SOS: Save our Science - Drink Hearty Lads (and Ladies)

Hi Everyone. Hope there's still people out there reading this. Would be great to hear from you. Sorry things have been a bit slow, there's a lot going on this term, which I hope to write about (in part) soon. This new rotation is really fun, although quite long hours, and I've got loads of other projects going on relating to Science Communication, as many of you may already be aware. It means I'm not getting much time to sit and write articles on here though. I will be working hard to try and get back to ClearSci as much as possible, so hopefully more will be going on around here.


Anyway, so here's a fun story that is an issue I've been looking forward to having a go at. Everyone always has some new story about how alcohol is good for you or bad for you, and usually it depends on what you measure and whether it's the alcohol itself or something else (e.g. tannins in red wine) which is helping you out. This latest is cool because it pulls together a lot of research from the last 30 years, and actually finds some benefits, in certain instances, but also points out the importance of moderation. Enjoy. :)


This is a debate that I find quite interesting, especially since everyone seems to be more than a little biased in their desired outcome. It is the endless search for positive effects of drinking alcohol. A new meta-analysis (re-examination of lots of old data from different studies) of alcohol research may finally be able to put part of this issue to rest.

Lab 1: Only the Nose Knows

Hey

This is the idea that started it all. Telling you all about the different research that I get to do as a PhD student. This post is all about the first lab I'm working in, I started here in early October and have just over a week left until I leave. It's been really a lot of fun, although it did take me a few weeks to really get back into doing work after a very long summer vacation. But the personal stuff can come later. I want to start with the overview. This is the explanation of why I'm doing the project, the stuff I tell people who ask about my work.


(Ed. If anyone's interested, the lab I'm in just released the paper which preceded my project showing that olfactory ensheathing cells are from the neural crest. We also made it into New Scientist.)



Cells from the nose that COULD cure stroke or paralysis! Crazy, right? That’s what I thought too, but it does seem to be true. Cells which guide nerves from the nose into the brain, when transplanted to damaged regions of the spine, help the nerves there to grow through the scar tissue and reconnect with the proper targets.