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
Tired all the time? Searching for genetic links to chronic fatigue syndrome
The hard-to-define and hard-to-diagnose condition continues to baffle researchers searching for its root causes -- and potential treatments ...
We have a marijuana shortage. Bioengineered yeast could solve that problem.
Yeast are the linchpin of the beer and wine markets. So why not marijuana? ...
Glimpse into the future? 2029 ‘press release’ touts services for designer babies
In the future, parents may have the option to genetically engineer their children, and now is the time to discuss ...
DNA, fruit flies and the quest to treat cancer with precision medicine
"Cancer therapy is becoming customized to each patient." ...
Probiotics may help humans stay healthy. Could they benefit other animals, too?
Researchers eye microbes as a tool for fighting disease epidemics in bats, frogs, corals and more ...
Creating Superman (and woman): Who benefits from human enhancement?
Using genetic modification, nanotechnology, bionics, reconstructive surgery, hormones, drugs or any combination of these approaches, real-life human enhancement is looking ...
Why don’t we live longer? Because evolution is more concerned with helping us produce healthy children
How the force of selection diminishes over time ...
Cure for AIDS/HIV? Temper expectations.
As we seek an outright cure for HIV/AIDS, our hope should be grounded in reality ...
‘Why did I get cancer?’ We can do more to alleviate ‘angst, guilt’ accompanying a diagnosis
More time spent explaining the biology of cancer to patients can help alleviate angst and guilt. ...
Werner syndrome and the curious case of the Japanese man who is aging too fast
Nobuaki Nagashima has Werner syndrome, which causes his body to age at super speed. This condition is teaching us more ...
Knowledge without context: Why consumer genetic tests can spark needless fears, behavioral changes
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are growing in popularity. They can tell us a lot about our personal building blocks. But there ...
Podcast: AI-powered nutrition devices could cut exploding obesity rates. Will FDA rules keep them off the market?
Medical devices powered by artificial intelligence could help overweight people customize diets based on their biomarkers ...
If humans never evolved, would Earth still have intelligent life? This evidence suggests the answer is yes
The paths available to evolving organisms are far from limitless ...
‘Better’ gut bacteria probably won’t turn you into an elite athlete. But could it give you a performance boost?
Athletes getting an edge from a probiotic boost may be more realistic than once thought ...
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 ...
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 ...
