Chris Bird

50 Years of Bone Marrow Transplants

Chris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:13:03 +0000

Biomedical Scientist. December 2008
Towards the end of 1958 an accident at the Boris Kidric Nuclear Science Institute at Vinca, near Belgrade, in what was then Yugoslavia, exposed six engineers to radiation doses estimated at 300 to 1200 rads (3-12 Gy). Since radiation preferentially damages the most rapidly dividing body cells it was inevitable that these patients would suffer bone marrow failure. Shortly after the accident five of the patients were transferred to the Marie Curie Hospital in Paris where they received bone marrow transplants in an effort to save their lives. This was the first therapeutic use of bone marrow transplants and, although none of those original patients survived, the technique has now become a key weapon in the fight against a wide range of cancers and immunodeficiency disorders. (more…)

Infection and Cancer

Chris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:03:42 +0000

Biomedical Scientist. January 2009.
In October 2008 Professor Harald zur Hausen was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for his investigation of how cervical cancer is triggered by virus infections. His research made it possible to develop a vaccine against the third most frequent cancer affecting women with the potential to drastically reduce the incidence of this disease. (more…)

Climate camp against Kingsnorth

Chris — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:42:37 +0000

This article first appeared on the Transition Town Totnes website

Energy company, e.on, are planning to build a massive new coal burning power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. If the government gives approval for this development it will produce as much CO2 as Ghana and skuttle any chances of reaching even the government’s limited plans to cut carbon emissions and limit climate change. It could also give a disastrous green light for a whole new generation of coal fired power stations. (more…)

An evening with Bruce King

Chris — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:33:23 +0000

Article first appeared on Transition Town Totnes website

About fifteen people gather on a Saturday evening to talk about ecologically sound and sustainable building. The venue is Jim and Kate Carfrae’s stunning straw bale house in Totnes but, for tonight at least, neither our hosts or their home are the main attraction. (more…)

Preventing Surgical Site Infection

Chris — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:08:24 +0000

New non-pharmaceutical ways to reduce Surgical Site Infections.
A European symposium at the Society for Surgical Infection Congress. Turkey, April 30th 2008.

“Surgical site infection (SSI) is today the most important problem facing surgeons,” said Professor Miguel Cainzos (more…)

Cob Revival in Devon

Chris — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:00:55 +0000

‘The Observer’ June 15th 2008
Cob, a common building material until around a hundred years ago, is making a comeback in Devon as more people discover the advantages of building and living in a ‘mud’ house. (more…)

Carbon Footprints in the NHS

Chris — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:20:58 +0000

A few years ago the cables supplying power to my laboratory were so overloaded they began to overheat. Our electricity supply had to be supplemented by temporary cables and we couldn’t use air conditioning. I tell this story to illustrate how much energy consumption has increased in laboratories over the years. Pathology departments are now one of the biggest energy users in any hospital and hence a major contributor to that hospitals ‘carbon footprint’. (more…)

Climate Change and Health

Chris — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:17:08 +0000

The credibility of those who deny that global warming is both real and responsible for climate change is rapidly sinking to the level of those who deny the link between AIDS and HIV. (more…)

New Cob Build in Devon

Chris — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:13:47 +0000

‘Self Build & Design’ June 2008
When Jan and Jerry Sharpe decided they wanted to build their own house cob was the obvious choice. “Our business is repairing old buildings and in Devon that frequently means working with cob,” explained Jan. (more…)

Genetic Screening - friend or foe?

Chris — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:04:27 +0000

Although I didn’t realise it at the time, the evening of November 8th 2007 was even busier than normal in the rapidly developing world of genetic screening. (more…)