From big discoveries that moved the field forward to work that improved upon existing findings, here are some of the year’s milestones.
A Neanderthal family portrait
Deep inside a cave in southern Siberia, a team of researchers discovered the fossilized bone fragments of the first-known Neanderthal family.
DNA analysis of these fragments offered rare insights into Neanderthals’ lives – depicting their social structures, migratory patterns, and relationships.
Are you a superdodger?
In 2022, a new term entered the COVID-19 lexicon: superdodger. A superdodger is someone who appears to have avoided COVID infection despite multiple exposures to new variants and waves.
Scientists were so puzzled by these virus evaders they began to look for genetic clues. Research out of UCSF revealed a genetic variant in a gene called HLA that clears the virus rapidly.
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A new era of drug discovery
A 2022 study found that 33 of the 50 drugs recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration were supported with genomic data – making it clear that genetic insights will play an increasingly important role in developing new therapies for people who need them most.
