A research team from the University of Hawaii may have identified how asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma.

Dr Haining Yang and Michele Carbone led the team that included researchers from around the world.

The team found that when asbestos fibres kill cells they start a process called “programmed cell necrosis”. This causes the cell to release a protein, HMGB1. The protein leads to changes in a cell’s genetic structure that cause it to mutate into a malignant cancer cell.

The researchers found people exposed to asbestos have higher levels of the protein in their serum, which may allow earlier identification and treatment of the disease.

The team is now planning to start clinical trials in a remote region in Cappadocia, Turkey, where more than half of the population dies from mesothelioma.

These findings open up a range of research possibilities that could help to find new treatments for mesothelioma. We hope that the clinical trials in Turkey produce positive results that can then be applied elsewhere to help those suffering from this dreadful disease.

On 1 July 2010 my colleagues Sarah Wolf, Nicky Howe, Claire Carver and I attended a demonstration outside the Canadian Embassy at Trafalgar Square in London. We joined many others to protest on Canada's 143rd birthday against Canada continuing to export asbestos. It is appalling that in this day and age Canada is doing this, fully aware that asbestos kills.

On the 1st July there will be a protest against Canada’s continued export of asbestos.

While most Western countries have banned the use of asbestos, Canada continues to export the material to the developing world to countries such as Bangladesh.

The local government in Quebec is preparing a loan guarantee to the asbestos industry and also to allow the opening of a new mine. It is thought that the new mine would export 200,000 tonnes of asbestos for the next 25 years.

The protest will take place outside Canada House in London and is timed to coincide with Canada Day. We would hope that the protest will prompt Canadian officials to re-think their policy on asbestos exports.

The biennial International Mesothelioma Interest Group’s Annual Scientific Meeting will be taking place in Kyoto, Japan, from August 31st to September 3rd.

The event allows asbestos experts and cancer researchers to meet, hear keynote speeches and take part in educational seminars.

I was the only lawyer to speak at the 2002 meeting in Heidelberg and found the whole experience very interesting.

It’s telling that this year’s meeting is in Asia where many countries still import and use vast amounts of asbestos every year. Our experience in the UK tells us that decades from now, millions of people across Asia will be suffering from asbestos-related cancers.

Find out more about this year’s conference

I recently became aware of an inquest into the death of Ann Beaufoy, a former administrator of a National Trust property in North Yorkshire.

The coroner recorded that Mrs Beaufoy died of pleural mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. He also said there was no evidence of exposure to asbestos other than when Mrs Beaufoy was working at Beningborough Hall, a National Trust property near York. More details on the inquest are available on the York Press website.

This sad case was of particular interest to me because of the exposure to asbestos at a National Trust property. I am a National Trust member and along with thousands of others I have visited National Trust properties over the years. I'm sure that we all hope that those visits were safe.

The National Trust says that asbestos has now been removed from all of their properties to meet national standards. That is a positive move and other organisations that are responsible for the maintenance of public spaces and workplaces should look to remove asbestos to minimise the danger caused to employees and the public.