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cells

Mitochondria – cell powerhouses

Article

Mitochondria – cell powerhouses

Mitochondria are tiny organelles inside cells that are involved in releasing energy from food.

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Cell division

Article

Cell division

The most important part of the cell is the nucleus, for this is where all the instructions for the cell’s ...

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What is cancer?

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What is cancer?

Cancer is a word that can send shockwaves through a family. In some cases, it is completely treatable, and in ...

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Cells

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Cells

All living organisms on Earth are made up of living cells. All cells fall into one of the two major ...

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Close up of a blue human iris - eye.

Article

Cell biology and genetics

All living things are all made up of cells. In order to develop new biotechnologies it is important to understand ...

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Blue gloved hands holding a lab mouse.

Article

New Zealand’s GE technology reform carries risks and benefits

Genetic modification is back on the political agenda in Aotearoa New Zealand. The issue may not be as hotly contentious as it once was, but big ...

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RNA interference

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RNA interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural process that occurs in cells where small RNA molecules ‘silence’ or decrease the activity of specific genes by preventing them ...

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RNA interference – key terms

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RNA interference – key terms

RNA interference is both a natural process and a novel biotechnology tool in which small RNA molecules ‘silence’ or decrease the activity of specific genes by ...

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Gaming and medicine – D-Bug Game Design Challenge

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Gaming and medicine – D-Bug Game Design Challenge

Antonia Hoeta is part of The Science of Medicines – Whakatere Waka – an innovative, hands-on education programme that uses te ao Māori perspectives to build ...

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The Science of Medicines – Whakatere Waka

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The Science of Medicines – Whakatere Waka

The Science of Medicines – Whakatere Waka is an innovative, hands-on education programme that uses te ao Māori perspectives to build conversations and confidence around medicines. ...

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Reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance

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Reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance has been named by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. Antimicrobial-resistant infections are estimated ...

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The history of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance

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The history of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance

Infectious diseases have been a feature of life and death throughout history. Humans have been treating infections for millennia, including use of materials with antimicrobial properties ...

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Uses of extremophilic microorganisms

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Uses of extremophilic microorganisms

Extremophilic microorganisms are called extremophiles and live in environments considered hostile to most forms of life. Scientists have only discovered life in these extreme environments in ...

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Extremophilic microorganisms

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Extremophilic microorganisms

What are extremophilic microorganisms? Let’s start by looking closer at microorganisms. All the organisms we know about on Earth are either cellular (by far the majority) ...

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Florence Nightingale – a pioneer of hand washing and hygiene for health

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Florence Nightingale – a pioneer of hand washing and hygiene for health

Florence Nightingale, who was born 200 years ago, is rightly famed for revolutionising nursing. Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) was a social reformer and statistician and is regarded ...

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Coronavirus

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Coronavirus

There are many different viruses. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in birds and mammals. They are all similar in their shape, and ...

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Identical twin young women.

Article

Forensics – interesting facts

Here are some interesting facts about forensics and DNA: New Zealand was the second country in the world to establish a databank of DNA profiles. Find ...

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Digestion chemistry — key terms

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Digestion chemistry — key terms

Food’s macronutrients undergo chemical breakdown as they move through the digestive system. Learn more about the digestion process and its hormonal control with these explanations of ...

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Uniquely me – key terms

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Uniquely me – key terms

What makes you, you and me, me? Genes or environment? How we look and act is the result of the interaction of our genes with our ...

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History of microscopy – timeline

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History of microscopy – timeline

Microscopes let us view an invisible world – the objects around us that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This timeline provides ...

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Fighting infection – key terms

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Fighting infection – key terms

What’s going on inside us when we get sick? What do germs have to do with us getting sick? How does our body help us to ...

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Exploring with microscopes – key terms

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Exploring with microscopes – key terms

Taking a closer look at our world Microscopes let us view an invisible world – the objects around us that are too small to be seen ...

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A schematic of the human oesophagus and stomach.

Article

Mutating genes to detect cancer

Medical researchers from the UK, the US and Canada have developed a new tool that identifies mutating genes to detect the early stages of oesophageal cancer. ...

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Global report on antimicrobial resistance

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Global report on antimicrobial resistance

In 2014, the World Health Organization announced the results of its first global report on antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance. They say that antibiotic resistance is ...

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Testing for Legionnaires’ disease

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Testing for Legionnaires’ disease

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia. In New Zealand, it is most commonly associated with gardening activities. Christchurch Hospital now tests every pneumonia patient ...

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The CSI effect and forensic science

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The CSI effect and forensic science

Television dramas like CSI, Bones and Criminal Minds – can create false expectations and impressions of forensic science, especially in the courtroom. Listen to this radio ...

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Bacteria in biotech – introduction

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Bacteria in biotech – introduction

Find out how and why we use bacteria to improve our lives, and discover how the DNA revolution has led to new uses for bacteria. Escherichia ...

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Giving bacteria new and useful functions

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Giving bacteria new and useful functions

By choosing appropriate genes to introduce into bacteria, scientists have developed bacteria with characteristics that are useful to humans – such as the ability to make ...

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Bacterial DNA – the role of plasmids

Article

Bacterial DNA – the role of plasmids

Like other organisms, bacteria use double-stranded DNA as their genetic material. However, bacteria organise their DNA differently to more complex organisms. Bacteria have a single circular ...

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