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Zombies: Can Gene Editing Cause an Apocalypse?

Scientists have long known that our DNA sequences can and do change. These changes can occur naturally or following exposure to mutagens or viral infections. Differences in DNA sequences are the reason that we have different coloured hair, are different heights, and have different eye colours. Changes in DNA sequence also mean that we can develop genetic disorders; early onset Alzheimer’s, some cancers, HIV and Cystic Fibrosis are all examples of disorders caused by changes in the DNA sequence. So, can we treat these disorders by changing the DNA sequence back? Gene editing is where DNA is added, removed, or altered at certain locations in the genome. Although gene editing is used in a wide range of situations, such as in the food industry, the first successful use of gene editing in humans was in 1995, when scientists were able to temporarily treat patients with severe immune system deficiency. Since then, advancements in gene therapy have come on leaps and bounds, and in 2020, the ...
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Year of Genetics

Compared to other areas of science, the history of genetics is relatively short. This means that there are vast amounts of genetic phenomena which are still unknown.   This is very exciting, because it means that we are living in an age where we can experience breakthroughs in science which can impact a wide range of people, in real time. Every year we have seen new discoveries in genetics, and the last twelve months have been no exception. Personally, I feel the biggest breakthrough in genetics this year has been how genetics is becoming part of mainstream awareness, and terms like ‘Spike protein’, ‘T-cells’, ‘antibodies’, ‘viral variant’ and more have become common in everyday language. This is in part due to scientists and medical professionals and some politicians who have made it their duty to help the public understand the complexity of the pandemic, epidemiology, and public health guidelines in a way that anyone can understand. It is no surprise that a lot of the breakth...
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X and Y: How Important are Sex Chromosomes in Gender Identity?

When we talk about sex and gender, there are a few things that need to be addressed. Biological sex is determined by the sex chromosomes that a person has; if someone has two X chromosomes (XX), they will be biologically female and will have female sex organs. If someone has one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY), they will be biologically male and have male sex organs. Gender is the external behaviour and characteristics which are typically expected of women and men; gender identity is an individual’s personal perception of having a particular gender. A person’s sex and gender identity do not always align, and this is called gender dysphoria or transgenderism. In this article, I will be exploring whether being transgender is genetic, as well as discussing the issues many transgender people face. The argument I hear most often is that ‘you can call yourself what you want, but at the end of the day you’re still either biologically male or biologically female’. There are two faults...
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Women in Genetics

Gender inequality has riddled our history and is still frequent today. It is also no secret or surprise that these disparities are prevalent in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths). Despite the big push for women to build careers in STEM, there are still multiple examples of where women have not been accredited for their contribution and accomplishments. A recent report by UNESCO showed that women make up 30% of researchers worldwide and only 24% of the STEM workforce, therefore, in honour of Women’s History Month, I have chosen to use this space to celebrate women in science. The first woman I want to discuss, is Rosalind Franklin. Franklin graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1941 with a degree in physical chemistry, before receiving a research fellowship and graduating with a doctorate from Cambridge in 1945. After this, she became a postdoctoral researcher, where she used X-ray diffraction technology to study the physical and chemical composition of DNA. Around...
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Vaccines: The Endemic

Vaccines have been one of the most important scientific discoveries in history, preventing more than 2.5 million deaths each year, according to The World Health Organisation. The principle of vaccines is to recreate the natural immune response to a disease, without infecting the individual. It is due to worldwide and sustained vaccination efforts that smallpox has been eradicated, and the prevalence of diseases such as  polio ,  measles , and  tetanus dramatically reduced . Currently, it is a systematic vaccination programme which has reduced the risk of death and serious illness due to coronavirus, and it is the coronavirus vaccine that I will primarily be discussing in this blog. However, to understand the how vaccines work, we must first understand the mechanism behind an immune response, and I’ll use the analogy of a night club security team to help me explain. Normally, when a harmful foreign molecule enters the body, it is met by the body’s bouncers, called an ant...
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Understanding Genetics: Four Letters Which Create Everything

When we talk about our genome, we are referring to all the genetic material in our bodies, and we hold a copy of our genome in almost every healthy cell in our body; to give you an idea of how much DNA that is…if we were to uncoil all the DNA in one human body, it could stretch from the earth to the sun 600 times! Mind blowing, eh?! DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid is the chemical found in the cells of plants and animals that carries genetic information. DNA is made up of four base chemicals: Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C). Humans typically have 46 chromosomes which are arranged in pairs with 23 chromosomes inherited from your mother, and 23 chromosomes from your father. Each chromosome in the pair has the same set of genes which correspond to one another. However, there may be one or more forms of these genes, known as alleles. Therefore, whilst we all have blood, we have different blood types. And maybe a bit gross, whilst we typically have earwax, someone’s ear...
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Testing: Put Your Genes Under the Microscope

What do you think of when someone says ‘Mutation’? The X-men? A zombie apocalypse? In reality, a mutation is simply a naturally occurring, random change in a gene. These mutations often have no effect, but occasionally, they can be harmful; for example, they could increase a person’s risk of developing cancer, a genetic disorder, and other rare diseases. However, scientists can detect these gene changes through genetic testing. There are several types of genetic testing, and they can be used to test individuals at different life stages: pre-natal testing detects harmful mutations in a foetus before birth; childhood testing is usually used to confirm a medical diagnosis or predict whether a disorder may develop and therefore requires observation. Any mutations detected during pre-natal and childhood testing are usually due to an inherited genetic mutation; conversely, adult genetic testing is used to predict late-onset genetic disorders, usually caused by mutations that occur in that ...
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