**Part 2 of Beate Roese-Koerner's guest blog. Read Part 1 here. **
Last time I told you a lot about the cell system we use. To understand what my project is about you also need to know how a cell decides what to become and what proteins to produce. Cells make many different proteins, with a wide range of functions. The particular combination of proteins a cell makes is important for it’s identity and ability to do its job.
You can also read this article in German.
Researchers' Night is an EU initiative that takes place every year in September and aims to bring the public and researchers together in a celebration of science. This year's events will take place on Friday 28 September.
If your organization is participating in Researchers' Night this year, take a look at our toolkit and resource directory for a wide range of stem cell activities you could run.
EuroStemCell and REMEDI exhibited two components of the Stem cells for blood transfusions public engagement tool in the National University of Ireland Galway’s Exploration Pavilion at the Volvo Ocean Race Final Stopover for seven days. From 30 June – 6 July 2012, thousands of international visitors interacted with the stem cell marble game and Stella, a ‘patient’ in need of regenerative medicine treatments. Stem cells for blood transfusions is part of EuroStemCell's toolkit of educational resources and activities for public engagement.
Why am I writing this blog? I work with stem cells and noticed that often people who are not part of the scientific community are not aware what that means, but mentioning it gives them an awkward feeling. So my aim is to explain briefly and hopefully clearly, what we do in our lab and why I think it is worthwhile doing it.
You can also read this article in German.
You can now buy Stem Cell Revolutions online in two versions - either for educational or personal use. EuroStemCell's Danielle Nicholson has written a Teacher Pack, available as downloadable PDF files when you buy the educational version. The Pack contains a guide for each of the five film chapters: summaries of the chapter content, learning objectives and carefully selected links to educational resources ideal for use with the film chapter in the classroom.
Students in Scotland have been learning about great science and developing their debating skills, thanks to the Speak up Scotland programme. Workshops in schools around Scotland looked a range of scientific topics, including stem cell research. The hard work culminted in a debating competition, with a final event at The Royal Society of Edinburgh. EuroStemCell's Coordinator Clare Blackburn sat on the judging panel and was impressed by the high standards achieved by the students. The programme's organiser Angeli Mehta tells us more about the event...
Last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that no patents can be granted in Europe for inventions or technologies based on the use of embryonic stem cells. In a recent article, Professor Aurora Plomer, Chair of Law and Bioethics at the University of Sheffield, UK, argues that the Court's decision "represents an unprecedented and illegitimate constitutional interference with the autonomy of member states and a setback for science and the rights of those suffering from crippling diseases".
Last week, the UK's Guardian newspaper published an article looking at the progress and current challenges of stem cell research. With the help of scientists Austin Smith, Pete Coffey and Alison Murdoch, the Guardian's Health Editor Sarah Boseley gives a clear and very readable overview of the field, from clinical trials to basic research and policy. It's always a delight to read carefully composed articles like these, and its a nice bonus when we've helped make a connection behind the scenes, in this case between Austin and Sarah.
The award-winning documentary Stem Cell Revolutions will be available online from 2nd July 2012.
If you haven't already watched the trailer for this fabulous 70-minute film, you can view it on the Films page of our site. The full film will be available in two online versions: For personal use, it will be available for rental, accessible up to five times within 30 days for a one-time fee of £4.50. For educational use, the film will be available for purchase as a download-to-own file that won't expire. The educational version is divided into several short chapters and will be supported by information on school curriculum relevance, as well as suggested supporting classroom activities. Prices vary by region.
For those who prefer DVDs, these will be available soon after 2nd July - watch this space!
Patient associations and leading research funders have called on the European Parliament to continue EU funding for embryonic stem cell research. The Wellcome Trust issued the group's joint statement last Friday 15th June, ahead of parliamentary debates this week in which MEPs will discuss the EU's next major research and innovation funding programme, 'Horizon 2020'.
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