Biomedical scientists from the University of Central Florida and Louisiana State University have identified a way to block a “cell death signal” that they believe triggers brain damage during strokes.
Strokes, also known as cerebral ischemia, are caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain and are the third-leading cause of death in the United States.

The team’s work focused on a neurotransmitter that typically plays an important role in communication among nerve cells in the brain and fosters learning and memory. This glutamate neurotransmitter opens the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, allowing the entry of calcium into the nerve cells.

Under normal conditions, the activity of the NMDA receptors is tightly regulated to prevent nerve cells from becoming overloaded with calcium. During a stroke, however, that process of regulation breaks down. The excessive influx of calcium through NMDA receptors kills the nerve cells and can cause severe brain damage.
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Researchers at UC San Diego who last year genetically engineered bacteria to keep track of time by turning on and off fluorescent proteins within their cells have taken another step toward the construction of a programmable genetic sensor. The scientists recently synchronized these bacterial “genetic clocks” to blink in unison and engineered the bacterial genes to alter their blinking rates when environmental conditions change.

Their latest achievement, detailed in a paper published in the January 21 issue of the journal Nature, is a crucial step in creating genetic sensors that might one day provide humans with advance information about temperature, poisons and other potential hazards in the environment by monitoring changes in the bacterium’s blinking rates.

“Programming living cells is one defining goal of the new field of synthetic biology,” said Jeff Hasty, associate professor of biology and bioengineering at UCSD who headed the research team with Lev Tsimring, associate director of UCSD’s BioCircuits Institute.
…read more about Researchers Synchronize Blinking ‘Genetic Clocks’ – Genetically Engineered Bacteria That Keep Track of Time

Engineering and manufacturing are well represented in London, contrary to the impression that is sometimes given. Manufacturing alone represents 300,000 jobs or 8% of the capital’s total workforce. Many different types of manufacturing can be found in the capital, from food and drinks companies like Coca Cola in Enfield to vehicle production at Ford in Dagenham. In the London region, there are many more companies involved in manufacturing, taking advantage of more space, or more convenient access to transport links that in London itself.

However, such large scale traditional manufacturing is only one part of the story. London is also strong in high technology manufacturing like aerospace and computing, as well as precision engineering and pharmaceuticals. With its highly skilled workforce, much research and development is undertaken in London for products that are manufactured elsewhere, in other parts of the UK and overseas. While many large, global companies have a manufacturing presence in London, there are also smaller firms often producing high value, cutting edge products.
…read more about A career in engineering / manufacturing