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Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

 
Read more at: PDN scientists generate key life event in artificial mouse ‘embryo’ created from stem cells
PDN scientists generate key life event in artificial mouse ‘embryo’ created from stem cells

PDN scientists generate key life event in artificial mouse ‘embryo’ created from stem cells

25 July 2018

The creation of artificial embryos has moved a step forward after an international team lead by Magda Zernicka-Goetz used mouse stem cells to produce artificial embryo-like structures capable of ‘gastrulation’, a key step in the life of any embryo


Read more at: Discovery of genetic variant could lead to personalised treatments for mood disorder
Discovery of genetic variant could lead to personalised treatments for mood disorder

Discovery of genetic variant could lead to personalised treatments for mood disorder

4 July 2018

New work by PDN member Andrea Santagelo on serotonine transporter gene could identify targets for tailored therapies


Read more at: Study shows how muscles regulate their oxygen consumption
Study shows how muscles regulate their oxygen consumption

Study shows how muscles regulate their oxygen consumption

27 March 2018

A new study by Randall Johnson published in Cell Metabolism shows that an enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen. Without the enzyme, the need for oxygen increases during physical exercise. The finding is of potential significance to elite athletes, who have been found to have higher levels of FIH in their muscles than others.


Read more at: How does the brain’s spatial map change when we change the shape of the room?
How does the brain’s spatial map change when we change the shape of the room?

How does the brain’s spatial map change when we change the shape of the room?

5 March 2018

Study published in Science by Juljia Kupric examines the role of “metric” cells in the GPS of the brain


Read more at: PDN scientists discover the secrets behind the cuttlefish’s 3D ‘invisibility cloak’
PDN scientists discover the secrets behind the cuttlefish’s 3D ‘invisibility cloak’

PDN scientists discover the secrets behind the cuttlefish’s 3D ‘invisibility cloak’

16 February 2018

An international team of scientists led by Trevor Wardill has identified the neural circuits that enable cuttlefish to change their appearance in just the blink to eye – and discovered that this is similar to the neural circuit that controls iridescence in squids.


Read more at: Harder for T cells to fight cancer in absence of VEGF-A
Harder for T cells to fight cancer in absence of VEGF-A

Harder for T cells to fight cancer in absence of VEGF-A

13 November 2017

New research by Randall Johnson about the role of VEGF-A in helping T-cells in low oxygen environments makes the cover of Cancer Cell


Read more at: Sheep are able to recognise human faces from photographs
Sheep are able to recognise human faces from photographs

Sheep are able to recognise human faces from photographs

7 November 2017

Sheep can be trained to recognise human faces from photographic portraits – and can even identify the picture of their handler without prior training – according to new research from Jenny Morton's lab


Read more at: Skin found to play a role in controlling blood pressure
Skin found to play a role in controlling blood pressure

Skin found to play a role in controlling blood pressure

24 October 2017

New study by Randall Johnson on eLife shows that skin reacts to the changes in oxygen in the air to regulate blood pressure and hearth rate


Read more at: Genome editing reveals role of gene important for human embryo development
Genome editing reveals role of gene important for human embryo development

Genome editing reveals role of gene important for human embryo development

21 September 2017

CTR researchers have revealed the role of the OCT4 gene in human embryos in the first few days of development. This is the first time that genome editing has been used to study gene function in human embryos.


Read more at: Human reproduction likely to be more efficient than previously thought
Human reproduction likely to be more efficient than previously thought

Human reproduction likely to be more efficient than previously thought

13 June 2017

How difficult is it to conceive? According to a widely-held view, fewer than one in three embryos make it to term, but a new study from Gavin Jarvis suggests that human embryos are not as susceptible to dying in the first weeks after fertilisation as often claimed.