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STARLAB Scientific Image 1st Prize for unit: November 2010
Congratulations to Dr Patricia Yeyati, who was voted overall winner in the 2011 Calendar Competition run by the lab equipment supplier STARLAB UK.
The image was entered by the unit's Design and Publication Manager, Craig Nicol on behalf of Patricia, a Senior Investigator Scientist in Professor Veronica van Heyningen's lab.
The competition rules stated that images could be of anything, but should be predominantly blue and yellow in colour to stand the best chance of winning. Craig sourced the image of a zebrafish embryo, 2 days post fertilization stained with antibodies to nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, (fish sections by Keith Erskine).
This successful photo will feature in the printed 2011 STARLAB UK Calendar alongside the other winning entries. As winner of the star prize, Patricia will receive a £50 STARLAB voucher and a £100 gift voucher from a store of her choice.
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![Electrocardiography (ECG, or EKG [from the German Elektrokardiogramm]) is a transthoracic interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over time captured and externally recorded by skin electrodes.](../img/news_img_2010/news_wilson_11.2010/ECG_red.jpg "Electrocardiography (ECG, or EKG [from the German Elektrokardiogramm]) is a transthoracic interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over time captured and externally recorded by skin electrodes.")
Scots team help identify genes linked to heartbeat: November 2010
An international study involving researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Human Genetics Unit has found several areas of the human genome responsible for controlling the rythmn of heartbeats. By analysing the genetic code of nearly 50,000 people, researchers are now one step closer to understanding more about those with irregular heartbeat and who are at increased risk of heart problems.
The study, published today in Nature Genetics showed that there were 22 areas of the human genome associated with influencing the process of how the heart beats, known as cardiac ventricular conduction. The researchers were not only able to discover new genes associated with the heart, but were also able to pinpoint the precise role that some particular genes play in order to control the electrical pulses that regulate the heartbeat.
Every participant had an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure their heart's electrical activity.. By analysing their genetic code, researchers were able to identify genes responsible for variations in cardiac ventricular conduction.
The lead author on this international study is Dr Nona Sotoodehnia at the University of Washington. The data for the cardiac conduction genetics study came from a consortium of 15 European and American studies. The research involved more than 100 scientists from the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.
Dr Caroline Hayward at the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh who was involved in the analysis of the study says:
"By understanding more about the biological processes that control every heart beat, we can begin to have real insight into causes and potential treatments for people at increased risk of sudden death, heart failure and cardiac mortality."
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Chief Scientist Office and the Royal Society. UK universities taking part in the research include the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leicester and the University of Glasgow.
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