Research & medical benefits

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  Glaucoma reversed in rats and humans

  Researchers have reversed the symptoms of glaucoma in rats using medicated eye drops.

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  Heart stimulated to heal itself

  Scientists have shown for the first time that it is possible to stimulate the heart to heal itself without the use of stem cell technology.

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  Rodent teeth grow from stem cells

  Mice have grown new teeth from stem cells implanted into the jawbone.

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  Chimps get AIDS too

  Scientists have discovered that the natural hosts of a strain of SIV develop AIDS when infected.

• Food dye aids spinal crush injury

  A blue dye – similar to that used in M&Ms and liquorice allsorts – can help protect rats' crushed spinal cords from further damage.

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  Skin stem cells make mouse clones

  A new kind of stem cell, that doesn't involve destroying embryos, has produced new life.

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  Gene controller causes Down syndrome

  Researchers have used mice to pinpoint what goes wrong in aneuploidy, which includes the most common genetic disorders involving chromosomes, usually an extra chromosome.

• New way to reduce anaphylactic shock

  Using mice, scientists have pinpointed the molecule which is responsible for making allergic reactions more severe.

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  Fat busting pill?

  An artificial hormone has reduced body weight and fat mass in mice, and fast.

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  Single shot reverses rabies

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  Caffeine halts Alzheimer's

  Using GM mice, scientists have shown that caffeine can reduce dementia symptoms.

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  Elixir from Easter Island?

  apamycin was found in soil on Easter Island 40 years ago.

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  Gene suppression in type 2 diabetes

  Blocking the action of a gene called Sirtuin-1 reduced the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in rats, scientists have found.

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  Targeting skin cancer

  Using fish, scientists have discovered a signalling pathway that could be used to treat skin cancers (melanomas).

• GM mice get Parkinson's disease

  Researchers have created a GM mouse that develops Parkinson's disease.