Post Archive by Month

We often ask each other, “What’s your first memory?”. Some people have surprising recall of early events. Then again, others can remember only as far back as the age of five or six. But how do childhood memories form? And why do … Read More

We’re always hoping to see new treatments for heart ­problems but I never ­expected something as stunning as the new technology ­coming from Manchester University. Scientists have been looking for ways to introduce new cells into damaged hearts for years, as a way … Read More

Baldness is a universal problem, whether it’s premature in men or male pattern in middle-age women. It can trigger mental trauma and heartache, particularly a form that causes areas of hair loss all over the scalp – alopecia areata. It’s an autoimmune disorder, … Read More

Sex chromosomes determine our biological sex. Men ­typically have one X and one Y chromosome, while women have two Xs. But it isn’t straightforward, some men also have an extra X or Y chromosome – XXY or XYY. In fact, … Read More

At one exciting point in my 40s, I ran a company with 200 ­employees. It was part of an American multinational ­ business, and even way back then it was forward-looking in terms of ­employee job satisfaction. It was down to … Read More

Chronic pain is a scourge of our times and affects millions of people worldwide. But treating it is not straightforward. There are questions like why are some people more prone to it and what factors lead to chronic pain. We also … Read More

There are numerous reasons for kidney and liver failure, which if left untreated are ­life-threatening. And often ­patients don’t get a precise diagnosis, which can result in their best course of treatment being unclear. But experts at Newcastle University have … Read More

At last there is hope for a treatment for arthritis of the knee which, in the form of osteoarthritis, is often an ­intractable problem. It inevitably gets worse with age and obesity because of wear and tear on this important weight-bearing … Read More

The death of 15-year-old ­Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who ­collapsed on a flight after an allergic reaction to sesame seeds, was shocking, heart-breaking and a giant wake-up call to the food industry. Now, researchers at ­Southampton University are looking into a way … Read More

Funding for genetic research can be money well spent – as ­experiments into cancer at Cambridge University prove. Researchers have discovered genetic mutations that give a personal history of the damage and repair processes each patient has been through. In the biggest … Read More