Student Newsletter February 2014 Issue 3
Letter from the Editor Welcome to the February issue of your student newsletter! I hope you had some time to relax after the exams—saying that it was stressful wouldn’t even begin to explain it. So here we are, giving you lots of great articles to read. It was the month of February when Watson and Crick discovered DNA. That alone makes this month special. You can find out more about other contributors (the silent ones too) on page 5. We couldn’t escape the Valentine’s Day either, and we got to the bottom of it! Molecular bottom, to be exact (page 4). Finally, there is a story of a spider-goat. But I will leave you to explore the wonders of synthetic biology on your own (page 8). Maybe you will feel tempted to visit the London BioHack lab—details of the visit on page 10. From a modest publication with 8 pages now we are up to 10! And it’s all thanks to you!
Do you have a passion for writing? Are you interested in joining the team? Drop us a line to find out how you can get involved! Gabriele Butkute
gmb0049@my.londonmet.ac.uk
Editor
Note from your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)
ATTENDANCE IN CLASS
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Can’t wait to get the first semester exam results? Not much longer left to wait— module results will be published on the 6th of March.
The University takes attendance very seriously and its regulations require Module Leaders to record class attendance.
The deadline for submitting a mitigating circumstances claim is 4 weeks from the date of the exam, class test, coursework deadline etc.
You can view the attendance records supplied by your tutors by logging in Evision.
Postgraduate February starters, please make sure that you have chosen the optional modules for your study programme.
Very poor attendance in class can lead to students being withdrawn from their course altogether, and, of course, no-one wants to see this happen. If you are experiencing problems attending some or all of your classes then you should either talk to your Module Leaders, your Personal Academic Tutor or your Course Leader. 1
From Gothic to Photonic: How Vampires And Crazy Kings Lead to a Cancer Cure By Gabriele Butkute “After my first night in this castle, I found two large bites on my neck. From mosquitoes? From spiders? I don't know... “ Nosferatu, 1922 There is so much science left to be explored beyond our curriculum at university, it's a never ending journey. One of the things that lecturers might not mention, is vampires. Hence, Society of Life Sciences hosted a talk by Dr Lionel Milgrom, who spoke about vampires, porphyria and cancer – three things that didn't seem to have much in common at first glance. So we kept on looking.
necrosis which leads to longer looking teeth. Does that remind you of anything? The cancer therapy, that Dr Lionel Milgrom described in his talk, is based on photosensitivity. What if is was possible to kill tumour cells just the way sunlight kills skin cells and causes blisters? The techniques of using light-activated drugs to treat cancer, are known as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). PDT combines a drug that makes cells sensitive to light with exposure to a particular type of light. The drug is called a photosensitiser or photosensitising agent. There are different types of sensitising drugs and each is activated by light of a specific wavelength. Different photosensitisers and light wavelengths are used to treat different areas of the body. It converts oxygen into a highly toxic bleach-like form that destroys any cells in its close proximity. PDT has been successfully used to treat head and neck, prostate and skin cancers. In addition to killing the tumour cells directly, the sensitising drug may interfere with the blood vessels in the tumour, and stop it from receiving nutrients that it needs.
Dr Lionel Milgrom is a chemist, not a vampire (as far as we know). He was an academic, a co-founder and first CEO of a university 'spin-out' company from Imperial College London, pioneering a novel form of targeted cancer therapy that uses light and dyes to eradicate tumours. Dr Lionel Milgrom has also been been working as a science writer and journalist specialising in chemistry and health related topics. The talk briefly described the history of vampires and how much of what they are notorious for can be traced back to a family of metabolic blood disorders known as porphyrias. Porphyrias are a group of rare disorders of certain enzymes that participate in the production of porphyrins (eg. haem in haemoglobin, and chlorophyll in photosynthesis). It can be either inherited or aquired, lead poisoning is one of the most commons causes of the latter.
All of a sudden vampires were much easier to believe in. As always, after the talk students had an opportunity to chat with the speaker over lunch and meet fellow science enthusiasts too. That’s the beauty of knowledge— it needs to be shared.
People suffering from porphyria are photosensitive (even the slightest exposure to sunlight results in skin blisters) and, among many other symptoms, show gum
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Pedal to the pier without leaving the library! By Molly Ferrier A group of Events Management students raised a total of £56.06 in aid of St John Ambulance with a static 60 mile relay bike ride. As part of their Event Production and Delivery module, the students were required to organise a fundraising event, and opted for a virtual bike ride from Big Ben to Brighton. The bike ride set off at 11am on January 10th,in the foyer of the North campus library with a target of reaching the 60 mile point in a total of 4 hours. Sara, a London Met Sport Science student, started proceedings with a 2 mile stint. Next up was Events Student Molly who said “It was a fun way to take a break from work, whilst doing something worthwhile for the charity as well as yourself. It would be great to see more events like this in 2014.” Once underway, students visiting the library volunteered to partake in the relay with many signing up throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Throughout the 4 hour event, a total of £56.06 was raised and donated to St John Ambulance, the UK’s leading first aid charity. Ashley Garlick, Lecturer in Events Management said “It’s great to see London Met continuing to be a part of the student tradition of raising and giving, as well as gaining real-life experience of what it takes to put on an event. The team have done a fantastic job, and should be proud”.
Photos: Louise Bradley
The students would like to thank John McBennett, Keith O’Connor, Dave Teague, Andrew Field, Ashley Garlick and the 22 cyclists who made the event a success.
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“Love hormones” – the chemical guardians of our hearts
By Clarisse Uwajeneza Thanks to the never ending scientific discoveries, we are able to understand the underlying causes of more and more diseases. So why is love so hard to understand? What is its formula? What is its optimum environment, reagents? Can we break it down into steps and components, as a scientific experiment? It is said that people are influenced by “love molecules”. Don’t get all sceptical just yet, bear with me. There are said to be three stages of love (not so romantic, is it?). Each stage has certain hormones associated with it. We all know the famous question “what comes first – a chicken or an egg”. Well, in the case of love, lust comes first. Testosterone and oestrogen are the hormones responsible for our sexual drive. After lust, comes attraction. That’s what you get “doomed”, so to speak. This is the time when you can’t help blushing and you heart doesn’t stop racing. During this stage there is the kind of chemistry that is hard to explain, and yet, let’s try. So let me introduce you to another molecule - dopamine. It is said to be “the pleasure chemical” and has even been called “the molecule of sinful behaviours and secret cravings”. It influences the decision making, as well as, encourages addiction. We’ve all been there. Adrenaline contributes to all the sweating and blushing we go through when we see the “special one”. According to Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and well-known “love researcher” at The State University of New Jersey, The USA, the two chemicals produce sleeplessness, loss of appetite and loss of attention. Serotonin is the last player in this stage. It can actually make us insane! Researchers at the University College London have discovered that people, who are in love, have lower levels of serotonin. Obsessive compulsive disorders also cause reduced serotonin levels, possibly explaining why those in love "obsess" about their partner. Falling in love was the easy step, staying in love is a whole different story. And that story is told by different molecules: oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin is released during childbirth and strengthens the bond between the mother and the baby. It is not the only bond oxytocin helps us create. It is also released during sex, hence bringing the couple closer together. And from there we can take this theory even further and say that the more sex the couple has the closer they become. Vasopressin also helps maintain the long lasting attachment. Michael Gross, a biochemist from Oregon State University, USA, says that oxytocin and vasopressin interfere with the dopamine and adrenaline pathways, which might explain why passionate love fades as attachment grows. It makes you wonder how much control you have over your lives, how much is predisposed and how much we are yet to learn about ourselves.
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Who is who, when it comes to the discovery of DNA? By Astrid Lodge On February 28, 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick made one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history. They formally identified the double-helix structure of DNA. DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that encodes the genetic material, necessary for the development and functioning of all known living organisms. James Watson, aged just 25 at the time, and fellow scientist Francis Crick, aged 37, were the first to describe the double-helix structure of DNA molecules. Their findings were published in the journal Nature in April of 1953. In 1962 Watson and Crick and their collaborator Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Watson and Crick were aided in their DNA discoveries by the work of X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin, her crystal studies showed the structure of DNA. Franklin was one of many scientists looking for the structure of DNA at that time. Her X-ray studies of molecules played a crucial role in Watson and
Crick’s discovery of the structure of DNA. Rosalind Franklin was born and raised in London, educated at Cambridge University. Her specialty was X-ray crystallography: the analysis of crystals formed by certain molecules. One of her detailed Xray photographs, Photo 51, taken in 1952, clearly suggested the doublehelix structure of DNA. Unbeknownst to Franklin, Photo 51 was shown by Maurice Wilkins to Francis Crick and James Watson and it was the final insight they needed to determine the true double-helix form of DNA. Watson and Crick published their findings to much acclaim in 1953. Franklin continued to do research, mainly on viruses, until her untimely death from ovarian cancer at the age of 37 in 1958. The lack of credit given to Rosalind Franklin for her work has been discussed in great detail since her death. Many supporters feel that Watson and Crick were given credit that Franklin had deserved. Because Franklin died in 1958, she was ineligible to be included in the Nobel Prize for Medicine which Watson, Crick shared in 1962.
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James Watson published the account of his DNA discoveries with Crick, The Double Helix, in 1968. Watson worked at Harvard University for 21 years, and was director of the National Centre for Human Genome Research, after which he served as president and later as chancellor of Cold Springs Harbour Laboratory in New York. His other books include DNA: The Secret of Life (2003) and Avoid Boring People (2007). Francis Crick was 35 when he began working with James Watson, trying to discover the makeup of DNA. In 1953 they came up with the nowfamous double-helix model, and published their findings in the April, issue of the scientific journal Nature in 1953. The discovery assured Crick and Watson of lasting fame. Among many other honours, they were awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Medicine. His books include Of Molecules and Men (1966), Life Itself: Its Origin and Nature (1981) and Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (1994). He died of colon cancer 28 July 2008.
World Cancer Day — time to dispel the myths By Avneet Manghera
Cancer is defined as unregulated growth of abnormal cells in a specific part of the body. There are two types of tumours: benign and malignant. Benign tumours are considered to be non-cancerous and do not metastasise. Malignant tumours on the other hand are cancerous and have metastasising capabilities. There are many misconceptions about cancer. Even to this day, the word “cancer” is automatically associated with the a severely shortened life span and even death. However, thanks to advancements in prevention, screening and treatment this is not always the case. World Cancer Day (February 4th 2014) aims to raise global cancer awareness and to develop practical strategies to tackle cancer. The focus of the 2014 campaign was to reduce stigma and dispel four common myths about cancer. The primary goal is to get people talking about cancer on a global level in order to increase knowledge of the support that is available to such patients. Early diagnosis leads to early treatment which will in turn save many lives. Outlined below are just some of many scientific advances against cancer over the last 150 years that have led to improvement in prevention, screening and treatment of cancer.
Advances in Screening: The discovery of X-rays in 1895 was one of the main advancements in medical screening. It later formed a foundation for the development of the following screening techniques: mammography, computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The development of the cervical smear tests by George Papanicolaou in 1928 allowed for detection of precancerous and cancerous cells. Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH) allows visualisation of chromosome translocations and is key in identifying overexpression of particular genes. It uses fluorescently labelled short DNA sequences (probes), that bind to the complementary sequences on the DNA that is being tested.
Advancements in Treatment: In the late 1800’s the lives of cancer patients was prolonged with successful surgical removal of the tumour mass. At the time there was little understanding of metastasis and so patients often died later of secondary tumours. Towards the beginning of the 20th century was when radioactive elements (polonium and radium) were discovered and were later used in radiotherapy to treat cancer. Chemotherapy was one of the most prominent advancements in the treatment of cancer. The 1940s comprised of the development of two main groups of chemotherapy reagents: anti-metabolites and alkylating agents. Anti-metabolites interfere with cell growth and proliferation, particularly de novo purine/pyrimidine synthesis (production of DNA material) whereas alkylating agents create adducts in DNA leading to DNA damage. Research into the use of combination chemotherapy proved to prevent drug resistance and as well as prolong survival. 6
The “best fit” diet. Shhhh, it doesn't exist By Natali Dimitrova “Embrace randomness in all its forms: live true to your principles, don’t sell your soul and watch out for the carbohydrates.” Nassim Taleb In 2006, Sue Kiyabu, a Honolulu writer, decided to eat nothing but organic food in Hawaii for one week. What was the rule of his diet? He drew a circle 100 miles from where he lived and resolved on eating only what was grown within that circle. He dubbed his experiment as the “No Shoyu. No Milk. No Bread. No Rice. The GasSaving, All-Organic 100-Mile Hawaiian Diet”. An experiment that lasted exactly 7 days, no more, no less. Yet, when recalling it, he would say that there were days when he genuinely felt like a misanthrope.
People self-impose strict dietary rules due to various reasons: religious beliefs, health concerns or sometimes even in order to reach a sense of achievement induced by food intake restrictions. However, many of them overlook the possible dangers, such as, anorexia or bulimia nervosa, with the former one having the highest mortality rate out of all mental illnesses. Both, anorexia and bulimia nervosa, can potentially damage every organ system in the body and are a testimonial to the fragility of our ‘free will’ when making ‘rational’ food choices.
Unhealthy food cravings are natural. They are a reaction to the evolutionary pressure human species have experienced for well over 200,000 years, the pressure that has allowed us to survive and procreate as a race. Yet, it has also modified our organisms to easily store energy and crave what was once difficult to come by – fatty and sugary foods.
Having a healthy diet should not be complex or unachievable, neither a feat. It is about using common sense in your food choices, self-experimentation and listening to your body. Nutregenomics, the branch of nutritional genomics that study the effects of foods on gene expression, states that genetics play a considerable role in your tolerance to various food allergens such as gluten, lactose, soy or caffeine. Hence, due to the variety in our genetic background and mindsets and attitudes towards food it is impossible to pinpoint the right or wrong choices or to construct ‘best fit’ diet.
A mere sight of “palatable food” creates changes in the dopamine receptors in the brain. It also lights up our reward centres and produces opioids that trigger biophysical cravings, similar to those activated by alcohol and other widely recognized addictive substances.
What, in this case, is the chivalric code d’honneur for a modern age diet – one that is nutritionally-rich, environmentally and ethically good and economically-wise?
What Sue Kiyabu has done can be hardly considered a feat. Yet, what would happen if his little experiment was prolongated or led to an extreme – what would the unintended consequences or side effects be? Alas, food restrictions do go much further than this.
A basic rule to follow is to think of the foods that your ancestors would have eaten. Eat and shop local, organic, whole foods in their natural state and avoid foods that are labelled or processed. Drink plenty of water – it is, after all, the sole compound that constitutes approximately 60% of the body of an average adult. And most importantly, develop a healthy relationship with food – enjoy the nutritional diversity as well as the joy of sharing your meals with others.
Blood-type based diets, human chorionic gonadotropin (a hormone, produced during pregancy) injections, quick fix pills, appetite suppressants, laxatives and diuretics are simply the beginning of a long list of lowcalorie, low-fat, low-protein and more often than not, low on essential nutrients fad diets.
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“Spider-goats” - how far is too far? By Gabriele Butkute Spiders produce silk and goats make milk. That's hard to argue with. What if I told you that there is a tool to change it, what if I told you that in Utah, USA, there are goats that produce spider silk?
We keep talking how scientists did “this” and “that”. Is synthetic biology out of reach for the rest of us? Remember how fun it was to build Lego? Now just imagine if that Lego “came to life”, imagine playing with “BioBricks” instead. BioBricks foundation is a public benefit organisation that works in an open and ethical way to provide biological parts. No, they don't provide arms or legs, they offer something much more special – building blocks for genetic machinery. By ordering different parts of genes (eg. promoters, enhancers etc) you can build a biological circuit that will produce proteins.
The tool which enables this inter-species “fusion” is a fairly new field of science, called synthetic biology. First time the term “synthetic biology” was mentioned in 1970s. You might think it's something weird and “alien”. However, it's much closer to you than you think. Let's begin our journey through the “synthetic” world with insulin. Over 70% of the world's insulin supply is produced by E.coli bacteria. It used to be extracted from pigs, but it was a messy and inefficient. Then scientists thought if only they could put a gene coding for human insulin into something that produces it rapidly and makes it easy to use... Turns out, they could!
It goes a step further. Have you heard of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Biology? It is a movement that aims to make science more accessible to people, who may not have scientific education background. London has an excellent space for those who want to “get their hands dirty with science” - it's called London BioHackspace. The DIY community involves professional biologists, as well as, amateurs, who all together organise experiments, events, where they talk openly about science and try various molecular and synthetic biology experiments.
The basis of synthetic biology is to manufacture useful products by using living organisms, very often E.coli bacteria. Scientists insert genes coding for proteins that normally wouldn't exist within the bacteria. E.coli can only make proteins, which include enzymes, transport proteins or hormones (eg. insulin). It doesn't stop there! There are many more applications for synthetic biology and there are new ones emerging all the time. Bacteria can be modified to detect pollution and indicate it by changing colour! In addition to that, bacteria has been producing artemisin (a malaria drug) and even diesel! Many edible plants can be modified too: some of them could provide extra vitamins, as well as, provide vaccines. Wouldn't be it be great, to get vaccinated by munching on a sugar cane?
That's where ethical issues might come to your mind. Do we have the right to tamper with any organism’s genetic material? Who should be allowed to execute the experiments? What about dual use of research – maybe somebody will use an innocent DIY lab to create a bioweapon? That is all for you to think of. Just keep your mind open. I can't really wrap my head around the word “synthetic”. Is biology ever synthetic? I want to think of it as more of a “mix and match” situation. We are all live beings – let it be a spider, a goat, a bacterium or a human. We are all made of cells, we all have some kind of genetic material that determines what we look like and what we are capable of.
Scientists at NASA have developed a bacteriacontaining biocapsule, which helps astronauts deal with radiation. A capsule, made of nanotubes, is implanted under the astronaut's skin and if any radiation is detected, the bacteria in the capsule start automatically clearing it.
Synthetic biology has turned the world (or more accurately, organisms) upside down. The fascinating thing is that nobody really knows how far it can go until it gets there. We shouldn't underestimate our microbial friends – they'll keep on surprising us.
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FLSC Successes Rob gave a presentation about the company’s graduate scheme, Capita Novus, which gave Sofiya a real insight into the company’s culture and values which she felt matched her own. Sofiya decided to apply for the programme straight away and, after attending an assessment centre with 15 other graduates, she won a place on the scheme. Sofiya is now working as a software test analyst for one of Capita’s clients after completing the 12 week training programme. She enjoyed the training programme, as she had the opportunity to work on simulated projects and to learn a lot about herself. “This programme really prepares you for anything and made me feel confident about starting my first placement for one of Capita’s client organisations”, she said. A School of Computing graduate is enjoying a capital start to her career thanks to her course’s employability focus.
The BSc Computing graduate also believes her academic studies at London Met have played a real role in her success to date.
Sofiya Kiradzhiyska, who studied on BSc Computing, won a place on the IT graduate training programme at Capita – the largest professional services company in the UK.
“My degree course helped me to develop into a responsible young professional, capable of managing my personal life, employment and studies. My lecturers would always spend extra time on teaching and explaining new learning materials,” she said.
The talented graduate found out about the Capita scheme during a Student Enterprise Workshop (SEW) run by Dr Yanguo Jing from the Faculty’s School of Computing. These workshops bring together students and recruiters from a variety of organisations and provide students with valuable employability advice, interview tips and even internship and job opportunities.
“They would also give me detailed feedback, so that I could improve my academic work. I found the University Careers Service extremely useful throughout my whole time at University and particularly in my final year.
During the workshop, Sofiya met Rob O’Hare, recruitment manager at Capita, who had been invited to talk at the seminar by London Met career consultant, Tiffany Platt.
“I would recommend that students visit the Careers Service during their time at University. My advice to all London Met students is to stay motivated, work hard and the university is there to help you with the rest!”
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Student societies at FLSC There are many interesting societies at the faculty for you to join! Tempted? Drop by the Students’ Union office (TMG-75) and sign up !
Upcoming events
When antibodies attack – understandLondon BioHackspace visit hosted by ing Heamolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn (HDFN) Society of Life Sciences hosted by Society of Life Sciences
4th March, 2014
26th March 2014
7.30pm
TM1-83, 12:00
Address: London Hackspace 447 Hackney Road London, E2 9DY
A talk by Malcolm Needs, from NHSBT Red Blood Cell Reference Laboratory on HDFN: its causes, diagnostics and treatment.
Have you ever heard of DIY Biology? You can see it all for yourself during an open lab evening! London BioHackspace is a mix of amateur and professional biologists, attracted by the potential of molecular and synthetic biology. Bringing science closer to people. You must EMAIL US to let us know you want to join us for the visit!
"By belonging to a University Society, I feel more a part of the University. It’s easy to forget, in the struggle to get to lectures on time and revise for exams, that there is a bigger picture. I like having the little extra that the Society of Life Sciences has to offer – the fascinating lectures which don’t fit on my course, but join the dots and make you think laterally!"
lmu.lifesciencesociety@gmail.com
Amanda Comber, BSc Human Nutrition
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to go on to work for a while, then go on to study medicine and specialise as a paediatric doctor because children has been my passion for years.
I hope to work in the field of microbiology in the future. It's astonishing how much life you can find on a Petri dish! Kamil, 3rd year, BSc Biomedical Science
Daniella, 2nd year BSc Biological sciences
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