Birth defects and cancer research boost

BIRTH defects and cancer could be better understood following the creation of a synthetic human chromosome.

Researchers at Edinburgh University will study the chromosome to better understand how flaws can occur when cells grow and divide, and how these might be prevented.

The synthetic chromosome carries a strand of human DNA and can be inserted into a human cell in the laboratory without affecting the cell's function.

This allows researchers to manipulate and study the chromosome with no risk to the cell.

Miscarriage or birth defects can be caused by chromosomes which are not evenly split. It can also lead to cancer in children and adults.

Studying the synthetic chromosome may suggest ways to prevent them from occurring.

Professor William Earnshaw, of Edinburgh University's School of Biological Sciences, said: "This research has potential importance in many areas, notably in cancer research."