News from the Institute of Food Research http://www.ifr.ac.uk/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:22:58 +0000 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:22:01 +0000 FeedForAll v1.0 (1.0.1.0) A new website containing details of the HOOCH project has just been launched. HOOCH is a 4-year research programme, funded by the Defra Renewable Materials LINK programme & HGCA, and aims to develop, evaluate and support the commercial exploitation of tailored approaches for converting different sources of agri-food-chain waste lignocellulose into so-called second-generation bioalcohols for the automotive industry. http://www.hooch.org.uk Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:22:01 +0000 An innovative project has enabled people with learning difficulties to uncover some of the science behind a healthy diet and to produce resources to share their finding with their peers. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/100203SuperfoodsDVD.html 3F1A5BB9-5740-4EA9-A0D3-EA8ED5613EF2 Thu, 4 Feb 2010 13:02:06 +0000 Sarum Biosciences Limited and PBL, the UK technology management company, today announced the signing of an exclusive worldwide licence agreement which enables Sarum to develop and exploit therapeutic and diagnostic applications of a bacteriophage endolysin protein for the treatment and detection of Clostridium difficile. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/100122PBLSarumCdifficileendolysins.html BC2B7700-6294-4507-9B06-28025931E432 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:57:11 +0000 Scientists have crystallised a protein that may help gut bacteria bind to the gastrointestinal tract. The protein could be used by probiotic producers to identify strains that are likely to be of real benefit to people. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/091124NathalieJugeProbiotics.html 67616120-1EA3-4CDA-BDE8-F2D0BBE33B17 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:26:18 +0000 Springer is founding a new journal Food Digestion, dedicated to a quickly growing area of research – food science combined with the physiology of digestion. The journal will publish two issues in 2010 and increase to four issues in 2011. Dr Peter Wilde of the IFR is one of the editors-in-chief. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/091113PeteWildeFoodDigestion.html 0213F843-755B-4ACE-966E-B2BF08EE69F0 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:01:46 +0000 The battle against obesity, heart disease and other diet related health problems has received a £4 Million boost with the announcement of seven new research projects. The projects, three of which involve IFR, are taking place in universities and research institutes across the UK, and are part of a partnership between two publicly-funded Research Councils and 15 companies. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/091008DRINC.html 8659851A-801B-49A3-8EE7-5F56C0B2F019 Fri, 9 Oct 2009 09:44:08 +0000 Adam Elliston, a PhD student from the Institute of Food Research, has been named a runner-up in the British Science Association Perspectives nationwide competition. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/091006adamellistonperspectives.html 4C57D76D-D35E-4EC9-9FA1-D92EEBC96936 Tue, 6 Oct 2009 15:43:08 +0000 For the first time, scientists have used a genetically engineered “friendly” bacterium to deliver a therapy for bowel disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease. The bacterium activates a protein when exposed to a specific type of sugar, xylan. The therapy has been proven to work in animals with colitis, one of the major forms of inflammatory bowel disease. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090821Bovatus.html BE172AB9-F476-4E00-A693-73F3479AC891 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:44:39 +0000 Scientists from Ireland, the UK and Germany have discovered a new type of gene regulation in Salmonella that gives new insight into the causes of bacterial infection. The discovery of this new mechanism could eventually lead to the development of innovative therapies and reduce the levels of disease caused by Salmonella. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090720salmonellagenecontrol.html 640314F8-314B-4BF7-861D-56328C30DBE2 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:31:53 +0000 Schoolchildren from across Norfolk have been gaining valuable work experience at the Norwich BioScience Institutes, giving them an idea of what it is like to work in at a leading science campus. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090717workexperience.html 6580A3DD-D365-4975-B8EC-CF8471C415D3 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:13:48 +0000 A new national genome centre was officially opened on the Norwich Research Park on 3 July. The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) was officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, following a keynote speech from Prof Sir John Sulston, a Nobel Prize winning scientist who had a key role in the Human Genome Project. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090703TGAClaunch.html CBE1DA6C-7CE5-454B-9299-281FA2D4DF52 Mon, 6 Jul 2009 09:32:00 +0000 BBSRC institutes highlighted the growing crisis in global food security and how science can serve up solutions to prevent it in a session at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Westminster on Wednesday 1st July http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090626WCSJ2009.html 884C8C94-3B5D-4BEF-8101-03B089E4D487 Mon, 6 Jul 2009 09:21:23 +0000 Professor David White, former director of the Institute of Food Research, has been awarded a CBE for services to biological science in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. Prof White was director at the IFR from 2004 until his retirement in March 2009. Prior to joining IFR, Professor White was Director of Science and Technology at BBSRC from 1997. Before that he was Head of Biology at the University of York where he established the Department as one of the leading bioscience research centres in the UK. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090615DavidWhiteCBE.html 7FA65BEF-DF0E-4BB2-972D-AC3CE2B2B217 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:08:21 +0000 The First International Workshop on the IFR Gel Cassette was held in Paris recently, attracting participants from seven countries, who heard from the different institutions around the world that are using the system in their research. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090605GelCassetteWorkshop.html E805039D-C0D1-48B2-BFFE-8D38CE4ABA92 Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:26:21 +0000 Scientists have designed a fatty formulation that can make you feel fuller for longer. When the fat remains stable in the acid environment of the stomach, it empties into the small intestine more slowly and increases satiety. "This formulation could be used as an ingredient in new foods to make them more filling, which in turn could help reduce overconsumption of calories," said IFR's Dr Martin Wickham. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090602feelfuller.html 7CC78CD4-6E16-4660-A5BC-D281934736BB Tue, 2 Jun 2009 11:23:46 +0000 A new species of yeast has been discovered deep in the Amazon jungle. In a paper published on-line in FEMS Yeast Research, IFR scientists and colleagues from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador describe the novel characteristics of Candida carvajalis sp. nov. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090521jungleyeast.html F30A71A1-9076-47DE-931A-FD684AC30E4F Thu, 21 May 2009 10:44:26 +0000 For the first time UK scientists have shown what the food poisoning bug Salmonella feeds on to survive as it causes infection: glucose. Their discovery of Salmonella’s weakness for sugar could provide a new way to vaccinate against it. The discovery could also lead to vaccine strains to protect against other disease-causing bacteria, including superbugs. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/news-and-events/NewsReleases/090519salmonellanutrition.html 7D867187-313D-49C4-BEAF-E59ACFD2A031 Tue, 19 May 2009 11:32:25 +0000 IFR is a world leader in research into harnessing food for health and controlling food-related diseases, based on the Norwich Research Park. Its new website was launch over the weekend of 25th/26th April. The reconstruction of the IFR website reflects our new science research priorities, centred around the characterisation and understanding of the gut as an integrated biological system, and our integral role in the Norwich Science and Innovation Vision. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/info/News-and-events/newsreleases/090424newIFRwebsite.html A9E1BF21-2274-487D-B960-342195CED216 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:34:36 +0000 New genome sequence information from the humble baker’s yeast has revealed surprising variation in a set of genes that can be thought of as nature’s oldest clock. In a paper published in Genome Research scientists show how ribosomal RNA genes that are essential to all Earth's organisms provide insight into how genomes maintain their integrity on their evolutionary journey. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090407rhythmicgenome.html FC4A56A7-D44A-41B9-993E-CB81993C8E57 Tue, 7 Apr 2009 13:17:45 +0000 A new national centre to analyse plant, animal and microbial genomes has been announced by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) will be based on the Norwich Research Park and will provide genome sequencing to underpin advances to improve food security, to protect UK agriculture from exotic animal disease and exploit weaknesses in microbes to develop new ways to kill superbugs. http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2009/090402_genome_analysis_centre.html Thu, 2 Apr 2009 13:12:53 +0000 March 6th sees the start of The British Science Associations National Science and Engineering Week, and as part of this the Institute of Food Research and the John Innes Centre are hosting an interactive exhibition at The Forum in Norwich celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. They will also be showcasing the work of their young scientists, giving the chance to hear about the latest work on topics such as antibiotics and how our gut protects us from invasion. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090304NSEW.html Wed, 4 Mar 2009 11:06:44 +0000 A new book is being published by the SAW Trust, presenting art and writing inspired by science from the Institute of Food Research and the John Innes Centre. Science, Art and Writing (SAW) is a UK-based science education initiative that breaks down traditional barriers between science and the arts. The stunning science images and the artworks inspired by them have been collected together in "SAW Showcase", published by the SAW Trust on February 28th. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090226SawShowcasebook.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:33:46 +0000 Listeriosis is a serious illness in which the rate of mortality can reach 20-30%. Recent years have seen an increase of reported cases of listeriosis in England and Wales and in much of Europe. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/Consultations/090218Listeriosis.htm Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:16:01 +0000 IFR microbiologists have responded to the Health Protection Agency's consultation on Ready-to-Eat Foods pointing out that the guidance relating to pathogens given in the HPA draft guidelines differs from the food safety guidelines stated in the EC regulations. The food safety criteria for ready-to-eat foods should be those that are stated in the EC regulations for food-borne pathogens in ready-to-eat foods. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/Consultations/090218ready-to-eat-foods.htm Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:50:11 +0000 Scientists have sequenced over seventy strains of yeast, the greatest number of genomes for any species, helping to bring the small branches of Darwin's "Tree of Life" into focus. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090211yeastgenomes.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:44:56 +0000 The Institute of Food Research has been ranked second in the world for the impact of its research in the area of agricultural and food sciences, according to an independent survey of published research papers over the last ten years. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090115IFRAgSci.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:08:24 +0000 David Boxer, Dundee University's Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise and Professor of Microbial Biochemistry, has been appointed as the next Director of the Institute of Food Research and Professor of Microbial Metabolism at the University of East Anglia. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/090108DavidBoxer.html Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:40:47 +0000 IFR student Richard Bailey has received an award from the British Poultry Council for his work on understanding dysbacteriosis, a disease of growing importance in the poultry industry. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/081219RichardBailey.html Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:07:55 +0000 IFR has teamed up with the Institute of Physics to produce a funky range of beer mats and sandwich bags. They feature questions such as "How does lipstick affect your beer drinking?" or "How do you make the perfect cuppa?". If you go to find the answer online, you will be rewarded with pub tricks such as how to turn a full pint glass upside-down without making a mess, and the lowdown on why a packet of Mentos can send a bottle of Coke sky-high. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/081215IoP.html Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:20:40 +0000 A partnership of three Norfolk organisations has gained a prestigious People Award from the Wellcome Trust, worth nearly £30,000. The Garden Science Trust and People First of Norfolk will be working with scientists from the IFR on a year long project to enable adults with learning difficulties to discuss and learn about the potential health benefits of superfoods. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/081208GardenScienceTrust.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:11:51 +0000 On 9th June 2009, the Norwich Research Park will host a symposium that aims to give postgraduate students working in aspects of gut immunuity, host-pathogen interactions within the gut and the use of probiotics the chance to present their work and exchange ideas to an audience of students, postdocs and prinicipal investigators. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/gutsymposium2009/ Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:11:06 +0000 A team of scientists from across Europe are embarking on new research to develop a treatment for food allergy. Attempted treatment with allergen-specific immunotherapy, where a patient receives monthly injections with an allergen, fails because it causes anaphylaxis as a side effect. In the FAST project, scientists will use modified variants of allergic proteins that are hypoallergenic and therefore safer. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/081201FASTproject.html Mon, 1 Dec 2008 10:11:57 +0000 Scientists from the Institute of Food Research have found a new possible explanation for why people who eat more fruit and vegetables may gain protection against the spread of cancers. They have shown that a fragment released from pectin, found in all fruits and vegetables, binds to and is believed to inhibit galectin 3 (Gal3), a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/081013Pectin.html Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:38:39 +0000 "Science & Innovation" reflects our latest science discoveries, and demonstrates our economic impact. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Publications/scienceinnovation/0802.html Wed, 3 Sep 2008 09:59:29 +0000 A new version of the Microbes in Norwich website has been published at www.micron.ac.uk. The main aim of the site is to promote the very wide range of microbial science that is pursued across the Norwich Research Park in an easy to understand and comprehensive way. Microbial research in Norwich encompasses studies on bacteria, yeast and other fungi and viruses. http://www.micron.ac.uk/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:23:34 +0000 Eating one or more portions of broccoli every week can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and the risk of localised cancer becoming more aggressive. For the first time, a research group at the Institute of Food Research led by Professor Richard Mithen has provided an explanation of how eating broccoli might reduce cancer risk based upon studies in men. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080702Broccoliprostate.html Wed, 2 Jul 2008 09:35:49 +0000 Recently published work by the Institute of Food Research has identified potential prebiotic properties of almonds that could help improve our digestive health by increasing levels of beneficial gut bacteria. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080627almondprebiotic.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:14:43 +0000 Norwich scientists are hosting this year’s annual Network Science conference, an international event that brings together the world’s top experts on this exciting and growing subject. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080624NetSci08.html Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:46:03 +0000 The Institute of Food Research in Norwich is internationally recognised for its strategic and applied research on food, diet and health issues. Responding to repeated demand, they have now made their expertise available in the form of rapid contract research services to companies in the food and allied sectors via a new subsidiary, IFR Extra. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080623IFRExtra.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:17:54 +0000 IFR scientists have detected subtle changes that may make the bowel more vulnerable to the development of tumours. With support from the Food Standards Agency and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council they are investigating whether diet could control these changes and delay or reverse the onset of cancer. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080611IanJohnsonCPG.html Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:56:00 +0000 IFR scientists have found that a daily dose of probiotic can change the immune status of people with hay fever. In the first human study of its kind, scientists at the Institute of Food Research found that probiotic bacteria in a daily drink can modify the immune system’s response to grass pollen, a common cause of seasonal hay fever. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080603Hayfever.html Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:48:27 +0000 IFR scientists have contributed to Bioscience:Biomillions, an event organised by the BBSRC to demonstrate how the UK’s excellent bioscience research base is delivering substantial economic and social impact. Mike Peck, Richard Mithen and Martin Wickham were among 50 entrepreneurial academic researchers who met with representatives of industry, business and policy makers at HM Treasury in London in May. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/announcement/Bioscience.html Thu, 22 May 2008 17:29:28 +0000 A fatty acid from fish may help prevent a pre-cancerous condition from developing further. A high consumption of fish is associated in some studies with a reduced risk of oesophageal cancer. The n-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) inhibits an enzyme that is associated with the cancer. "Regular, relatively small doses of EPA produced an effect in human patients", said Professor Ian Johnson of the Institute of Food Research. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080416fishEPA.html Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:15:18 +0000 In January 2008, IFR commissioned DTZ to undertake a statement of its economic impact. Given the scale and breadth of the research, it does not represent a comprehensive assessment, rather a snapshot. It also describes selected key achievements of the institute since its inception and identifies a range of non-quantifiable benefits attributable to it. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Publications/default.html#Impact Thu, 3 Apr 2008 14:04:44 +0000 The IFR's Consumer Science group is currently looking for UK adult volunteers (18+) to help with research looking at changes in dietary behaviour in general but also during pregnancy, breastfeeding and weaning. If you would like more information about taking part in a group discussion, please send your name, address and phone number to cs.volunteers@bbsrc.ac.uk http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/partnership/RCS/default.html#volunteers Fri, 4 Apr 2008 10:06:22 +0000 "Science & Innovation" reflects our latest science discoveries, and demonstrates our economic impact. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Publications/scienceinnovation/0801.html Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:07:38 +0000 An IFR scientist has discovered clumps of previously-unreported callus hairs growing in the flesh of mature apples of Fuji and closely-related varieties, which may have storage implications for commercial growers. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/080325Fujiapples.html Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:53:45 +0000 IFR and JIC are proud partners of CUE East, part of a new £9.2M initiative - Beacons for Public Engagement. This involves sharing the best practice built up and established across both sites in rewarding and encouraging researchers to engage with the public in a vast range of different activities and events. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/announcement/CUEEast.html Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:13:00 +0000 The IFR Campylobacter group website has been launched to provide more information on the IFR's research on Campylobacter, one of the major causes of food-borne bacterial gastroenteritis in the UK. The research aims to supply knowledge and resources to aid the development of Campylobacter control measures. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/campylobacter/ Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:43:55 +0000 "Science & Innovation" reflects our latest science discoveries, and demonstrates our economic impact. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Publications/scienceinnovation/0703.html Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:20:58 +0000 Scientists at IFR have highlighted possible consequences of fortifying flour with folic acid due to new evidence of how it is absorbed by the body. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/071030folic_acid_fortification.html Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:44:33 +0000 IFR Scientists have found that compounds present in the blood after eating a flavonoid rich meal reduce some early signs of heart disease. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/071030Quercetin.html Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:43:36 +0000 At its meeting on 9 October, BBSRC Council decided in principle that research at IFR should be brought more closely alongside that at the University of East Anglia (UEA). The mission for this enlarged centre of excellence will be to deliver high quality fundamental and strategic research to understand the relationship between food, diet and the optimisation of individual health. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/announcement/UEA_partnership.html Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:30:00 +0000 The relatedness of an animal food protein to a human protein determines whether it can cause allergy, according to new research by scientists from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich and the Medical University of Vienna. In theory all proteins have the potential to become allergens, but the study found that in practice the ability of animal food proteins to act as allergens depends on their evolutionary distance from a human equivalent. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/071015animalfoodallergens.html Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:13:00 +0000 A new Centre for Preventive Medicine is launched in Norwich next week to tackle diet related diseases that are costing the NHS up to a quarter of its budget. The Centre brings together basic research from two internationally renowned research institutes, medical research by university scientists and clinical research conducted in a hospital environment. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/071003centreprevmedlaunch.html Wed, 3 Oct 2007 17:21:01 +0000 Scientists have made an important advance in understanding the genetic processes that give flowers, leaves and plants their bright colours. The research is highlighted in the new issue of Business from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/071002anthocyanins.html Wed, 3 Oct 2007 17:20:22 +0000 The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee recently published its report on Allergy in the UK. The IFR’s Dr Clare Mills gave evidence to this influential committee and briefed them on the ongoing scientific research into food allergy. Dr Mills is the coordinator of EuroPrevall, an EU-funded multidisciplinary project aiming to assess the prevalence of allergies across Europe and improve their diagnosis and improve the quality of life for sufferers. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/ScienceBriefs/070927Lordsallergyreport.html Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:11:48 +0000 Christopher Rice has been named a runner-up in the 2007 Wellcome Trust and New Scientist Essay Competition. The competition is designed to encourage PhD students to write about their own work in a fresh and creative way, describing the implications of their studies to society. Christopher’s essay explains his work in Prof. Jay Hinton’s lab on the way Salmonella adapts its growth to changes in temperature. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/ScienceBriefs/070927cricenewscientist.html Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:11:17 +0000 Scientists at the Institute of Food Research and their collaborators at the veterinary pharmaceutical company Intervet have deciphered and published the complete genome sequence of a strain of Campylobacter jejuni. C. jejuni is one of the major causes of gastroenteritis in humans. The sequenced strain was selected because of its previously reported genomic stability over time. The reported sequence will provide useful information for Campylobacter researchers worldwide, and is predicted to be a valuable resource for the research community. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/media/NewsReleases/070917campylobactersequence.html Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:29:21 +0000 Keith Waldron has been promoted to an Honorary Professorship in the UEA School of Biological Sciences from 1st August 2007. Keith collaborates with several UEA staff on aspects of sustainability, and is involved in the NRP-based British Bioalcohols Group. http://www.britishbioalcoholsgroup.nrp.org.uk/ Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:58:27 +0000 A vital molecule for resistance to food allergy has been identified and offers a potential target for therapy. There is currently no way to treat food allergy and the only way for sufferers to manage the problem is to avoid certain foods and make sure they have injectable adrenaline at hand. Scientists led by Dr Claudio Nicoletti at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich have found that a molecule called Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is absent during allergic responses. Dr Nicoletti suggests that by delivering an allergen in the presence of IL-12, allergic reactions could be brought back under control. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/070701IL12allergymolecule.html Mon, 2 Jul 2007 10:58:07 +0000 A public audience recently voted for the science they would fund at The Garage in Norwich. Hosted by BBC Radio 4 presenter Anna Hill, four Institute of Food Research scientists ran the gauntlet explaining how science funding works in the UK. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Public/IFRintheCity/you_decide.html Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:38:23 +0000 The genome of the organism that produces the world's most lethal toxin is revealed today. This toxin is the one real weapon in the genome of Clostridium botulinum and less than 2 kg - the weight of two bags of sugar - is enough to kill every person on the planet. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/070523botulinumsequence.html Thu, 24 May 2007 10:19:04 +0000 The Institute of Food Research welcomes the report on its science and future governance published on 4th May 2007 by its parent research council, the BBSRC. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Media/NewsReleases/070504ScienceGovernance_report.html Fri, 4 May 2007 11:04:25 +0000 The IFR’s Simon Kelly, Alison Bateman at the University of East Anglia and Mark Woolfe of the Food Standards Agency have developed a test that can indicate whether a crop was grown with synthetic fertilisers. This could help to identify food fraudulently labelled as organic. http://www.ifr.ac.uk/Science/ScienceBriefs/070413organictest.html Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:37:50 +0000