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
Boosting Australia’s fire recovery by ‘terraforming’ damaged lands with synthetic biology
Biotechnology can provide valuable tools for fire prevention and restoration ...
If you face a life-or-death medical crisis, can you trust artificial intelligence (AI) to make the best decision?
Deep learning will radically change aspects of our medical care. How well do we need to understand how AI tools ...
Reconsidering LSD and other psychedelic drugs for treating depression and anxiety
There is a movement underway to reconsider how LSD and other psychedelic drugs are regulated. If restrictions were loosened, these ...
Viewpoint: Prohibiting treatment of transgender teens ignores reality of gender dysphoria
New study delves into the genetics of individuals with gender dysphoria ...
Podcast: The phrase ‘Who’s Your (Grand) Daddy’ has shocking relevance to Jack Nunn, as the Australian geneticist learns of his surprising link to Britain’s most notorious ‘sperminator’
Consumer genetic tests are becoming widespread - but what happens when an innocent investigation reveals dark family secrets? ...
How fertile are you? ‘Ovarian reserve’ DTC tests that count your eggs offer mixture of control and misinformation
Joining the reproductive fray are tests designed to assess fertility by counting the number of eggs left in a woman's ...
Exercise Rx: Physical activity is ‘personal regenerative medicine’ and ‘acts like pharmaceutical drugs’
As researchers learn more about how exercise fights chronic ills like heart disease and diabetes, doctors may soon be able ...
Artificial wombs could create seismic shift in the debate over abortion, reproductive rights
The ability to develop a fetus outside the mother's body could be here within decades. That means society will face ...
Growing tiny brains for research: Should we ‘frantically panic’ that something might go awry?
As mini-brains become more advanced, some researchers are worried they'll develop consciousness ...
Viewpoint: Pricey gene therapies fuel debate over drug prices—and why there is no easy fix
By scrapping value added and sales taxes, we can cut down on drug pricing by up to 25% ...
Novels ‘All About Evie’ and ‘The Family Upstairs’ illustrate how DNA tests can reveal ‘dark secrets’, from rape to unknown siblings
It was inevitable that fiction writers would begin weaving unexpected DNA test results into their narratives ...
Podcast: Why some of the most iconic images and stories depicting evolution are wrong
Kat Arney tackles the myths and misconceptions around two of the most iconic images in evolutionary biology: the 'March of ...
Teaching evolution to college students with creationist views requires innovative approaches
University instructors employ a variety of methods when teaching evolution in classes in which large numbers of students reject the ...
Can synthetic biology help deliver an AI brain as smart as the real thing?
To create artificial general intelligence, we need to study the brain ...
Will 2020 see the debut of promising gene therapy for hemophilia A? It’s up to the FDA.
Hemophilia A gene therapy has been twenty years in the making ...
Fighting climate change by reprogramming yeast, bacteria to feast on carbon dioxide
An organism easily adapted to different environments and ready to consume any compound would be a valuable tool ...
2019 offered ‘eclectic’ mix of potentially breakthrough treatments for genetic diseases, from cystic fibrosis to sickle cell
2019 was a very good year for new treatments of genetic diseases ...
DNA tests sometimes uncover buried family secrets. We’re exploring how to help everyone cope
Are people prepared for surprises? ...
CRISPR gene editing’s ‘prime’ upgrade could snip out 89% of genetic diseases
The new editing technique has the capability to introduce specified changes to the DNA: mutations, deletions, and insertions of new ...
Podcast: Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit explains the ‘dos and dont’s’ of battling scientific misinformation
Paul Offit has forged a second career as an influential spokesman for scientific thinking ...
‘CRISPR this, CRISPR that’: Is our fascination with the popular gene-editing tool distracting us from the potential of gene-silencing RNAi technology?
I hope the public fascination with CRISPR can also embrace the other biotechnologies providing new therapeutic options ...
‘No one wanted to touch it’: Why a Lyme disease vaccine has been so elusive
The first human Lyme vaccine was pulled off the market nearly twenty years ago. A new effort faces lingering suspicions ...
Should parents be allowed to choose a child’s sexual orientation through gene editing?
Where do our sexual preferences come from? Most of us don’t stop to ponder, simply because there’s no need to ...
‘Genome streamlining’: How species ditch genes no longer needed for survival
Can a genome reach maximum efficiency? ...
Retinitis pigmentosa cure breakthrough? Next generation of artificial lenses being developed with flexible silicon-like chips to combat genetic blindness
Organic semiconductors can link up with brain cells to send and receive signals. They may find a use in sight-restoring ...
Does the ‘genetics revolution’ unsettle you? Here is a guide, and reasons to be hopeful
I'm thrilled that DNA science has become so much more tangible and practical. Yet we must use the information wisely ...
Podcast: Sneaky sheep, substandard stallions and sperm wars
Stories of sneaky sheep, substandard racing stallions, and news from the front lines of the sperm wars ...
