Information for PRENATAL-DIAGNOSTICS/bionet.diagnostics.prenatal

USENET newsgroup name:      bionet.diagnostics.prenatal

Mailing list name:          PRENATAL-DIAGNOSTICS

E-mail posting address:     prenatal@net.bio.net

Discussion leaders:         Aneal Chandra
                            Chandra@cardiff.ac.uk

                            David Miller
                            Davidm@pathology.leeds.ac.uk

                            Tim Reynolds
                            Timreyno@burton.demon.co.uk

Cytogenetic testing is a relatively common procedure during
pregnancy to examine the health of the fetus. At the present time,
amniocentesis is often used to obtain fetal cells for the testing.
Amniocentesis is an expensive, invasive and potentially harmful
procedure. Therefore selection of patients for amniocentesis by
biochemical risk screening tests has developed, and research into
alternative procedures is actively being pursued.

One avenue for this research is extraction of fetal cells from the
maternal circlation. It is clear that a small number of fetal cells
cross the placental barrier and sevaral approaches to identifying,
extracting, concentrating and analysing these rare fetal cells are
under evaluation.

In addition to serving as a bulletin board for announcements of
meetings, conferences, job opportunities, and funding sources of
interest to biologists researching this dynamic field,
bionet.diagnostics.prenatal is intended to provide an easy access
environment facilitating:

* rapid exchange of technical information between researchers in
prenatal diagnostics, clinical chemistry, cytogenetics and other
associated areas.

* co-operation between clinical laboratories, research biologists
and instrument designers permitting the technological refinements
necessary for the successful implementation of new and safer
procedures

* discussion of the logistical and social impact of new technology
in prenatal diagnosis

Subscribers are welcome from academic and commercial institutions
including but not limited to developmental biology, cytogenetics,
haematology, pathology, immunology, cell biology, epidemiology,
obstetrics and paediatrics. Contributions within the functions
outlined above are encouraged. The newsgroup is expected to run
in an unmoderated fashion and we are willing to act as current
coordinators.

Aneal Chandra
Scientist, Cytogenetics Unit for Wales, UK

David Miller
Lecturer, Institute of Pathology, Leeds, UK

Tim Reynolds
Consultant, Clinical Chemistry, Burton General Hospital, UK