Human 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
“Adam” born 338,000 years ago in revised estimate
DNA collected from an African American suggests that the "genetic Adam" may have lived far longer ago than previously thought ...
Synthetic biology comes down to Earth
The Chronicle of Higher Education profiles Jim Collins, a Boston University bioengineer and founder of synthetic biology ...
Brain-net: Telepathic mice first step in creation of biological computer
Using neurotechnology, scientists have created rats that can communicate telepathically across continents. Some neuroscientists think the experiments could lead to ...
College genetics gets personal
Classes that deal with personal genetic results are popping up on college campuses with backing from 23andMe ...
An embarrassment of “-omes”: Which ones matter?
Forget the genome. We're drowning in transcriptomes, epigenomes, and other -omes. How many of these categories are useful and how ...
UK’s sale of personal gene data condemned as ‘unethical and dangerous’
Critics say companies could acquire personal information that would identify patients without their consent ...
To claim someone has ‘Viking ancestors’ is no better than astrology
Exaggerated claims from genetic ancestry testing companies undermine serious research into human genetic history ...
Detecting the ‘genetic’ characteristics of malware
The battle between malicious software and computer anti-virus programs is continuous and ever-evolving. But thinking of malware in a biological ...
The brain is not computable
At this year's meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a top neuroscientist dismissed the idea of ...
Nutrigenomics: There is no universal healthy diet
The ubiquitous Food Pyramid (and newcomer MyPlate) offer the same dietary recommendations for everyone above two years of age, including ...
New guidelines on testing kids’ DNA
When and how should parents have their children genetically tested? Ricki Lewis gives a Cliff’s Notes version of the new ...
Napoleon Chagnon on the DNA of violence: Do killers have more kids?
In a review of controversial anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon's memoir "Noble Savages", Charles Mann explores the uncomfortable biological realities of human ...
Searching for genius in the genes
Scientists have been able to isolate some genes connected to lower IQ, but the genes which help create high intelligence ...
Can genes determine whether your kid aces the SATs?
More than ever, a child’s academic future depends on standardized testing scores. The pressure to perform well can be intense, ...
Bacterial genetics helps defeat antibiotic-resistant “super-bugs”
Genetic sequencing of antibiotic-resistant bacteria show us how they evolve -- and how to isolate and kill them ...
The promising future of GM rice
Commercialized GM rice had not yet become a reality—farmers aren’t growing it and consumers can’t eat it. But varietals with ...
The popular (and misleading) view of DNA
Despite push-back against genetic determinism ("DNA is not destiny"), there's is still a popular reluctance to reduce the prominence of ...
The “right time” to have children
Are older parents trading the financial security of age for increased risk of disorders like Down syndrome, multiple or premature ...
The “right time” to have children
Are older parents trading the financial security of age for increased risk of disorders like Down syndrome, multiple or premature ...
Should Lance Armstrong be celebrated as a pioneer in human enhancement?
Technology and medicine are helping humans to go above-and-beyond our evolutionary limitations. As self-enhancement becomes more socially acceptable, allowing doping ...
Glaucoma risk depends on genetics and race
Research may soon reveal the genetic variation that underlies ethnic disparities in glaucoma risk ...
Neanderthal cloning: Morally wrong and scientifically challenging
Genetic imprinting limits the scientific value of cloning a Neanderthal ...
Bionic eyes may soon be available in the U.S.
For people with retinitis pigmentosa -- a rare genetic disease that damages cells in the back of the eye -- ...
Biotech firms lobby states to limit generic drug competition
Some of the nation’s biggest biotechnology companies are lobbying state-by-state to limit competition from genetic drugs; this could add billions ...
Ten years after launch of Human Genome Project, the future is here
In April 2003, for the first time, anyone could freely read the fundamental instructions needed to make a human body ...
Orphan genes spawn from junk DNA
Despite orphan genes' seeming incompatibility with evolutionary theory, they're actually an example of natural selection at its finest ...
Using genetics to predict succeptibility to depression
Current genetic tests for major depression have more to offer as a curiosity to a diagnostic or preventative tool. This ...
