Scientia Issue #125 | Celebrating Discovery and Innovation in Genetic Science
CELEBRATING DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION IN GENETIC SCIENCE
This important issue of Scientia showcases the vital work of scientists in the field of genetics, the branch of biology concerned with the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity. As a science, the study of genetics is thought to have commenced in the mid-19th century with Gregor Johann Mendel’s experiments in pea plants and his discovery of the fundamental laws of inheritance. Incredibly, this work escaped the attention of other scientists for more than three decades. But from the start of the 20th century, Mendel’s work triggered an explosion of further research, rapidly progressing our understanding of genes and how they function. Now, genetics is one of the fundamental cornerstones of modern biology, critical in its own right as a branch of science but also with far-reaching implications for other disciplines, including medicine and healthcare.
The first section in this edition is devoted to the essential study of genetics from a basic science perspective. Here we meet the researchers, who through the innovative development of techniques and methodologies, continue to advance our understanding of the function of genes and the specific mechanisms underlying key genetic processes. From revolutionising how we think about the origin of life itself to solving mysteries such as how our tiny human cells can hold our entire DNA, this section provides an enthralling account of contemporary and cutting-edge research in genetics.
Our second section explores the application of genetics to the improvement of healthcare and medicine. We meet the researchers who are using genetic science to make giant strides forward in tackling some of the biggest challenges of our age, from chronic obesity to cancer. We conclude this section and the overall issue with an exclusive interview with Dr Helen Rippon, the Chief Executive Officer of Worldwide Cancer Research. This provides a timely reminder of the importance of sustaining funding into the basic sciences – such as genetics – in order to continue to advance the development of effective treatment of disease in our ever expanding and ageing global population.
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CONTACT
Published in the UK, by Science Diffusion ltd
ISSN 2059-8971 (print)
ISSN 2059-898X (online)
E: info@sciencediffusion.com
W: www.sciencediffusion.com
W: www.scientia.global
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Meet The Team…
DIRECTOR
Nick Bagnall
nick@sciencediffusion.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dr Nelly Berg
nelly@sciencediffusion.com
EDITORS
Dr Catherine Deeprose
catherine@sciencediffusion.com
Dr Catriona Houston
catriona@sciencediffusion.com
DESIGN MANAGER
Mimi Jones
PUBLICATION MANAGERS
Brad Lange
brad@scientia.global
Katja Kunka
katja@scientia.global
Paris Allen
paris@scientia.global
Tom Griffiths
tgriffiths@scientia.global
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sherwin Barretto, PhD
Tyler Berrigan, BSc
Chris Harrison, PhD
Sarah Lempiere, PhD
Emily Porter, PhD
Alex Reis, PhD
Margaret Unkefer, MSc
Tahmina Syeda, BSc
Cheryl Whiting, BSc
Fiona Williams, BSc
Rachel Perrin, PhD