Featured Research: Biology

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Research shows there are more warm-bodied sharks than previously thought

New research arising from a collaboration between scientists at the University of Pretoria (UP) and Trinity College Dublin has shown there are likely more warm-bodied sharks out there than previously thought.

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UP researchers close in on the secret to aging

The quest for immortality has long fascinated humans, and inspired countless tales – now, in two new studies published in the journals Nature and Science, University of Pretoria (UP) researchers, along with a team of global experts known as the Mammalian Methylation Consortium, are a step closer to unmasking the secret of aging in mammals, thus raising important questions – and answers.

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Developing the pan-mammalian clock

This infographic explains how the universal pan-mammalian clock was developed to determine the age of mammals in the wild for conservation and the preservation of endangered species. The clock can be used in forensic science to estimate the correct age of a victim at the time of death or the age of a suspect based on forensic evidence.

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The pan-mammalian clock

Aging has long been thought to be the result of random cellular damage or degradation over time, but this latest research shows that the epigenetic aspects of aging in fact follow a predetermined “programme”.

Talking Point

UP researchers explain why African solutions are needed for breast cancer

Researchers at the University of Pretoria (UP) have been working to identify genes that make African women more susceptible to certain forms of breast cancer. However, this is no easy task as very little genomic information is known about African populations.

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UP-UKZN study investigates likelihood of farmers choosing compost made of human poop

University of Pretoria (UP) researchers lent their expertise to a recent study led by the University of KwaZulu-Natal and found that rural farmers in KwaZulu-Natal are open to buying and using compost made from human sewage as long as they can be sure that it is safe, affordable and works as well as other products on the market.