Cutting Edge: Research News
Sheep CloningA cloned sheep was successfully birthed on April 12, 2012, but that's not the exciting news. Huxley scientists isolated the gene for lean meat production and built it into the developing embryo. This may be the beginning of a healthier meat supply.
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The Soma EffectDr. Mustafa Mond published his paper on April 10th, 2012 based on the effects of the new pharmaceutical drug Soma on culture in the US. Student Rosy Mendellson co-authored the paper. Mond says Soma is "subtle enough to be terrifying."
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Hypnopaedia
Can it really be true? After Huxley predicted it years ago in Brave New World, scientists have finally solved the riddle of hypnopaedia. The Cognitive Psychology Department is working with Fisher-Price to develop an educational device for infants.
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Vegetable MicroRNA......found in humans! That's right, researchers in the biology department have discovered that microRNA's from plants, and rice in particular, survive digestion, enter the bloodstream, and, in some cases, alter gene expression. Researchers will continue to explore the implications of this surprising finding.
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Kidney ChimerasDr. Moreau of Huxley University has finally done it! His pigs are capable of supporting human kidney tissue. The break through comes after more than 18 years of diligent work by Dr. Moreau and his research team, Tommy and Kathy Hailsham. In early testing, tissue is being transplanted to primates without tissue rejection.
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The Healing Power of Honey
Honey is sweet and sticky, but it also has health benefits. Dr. Toby Gardner is a botany professor at Huxley who has been researching the roll honey has in promoting healing. Dr. Gardner says there are phytochemicals in honey that increase the rate that scar tissue is broken down and replaced by functional tissue.
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Rare Bird DiscoveryDr. Sara Anne Pearce discovered a rare bird during her recent research trip to Brazil. Pearce said she spotted the specimen after following the sound of its unusual chirping, which she described as particularly distinct. Pearce is currently working on identifying the bird's phylogenentic tree.
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New Treatment for DepressionDeep brain stimulation involving the implementation of a brain pacemaker is a promising new treatment for depression. Geneticists at Hux are doing DNA analysis on participants of the clinical trial to look for genetic markers that predict whether the individual is a good candidate for the procedure.
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