medicine – Bianca Nogrady

Bushfires: Australia issues health warnings as Sydney air quality plummets

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020No Comments

From the BMJ, 10 December 2019: Large bushfires have shrouded Australia’s east coast in dense smoke, prompting health authorities to issue warnings as Sydney’s air quality index exceeded hazardous levels by a factor of 10. The number of people across New South Wales presenting to hospital emergency departments with respiratory problems increased by around 25% … Continue reading Bushfires: Australia issues health warnings as Sydney air quality plummets

The challenge of delivering RNA-interference therapeutics to their target cells

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019No Comments

From Nature, 16 October 2019: The commercial story of RNA interference (RNAi) harbours more plot twists and unexpected demises than television fantasy drama Game of Thrones. As in all good dramas, there was someone — or something — that, just as things were looking promising, showed up to foil everyone’s plans, in this case hindering … Continue reading The challenge of delivering RNA-interference therapeutics to their target cells

Artificial intelligence shakes up drug discovery

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019No Comments

From The Scientist, 1 May 2019: Australia’s government drug safety watchdog sounded the alarm about the oral antifungal agent terbinafine in 1996. The drug, sold under the brand name Lamisil by pharma giant Novartis, had come onto the market in 1993 for the treatment of fungal skin infections and thrush. But three years later, the … Continue reading Artificial intelligence shakes up drug discovery

5th World Conference of Science Journalists

April 20, 2007No Comments

A huge pat on the back to the Niall Byrne and his team for putting on a brilliant 5th World Conference of Science Journalists. The debates were thought-provoking, the attendee list impressive and the entertainment (and wine) of excellent quality. The presentations included the ins-and-outs of reporting on public health issues, bias in science journals, … Continue reading 5th World Conference of Science Journalists