Science Media Centre

Biotech regulators in Britain have started public consultation on experimental reproductive procedures proposed to treat rare mitochondrial diseases, and scientists have been given 5.8 million pounds ($NZ11.1m) to investigate the safety of the techniques. And the  Nuffield Council on Bioethics is conducting an ethical review on the imnplications of the DNA-swapping technologies, which involve transferring [...]

Ash means empty skies over Britain Thousands of travellers are feeling the effects of a large volcanic eruption in Iceland, with flights across Europe cancelled as ash floats across Britain and the continent. The impact on travel plans is illustrated well in this graphic that ran in The Guardian. Scientists meanwhile have been analysing every [...]

AusSMC: In a world-first study to be published in Nature, scientists have shown in human embryos a new technique developed last year in monkeys to treat maternally-inherited mitochondrial diseases. The study describes the first ever transfer of genetic material between fertilised human eggs which has the potential to ‘treat’ human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disease at [...]