Featured Research: Biology

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Study aims to address complex genomics of human diversity and prostate cancer

Gender is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of health and life expectancy. For men, unfortunately, this is not good news. On average, across the globe, men die six years earlier than their female counterparts.

Lecture

‘A hitchhikers guide to the galaxy of brain/body dialogues’

The title of Prof Millar’s lecture was ‘A hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy of brain/body dialogues’. He spoke about peptide hormones that regulate all aspects of body functions, including growth, energy metabolism and appetite, water and salt balance, stress and reproduction. These hormones are the target for a vast array of drugs that have found application in treating a wide range of...

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Learning from life in the waters

Imagine an island far removed from any human encroachment that teems with animal life. Such a place exists: it is called Marion Island and forms part of the Prince Edward islands archipelago, situated between South Africa and Antarctica.

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Looking at blood differently

How can we improve diagnoses and treatment for a better outcome for patients, and really provide targeted care? It starts with putting blood under the magnifying glass.

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Sustainability: Seals and whales may have the secrets

We live at a time where our resources – social, economic and environmental – are more at risk than ever before

Lecture

'Human rights in a time of homophobia: An argument for equal legal protection of "sexual minorities" in Africa'

Over the last decade or so, international acceptance of 'sexual minorities' has increased significantly, reflected in the consensus that a person's sexual orientation or gender identity should not be a basis for denying him or her the equal protection of the law. In most of the African continent, a conflicting trend of formally stigmatising homosexuality has manifested itself, leading to the...