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Schools Career Talks
by Unit Scientists: 23 January 2008
Pupils at Broughton High School enjoyed talks by three of the Unit’s young scientists which stressed the importance of studying science at school for many future career options.
Joe Rainger, Dafni Vlachantoni and Jean Donoghue each gave a ten minute presentation about their own careers to date, and emphasized the role school science had played in their career path. Dafni went on to discuss the importance of science in research careers, Jean talked about the many transferable skills research scientists develop and their value in other careers, and Joe highlighted the general benefits of a science education. The aim of the event was to encourage pupils to choose two or more science subjects (one science subject is mandatory) when they make their final choices for Standard Grade subjects in February, as a way to keep open future career options in scientific research.
Head of science at Broughton High, Dave Cockburn, thanked the Unit for organising the event and said, “The event went really well. The speakers were great and had a good rapport with the pupils.”
The event was part of the Unit’s on-going commitment to Broughton High School and is one of a series of events planned over the school session. Unit scientists interested in taking part should contact Joe Rainger.
Links
Centrosomal Protein causes Microcephalic Dwarfism:
20 February 2008
Researchers at the HGU and MRC GDSC have identified a new gene that controls the size of the brain. When this gene is faulty, the brain and body size are reduced to a size similar to that of Homo Floresiensis, a 1 metre-tall hominid that lived 30,000 years ago in Indonesia. The work links DNA damage signaling to a structural centrosomal protein for the first time.
These discoveries are the result of a partnership between several laboratories with complementary expertise in human genetics, cell biology and DNA repair, led by Andrew Jackson (HGU, Edinburgh), Mark´Driscoll (GDSC, Sussex) and Penny Jeggo (GDSC, Sussex). Colleagues in the ICMB, Edinburgh provided additional skills. Collaborative work between the groups continues, seeking to identify further genes in the same pathways and to understand the underlying biological mechanisms in more detail. (Image top right:PLoS Biol 2(5): e134).
Links
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Nature Genetics "Mutations in pericentrin cause Seckel syndrome with defective ATR-dependant DNA damage signalling"
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Science perspective "Dwarfism, Where Pericentrin Gains Stature"
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Telegraph report "Gene discovery sheds light on being human"