Did you always want to go to medical school but never quite made the grade? If so, how about going to Mini Med School?
Mini Med School
A new initiative from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the Mini Med School is a series of evening lectures on topical medical or health issues. Subjects to be covered include cancer, reproduction and women's health, children's health, dentistry, heart disease and stress. Each session aims to help participants to understand the role of basic science and research in supporting and advancing modern medicine. Lectures take place in the Cheyne lecture theatre, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin and start on Monday, January 21st, running from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Cost: €115. Tel: 01-4022225 or e-mail medfaculty@rcsi.ie for more details.
Killing cancer cells
A new drug bGBP has been formulated which destroys leukaemia cells in laboratory studies. Developed by a collaborative research team in St James's Hospital, Dublin and King's College, London, bGBP has been found to kill cancer cells without adversely affecting bone-marrow cells. It also has been found to stop the production of a protein, bcr-abl that enables leukaemia cells to develop resistance to chemotherapy. "We anticipate bGBP may become a therapeutic option in the next couple of years," says Dr Mark Lawler from the research team at St James's Hospital. The Irish Cancer Society has increased its funding to such research projects by 33 per cent for 2002. Over €570,000 will be allocated to 20 projects researching a range of cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, colon and skin cancers. Researchers will investigate the possibilities of boosting anti-cancer genes, cutting off blood supply to cancer cells and inhibiting the action of genes which stimulate tumours to grow and survive even when targeted by chemotherapy.
Smoking in pregnancy
Researchers from Sweden have found that the mother's smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of a child developing diabetes and obesity in later life. They have also shown that cigarette smoking as a young adult is associated with an increased risk of subsequent diabetes. The study used British data on 17,000 births from March 3rd to 9th, 1958 to conduct their study. At birth, midwives recorded information on smoking during pregnancy. Details of maternal smoking were again recorded in 1974. The group's own smoking behaviour was recorded during an interview at age 16. Medical examinations and record reviews were conducted at ages seven and 16 years; and during personal interviews at age 33, individuals were asked about diabetes. Among those followed fully throughout childhood and adolescence to age 33, the authors identified 15 men and 13 women who had developed diabetes. The association of diabetes with maternal smoking specifically during pregnancy suggests that it is a true risk factor for early adult onset diabetes, say the authors. Cigarette smoking as a young adult was also independently associated with an increased risk of subsequent diabetes. Researchers suggest that in utero exposure to cigarette smoke results in lifelong metabolic regulatory problems, possibly due to foetal malnutrition or toxicity.
Compiled bv Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson