New Superdrug Developed...Can Anyone Say "Emeline and the Mutants"?

It's name is DRACO (double-stranded RNA activated caspase oligomerizers). I wonder if the person who named it wanted it to forever be associated with the bad kid in Harry Potter? Is it an indication of what might happen to this new wonder drug?

So what does it do?

Basically, scientists at MIT are on their way to creating a treatment that will be as effective with viruses as penicillin is with bacteria. Trials have shown that it is helped annihilate the common cold, H1N1 influenza, dengue fever, a polio virus, a stomach virus and several types of hemorrhagic fever.

How far away is this cure-all?

Scientists are testing on lab rats at the moment, so an actual drug that can be purchased, is still a long way off. The next step in the testing road is to now license the treatment to use in larger animal trials, and then human trials. So anyone who is suffering the flu right now, don't go holding your breath, since it may be a decade before we see any drug in a form that may be beneficial to humans.

Science vs Science-Fiction

In my book, Emeline and the Mutants, a miracle AIDS cure is found - with disastrous results. Anyone who has read Mira Grant's Feed, will find a similar tale, but this time woven around a cold wonder-drug that turns everyone into zombies.

Is this even possible?

Well, probably not, but then again, who's to say what sorts of complications will arise from taking the body's own living cells defensive proteins and making them commit suicide (this is scientifically known as 'apoptosis') in a bid to kill the virus?

Want more info?

Try these websites:

• MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Time Healthland - MIT Scientists Develop a Drug to Fight Any Viral Infection
• US News Health - 'Superdrug' Against Range of Viruses Shows Promise in Animal Trial
• Feed - by author Mira Grant
• Emeline and the Mutants - Purchase through Amazon

I Have Found My Happy Place...

...actually, it's been found for quite some time now.

Besides writing and reading anything I can get my hands on, I thoroughly enjoy growing things. Well, edible things anyway, I don't really see the point in flowers, as anyone who has read my other blog, The Barefoot Gardener, would know.

Every year I tend to go AWOL around this time (well, normally a little later than this, but it's an Spring this year). I get out there in the garden and frolic in the dirt. I pull weeds, I rediscover the good growing spots in the garden, and I plants bucket-loads of seeds. I have such an addiction to buying seeds that I am no longer allowed to enter Bunnings with my credit card. In true addict-style, I bought four packets of seeds from my fave eBay seed seller, Lil Miss Seedy, this morning to celebrate the fact that I would be dedicating my blog to gardening today.

This year, besides the obligatory vegetable seeds, I have also promised my daughter her very own secret garden. Shock Horror! That means flowers, and LOADS of them. Luckily, it is a secret garden, and can be hidden behind the orange trees, otherwise my friends and family may pull me up on the fact that I have finally caved.

My daughter, on the other hand, is terribly excited about having a new garden. She has decorated it with all her fairy statues that she has been collecting for this very purpose. While it is endearing, it is also distracting. As I plant, I have to keep rescuing the poor dears from being buried alive. I have also had to explain where fairy heaven is after stepping back to admire all my hard work and accidentally squashing one into oblivion. Interestingly enough, my daughter has announced "Don't feed the fairies." When I prompted her, she replied with, you'll get taken back to fairyland and you can never escape. Erm, think she's got her fables mixed up there!