Mill Hill Essays 2001 ::
This seventh collection of Mill Hill Essays contains essays from the Institute and one from our guest author, Tom Kirkwood, Head of Gerontology at Newcastle University.
Don’t shoot the scientist! [Dimitris Kioussis]
There are usually not many points of contact between best-selling fiction and
cutting-edge biological research. In his review of the novel "White
Teeth" Dimitris Kioussis comments on Zadie Smith's description of
transgenic research and her approach to considerations of the role of science in
society.
Stem cell therapy and research [Robin Lovell-Badge]
Stem cells have received much attention internationally this year as a
potential new means of treating many diseases. Robin Lovell-Badge explains what
stem cells are, how they can be produced and what therapeutic possibilities they
hold.
Superbugs – the problem of antimicrobial resistance [Roger Buxton]
Antibiotics have revolutionised the practice of medicine and have saved
untold numbers of lives. Roger Buxton explains how they work, how bacteria can
become resistant to them, the importance of conserving their use and the
problems of resistance if we don't.
The genes that control ageing [Tom Kirkwood]
Today more and more of us can expect to live to a ripe old age. Tom Kirkwood
elaborates the reasons for ageing and how scientists are beginning to understand
the ageing process.
Where do genes come from? The case of the "green"
parasites [Don Williamson]
Don Williamson tells the fascinating story of endosymbiosis and the
surprising implications that discoveries in this field have for human health.