Forensic DNA phenotyping: the geneticist's guide to solving murder mysteries

The Science Communication Competition is now in its eighth year. As in previous years, it aims to find young talented science writers and give them the opportunity to have their work published in The Biochemist. In 2015, a new branch of the competition was launched to include video entries. Overall this year's competition attracted 47 entries and these were reviewed by our external panel of expert judges. The third prize in the written category was awarded to Corina Lagewaard from the University of Tasmania, whose article is presented here. The third prize in the video category went to Julia Schulz from the University of Kentucky. Julia's video, “The BloodBrain Barrier – Protecting the Body's Control Center”, can be viewed at bit.ly/scicomm32018.

BILIRUBIN ENCEPHALOPATHY

(1) Staining of the brain can be produced in normal newborn white rats by intraperitoneal injection of a solution of bilirubin. (2) Under similar conditions it was not possible to produce staining of the brain in a comparable series of normal adult rats. (3) This study further emphasizes the importance of the immaturity of the organism in the production of hyperbilirubinemia and its consequent passage through the "bloodbrain barrier" (Bilirubin Encephalopathy). (4) This adds to the increasing evidence that immaturity of biochemical and physiological processes determines the pathological states which appear to be unique to the newly born organism.