| AstraZeneca joins UCL to find stem cell cure for diabetic blindness AstraZeneca and UCL researchers look to use stem cells to repair eyesight in rising number of diabetic retinopathy patientsAstraZeneca and University College London (UCL) will announce a research partnership tomorrow to develop medicines that use stem cells to repair damaged eyesight in people with diabetes.Under the three-year deal funded by the drugmaker, researchers from AstraZeneca will team up with scientists at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology to work on new medicines that use the regenerative capacity of stem cells. They hope to come up with a compound in three to five years, which could then undergo clinical development and possibly be on the market in 10 years' time.Dr Marcus Fruttiger of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, who is leading the project, said: "These tools could be used either to manufacture transplantable material or to directly stimulate new cell growth in the eye to help restore or improve the vision of those with diabetic retinopathy [DR]."DR is now the most common cause of vision impairment or blindness among western people of working age. The majority of patients with type-1 diabetes, which occurs when the body produces no insulin and often develops during the teenage years, will suffer eyesight problems and about 20%-30% will become blind. Moreover, at least 50% of patients with type-2 diabetes – the far more common type of diabetes, which occurs when the body produces too little insulin or when cells in the body do not react properly to insulin – will also develop retinopathy over time.With the rapid spread of type-2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, the need for a retinopathy treatment will grow as more than 438 million people are expected to suffer from diabetes by 2030. A study published this year by Oxford University predicted that eight out of 10 men and almost seven in 10 women will be overweight or obese by 2020. It forecast a 98% rise in obesity-related diabetes by 2050.Alan Lamont, director of sciences and technology alliances at AstraZeneca. said: "We're getting very keen on the whole area of regenerative medicines and they will be part of our research development over the next few years." He said the collaboration aimed to come up with a treatment that could be administered to the back of the eye to repair damage locally.AstraZeneca's US rival Pfizer also has a partnership with Professor Pete Coffey of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, for another eye condition, macular degeneration. Coffey said: "It's great that 'Big Pharma' is considering regenerative medicines as a serious possibility." He added: "This is British science being developed into a commercial entity with the pharmaceutical industry. It's a good example why the government shouldn't cut funding for biomedical research."While this is the first time that AstraZeneca has worked on medicine for retinopathy, diabetes has been an area of focus. The company has a new diabetes treatment on the market called Onglyza, which was developed with Bristol-Myers Squibb, and the companies are developing a second diabetes drug that could be submitted to regulators for approval later this year.AstraZenecaPharmaceuticals industryDiabetesHealthHealthcare industryJulia Kolleweguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Science funding cuts 'could lead to brain drain' Chairman of Lords science committee says researchers are already choosing to go overseasCuts to the government's science budget will lead to a brain drain of talent from the UK, according to John Krebs, chair of the House of Lords science and technology committee.In a letter to the science minister, David Willetts, Lord Krebs showed how several leading researchers had already lost scientists to overseas universities and warned that a cut in funding, while other countries increased their scientific spend, would raise "significant risks" to the UK's scientific research base.All government departments have been asked to prepare for cuts of 25% or more in their budgets as part of the government's austerity drive. Scientists have spent several months warning that such deep cuts to the UK's science infrastructure would have devastating long-term effects, forcing the country out of the "premier league" in many fields of research.In a recent speech on science and research, business secretary Vince Cable proposed identifying and building up areas where the UK was a world leader, including stem cells and regenerative medicine, plastic electronics, satellite communications, fuel cells, advanced manufacturing and composite materials. He also proposed concentrating research funds on the best departments.In his letter to David Willetts, Lord Krebs wrote: "As our competitors have recognised the importance of science to economic growth and have increased the proportion of funding for research, the competition for international talent will heighten."He added: "Their evidence demonstrates that, in a world where talent is highly mobile, a widening of the funding differential, whether real or perceived, between the UK and our competitors will put at risk the ability of the UK to continue to recruit and retain the very best brains and to maintain the highest standards of research, for which the UK is renowned and from which the UK has been able to reap significant commercial benefit."The letter follows a hearing at the House of Lords science and technology committee, where Willetts asked the peers for evidence that researchers might leave the UK if funding was cut. Krebs subsequently wrote to the heads of six of the country's most prominent research universities – Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London and Edinburgh.In her response, Nancy Rothwell, vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester, told Krebs that two people had already withdrawn their applications for positions because the proposed funding of laboratory space was unsatisfactory. Malcolm Grant, provost of University College London, referred to similar examples of the UK being unable to compete with international universities and Timothy O'Shea, vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said that two senior researchers had returned to the US this year, "citing difficulties in attracting good international postgraduate research talent as a factor in their departure".O'Shea also highlighted problems in attracting the best and brightest PhD students because of a lack of resources compared with major US and German research institutions. Andrew Hamilton, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, said that, as the brightest and best seek posts overseas, the UK could face a "lost generation" of researchers."The world's leading universities now operate in a truly global environment, and we expect that our academic staff will be recruited from around the world," said Hamilton. "Turnover of staff and recruitment from outside the UK is a sign of the institution's strength."The letter comes as, yesterday, stem cell scientists warned that the UK would lose its leading position in regenerative medicine, which aims to use stem cells to repair damaged organs and tissues, because the government has invested too little money in turning breakthroughs into treatments. Richard Sykes, chairman of the UK stem cell foundation, blamed the previous government for failing to honour its commitment to help researchers turn their discoveries into medical therapies and urged coalition ministers to revive support for the field.Last month physicists also warned that deep cuts would entail the closure of multimillion pound scientific facilities in the UK, which employ thousands of scientists and have only been completed in the past few years. It could also threaten British involvement in Cern, the Geneva-based home of the Large Hadron Collider.Imran Khan, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: "The UK has no choice but to invest in research and development. We're not resource-rich and we can't compete on cheap labour, so we have to exploit our high-skills sectors. But Lord Krebs and others – everyone from the CBI to the IFS – have shown that if we cut now, we risk losing our competitive edge in these fields too."Krebs acknowledged in his letter to Willetts that there was a lack of internationally-comparable data that recorded the flow of researchers around the world and that his own evidence came from a limited number of universities. "However," he added, "the six universities selected account for a very significant proportion of research undertaken in the UK and we have no doubt their comments reflect the experience of other world-class universities in the UK."Science policyVince CablePeople in scienceEducation policyHigher educationUniversity fundingResearchResearch fundingAlok Jhaguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
FDA stresses need to modernize its science By MATTHEW PERRONE 2010-10-06T19:28:38ZWASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration must update its scientific tools for reviewing prescription drugs, medical devices and tracking food safety, according to a research plan laid out Wednesday by agency leadership.... hosted.ap.org |
Climate Change Doubt Is Tea Party Article of Faith The movement’s supporters are wary of the Obama administration’s plans to regulate carbon dioxide. feeds.nytimes.com |
[news] Antarctic Artist performs in London and Nottingham In 2009 artist Chris Dobrowolski visited Antarctica on the British Antarctic Survey Artists and Writers Programme. Since his return he has been performing his one-man show at venues across the country where he recounts his visit to the frozen continent with photographs, film and anecdotes. Chris has two performances this month — at the Chelsea Theatre, in London on 6th November and at the ... antarctica.ac.uk |