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In This Issue |
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Editorial
Involve Public in Examining Patent Applications
(Click and read online) |
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Lead Story-
Biofuel Policy-Who
Benefits?
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India certainly needs to
rationalise its
energy use and reduce its consumption of petroleum-based fuels. The answer lies
not in compromising food security and joining the biofuel bandwagon, but in time
tested strategies like increasing efficient public transport, and reducing
private cars. Read complete..
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Biofuels -
Ensuring Biofuel Sustainability
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The Rundtable on
Sustainable Biofuels (RSB)—a coalition of farmers, businesses, governments and
non-profit organisations has released draft guidelines for guaranteeing the
sustainable origin of biofuels. The draft called “Version Zero”, sets out 12
guiding principles that biofuel producers must adhere to, so as to call their
produce “sustainable”. Read complete..
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Food Crisis :
Foodgrain
Availability in India: Trends and Debates
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Availability or absorption
of foodgrains is calculated on the annual net output adjusted only for change in
public stocks and in trade. It covers all final uses - direct use for
consumption as grain and its products, use as feed for converting to animal
products (a part of this is exported), and industrial use.
Read complete
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GM Update -
GM Food Labelling
to be done by FSSA?
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More than a year has
lapsed since the committee of experts and stakeholders constituted by the Union
Health Ministry under the chairmanship of the additional director-general of the
National Institute of Communicable Diseases had unanimously recommended
mandatory labelling of all genetically modified (GM) foods irrespective of the
threshold level. Now it is learnt that the matter has been referred to the newly
constituted Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA. Read
complete..
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GM Zone
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Australian Scientists Create GM Banana Plant:
Scientists in Queensland,
Australia, have successfully grown the country's first genetically modified
banana plant. The plant is resistant to the deadly panama disease, or fusarium
wilt, which is prevalent in South East Asia and has threatened plantations in
the Northern Territory. ...Read complete
First GM
Food Crop Goes on Trial:
A vegetable is at the
centre of a row in Orissa as it is likely to become the first GM food crop to be
permitted for commercial production in the country. While anti-GM activists in
the state and elsewhere are furious at the insufficient data on the safety
aspects of the crop, Bt (bacillus thuringiensis) brinjal seeds are likely to be
sown in Orissa sometime next month as part of the countrywide field trials of
Varanasi-based Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR)..Read complete
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Bioresources :
Prospecting for Biopiracy
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In the name of
bioprospecting, traditional knowledge and bioresources are commercially
exploited while the local communities who made it all possible receive little or
nothing in return.
Subscription required
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IPRs :
Open Source in Life
Sciences: An Alternative Paradigm
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FRANCE’S
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT UPHOLDS GMO LAW:
There is a move to examine
the possibility of extending the principles of open source software development
to the development of research tools in biomedical and agricultural
biotechnology. Read
more...Subscription required
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Stem Cells
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Cord
blood banking: a family’s health insurance
The Cord Blood Registry,
the world’s largest cord blood stem cell bank recently announced 32 per cent
increase in revenue by June 2008 compared to the same quarter in 2007. The
company says this is happening as more and more people are using the bank to
save cord blood....
Read complete
New Tool
for Screening Adult Stem Cells
Stem cell research is the
next great leap in medicine where organs or damaged cells of an organ can be
replaced from laboratory grown organs or cells. All this can happen with the use
of stem cells. Source of stem cells could be embryo, placenta, and bone marrow.
Now the scientists are looking to adult human stem cells which are being
cultivated from various tissues in the body like skin, bones and even wisdom
teeth. ..Read complete |
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Nanotech
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Researchers have
demonstrated a potential cure for gene triggered deadly disease—melanoma—
malignant tumour of melanocytes which are found predominantly in skin. According
to cancer researchers, nano-particles filled with a drug that targets two genes
that trigger melanoma could offer a potential cure for this deadly disease. The
treatment demonstrates a safer and more effective way of targeting
cancer-causing genes in cancer cells without harming normal tissue..Read complete |
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Science News
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PROTEIN STRUCTURE DISCOVERY TO AID DRUG DEVELOPMENT:
Researchers have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs
to fight the avian flu and other virulent strains of influenza. The
researchers revealed a three-dimensional structure of a site on an 'influenza
A' virus protein that binds to one of its human protein targets. By binding to
human proteins, it suppresses an individual's natural defenses to the flu
infection and virus replicate efficiently inside the body.
Read more ...
Scientists with China
Academy of Engineering have announced breeding a genetically engineered cow
which produces cancer fighting proteins. The cow produces—human monoclonal— CD20
antibodies in its milk. These antibodies could be purified from the milk of the
transgenic cow, and used to treat B cell lymphomas and leukemias and some
auto-immune diseases.
Read complete |
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Genomics :
Towards Affordable
Healthcare For All
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Case studies from Mexico,
India, Thailand and South Africa reveal six major cross-cutting themes
underlying initiatives namely, political will, institutional leadership, the
goal of producing local health benefits, protecting genomic sovereignty, and
promoting economic benefits. The Indian chapter is titled, “From diversity to
delivery: The case of the Indian Genome Variation Initiative.”
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Legal Issues :
Drawbacks in Wildlife
Protection Act to Check Illegal Trade of Insects
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India has one of the
world’s richest biodiversity, home to variety of species from macro to micro
fauna. At the same time, it has also became a hub of illegal trade in wildlife.
Despite having an elaborate law to protect wildlife, illegal trade has taken a
heavy toll on India’s wildlife. Species in demand may include moths, butterflies
and beetles beside charismatic species like tiger, rhino, elephant and other
mega fauna. While trade in big cats and other mega fauna get much attention in
the media, illegal trade in smaller species like butterflies, moths and plant
species remain un-noticed. These trades sometimes are carried out often in the
name of research, where scientists and traders clandes-tinely smuggle exotic
breeds.
Read more ...
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