Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Gene wars only a few years away, say doctors
href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8122-1329478,00.html" target=_blank>The warning comes after a report by theBritish Medical Association (BMA), which stated that within a decade
genetic research would unleash new and terrifying biological weapons
capable of killing only people of specific ethnic groups. This is
similar to a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0120/baard.php"
target=_blank>Village Voice article from a few years ago - only
that article ridiculously juxtaposed the destruction of GMO crops by
direct-action activists with the imagined "ethnic" weapons discussed
here.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Both the biotechnology and pharmaceutical indexes closed lower on Friday
href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?siteid=mktw&dist=moreover&guid={5A3C2B48-2BBD-4881-92C3-466AA2E3CE41}"
target=_blank>From CBS Marketwatch
Stem cell patent dispute
target=_blank>The German arm of the environmental lobby groupGreenpeace is disputing a patent awarded earlier this year to a leading
researcher on the grounds that it allows the commercial exploitation of
human stem cells.
The Monsanto conquest of South America continues
Now Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and 13+ other countries have agreedto the planting of Monsanto's Round-Up Ready (c) varieties of crops.
/>
target=_blank>article on the Paraguayan decision from SeedQuest
Appeals Court Upholds Genentech Verdict
target=_blank>A state appellate court Thursday upheld a $500 millionverdict against biotechnology company Genentech Inc. for failing to pay
royalties on some drugs manufactured under a 1976 agreement with City
of Hope National Medical Center. Genentech, based in South San
Francisco, is recognized as the first biotech company, and currently
the second largest company.
Monsanto Canada to defend Roundup Ready canola in organic farmers' class action claim
target=_blank>On November 1-2, 2004 in the Court of Queen's Bench,Saskatoon, Justice Gene-Ann Smith will hear arguments from Monsanto
Canada, Bayer Crop Science and counsel representing Larry Hoffman, L.B.
Hoffman Farms Inc. and Dale Beaudoin regarding the proposed class
action claim that organic farmers have been harmed by the introduction
of genetically modified (GM) canola.
Genes alone do not cause Down Syndrome
href="http://www.123bharath.com/health-india-news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=31377" target=_blank>...researchers have used
genetically engineered mice to disprove the theory. Researchers found
that in mice at least, having just a few genes present in three copies
is not enough to cause key features of Down syndrome.
Samoa nabs gene rights
href="http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11153724%255E663,00.html" target=_blank>SAMOA has claimed sole
rights to an AIDS and cancer fighting gene that also grows in trees
found in Australia and several Pacific nations. Using the 1992
international Convention on Biodiversity, Samoa has became the first
country to claim such rights over a native plant, the mamala
tree.
href="http://www.scidev.net/news/index.cfm?
fuseaction=readnews&itemid=1645&language=1" target=_blank>Another
article discussing the profit sharing partnership between Somoa and UC
Berkely.
Ignacio Chapela's Last Stand
href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/2004-10-13/news/cityside_print.html" target=_blank>"Chapela, a microbial ecologist, wasan outspoken critic of a $25 million agreement between the UC
Berkeley's College of Natural Resources and Swiss biotech giant
Novartis. He was also the first to report the contamination of backyard
maize plots in the Mexican state of Oaxaca with DNA from genetically
modified corn -- part of a controversial paper that was published and
later essentially retracted by the journal Nature." In September 2001,
his application for tenure was overwhelmingly approved by all the
authoritative committees until it got to the one that is usually just a
formality - a campus budget committee.
Lively Capital: Biotechnologies, Ethics and Governance in Global Markets
Thisworkshop will investigate how new legal, social, cultural and
institutional mechanisms are regulating the global emergence of
biotechnologies. "Lively Capital" refers to the ways in which the life
sciences are literally incorporated into market regimes, as well as to
the lively affects the emotions and desires at play when
technologies and research impinge upon experiences of embodiment,
kinship, identity, disability or citizenship.
(November 5-7, 2004 - Sponsored by the University of California, Irvine
Dept. of Anthropology)
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Offensive Biology: Is Bio-Defense A Bust?
href="http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=57&ItemID=6443" target=_blank>A biodefense lab may soon be
coming to a campus or community near you, if one hasn't already. In
actuality much of the work being done at these so-called "hot" labs
threatens international treaties, public health and, at current levels
of funding, is wasteful. Enveloped in a shroud of secrecy and missing
proper oversight, public debate on whether or not the labs are
fulfilling their mission is squelched. The truth is that what's being
justified as making us safer and more secure may be achieving the
opposite.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Brazilian farmers can legally grow GM soy this season
target=_blank>Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed anexecutive order Thursday night to allow the planting and trade of
genetically modified soy for the 2004-2005 season only. The order
allows farmers to plant the GM beans until December 31st, 2004. The
resulting crop may be sold until January 31st, 2006, but that deadline
may be extended another 60 days.
Race & Genetics on the web
Race and genetics are once again in the spotlight of social and geneticsciences (the previous posted NY Times article discusses one of the
reasons why - href="http://threehegemons.tripod.com/threehegemonsblog/id139.html"
target=_blank>medicines developed specifically for racialized genetic
bodies).
On October 4, 2004, Johns Hopkins held ahref="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2004/09_22_04.html"
target=_blank> conference on the href="http://bhblog.jhsph.edu/blog.cfm?id=6"
target=_blank>subject.
href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-
te.medicine11oct11,0,3646000.story?coll=bal-health-headlines"
target=_blank>A recent article in the Baltimore Sun.
target=_blank>Report from an April conference at the Univ. of Wisc,
Madison
The HGP has included a href="http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/
minorities.shtml" target=_blank>public discussion of this from the
beginning, and it's instructive to look back at how this topic was
viewed preemptively in terms of the obvious history of eugenics. But
it's always good to look at the source of any research that is cited in
this area - as the href="http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45/049.html"
target=_blank>connections between the Pioneer Fund and the infamous
1994 book The Bell Curve made clear.
For job stimulus, Boston mulls direct investments
href="http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/10/18/for_job_stimulus_boston_mulls_direct_investments/" target=_blank>Boston
officials are considering plans to invest city funds directly into
biotechnology companies, part of a broader effort to stimulate the hot
industry within city limits and create jobs.
The Genome in Black and White (and Gray)
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/10/magazine/10GENETIC.html?ei=5040&en=a561bafcf007888f&ex=1098590400&adxnnl=1&partner=MOREOVER&adxn
nlx=1098140457-1PrZLVbvVvVYrCMknXVHjA" target=_blank>Imagine that you
have heart failure. What can medicine do for you? It depends: are you
white or black? If you're white, your doctor may prescribe one of the
drugs that seem to ease the symptoms, maybe a beta-blocker or an ACE
inhibitor. And if you're black, your doctor may still prescribe those
drugs, but they might not really help.
BIOTECH & CREATIVITY: How many trillions for a drug miracle?
href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/10/17/ING3Q98R2G1.DTL" target=_blank>Actually, the
question is, would we be willing to nearly bankrupt ourselves, and pass
on a staggering debt to our children, so we can live longer and rid the
world of major dread diseases?
âIgnore call to ban human cloning' Royal Society urges UN
target=_blank>The Royal Society, UK, is urging the UN to ignore GeorgeBush's call to ban all forms of human cloning. A Costa Rican proposal
to ban both reproductive and therapeutic cloning has been backed by
George Bush, who told the UN that member countries should support this
ban.
One humanity, but two types of cloning
href="http://www.mg.co.za/content/l3.asp?cg=Insight-CommentandAnalysis&ao=123928" target=_blank>Unlike many topics at the
complex interface between science and politics, the key issues in the
cloning debate are relatively straightforward. Proponents of the use of
stem cells taken from human embryos argue that, in principle, these
could eventually be used as replacement human tissue in the treatment
of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as damage to
the central nervous system. Critics of the research argue that even
though the embryo from which the stem cells are taken has been
fertilised for less than 14 days -- and hence is still a bundle of
undifferentiated cells -- it should be considered a human being, with
full human rights.
Study to probe gene role in breast cancer
href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/biotech/2004-10-18-sister-study_x.htm" target=_blank>The Sister Study, conducted by the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the government's
National Institutes of Health, is the largest trial of its kind.
Bush suppresses GM crop warnings
href="http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/details?item_id=617830" target=_blank>Monsanto and the US Government have been
telling the world that genetically modified crops pose no contamination
threat to natural indigenous species. But Greenpeace has learned from a
leaked report that NAFTA disagrees and is recommending steps to avoid a
genetic threat to natural maize in Mexico.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Anthrax Slip-Ups Raise Fears About Planned Biolabs
href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-10-13-anthrax-labs_x.htm" target=_blank>About 50 maximum-containment labs nationwide
harbor the deadliest of bacteria, viruses and toxins. Forty more
biodefense research labs are planned in cities such as Atlanta and
Boston. In addition to the furor over the plans in Boston, opponents
have also taken aim at a lab to be built at the University of Texas
Medical Branch in Galveston, citing concerns about excessive secrecy
and biosafety.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
EPO revokes patent on Indian wheat
target=_blank>In a clear victory for Indian farmers, the EuropeanPatent Office has revoked the patent on Indian Nap Hal wheat variety
following a legal opposition filed by Greenpeace at the EPO in
February.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Biopresence & Transgenic Tombstones
target=_blank>DIY DNA DAY - if you missed it, was on April 10th andcelebrated at a UK conference with a wide range of biotech and
transgenic art demonstrations and tutorials. Aside from learning how to
extract your own DNA, or the DNA from anything living, attendees were
also introduced to a new way for remembering those who have passed away
- storing their DNA within a living plant! Believing that 'a growing,
living tree has the ability to comfort in a completely different way
than cold gravestones', Georg Tremmel and Shiho Fukuhara of Biopresence
were happy to wax on about their 'Transgenic Tombstones'
Monday, October 11, 2004
Monsanto Leaves Costa Rica
href="http://www.nwrage.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=77&mode=thread&order=1&thold=0"
taget=_blank>Monsanto â the company responsible for more than 90% of
industrial releases of transgenic organisms in the world â has decided
to withdraw its request to release genetically modified corn (maiz) in
Costa Rica and to pull out of the country. Environmentalists in Costa
Rica are still working to strengthen the campaign for an GMO-free
country.
Brazilian Government Probes Online Trade of Brazilian Indian Genetic Samples
href="http://www.nwrage.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=74" target=_blank>The Brazilian
government has investigated the presumed sale of genetic samples of
Brazilian Indians through the Internet, local press reported on
Saturday. President of state-run National Indigenous Peoples Foundation
(Funai), Mercio Pereira, has requested the federal police to
investigate the case and the Foreign Ministry to take measures in view
of the severity of the situation.
BIOMEDIALE. Contemporary Society and Genomic Culture
A newanthology/reader on the culture of genomics. The book is divided into
several parts: Science, technology and perspectives (the newest
trends); Society and genomic culture (philosophic and social aspects);
Art and genomic culture (historical aspects, mass culture);
Contemporary art and new art strategies (ALife, Ars Genetica, Ars
Chimaera, Tissue culture and Art)
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Genome Model Applied to Software
href="http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,65191,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_prev2" target=_blank>Beddoe explained his methodology
in a presentation at ToorCon, last week's San Diego security and hacker
conference, showing how biologists' work can make the often tedious
task of reverse-engineering network software a little simpler.
Few attend BioShield II hearing
target=_blank>At a sparsely attended Senate hearing Wednesday (October6) on potential improvements to the BioShield legislation signed into
law in July, several pharmaceutical manufacturers pleaded for stronger
liability protection, while an infectious disease expert urged a
broadening of the provisions to encourage antibiotic development. Only
a handful of senators attended the hearing off and on, as Congress is
busily trying to finish its business before the election.
Brazil delays GM crops and cloning bill
href="http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=1618&language=1" target=_blank>Brazil has
postponed the creation of a regulatory framework for a range of
biological procedures, including human cloning and genetic modification
of crops. But Brazilian farmers are saying they plan to plant GM seeds
with or without legal approval.
GM Food Makers Refuse to Disclose Untested Ingredients to Americans, But They Do It in Europe
Themajority of corn and soy in the United States is now grown from
genetically modified seeds, altered to increase their resistance to
pests or reduce their need for water, for example. In the past decade,
Americans have unknowingly gobbled down hundreds of millions of
servings of genetically modified foods. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration claims there have been no adverse effects, and there is
no specific labeling.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Bovine genome assembled
target=_blank>The first draft of the bovine genome sequence has beendeposited into free public databases for use by biomedical and
agricultural researchers around the globe, leaders of the Bovine Genome
Sequencing Project announced today.
Friday, October 01, 2004
Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on Science
target=_blank>The two major party candidates for U.S. president,incumbent Republican George W. Bush and his Democratic challenger,
Senator John Kerry, and their representatives have sparred repeatedly
over issues ranging from embryonic stem cell research to global
warming.
Bioshield act helps propel startups to market
target=_blank>The tools for molecular biology and genetics have allowedscientists like NanoBioâs founder, medical researcher James Baker, to
explore not only microbes and cells but also the tiny parts and
pathways within them. Adding to that capability is money, lots of
money. The crossroads of biotech and nanotech are being well paved by
government, particularly as concerns grow about terrorist attacks.
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