Discovering Britian's past from DNA

In the early 400’s, the Roman empire was forced out of the area we now call Britain by the Anglo-Saxon forces, and with it brought what was believed to be the end of a group named Romano-British. However a fine-scale genetic analysis of genes shared in British inhabitants shows that the Romano-British survived the invasion and slowly interbred with the Anglo-Saxons to form the British population we know today. The British islands were completely empty around 10,000 years ago due to the ice age receding and exposing the land, nomads slowly trekked from mainland Europe over land bridges to the newly exposed land. The researchers determined that those in western wales share the most genetic information with these original inhabitants of the land. Another discovery was that the population of Northern Scotland shares about 25% genetic makeup with ancestors from Norway supporting a theory that the two lands were once connected. Oddly enough the researchers discovered little to no traces of foreign rule from the Danish in early 11th century nor Norman population in the 1060’s but were mostly dominated by the Roman linked DNA as Caesar's rule put a high priority on intermarriages between local populations and the Roman Empire. The Infrastructure of the Roman empire allowed for easier relocation to Britain from all across the Roman Empire, creating a more diverse population.

It is interesting to find out the background and the different populations that contributed to what we currently call Britain. Britain may seem like a small nation if you compare population sizes of the different nations in the world however Britain plays a key role in many cultures throughout the world. Seeing as Britain once controlled 3/4ths of the entire world and is now reduced to a small mound of land that is no larger than the US state of Michigan, fragments of British DNA are scattered around the world and knowing what makes up this DNA lets us understand what influences other cultures that were once under British rule.

References

Wade, N. (2017, December 21). Study Reveals Genetic Path of Modern Britons. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/science/study-reveals-genetic-path-of-modern-britons.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/science&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=search&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront

O'Hanlon, L. (2012, October 22). Tracing Your Ancestry. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/405384/tracing-your-ancestry/

Gene Therapy Being Studied as an Alternative to Heart Transplants

British scientists have started a trial to investigate if gene therapy can potentially take the place of heart transplants.

This study is unique because it is the first to research the use of gene therapy for heart patients kept alive by a LVAD. An LVAD is a left ventricular assist device. This device helps patients’ bodies pump blood while their hearts are not working properly.

A group of sixteen randomly selected patients will be treated with a gene that will help their hearts beat more strongly and closer to a healthy heart. Another group of eight other individuals will act as the control group and receive placebo therapy.

The therapy itself involves isolating a harmless altered virus and injecting it into the blood stream. This nonpathogenic virus will transport the new gene to the heart, where heart muscle cells may access it. This will hopefully elevate levels of a protein called SERCA2a, which is vital to the contraction of cardiac muscle.

Heart muscle will be taken and biopsied six months post-treatment to see if the gene is in fact present and functioning properly.

Since this treatment is not focused on correcting a gene defect, it is applicable in many different cases. Whether heart failure is caused by genetics, environmental factors, or lifestyle, this therapy will be equally beneficial. This is in contrast to many other gene therapies that focus only on correcting a specific mutant or defective gene.

This article was interesting to read mainly because of the versatility of this treatment. The fact that the researchers have developed a therapy that could treat such a wide variety of causes of heart failure is fascinating. I’ve never read about a blanket-type genetic treatment like this before. As with many gene therapy trials, this could offer hope to many people who are living with heart failure. Especially because the list for transplants is so long, and many people will pass away waiting for their chance. This treatment could be revolutionary.

Article: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/11/gene-therapy-trial-heart-transplants

Related Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140811124539.htm

The Price of Beauty

The pressure and stress society deems someone as “beautiful” can be quite demanding; for some it may mean taking great risk to achieve that beauty. This risk is also the cause of one million suffering in Britain—either by starvation or suicide, this is known as anorexia disorder. We have seen forms of anorexia from models and demanding parents. However studies have shown that anorexia can be also inherited!

In reality, scientists showed there is not just one social cause that leads to anorexia. In fact, the main drive for this disorder could either be the fear of entering adulthood or of losing parents’ attention. What which gene is the cause for this disorder, compared to schizophrenia—this disorder did not caught enough attention to gene hunters.

 Now, Britain and America teamed up with the rest of the world in order to gather 25,000 DNA samples from those who are anorexic and compare it to the DNA of the unaffected controlled group. Scientists hope that this will allow them to pinpoint the genes and study their function in order to develop a treatment. However the finding cannot be replicated and the project is back at square one.

The scientists hope that if the finding was successful, it can help lessen the guilt to parents of the anorexic child. According to Professor Janet, Treasure director of the Eating Disorders Unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital, the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, that parents need to understand that anorexia is caused by both environment and genetics cause. This disorder tends to happen during adolescence, it is a natural response—but it is the emotional reactions that get children sick.

Anorexia happens to 1-2% of teenagers and college students, though it can happen at any age. People who have anorexia sees themselves fat even though they eat the bare minimum amount of food allowing them to survive. They tend to secretly starve themselves and vomit the food they ate. People who tend to have anorexia tend to be: perfectionist, anxious or depressed, and obsessive. This disorder usually happens to more females than males; more specifically the daughter of two professional couples.

The global project for finding the gene responsible for anorexia, led by Professor Cynthia Bulik, an expert in eating disorders at the University of North Carolina in the US, identified the genes to be, AN25k. It is likely as the project continues they find other genes contributing to the cause of this disease. Studies show that of the risk 56% anorexia is contributed by genetic factors. The researchers are now hoping they find one gene that linked the illness altogether so they can develop a treatment.

This article to me was a relief to read, in my high school days my health teacher has shown me some very disturbing pictures of anorexia—we even watched videos about them. I feel so bad for all the girls I've seen, I want to tell them they are beautiful already—that they are harming their body by not eating. This disorder causes so much pain to not only to those who have it, but also to family members as well. 

Article: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/the-genetics-of-anorexia-9778489.html

Related article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2732887/UK-scientists-launch-hunt-anorexia-gene-Plea-1-000-volunteers-help-prove-health-victims-born-deadly-condition.html