Magazine Editor at @NatureMedicine and occasional writer on science, technology and health. Ex virologist 🦠 Charity trustee in Southwark, London 🏳️‍🌈

London, UK
Joined March 2009
CRISPR-containing bacteriophages are being developed by biotechs as an alternative to antibiotics. These viruses can kill harmful bacteria without damaging the healthy microbiome. Read more in my News analysis for @NatureBiotech nature.com/articles/s41587-0…
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Thank you @NatureMedicine for emphasizing the strong equity elements of the revised @medwma Declaration of Helsinki and citing the TRUST and the San Code! nature.com/articles/s41591-0…
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Ben Johnson 🦠📝 retweeted
Brilliant news, another high-profile adopter for the TRUST Code taking a stance against inequitable research, the Pasteur Network, alliance of 32 institutes in 25 countries across 5 continents, pasteur-network.org/legal/
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GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are effective for weight loss, can cause substantial muscle loss. A Comment in @TheLancetEndo discusses the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on skeletal muscle mass: hubs.li/Q02WgC490
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Health AI needs meaningful human involvement: lessons from war. Correspondence from James M. Hillis & Kenneth Payne @KingsCollegeLon @harvardmed nature.com/articles/s41591-0…
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The use and misuse of ‘biological aging’ in health research. World View by M. Arfan Ikram @erasmusuni nature.com/articles/s41591-0…
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Our paper just published in Nature Medicine. @NatureMedicine How to Make Cardiology Trials More Inclusive? nature.com/articles/s41591-0… Great collaborative effort led by @hvanspall and @FaiezZANNAD @CMichaelGibson @NMHheartdoc @kamleshkhunti @TomLuscher and many others
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Rwanda’s Health Minister Dr. @nsanzimanasabin points to progress in controlling the #Marburg outbreak, assuring that measures are in place to safeguard travellers and conference attendees.
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Join us for this week’s press briefing as @AfricaCDC Director General, Dr. @JeanKaseya2, and Rwanda's Minister of Health, Dr. @nsanzimanasabin, provide critical updates on the Mpox outbreak across @_AfricanUnion Member States. Dr. Nsanzimana will also highlight the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda and the urgent actions being taken to address it. 📅 Date: 03 October 2024 🕞 Time: 16:00 – 17:00 | East Africa Time (GMT+3) 15:00 – 16:00 | Southern Africa Time (GMT+2) 14:00 – 15:00 | Central Africa Countries (GMT+1) 🔗 Join virtually via Zoom: africacdc-org.zoom.us/webina…
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⭐Research highlight: Daily injection with the weight-loss drug #liraglutide was more effective than placebo (both combined with lifestyle interventions) at reducing weight in children aged 6–12 years with #obesity. @NEJM nature.com/articles/d41591-0…
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#Mpox cases are rising across Africa, highlighting gaps in surveillance and testing. “Some countries report suspected cases, but without testing, we can’t confirm them or classify outbreaks,” said @AfricaCDC Director General Dr @JeanKaseya2. Contract tracing is another challenge: “We aim to trace 90% of contacts but have only reached around 4%, reflecting the performance of our surveillance systems."
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A novel application of #ASO technology adds to the growing number of personalized therapies for rare diseases; but pathways to implementation & access are urgently needed News & Views from Annemieke Aartsma-Rus & colleagues @oligogirl @LUMC_Leiden @uni_tue nature.com/articles/s41591-0…
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📢Our September issue is now live, and includes a Focus on the state of DEI in computational science, highlighting experts' insights on ongoing challenges and strategies for creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive field for all. ➡️nature.com/collections/aaaha… 🧵(1/11)
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There is a pervasive myth that the DRC 🇨🇩 and other countries in Africa affected by the current #mpox outbreak lack capacity for the many elements that are needed for effective outbreak response. That is not true… my piece in ⁦@statnews⁩ statnews.com/2024/09/17/mpox…
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Women account for 67% of the health and care workforce and yet they are still paid 24% less on average than men working in the sector: who.int/news/item/13-07-2022… This needs to end. #EqualPayDay
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Artificial intelligence is helping to redraw the virus family tree go.nature.com/3ZnbBi0
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Information on clinical trial progress of implanted brain-computer interfaces remains scarce. Join our webinar with Pepe Contreras-Vidal and Mariska Vansteensel discussing the state of clinical trials of implantable brain-computer interfaces Register here: go.nature.com/3Zmyx0E
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Ben Johnson 🦠📝 retweeted
🆕Recordings and presentations now available from the #Mpox research and innovation organized by @WHO @rd_blueprint @CEPIvaccines @AfricaCDC @NIH Thanks to all those who contributed to aligning research response with the outbreak goals @DrTedros who.int/news-room/events/det…
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