Enda O'Connell 2016 Research Article

Myths Busted – Can you really die from a broken heart?

In the latest of our Research Videos for 2016, Prof. Brian Hughes investigates whether the belief that feelings of misery and loneliness can cause someone to die of a broken heart, is in fact true.

Brian’s work in the NUI Galway School of Psychology explores the link between emotional stress, the functioning of our hearts, and our risk of developing various heart diseases. Over the past decade, his group has tested the cardiovascular response of thousands of people subjected to various laboratory-controlled stresses.

Video by Claire Riordan, Scientific Engagement Associate at CÚRAM . With thanks to Dr Sinéad Conneely, Lecturer, School of Psychology and Dr Wei Lü, Visiting Lecturer from Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China.

Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

Exploring the Cell, by Dr. Danielle Hamilton

Next in our weekly series of articles, Dr. Danielle Hamilton, a Research Scientist with the Centre for Chromosome Biology, writes about her work “Exploring the Cell” and how understanding how a cell repairs damage to its DNA may lead to the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Diagram of the internal structures of the cell. (Image credit: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/science-behind/genetics-overview/)
Diagram of the internal structures of the cell. (Image credit: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/science-behind/genetics-overview/)

Every living creature is made up of one or more cells, and humans are no exception. These microscopic structures are the building blocks of our bodies and each is programmed to perform a specific function. Cells of the same type are often found clustered together and communicate with each other to form the tissues and organs that make up a functioning organism. Continue reading “Exploring the Cell, by Dr. Danielle Hamilton” →

Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

Medicines, by Dr. Enda O’Connell

In the ninth of our weekly series of articles, I have taken off my ReelLIFE SCIENCE hat and put on my Scientist hat.  Or labcoat, gloves and goggles, to be more precise…  As a Senior Technical Officer in NUI Galway, I support a range of research projects across the campus, from Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Research to Chemistry and Biomaterials.  In this article, I write about ‘Medicines’ and how researchers at NUI Galway are looking for new uses for old drugs.

The History of Medicines

Shennong3
Chinese Emperor Shennong tasting plants to test their qualities on himself (image from Wikipedia)

The word ‘medicine’ originally comes from the Latin phrase ‘ars medicina’, which translates as the ‘art of healing’, while the Oxford English Dictionary defines medicine (n) as ‘a substance or preparation used in the treatment of illness; a drug’. The earliest medicines were plant extracts, animal parts and minerals, and their use in healing rituals overseen by medicine men and shamans, often involved much more art than science.  Continue reading “Medicines, by Dr. Enda O’Connell” →