccines. Laden with data, it should be every PhD student’s bible. However, it is bound to disappoint those who appreciate good visual illustrations. Most of the accompanying figures are of poor quality and some are barely legible. Nevertheless, there are chapters in this book that some parents (particularly of teenage girls) might find interesting: such as that © ReSeRVeD; COLLeCtION NAtIONAL PORtRAIt GALLeRY, LONDON GALLeRY, PORtRAIt NAtIONAL COLLeCtION ReSeRVeD; © dedicated to the prevention of HPV- associated diseases in the USA which gives an insight into the benefits of a cytological screening programme, NAtuRE’S hERo the dangers of aggressive advertising Shaping Ecology: This elegantly crafted biography by drug companies and the debate the Life of Arthur tansley by a Tansley enthusiast and former over whether it is cost effective to Peter Ayres executive editor of the New vaccinate males. Wiley-blackwell, £19.99 Phytologist (a journal that Tansley Likewise, policymakers may learn Walk through the ancient yew launched in 1902 and edited until a lesson or two about the introduction woodland of Kingley Vale nature 1931) is a mixture of scientific of vaccination programmes – reserve in West Sussex on to Box Hill, insights, archive research and from the ethics associated with and you will come across a monument oral interviews with family implementing them to the use of herd to a remarkable botanist and members and former students. immunity in tackling lower-income ecologist: Sir Arthur George Tansley So important was the need for populations. Warts and all, this book (pictured in the portrait above). such a reflective biography, the appears to be a must for anyone Shaping Designated in 1952 as one of the research was co-funded by the working in the HPV field. Ecology first official ‘places for nature’ by a New Phytologist Trust and the Dr c loughton “Tansley fledgling Nature Conservancy (which British Ecological Society. embraced Tansley chaired), the reserve exists As the Tansley Stone at Kingley the Value of plant because of his personal lobbying. Vale proclaims, he “during a long Species geography, No mere academic scientist, Tansley lifetime, strove with success to widen Edward L Mccord ecology, was at times breathless in his ability the knowledge, to deepen the love yale University psychology, to embrace plant geography, ecology, and to safeguard the heritage of Press, £18.99 psychology, philosophy, biology, nature in the British Isles”. There is an philosophy, politics and conservation. He To all of us who cherish such wild increasing biology, recognised, ahead of his time, the places in modern Britain, as this book awareness of and politics” complex and changing relationships reveals, we owe Tansley a great debt. the economic value of biodiversity between nature and people. Dr rob lambert and the ‘ecosystem services’ it can

Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 37 ReVIeWS BOOKS

all 385 drawings in some comparison with Leonardo da domestication publication of Tim Mackrill’s The to reflect on the (potential) import of The Unfeathered Vinci when it comes to van Grouw’s of Plants in the Rutland Water Ospreys. neuroscience into disciplines such as Bird are from actual amazing observational skills. old world This beautifully constructed book, economics, literary criticism and specimens – the author being a After an introduction there is a daniel Zohary, with exquisite photography and moral philosophy. skilled taxidermist. brief note on avian taxonomy Maria hopf & detailed illustrations by John Wright, In contrast to some commentaries followed by part one, which deals with Ehud weiss documents the personal, local, on neuroscience that either the anatomy of the bird’s body, oxford University national and international stories of uncritically accept its salience to considering separately the trunk, Press, £55.00 the re-establishment of the osprey in other spheres of research or head and neck, hind limbs, wings Our epic human story would be the British countryside. conversely fully reject its insights, the and tail. This generic section incomplete without the subject of this Mackrill eloquently describes contributions to this book cast a more examines design associated with book: domesticated plants changed the successes, failures, trials, sober eye over neuroscientific function such as structural the world. Botany, plant conservation, tribulations and triumphs of the developments and their adaptations to flight. agriculture, archaeology and the project, a pioneering attempt in rapprochements in the humanities Part two deals with six orders of ancient history of western civilisation Europe to translocate the birds. With and social sciences. It is therefore a birds: the Acciptres, Picae, Anseres, all meet in this invaluable book. close connections to projects in useful read for anyone considering Grallae, Gallinae and Passeres. There In this fourth edition the authors Scotland, it has inspired similar interdisciplinary research, as well as is a short, dictionary-style paragraph update the classical taxonomic programmes in Italy and Spain, and for a more general audience of devoted to ‘defining’ the order at the evolutionary evidence by including directly influenced the Welsh osprey scholars intrigued by how disciplines The Rutland start of each chapter before detailed the latest genetic techniques to population, providing an admirable are picked up and put to work by Water drawings of representative species further elucidate the history of our example of how important national colleagues from quite different Ospreys begin to adorn the pages. crops. The bulk of the book gives a and international cooperation are to academic realms. “Eloquently This is a fascinating book that systematic treatment to 12 cereal conservation success. A particular strength of this describes is written and prepared by an species, 10 pulses, seven oil and fibre Mackrill’s thorough and insightful volume is the great degree to which the trials, provide, from pollination to flood the exceptional observer, who possesses crops, 18 species of fruits and nuts, text is supported by the diaries of the chapters speak to and engage with tribulations, The defence. Edward McCord, however, unfeathered a thorough understanding of the 15 vegetables and tubers, four various volunteers; placed in a each other. Likewise, the preface (by successes, Unfeathered points out that there are some species Bird subject material. condiments and five dye crops. broader historical context by Tim a neuroscientist and ethicist) and failures and Bird that will never provide economic Katrina van Jean Wilson mbe cbiol fsb Some evidence has changed – DNA Appleton and Helen McIntyre; afterword (by an anthropologist) are benefit and only a small percentage Grouw now shows that barley, whose classic and introduced by Roy Dennis. both thoughtful discussions on the triumphs of “I cannot a pioneering help but actually serve our material needs. But Princeton No time to Lose: wild distribution arcs through the It therefore offers a conglomeration contributions to The Neuroscientific McCord argues that every species has University Press, A life in pursuit of Fertile Crescent, had two separate of the most passionate individuals Turn and provocations for further attempt in draw some intellectual value and is inherently £34.95 deadly viruses centres of origin – one in the Jordan dedicated to the success of the reflection and research. Europe” comparison worth saving. He believes that species The sheer mass of this book suggests Peter Piot, with Valley and a second on the Iranian osprey in Britain. Dr martyn Pickersgill msb with are so fascinating in their own right a quality document and one is Ruth Marshall plateau. A large chronological chart As is to be expected, the text has a Leonardo da that they are worthy of protection. certainly not disappointed. Sepia- W W norton & co, shows how crops and cultures have tendency towards self-congratulation Vinci when Curiosity is fundamental to our coloured drawings on satin-finished £17.99 moved from the Proto-Neolithic in and does not attempt to address the it comes to consciousness and requires cream paper show that this is a Most of this book is south-west Asia north into Europe. wider conservation controversies of van Grouw’s intellectual honesty. As a result, labour of love. about the desperate bureaucracy This is a hugely important reintroductions and translocations, amazing curiosity and honesty spark our Author Katrina van Grouw is a surrounding the HIV/AIDS perspective for our own society and which many deem to be unnecessary. observation appreciation of other species and if we former curator of the ornithological pandemic and how the author, culture. With its defined geography, Nevertheless, this book offers an lost these qualities what would it mean collections at the Natural History Peter Piot, has managed to resolve it the scope of this book is of course inspiring accompaniment to a project skills” for human existence? Sustainability, Museum and a former student of the pretty successfully. Piot started as an challenged by the plants that have that demonstrates the importance he concludes, should not just be for Royal College of Art. It was her adventurous medical scientist and migrated in from outside. Of all the of nature in bringing together mundane human survival, but for a lifetime ambition to produce a book ended up as chairman of UNAIDS, citrus fruits, the citron alone was local and global communities. flourishing human spirit, which on bird anatomy that bridges the the UN programme fighting HIV and known to ancient Greece; while only lucy mcrobert requires the Earth’s living heritage. disciplines of art, science and history. AIDS. Along the way Piot meets and after the expansion of Islam into Asia McCord goes on to highlight The book was 25 years in the making, identifies the Ebola virus (named did all seven citrus fruits come west. the reasons for the destruction of species, with all 385 drawings from actual after a local river, to avoid reducing In total, 24 pages are given to a Neuroscientific including a view of private property specimens. Van Grouw is also a tourism to villages) and, despite his gazetteer of archaeological sites and turn: that allows owners to use resources in skilled taxidermist. modest Flanders background, finds 35 pages to full references. Where is transdisciplinarity ways that might not serve the public The Unfeathered Bird was himself getting higher and higher up the comparable volume for the story in the Age of good and protect species. The lack of originally intended as a book for the administrative ladder. in the Indian subcontinent and China? the Brain restrictions on the use of private artists, perhaps those with a leaning Piot visits deprived AIDS victims, stephen P Tomkins cbiol msb Melissa M Littlefield property, he argues, causes most towards scientific illustration. usually prostitutes, and helps them. and Jenell M Johnson landowners to consider merely However, with the inclusion of sound Finally, he’s hobnobbing with the the Rutland University of michigan Press, £63.50 monetary value. It is a stark reminder biological information, the book has great and the good: Secretaries- water ospreys The neurosciences, as many that financial losses are temporary much wider appeal and would be General Kofi Annan and Ban tim Mackrill biologists will have noticed, continue while lost species are gone forever. attractive to the general reader and Ki-moon, Fidel Castro, Premier Wen bloomsbury, to attract public attention – especially As a species we have evolved an those with an ornithological Jiabao. And the bad: HIV-denier £25.00 with regards to neuroimaging in ability to contemplate the wonder of background. Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and In March the popular media. Less apparent, life and, ironically, we are the ones Nothing below the bird’s skeleton Colonel Gaddafi, who claimed that Rutland’s most perhaps, has been the emerging who are knowingly destroying it. is included in the artwork, but it does HIV was invented by American successful engagement of humanities scholars A recognition of the value of species include some muscle systems and scientists to kill Africans. breeding osprey ‘03(97)’ returned and social scientists with research is essential to an outcome where occasionally unique structures All biologists, but particularly from western Africa, only to be in this area. biodiversity is protected against associated with some birds, such as those involved with STDs, should met by bitter winds and blizzard Littlefield and Johnson bring other aspects of human nature. the coiled windpipe of the trumpet read this book. conditions. Marking the return of together an impressive range of Dr rebecca nesbit msb manucode. I cannot help but draw Dr Jack cohen fsb these iconic birds this year was the academics from a variety of traditions

38 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 39 west Midlands Branch events boDenham arboreTUm ❱ Dates for your diary: what’s going on in your area Saturday 15 June 2013 11:00 Free guided arboretum walk and talk by James Binnion. Dr Steve Reynolds will lecture on the Plant Trouble-Shooter. Bring your own picnic lunch or join members at For more details and to book a place hogs bacK breWery the restaurant. on an event, see the Branch Contacts East Midlands Wednesday 4 September 2013 15:45 on page 44, or visit the events page of A guided tour of Hogs Back Brewery the Society website. biobliTz – with a shop that features hundreds Yorkshire Saturday 13 July 2013 10:00 of beers from around the world. The Can we find a thousand species in a event is £10 and you will need to book WharfeDale Beds, herts & Essex weekend? A range of experts will be with our secretary by Wednesday Saturday 6 July 2013 10:00 coming along to help. Meet at Whisby 28th August. Arrive at 15:45 for a A day out in Wharfedale starting Jimmy’s farm Nature Park visitor centre entrance. 16:00 start. The tour will include with a visit to Kilnsey Park and Sunday 16 June 2013 10:30 Contact Marianne Overton at tastings, so there is a minimum age Trout Farm. In the afternoon we will Visit the nature trail and meet pigs, [email protected] of 18 years. visit the Grass Wood Nature Reserve, alpacas, sheep, goats and more on or call 01400 273323 for details. near Grassington. Attendees can Jimmy’s Farm – home to the TV B macro-fUngi The Kent, surrey people in biological recording. either meet in Grassington at 14:30, presenter Jimmy Doherty and the (UK fUngUs Day) North wales & sussex This is a free event at the Centre for walking approximately one½ mile to Essex pig. Build dens on the Sunday 13 October 2013 11:00-13:00 members Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, the reserve, or at 15:00 at the Kent, Surrey &Sussex will have the Woodland Walk and visit the Professor Maurice Moss will lead the fUngal foray chance to visit Oxfordshire. Refreshments will be reserve, for a guided tour given by butterfly house, farm shop and boTanical garDen ToUr fungal foray to the Chantries in Surrey, Saturday 5 October 2013 14:00 the millennium available from 19:00 and the lecture representatives from the Yorkshire gardens. More details Wednesday 31 July 2013 11:00 a wooded area north of Shalford with a Dr Nigel Brown will lead the fungal seed bank at starts at 19:30. Wildlife Trust. Cost: £4 adults, www.jimmysfarm.com Wakehurst Place is the good reputation for fungal diversity. foray at Treborth Botanic Garden, Wakehurst Place. children under 16 free. Contact Nigel National Trust’s most Take the A281 south from Guildford, Bangor (SH 555712). The garden is Musset at [email protected] B naTional visited property, home to then about a mile out of Guildford turn located two miles from Bangor, on the wessex or on 01729 825948 by 28th June to frUiT shoW botanical gardens, an east into Pilgrims Way. As you reach a banks of the Menai Strait, bordering book your place. Wednesday 16 & Elizabethan mansion bend in Pilgrims Way (GU4 8AD) you the Snowdonia National Park. From neW foresT thursday 17 and the millennium will find a track on the right which the A55 turn on to the A487 in the Saturday 14 boggle hole. seashore October seed bank. Admission leads to the car park. direction of Menai Bridge. The September Saturday 5 October 2013 A key event for is free for National entrance for the garden is on the left 2013 Identifying seashore horticulturists Trust members, before crossing over the Menai Join us for a organisms at Boggle and those interested children under 16 and London Suspension Bridge. guided walk Hole, Robin Hood’s Bay. in fruit production. Friends of Kew. Members’ around the An ideal event for For further information prices will range from £8.50 to WhaT maKes Us hUman? New Forest teachers and and to book contact Dr Theresa £12 depending on attendance. Saturday 13 July 2013 13:00 North western with the professionals wishing to Huxley on 07785 700073. Dr Isabelle De Groote from the rangers. The deepen their knowledge or flora & faUna of Natural History Museum will annUal schools QUiz walk will start amateurs with an interest in rocK Pools explore the evolution of Homo Wednesday 19 June 2013 and finish at the the seashore. Booking is August 2013 sapiens: What is it that separates us Our popular quiz is back. This year it visitor centre in limited but families are welcome to Steven Savage, an expert from from our animal cousins and makes will be held at UCLAN, Preston. Lyndhurst where there come for a day at the seaside. Further Seasearch, will lead a rock pool visit us human? Communications will be made with is a museum and details can be found on the Events to the seashore. The pools along the past participants; new schools to the information centre. page of the Society website. south coast are a wonderful source competition are always welcome. of chalk-coast flora and fauna, with Northern Ireland Places are limited to 30. The event is the bare rocks yielding limpets, popular so booking is advised. periwinkles and anemones. Piddock sTrangforD loUgh burrows also provide hiding places Saturday 15 June 2013 10:00 for small fish, crabs and shrimps. Meet at the Grey Abbey for our thames Valley Old clothes are obligatory and summer outing to Greyabbey and trainers can be better than Portaferry. Contact orchiD WalK gumboots for grip. organiser Dr D Roberts Sunday 16 June 2013 devon & cornwall More details on the d.roberts@qub. Guided orchid walk at the Holies, lUnDy islanD VisiT Events page of the ac.uk for Streatley, with Dr Michael Keith- tuesdays 2 and 9 July 2013 Society website. further Lucas. Full details are on the Events Members will be staying on details. page of the Society website. B events marked Lundy Island this summer and with this symbol welcome those who would like to UK laDybirD sUrVey are part of come along for this visit. The boat tuesday 17 September 2013 19:00 biology Week goes over on Tuesday, Wednesday, Dr Helen Roy will be speaking on grass Wood nature reserve. 2013 Thursday and Saturday of that week. the UK Ladybird Survey: engaging

40 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/regional-events www.societyofbiology.org/regional-events Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 41 BRANCh NeWS eVeNt RePORtS

Phoebe Hunt was awarded runner-up prize in the junior section for her impressive poster on prosthetic limbs. First prize went to Julia Branch reports Shearer-Rivera, a year 10 student ❱ A round-up of our members’ activities who had tackled with genuine interest and enthusiasm the discovery of the antipsychotic drug PasQUefloWers aT is reduced grazing of its grassland Chlorpromazine. Thomas Feakes Beds, Essex & herts TherfielD heaTh sites. Natural England is working and Dylan Vadher’s ‘The Invention of 20 April 2013 with landowners to reinstate DNA Fingerprinting’, together with Vaccines – a neW aPProach On a rare sunny spring morning, appropriate grazing regimes on chalk their extraction of DNA from a 18 April 2013 members enjoyed an Easter walk to grassland to support populations. banana, was highly commended. Professor Dirk Werling of the Royal the south-facing chalk side of Dr Theresa huxley fsb Ayesha Girach’s essay on The Veterinary College entertained Church Hill, Therfield Argus II Retinal Implant was the and informed members with Heath, and were unanimous winner of the senior an enthralling and lucid delighted to see East Midlands section. Second prize went to an apt presentation on a new hundreds of essay from Mark Page on ‘Richard III but we greatly enjoyed a morning busbridge lakes approach to vaccines. pasqueflowers bacTeria Killing PaThogens – The Science behind the Discovery’. stroll around the lakes, led by the is home to some London There is a big push to (pulsatilla 26 February 2013 Leicester geneticist Dr Turi King owner and her apparently limitless 130 species of wildfowl, most find a different sort of vulgaris). This Professor Liz Sockett from the provided another highlight as we stock of information and anecdotes. of which breed islingTon meDical antibiotic to fill the gaps stunning University of Nottingham delivered heard the riveting story behind the Dr David Ware fsb on the estate. hisTory WalK produced by changing low-growing our 2013 charter lecture on recent discovery of the king in the car 13 April 2013 pathogen resistance. perennial has predatory Bdellovibrio bacteria, park – as her analysis of the long naTUre’s inDesTrUcTible Sheelagh Heugh was our Professor Werling’s work downy, feathery which kill pathogens. She discussed hidden DNA confirmed beyond all sPecies knowledgeable guide for a walk looks not at the antibiotic but foliage and vibrant whether these bacteria can be our doubt that it was indeed Richard III. 16 April 2013 around Islington’s historic medical the adjuvants that enhance their purple bell-like flowers. allies in a world of increasing rosemary hall msb Professor Richard Fortey’s sites. We visited sites of early potency. His premise is that most Jacqueline McPherson MSB was a antibiotic resistance. stimulating lecture described how pharmacies and the first adjuvants are outdated and were fantastic guide and we learnt that the Gene transfer from antibiotic particular animals and plants, often freestanding GP surgery, followed developed using mice, despite ‘pasque’ in pasqueflower means ‘of resistant strains is increasingly Kent, Surrey & Sussex referred to as living fossils, have by the inspection of a hospital for advances suggesting that species Easter’ or ‘of the Passover’ as it tends common, enabling the transformed survived three major extinction tuberculosis patients which, in spite specificity is a key factor in their to flower at Easter time. English bacteria to cut up or modify ToUring bUsbriDge laKes events during the past 300 million of its current conversion to flats, still efficacy. It would seem variations legend tells that it springs from the antibiotics, pump them out from 3 April 2013 years. These included the Permian retains the original balconies where between Toll-like receptors in cell blood of Romans or Danes, or grows their cells or alter the target in the Busbridge Lakes is a 40-acre, mass extinction, in which 95% of patients were placed for ‘fresh air’ walls between species and their on the graves of Viking warriors, as it cell that the antibiotics attack. Could grade two heritage garden just species disappeared. treatment. The walk then moved to east midlands interaction with pathogens are key is often found on old earthworks. Bdellovibrio be our saviour? It breaks outside Godalming in Surrey. The maidenhair tree, Ginkgo an area associated with the schools competition to finding alternatives to current Today, only 18 populations of into and kills other Gram-negative Owned and run since 1966 as a biloba, for example, is thought to Temperance Movement and ended winners. (left adjuvants. If this works then pasqueflowers are known and it is bacteria, but does not harm animal, managed wildlife park, it has lakes have survived the Cretaceous (KT) with a welcome hot chocolate before to right) senior we could expect greater potency recognised as a priority species plant or other cells. With her soft toy formed from natural springs, old and mass extinction because of its the expected rain arrived. winner ayesha for current antibiotics and a under the UK Biodiversity Action version of Bdellovibrio to hand, Liz rare trees, and numerous species of geographic isolation in a remote Our thanks to Sheelagh for an girach, geneticist significantly better understanding Plan. Historical losses are outlined how it gains access into the wild and ornamental birds. valley in China. It is extremely interesting and enjoyable event, for Dr Turi King, and junior of the cellular processes involved in attributable to ploughing, mineral cells of E.coli and other Gram- Magnificent specimens in the resistant to atmospheric pollution imparting her knowledge and for winner Julia infection and immune responses. extraction and urban development negative bacteria. A short video with arboretum included a 30m ancient and many even survived the keeping us all under control on a shearer-rivera. Jacky mcPherson cbiol msb but the main cause of recent decline the bacteria backlit with green tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), an Hiroshima bomb. busy Saturday afternoon in London. fluorescent protein enabled the architectural cedar of Lebanon Resistant spores and seeds Vyedeki shanmuganathan msb, audience to see the ease with which it (Cedrus libani), a massive coast ensured the survival of numerous Pat baxell fsb and Ken allen fsb invades, grows, and then septates redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and plant species although fecundity may into many bacteria that eventually yew trees just coming into flower. have been the reason the horseshoe burst out from the remains of its prey. Within the grounds is a number crab, Limulus, has endured for some Scotland Questions from the audience came of caves, one of which has been 450 million years: the female lays up thick and fast and we left with the converted into an ice house and, to 120,000 eggs in a season, with a James Watt, one Pioneers of science of the pioneers exciting thought that Bdellovibrio since 1756, into a tomb for the family surfeit of males to fertilise them. of science at the 16 March 2013 could be used as a living antibiotic. of the then owner. The four main Famed for their adaptability, scottish national Duncan Robertson provided a truly rosemary halls msb lakes and numerous ponds are home crocodiles remain with us as they Portrait gallery. engaging and entertaining tour of to some 130 species of wildfowl, most can survive long periods of fasting the Pioneers of Science schools comPeTiTions of which breed on the estate. and are not particularly fussy exhibition at the Scottish 16 March 2013 The young birds are clipped and when they do eat. As for the National Portrait Gallery Regional schools were invited to ringed and, when fully grown, are humble tortoise, whose origins in Edinburgh. This submit entries for the annual used to maintain stocks on the lakes. go back to the Triassic era, remarkable building National Science and Engineering One great success of the breeding perhaps tumultuous times just contains portraits of Week competition at the GENIE programme are the Nene, or passed them by. In the seas, the famous historical figures Centre for Excellence in Teaching Hawaiian, geese. They were highly sharks, lungfishes, the coelacanth such as Mary, Queen of and Learning, University of endangered in their natural habitat, and the nautilus are with us still, at Scots; Prince Charles Leicester. All poster, essay and possibly down to 13 specimens, but least until the next mass extinction. Edward Stuart and Robert podcast entries had to address the now breed well on the reserve. Dr David Ware fsb and Dr graham Burns, as well as more recent theme of invention and discovery. Spring was late, the weather cold, godfrey fsb pioneers in science, sport and

42 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/regional-events www.societyofbiology.org/regional-events Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 43 BRANCh NeWS eVeNt RePORtS BRANch the arts. Duncan’s tour spanned from millions of us through the reserve and recounted coNtActS James Watt to Professor Sir David P starlings at the the history of its development and Lane, crossing disciplines and rsPb’s ham Wall management. Starlings frequently BEDS, ESSEx & HErTS reserve make periods of Scotland’s history to a spectacular overwinter at Ham Wall but, of Dr Theresa Huxley provide a great event. More sight. course, when members [email protected] information about arranging a visited they had visit can be found online at decamped to the DEVON & COrNWAll www.nationalgalleries.org/visit. nearby Shapwick Miss Christine Fry Dr Jacqueline nairn cbiol msb Heath National [email protected] Nature Reserve. At dusk Mike took EAST ANGlIA west Midlands the party to the Miss Amanda Burton nearest vantage [email protected] sTraTforD bUTTerfly farm point and we 15 February 2013 waited. Then the EAST MIDlANDS On a spring Friday members and first cloud of birds Mrs Rosemary Hall guests visited the Butterfly Farm at arrived, followed by [email protected] Stratford-upon-Avon – and found it many, many more coming noticeably warmer in the glasshouse from all directions. It is thought KENT, SurrEy & SuSSEx than outside. Butterflies of all sizes around two million starlings arrive Dr David Ware and colours, from all parts of the in the area to roost in the reed beds. kentsurreysussex@ globe, were flying around a pond In days gone by there were estimated societyofbiology.org and luscious vegetation. to have been up to six million. While Our excellent guide showed us not great weather for photography, it lONDON unusual examples of the various was a successful field meeting and a Mr Ken Allen stages in the life cycle of a butterfly, truly spectacular sight. [email protected] from an enormous caterpillar to roger symes cbiol msb hundreds of pupae, explaining how NOrTH WAlES they were managed in the different cracKing anD fracKing Dr Rosemary Solbé areas. In addition to the butterflies 19 March 2013 [email protected] we saw the other insects kept at the Professor Andrew Newby FSB, farm, including praying mantis and a professor of vascular cell biology NOrTH WESTErN colony of leaf-cutter ants. Finally we at the University of Bristol, described Mr Glenn Upton-Fletcher saw their collection of arachnids – his research into how plaques [email protected] tarantulas and fluorescent scorpions attach inside arteries. – before lunch at the Academy The plaque is a type of tissue; an NOrTHErN Restaurant at Stratford College. atheroma sealed in with a layer of Dr Michael Rowell lesley Payne msb sclerosis. If the sclerotic cover [email protected] breaks, the contact of blood and atheroma initiates coagulation. NOrTHErN IrElAND western Unattached plaques can lead to a Dr David Roberts blood clot, blocking the artery and [email protected] sTarling roosT sPecTacUlar bringing on a life threatening heart anD reserVe WalK attack. Professor Newby’s research SCOTlAND 7 February 2013 is looking at drugs that could Dr Jacqueline Nairn Despite the cold, members enjoyed a This butterfly, stabilise plaques, reduce clots and [email protected] walk through the RSPB’s Ham Wall the clipper prevent some heart attacks. (Parthenos Reserve at Meare. Mike Johnson, sylvia), is a Dr Tom Johnson, consultant THAMES VAllEy former assistant warden, identified native species of cardiologist at Bristol Heart Institute, Dr Ray Gibson everything that flew past. He guided south-east asia. described how two high-tech devices, [email protected] using intravascular ultrasound and near infrared spectroscopy, WESSEx are used to get remarkable views Ms Rachel Wilson of arteries. The resolution enables [email protected] you to see the collagen in plaques weakening, making it possible WEST MIDlANDS to spot trouble before disaster. Ms Debbie Dixon Even with this research and [email protected] technology the speakers reminded everyone that basic whole organism WESTErN behaviour is important – avoid being Ms Joan Ashley overweight, be thoughtful about diet [email protected] and exercise, and look out for common symptoms. yOrKSHIrE mark howard cbiol msb and Mr Paul Bartlett Joan ashley cbiol msb [email protected]

44 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 www.societyofbiology.org/regional-events LetteRS SILeNt MAJORItY SPeAKS/DAWKINS VIeW/heRBALISt SCePtIC/DNA PIONeeRS

ThTHE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINEe ■ ISSN 0006Biologist-3347 ■ socieTyofbiology.org Vol 60 no 2 ■ aPr/may 2013

INtERVIEw dIGGING dEEP TV's alice roberts talks anatomy and archaeology Biofeedback

GENEtIcS BIoPhYSIcS RESEARch cRAcKING thE codE QuANtuM BIoLoGY BuILdER BIRdS A decade on from the Cutting-edge physics for Factors aff ecting human genome project biological problems nest sizes Letters, news and views from our readers

Send your GREAT ExPECTATION a career primarily out of science GENETIC TICKING-OFF comments to I’ve just had yet another excellent and, indeed, has made a major I was dismayed by Tom Ireland’s biofeedback, society of biology, read as my Biologist popped through contribution to evolutionary article on DNA in the charles Darwin the letterbox this morning. But I biology. In writing a April/May issue of house, 12 roger was saddened to see the ungenerous vicious, ranting letter The Biologist. His street, london comments from a couple of criticising someone timeline managed Wc1n 2JU members and thought I’d give a little for a “vicious, to miss two of the or email biologist@ support from ‘the silent majority’. unscientific rant”, most important societyofbiology.org I’ve been a member since my the writer provides Dna milestones: the student days so have seen with a breathtaking pioneer development The Biologist frederick interest and delight how The Biologist example of hypocrisy sanger. of methods for reserves the right has evolved over the last five decades. of the highest order. sequencing RNA to edit letters where appropriate. It was fine in the old days with articles The Biologist could and, years later, DNA. of interest to dedicated biologists have found a rather more Moreover, he paid scant but now it’s great. Its appeal has earnest letter for inclusion in attention to the importance widened enormously with a much its feedback section. of the sequencing of proteins. more eye-catching appearance. guido gybels, Chronologically, the sequencing of Please keep going with the independent icT expert proteins came first. That of insulin, by interviews and especially controversial Frederick Sanger and colleagues, was topics. Biologists need provoking HERBAL LOW perhaps the most important single step on occasions so don’t be put off by The report from the London branch in modern biochemistry. The structure the odd grumbling letter. Producing on a lecture by herbalist Simon Mills proposed by Watson and Crick for topical, thought-provoking articles was astonishingly uncritical DNA was elegant and suggested can do the Society nothing but good. (The Biologist 60 (1) p45). Mills theoretical mechanisms for replication bruce selkirk, biologist, cornwall is well known for eschewing and so forth. However, in the absence a scientific approach, and the of any nucleic acid sequences, its value MISMATCHED OPPONENT report seems to endorse that. He was largely totemic. There is hardly Re: Biofeedback, The Biologist apparently denigrated modern any aspect of modern biology that has (Vol 60 (2) p52). While it is clearly approaches to health care, in not been touched by the ability a statement of fact that there are favour of an imaginary system of to sequence DNA. These were a great many people who loathe four groups of illnesses. The word towering achievements the import Professor Dawkins, as well as a large ‘evidence’ did not appear in the and originality of which cannot number who admire him, could report. Did not a single member of be overstated. the team not have found a more the audience speak up for science? Sanger’s method enabled the first interesting and credible example of If so, that should have been human genome sequences to be an opponent other than the ranting reported. If not, what is happening deduced. How could Mr Ireland have letter from Cedric Richmond? to standards in our Society? overlooked the only person to have Contrary to what Mr Richmond les rose cbiol fsb, won two Nobel prizes in chemistry states, Richard Dawkins has made clinical science consultant for achievements that revolutionised both the underlying concepts and a herbalist makes a the practice of biology? preparation … but i c eperon fsb where is the evidence for its efficacy? Managing editor Tom Ireland’s response: Thanks for reminding us of these important contributions to genetics and biochemistry. The breakthroughs in DNA sequencing by Sanger et al in the 70s should have been in the timeline – they were of course crucial to modern genetics. The article’s focus was DNA, itself a huge subject, hence the lack of focus on protein sequencing – although Sanger’s 1952 sequencing of insulin was noted in the timeline.

Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 45 MUSEUM PIECE

BIOLOGICAL ExHIBITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The microcosm exhibit at Vienna natural history museum.

3D photos and even live on screen in #002 the ‘microtheatre’. Haeckel’s drawings depict in fine THE ERNST detail the strange and mysterious structures of radiolara, and other minute protozoa, that the introduction HAECKEL of microscopes opened up to the world. The room, designed as a walk- HALL in stage set, also contains antique microscopes, a ‘kaiserpanorama’ (stereo photography viewer) and Natural modern illustrations, while large history models of microorganisms are Museum, suspended from the ceiling. Vienna Haeckel published over 100 colour illustrations of animals and sea creatures during his career as a zoologist and then as a professor of comparative anatomy. His book of llustrations by the 19th century extraordinary lithographs and prints, German biologist and artist Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms I Ernst Haeckel adorn the windows of Nature), was published in sets of 10 (pictured right) of the Microcosm – between 1899 and 1904, with subjects a spectacular exhibition of all things arranged to show patterns in shape, microscopic. Designed in 1998, structure and texture, to fit with visitors can investigate details of Haeckel’s theories of development and butterfly wings, insect larvae, fleas evolution of the time. and seeds under microscopes, with www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en

46 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3 WIN A £25 crossword BOOK Get clued up for this issue’s synapse-sizzling biology puzzle TOKEN Across Volume 60 no 3 this issue 1 top solar burst in the afternoon (10) compiled by Doug Stanford Back to the usual format with just 6 Look for it in wine store (4) across answers from the world of 10 Drive on far side of lane (5) biology (in one case an acronym) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 enthusiastic reception for and clued without definition. The performance around the middle of 9 remaining clues are the normal

July (9) 10 11 combination of definition and 12 terrible palaver when parking taken cryptic indication. away (6) 13 I’m pieced together somehow (8) 12 13 how to enter 15 One with no right to be upset (4) 14 To be in with a chance of winning a 17 Friendly and sympathetic. £25 book token please send us your 15 16 17 18 19 About time (10) completed puzzles by Wednesday 20 Get neon and air mixture (10) 10th of July 2013. Please include your

22 Freshwater fish return (4) 20 21 22 name, address and membership 24 Viable variety - not without oxygen (8) number with your entry – an email 23 26 Sounds like a bivalve (6) address would be handy too. Post 29 Beat gets out-of-date (9) 24 25 26 27 your entries to: Crossword, The

30 Couple of errors in total (5) 28 Biologist, Society of Biology, Charles 31 Superior sustainable strategy Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, 29 30 interests leaders ... (4) London, WC1N 2JU. 32 ... it even got leader in America

excited (10) 31 32 winners Well done to last issue’s winners, down Dr Laurance Bellamy CBiol MSB, 1 Lad working with power in leg making 16 Moonrise and start of vampire activity and Peter Shaw CBiol MSB. Book wheels turn (9) - they’ll have a bite of anything (9) tokens on the way. 2 Our holding function could get up 18 A log construction providing secure your nose (5) accommodation (4) 3 Street, kind of okay, for kilometre is 19 Boy is mean, surprisingly he attracts new (3-3) the girls (6,3) 4 The result of pillaging, many seize 21 Squirrel is hibernating content to nothing (4) savour the experience (6) 5 test umpire grasps what is essential 23 Disturbing abuses going on beneath to cricket (5) the surface (3-3) 7 Giant mice hybrid form that’s hard to 24 Island best placed for what fisherman explain (9) wants (5) 8 Note this will invigorate you (5) 25 Snare one’s put out caught nothing (5) Last ➜ 9 east has grand assortment - the 27 Dog coming first in Crufts? Owner’s issue’s place for botanical specimens (6) reputation greatly increased (5) solution 14 Kind to arrange things (4) 28 Side’s advantage (4) Vol 60 No 2

Vol 60 No 3 / the BIOLOGISt / 47 FINAL WORD DR MARK DOWNS FSB, ChIeF eXeCUtIVe, SOCIetY OF BIOLOGY

IN thE StEPPES of KuBLAI KhAN t is often said that mixing to develop so-called ‘red lists’ for involving a pre-captured wolf or fox business and pleasure is never rare and endangered species, using cub, often disabled to slow it down. a good idea. But a recent internationally recognised standards It is often hard to draw the line biodiversity debate I took for recording biodiversity. Lists for between cultural practice and part in while on holiday in both birds and plants are already what is acceptable – in the UK MongoliaI turned out to be extremely completed and there now needs to there remains a debate around fox rewarding. The natural beauty of be continued recording to monitor hunting. But it was difficult to see the countryside is outstanding, with trends; a real challenge for such a the justification for this in terms of extremes of conditions – from the large, poorly resourced country. local culture. We expressed concerns summer heat of the Gobi desert One solution to the scale of to the environment minister and to the bitter cold of the mountains species recognition and recording she agreed, banning the practice on and the temperate climate of the required might be the facilitation animal welfare grounds. grassland steppe. With a population of eco-tourism with (usually) Biology is a popular subject As a country of around 3 million on a landmass students paying to be trained in basic with students at the National relatively more than four times that of the UK, methods in exchange for supported University of Mongolia and its new to Mongolia is one of the least densely access and travel within the country. academic staff are actively engaged populated countries in the world, Ministers were keen for us to explore in a wide range of research, limited democracy, with some beautiful and rare wildlife, the idea further and we are already as always by scarcity of resources. Mongolia is including the elusive snow leopard. in dialogue with potential partners. However, they are undertaking starting to As a country that is still relatively Enthusiasm for ideas is not interesting work and developing develop a new to democracy, Mongolia is unusual among politicians, but increasingly strong international wide range starting to develop a wide range of encouragingly, the Mongolian links. They would welcome of laws and new laws and regulations to protect Government was also able to take collaboration with many more regulations the environment, while simultaneously policy decisions as a result of UK academics and perhaps can to protect the trying to avoid excessive restriction on our discussions. If only progress use the extraordinary landscape environment the domestic and international mining could be as swift in the UK. The and natural beauty of Mongolia operations underpinning a significant first tangible outcome was a to tempt more biologists to visit. part of its GDP. commitment to consider using If you are keen on field biology At a dinner kindly hosted on my the red lists as the basis for you could do worse than a trip to a behalf by the British ambassador assessing the impact of policies and Mongolian steppe. to Mongolia, both the minister for activities on biodiversity culture and the minister for the as a formal part of environment joined colleagues government policy. from the Zoological Society of The second, perhaps London (ZSL), National Geographic more surprising, story and biodiversity experts from the was the agreement National University of Mongolia. of the environment It is the 50th anniversary of the minister to ban the start of diplomatic relations between use of live wolf cubs the UK and Mongolia, providing as bait at the National an ideal opportunity to celebrate Eagle Festival, where many areas of mutual interest, Mongolians in traditional not least the celebration and outfits ride horseback, protection of biodiversity. demonstrating their horsemen at the national The National University is hunting skills with eagles. eagle festival. working closely with ZSL and others The climax is a hunt

48 / the BIOLOGISt / Vol 60 No 3