Exposure to mercury during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of hypertension
A study of 149 children in the Faroe Islands from the prenatal period to the age of 7, which was originally designed as an investigation of the effects of mercury on cognitive function, has revealed that exposure to even small amounts of mercury can have a deleterious effect on blood pressure. Exposure to mercury in this group of children appeared to be related to eating certain types of fish which accumulate mercury. Although the effects were not dose related, the cause for concern, according to Professor Grandjean who conducted the research, was that “mercury may also contribute to the development of serious disease and perhaps mortality”.
Capitalising on Dolly: Geron pumps funds into the Roslin Institute
Geron Corporation of California has provided substantial research funding for the Roslin Institute in the wake of the cloning of the sheep Dolly. The funds are aimed at developing transplantation therapies for numerous degenerative disorders, many of which impinge on ophthalmological practice. Indeed, therapies for aging disorders are Geron’s business. The grant is for £12m over 6 years and will ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of this technology. Professor Ian Wilmut, whose work underpins the development of Dolly, stated that the major challenge is in understanding cellular programming in order to make human cell therapy a reality. In the long term the aim would be to reprogramme cells without having …
