KYTOS Biology

Rickets is a condition characterised by a curvature of the spine, bowed legs, thickened ankles, knees and wrists - such skeletal deformities arise because the bones become softer and therefore more brittle. Rickets was just about eliminated after WW2, but recently doctors have warned that its incidence is increasing rapidly. In this podcast, I discuss the possible reasons why. (With thanks to our...

The human body is made up of about 30–40 trillion cells. Each cell is specialised to carry out a particular job. Cells work together to form co-ordinated units called tissues, organised into organs. This complicated organisation of cells that makes up a human being all originated from a single fertilised cell – the zygote. Embryology is the study of the development of the zygote in the first trime...

Scientists use the concept of homology to identify evolutionary relationships among organisms. Homologies are characters shared between different species that were also present in their common ancestor. Homologies can be structural, biochemical, developmental, physiological or behavioural. In this podcast, I focus on homologous structures and, in particular, the pentadactyl limb. This bony arrange...

Zika virus was first identified in 1947, having originated in rhesus monkeys in the Zika forest in Uganda. In this podcast, I examine how the virus spread, the effects of its outbreak, and assess the evidence implicating Zika as a cause of microcephaly. I'll also describe the measures used to attempt to control transmission of the disease. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providi...

In this podcast, I'll be exploring a number of issues around the use of Class A drug, Ecstasy. Ecstasy is the street name for a version of MDMA, or 3,4 methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. It is an illegal, synthetic drug classified as a stimulant with potentially hallucinogenic properties. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women, whilst it accounts for just 1% of cancers in men. The incidence of breast cancer in women is increasing, but, encouragingly, the mortality rate from it is falling. In this podcast, I will discuss the causes, which are thought to be both genetic and environmental in nature, the current trends in breast cancer detection and the different methods of tre...

Long lasting immunity to disease is provided through memory cells and the production of antibody-secreting plasma B lymphocytes. These come about through our cell-mediated and humoral responses to invading pathogens, forming part of our specific response to disease. This podcast is the second in a two-part series examining our immune defences.

Our bodies have the innate ability to prevent harmful pathogens from infecting them; namely through physical barriers to infection and the process of phagocytosis. These form part of our non-specific response to disease, the focus of this, the first in a two-part series on our immune defences. 

Medical imaging includes all of the non-invasive techniques used to create images of the human body for medical purposes. It is used to diagnose or monitor the progress of disease, and for medical science in the study of anatomy and physiology. Imaging techniques involve the detection of how different structures in the body, for example the brain, change or produce electromagnetic, sonographic or...

More than 99% of the species that ever existed have become extinct. The concept of de-extinction, therefore, seems to hold so much promise. Scientists are using cutting edge technology to make breakthroughs that may result in extinct species appearing once more in their natural habitats. However, this may still take some time. Critics of de-extinction programmes will point to the fact that the fir...

Through doping, we now fully understand the use by athletes of substances prohibited by the anti-doping agencies in order to gain a competitive advantage. Since sport plays an important role in physical and mental education and in promoting international cooperation, the widespread use of doping products and methods has consequences not only on health of the athletes, but upon the image of sport m...

In this podcast, I'll be discussing the controversial issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide, asking whether medical professionals have the right, or even the responsibility to partake in either. Both active euthanasia & assisted suicide are illegal under English law, with the latter illegal under the terms of the Suicide Act (1961). Irrespective of the legal ramifications, the questio...

75% of our leading global food crops require insect pollination, and bees are the major pollinators. In this podcast, I'll be discussing whether a group of insecticides called neonicotinoids are responsible for the drastic decline in the honey bee population and incidences of Colony Collapse Disorder. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)

The term ‘Multiple Sclerosis’ refers to the replacement of myelin, a fatty substance that forms a protective sheath around neurones, with scar tissue. It is thought that MS is an auto-immune disorder, where cytotoxic T lymphocytes have essentially attacked molecules in the myelin, although recent studies suggest that both a genetic predisposition and environmental factors are important in determin...

Animal testing, also known as vivisection, normally elicits strong responses from people, both for and against the procedures. The role of animal experimentation in medical research is controversial, but the British Medical Association is adamant that animal experimentation is necessary to develop a better understanding of diseases and how to treat them. In this podcast, I will explore the reasons...

We all understand the importance of a healthy balanced diet, but how many of us truly appreciate the role that dietary fibre plays. It has been clinically proven to aid normal functioning of the digestive system, but this 'superfood' has also been shown to prevent a number of debilitating chronic conditions. In this podcast, I will explain the essential role of fibre in our diet, identify useful s...

In this podcast,  I give my 'Top 10 Tips and Tricks' for when it comes to revising for exams. Everyone has their own learning style and method of working, and the way we revise and consolidate material depends very much on individual needs and personalities. There are, however, simple core concepts, ideas and techniques that anyone can employ, and in my own teaching career, I've seen them use...

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the development of a blood clot in a major deep vein in the leg, thigh, pelvis, or abdomen. They may be asymptomatic; however, there may be asymmetrical leg swelling, unilateral leg pain, dilation or distension of superficial veins, and red or discoloured skin. If part of the clot breaks off it can lead to significant complications, including a pulmonary embolism. In...

Virtually all organisms have some sort of parasite living on or inside them. Fleas, lice and ticks have caused problems for humans for thousands of years. These creatures bite the skin, suck the blood and transmit diseases. Inside the human body, worms live in the gut and protoctists can infect the blood. Plant parasites destroy crops causing substantial economic damage. Humans are constantly batt...

By the 18th century wolves had been hunted to extinction in the UK. Their numbers have declined across Europe and the U.S, although they remain widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Conservation scientists are working to increase wolf numbers but farmers are resisting this as they fear predation on their livestock. In this podcast, I will examine the arguments for and against the rein...

Politician and first President of Israel, Chaim Wiezmann is less well known for his work on the acetone-butanol fermentation process, but this in fact, is one of the earliest examples of what came to be known as 'Biotechnology' - technology based on Biology, involving the exploitation of living organsisms and biological processes. The aim of Biotechnology is to improve agriculture, animal husbandr...

In this high tech world of DNA fingerprinting, computerised bloodstain spatter analysis, and video imaging, one might say that it seems a little mundane to discuss something as simple as shoe print analysis. Interestingly, footprints are the third most common type of evidence found at a crime scene.  It is imperative, therefore, that the detection and recovery of footwear evidence, subsequent...

According to Age UK, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. In this extended podcast, I discuss how inter-generational learning programmes have been able to bridge the age divide between the elderly and the very young. Moreover, it will serve to...

Forensic Scientist Georg Popp is credited with being the first to use soil evidence to solve a crime; the 1904 murder of Eva Disch. Since then, forensic analyses of soil samples have been able to identify victims of mass killings, the location of grave sites and place perpetrators at scenes of crime. 

According to recent research, facial expressions do not reveal our emotions, but instead, our intentions and social goals. It is possible to hide behind them, however? Can we learn to read body language to detect deception? In this podcast, I’ll discuss the work of prominent figures in the field, namely Eckman, Nevarro, Freud and Nietzsche to help explore this idea.