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
“Pink & Blue” documentary challenges female only myths about breast cancer and BRCA mutations
BRCA mutations have taken a toll on film producer Alan Blassberg and his loved ones, prompting what promises to be ...
DNA, the ‘devious defecator’ and the right to genetic privacy
A poop paternity test may set legal precedents on privacy in the workplace ...
‘My genes made me do it: An excuse for infidelity that your spouse shouldn’t believe
Media have a tendency to hype studies that link individual genes to behavioral effects. Recent news surrounding connections between the ...
Three parent babies: Parent #3’s impact may go beyond mitochondria
New research shows mitochondrial and nuclear DNA interact throughout a person’s lifetime. What does that mean for parents seeking mitochondrial ...
Mysteries of cat, human health revealed through microbiome
Studying the bacteria that live in an on our feline friends maybe a good proxy for humans. They live in ...
Arm chair geneticists looking for enlightenment could provide useful data
People who sequence their genomes don’t hinder public health; they offer an opportunity for free data. We should capitalize on ...
Lifestyle changes can’t alter DNA: Claiming it can is a public disservice
Lifestyle changes have profound effects on human health, more so than most blockbuster drugs. But despite their potency, supplements, exercise ...
“Home brewed morphine” from genetically engineered yeast? What did the media get wrong?
Researchers report creating genetically engineered yeast strains that take us one step closer to producing opiates using microbes. How did ...
What are the odds? Family celebrates birth of 13th consecutive son
Beyond X and Y chromosomes, scientists postulate genes and environmental exposures play a roll in making sons or daughters more ...
Genetics of depression: Could a test have prevented the Germanwings catastrophe?
Major depression affects an estimated 10 percent of the population and often runs in families. Could a genetic test could ...
More mystery about Neanderthal and modern humans: How reliable is ancient DNA analysis?
Modern humans share swaths of DNA with long-extinct Neanderthals. But what does this mean? New and complicated dating techniques and ...
Sustainable household products? Not if anti-GMO “green” groups have their way
The latest “green” household cleaning products are using cutting-edge biotechnology to become more environmentally friendly—but criticism from “green groups” could ...
Can’t have a baby? Is choosing your child’s genetic parents’ characteristics racism, vanity or eugenics?
Many people choose gametes--donated eggs and sperm--so that their child will look like them but also have a certain IQ ...
Using the human mind to control how genes work
Combining two technologies –optogenetics and neuroelectromechanical interfaces — researchers based in Switzerland and France have demonstrated a means for control ...
Fresh human eggs for sale: The hot, new college job
College is expensive and student loans take ages to pay back. Here's a unique solution: sell your body. No, not ...
Is CRISPR gene editing advanced enough to warrant human testing?
Some experts say CRISPR-edited humans could be here in 5 years, but scientists are quickly moving to self-regulate experimentation with ...
Gut bacteria easy scapegoat to explain diseases, but connections hard to prove
Blamed simultaneously for obesity, diabetes, bowel disease and even Alzheimer’s the colonies of bacteria that live in our gut get ...
Ethical and science conundrum: Did reporters, scientists miss nuances of embryo gene-editing story?
Report from China of the first genetically modified human embryos using gene editing technologies has resulted in a collective response ...
Precision medicine revolution hits cost and tech barriers
Tailoring medicine to our personal DNA once promised revolutionary treatments and near miracle cures, but at the intersection of health, ...
Working woman’s dilemma: Freeze your eggs or freeze your career?
If you're a woman in your late twenties or beyond, if you have no serious life partner, or if you ...
“Orphan Black” is back! Reflections on reproductive cloning and eugenics
The Clones are Coming: Airing on BBC America, the popular show Orphan Black already has included a goldmine of conversation ...
Zuckerberg-Chan? Moonves-Chen? Jewish-Chinese intermarriage has ancient precedents
When Facebook's co-founder Mark Zuckerberg's married Priscilla Chan, it highlighted a growing and seemingly recent trend: Jewish men marrying Asian ...
Game of Life and Death: Can you dare the odds and make it past 100?
Washington Post releases a new interactive feature online that delves into 7 ways medical technology has evolved over the past ...
What rocks women? Evolution suggests tall guys with hot cars
In prehistoric times, the more dominant male was the more successful hunter, and he was physically stronger than most other ...
Sex with robots? Androids are coming to our bedrooms and boardrooms
In the near future, people will interact with androids, converse with them, even have sex with them and artificial intelligence ...
Might astronauts bring back a deadly disease from Mars?
While it's possible that a human pathogen might exist on Mars or on another alien world , the extraterrestrial environment ...
Invasion of alien microorganisms: Humans are a walking petri dish, and our genes have been infiltrated
From childhood, we're taught to think of microorganisms as entities apart from us. But they are are really a major ...
