Human Genetics Features
The GLP tackles innovations in human genetics and biotechnology. We highlight the work of our own writers, as well as that of contributors from around the Web. The GLP does not take a position on genetics-related issues; any opinions expressed belong to the authors.
Categories include:
- CRISPR and gene editing
- Gene therapy
- Stem cell research
- Genetic diseases
- Synthetic biology
- Epigenetics
- Biodrugs (pharmacogenetics)
- Personal genomics
- Ancestry and evolution
- Ethics and regulations
Diet and dementia: Is fast food really ‘eating away your brain’?
Nutrition studies on Alzheimer's conclude that diet might affect brain health. Beware of media spins that claim more ...
Viewpoint: There’s a reason we haven’t cured cancer. It has nothing to do with ‘leadership, motivation, or funding’
Although fighting cancer is an admirable cause, there are many things standing in our way of a universal cure, such ...
Viewpoint: FDA ‘accelerated’ drug approvals offer relief for critically ill patients. But more could be done.
Desperately-needed therapies often warrant early approvals ...
Long-term partnership or quickie hookup: Can evolution explain why a woman chooses one over the other?
For women, a short-term fling may involve a quest for good genes or just a good time. It’s a puzzle ...
How microbiome research promises to solve blood shortages, halt food allergies and give us better skin
A microbiome isn’t just something to maintain or optimize – it can also be a crystal ball ...
Common treatment for prostate cancer may increase risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia
In this case, “do no harm” is more complicated than we had anticipated ...
Podcast: Nobel prize winner Sir Paul Nurse on his ‘barking mad’ discovery of the genes responsible for cell division
Leading geneticist and Nobel prizewinner Sir Paul Nurse reveals the audacious experiment that everyone said was crazy ...
Pot smokers with this genetic variant could face addiction risks similar to those who smoke cigarettes
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, for those of us who can remember them, marijuana was widely regarded as not ...
IVF raises breast and ovarian cancer risks for women over 40 as much as 65%? That’s what headlines scream, but here’s how statistics lie and scare people
Statistics related to medical risks and care often unnecessarily frighten people, and lousy journalism doesn't help ...
Why the absence of hope may be hurting Huntington’s disease research
Huntington's disease is not just incurable, it's untreatable. Therefore, many patients don't want to know their genetic status, and don't ...
Brain games: Computer interface lets multiple people play video games telepathically
Telepathic communication might be one step closer to reality thanks to new research from the University of Washington. A team ...
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing: Breakthrough tool diagnoses mystery diseases
Decoding all the DNA in a patient’s biological sample can reveal whether an infectious microbe is causing the disease ...
Why CRISPR patents matter to a world worried about designer babies, rogue scientists and curing disease
In the midst of widespread disapproval of creating “designer babies,” fear of rogue scientists editing the genome of future generations, ...
Why do some elite athletes die during intense exercise? The answer may be in their genes.
Biological anthropologists and other researchers investigate why there is a diversity of symptoms and outcomes in people with sickle cell ...
Pharmacogenetics and depression: Genetic screening could eliminate trial-and-error approach to medications
Antidepressants may soon be added to the growing list of medications genetically matched to patients most likely to respond — ...
Testosterone levels can predict and treat diseases. But how do you determine your ‘right level’?
Establishing a universal "normal" range for testosterone depends on factors such as age, location and wealth ...
Genetic solutions depends largely on data from people of European descent. Do we need to address that research imbalance?
To boost the participation of marginalized communities in genetic studies, doctors must first win back their trust ...
GMO wheat could put bread and pasta back on the menu for people with celiac disease
A new wheat could help celiac patients return to a gluten-rich diet without fear of health repercussions ...
‘Origins’: Humans have been shaped more by Earth’s evolving geography than by genetics
In astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell's newest book, Origins: How the Earth Made Us, he outlines how geology has shaped human evolution ...
Genetic engineering goes to Hollywood: 10 movies you’ll love and more that you’ll hate
Get to know 26 films and TV shows that feature gene editing ...
Podcast: Remembering Rosalind Franklin: The overlooked scientist who helped discover the DNA double helix
Everyone knows that Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA. But fewer are aware of the contribution of Rosalind ...
Viewpoint: Neuroscientists cannot afford to ignore differences between male, female brains
Diseases like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia manifest differently in men and women, and that’s important to know ...
Did you get a DNA ancestry kit for Father’s Day? Here are some things to consider before spitting in that vial
The media tales of familial surprises are the tip of an iceberg ...
Viewpoint: FDA must do more to protect consumers from ‘outright fraud’ of dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are often ineffective, if not dangerous. What does the path to supplement legislation and regulation look like? ...
Why popular image of autism as a male-dominated condition could hurt females
A commonly cited statistic is that boys have about a 1 in 52 chance of being placed on the autism ...
‘On the precipice of memory loss’: Pursuing better diagnostic tools for patients with CTE and other neurodegenerative disorders
New imaging analyses hint at progressive brain disorders like CTE, offering people with memory issues difficult — but transformative — ...
‘Found in Translation’: Computer models could help us understand which mice studies matter for human medicine
Machine learning technology could help researchers determine what mouse data are useful when designing human clinical trials ...
Do China’s controversial CRISPR babies illustrate the need for an ‘undo button’?
Will CRISPR-in-the-clinic come with a fail-safe mechanism? ...
