Education

Increasing therapeutic opportunities through drug repurposing

Repurposing or repositioning drugs is the process of using a drug that is already in use for a disease it was not initially indicated for1. There are both benefits and challenges to repurposing drugs, but in general this strategy has proved useful and  has led to life-saving treatments. It has been estimated that almost 30% …

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Genetically modified animal clones set to revolutionise biomedical research, or cause ethical uproar? Or both?

In January 2019, scientists at the institute of neuroscience (ION) in Shanghai reported that gene-editing had been used to disable a gene in macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). One of the genome-edited monkeys was then cloned to produce 5 genetically identical primates [1]. The disabled gene, BMAL1, affects the operation of the animal’s circadian rhythm, or …

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VR education for safe chemotherapy drug delivery

According to Cancer Research UK, 28% of cancer patients receive chemotherapy treatment, which is around 102,760 people per year in the UK [1,2]. The most common type of chemotherapy is administration of the drugs directly into the patient’s vein (intravenous chemotherapy) and this is usually carried out in a hospital by a chemotherapy nurse [3,4]. …

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Concerned about blood clots and the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine? Make sure you are well informed of the facts before you make any decisions!

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was recently suspended in several countries in those under the age of 60 due to concerns of very rare types of blood clotting, called cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CVST). This very rare clotting condition is associated with low blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). Last week, The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) safety committee concluded that …

Concerned about blood clots and the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine? Make sure you are well informed of the facts before you make any decisions! Read More »

Is the hype around CBD warranted? Let’s look at the science.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one type of natural compound out of over 100 chemical compounds that are known as cannabinoids [1]. Cannabis plants, the source of cannabinoids, are called either hemp or marijuana, dependant of their level of one cannabinoid, in particular, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is associated with the psychoactive effects seen with cannabis use, whereas …

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