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
Transcranial magnetic stimulation: Can strong magnetics revive your sex drive?
If TMS, which is already FDA approved to treat depression, can reverse sexual dysfunction, it would be a boon particularly ...
Gene editing tool conundrum: CRISPR competitor NgAgo challenged over unreproducible results
A Chinese biologist raised the hopes of the scientific community when he announced the discovery of a gene editing tool ...
Jon Entine breaks taboos on sports and ‘race’, and the future of human genetic research
Why are black athletes--15% of the world population is of African descent--overrepresented in elite football and basketball, and in world ...
Vampire therapy: Can blood from the young fight aging?
Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel has expressed his reluctance to age quite vocally. He has also put his money where ...
Epigenetics Around the Web: Top stories from 2016
Epigenetics Around the Web is a weekly roundup of the latest studies and news in the field of epigenetics presented ...
Nature editorial ‘exploits public anxiety’ on endocrine disruptors
In December, the European Union member states will vote on proposed legislation to regulate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Nature carried an editorial ...
Mystery of rare diseases: Why diagnoses remain elusive
Milo Loretzen is one of only three people in the world known to have been diagnosed with a mutation in ...
Environmental activist hypocrisy? ‘No’ to GMO mosquito but ‘yes’ to irradiated screwworm fly
Voters in Florida have approved a trial release of sterile, GM mosquitoes, which could reduce wild populations of disease-carrying ones ...
Epigenetics Around the Web: Watch how epigenetic changes cause cancer
Epigenetics Around the Web is a weekly roundup of the latest studies and news in the field of epigenetics presented ...
Why racial diversity in genetics studies matters in patient care
DNA is approximately 99.5 percent similar across all humans. But there are key differences in that remaining half percent. Those ...
Big chill: Extreme exposure from cryotherapy probably doesn’t enhance athletic performance
Cryotherapy is quite the rage among pro-athletes as a means to improve performance and stave off injury. Lebron James reportedly ...
Epigenetics Around the Web: Should theory of evolution expand to include epigenetics?
Epigenetics around the web is a weekly roundup of the latest studies and news in the field of epigenetics. This ...
Why genetic engineering is blocked from eradicating ‘world’s deadliest killer’—disease-carrying mosquitoes
A GMO mosquitoes that could eliminate disease-carrying wild ones has succeded in field trials in the Caymans, Panama, and Brazil ...
Complex equation: How important are genetics in determining math skills?
What role does genetics play in determining mathematical aptitude? A cursory search will turn up articles claiming that genes account ...
Epigenetics around the web: Epigenetics initiative IHEC releases 41 studies in one day; your office has a microbiome
Epigenetics around the web is a weekly roundup of the latest studies and news in the field of epigenetics. This ...
What role do epigenetic changes play in development of autism?
What causes autism? The weight of scientific evidence implicates several genes, but genetics doesn't explain the whole story. Environmental factors ...
Ronda Rousey vs. Muhammad Ali: Does sex before athletic events impact performance?
Does sex the night before help or hurt athletic performance? Everyone from Plato to Joe Namath has weighed in on ...
Smart drugs: Is it smart to use them?
Brain-boosting drugs are routine in treating conditions with deficits in cognition or alertness, such as ADHD and narcolepsy. They also ...
What human evolution says about using CRISPR to edit diseases out of patient’s genome
Using CRISPR, scientists may soon be able to cure sickle cell disease by correcting the causative gene from blood cells ...
Regrowing limbs? Gene map of how lizards regrow tails offers insight to human regenerative medicine
Geneticists have mapped the process by which the green anole lizard can regrow a functional tail. This process may offer ...
Are flu shots effective? Your genetics determine how the immune system responds
Not all people are the same in terms of how well a vaccine works. The research also suggests a tactic ...
One family’s story of misdiagnosis reveals harsh reality: DNA tests aren’t perfect
Personal genetic tests and precision medicine are becoming increasingly popular tools but caution is appropriate. The technology is still evolving ...
Questions about wisdom of early mammograms raise stakes for genetic profiling
Conflicting screening recommendations are sure to confuse women — which raises the importance of factoring in genetic factors in risk ...
Why there is no male version of ‘the pill’
The search for an effective male contraceptive drug has experienced a setback. An ethics committee prematurely ended a clinical trial ...
Humans would not exist if viruses hadn’t intervened in our evolution
Viruses are parasites that cause a number of devastating diseases: AIDS, cervical cancer, the flu. They have led to a ...
Human hibernation: How it can change the world of medicine
Many films and shows feature human hibernation as a means to help astronauts travel deep into space. While this could ...
Could the boom in personal genomics backfire?
The science behind personalized medicine is moving fast. Scientists are circumspect, start-ups are enthusiastic, and if we’re not careful, over-hype ...
