Health & Medicine
Through the study and use of genetics, we can identify measures that could lead to the improvement of human health and wellness. These methods and procedures aim to prevent years of chronic disease and thousands of dollars in health care costs, and provide families and communities with knowledge of how to live healthier.
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
Why New Guinea islanders are among the most genetically diverse people in the world
If you travel the meandering Sepik River of New Guinea, it quickly becomes apparent that from one bend to the ...
Extreme Male Brain Theory? Girls with autism have characteristically more masculine faces
A new study suggests that boys and girls with autism have facial features that are characteristically more male than female. [...] ...
CRISPR opens window into early stages of human embryo development
Work in the UK involving CRISPR and human embryos illustrates the value of the gene editing technique in basic research ...
Simulated ‘cellular suicide’ could help control chronic inflammation
Inflammation, in particular, is vital to fighting infection or healing wounds. If it lingers, however, it can cause more harm ...
Getting to the bottom of reports of declining male fertility
Studies suggest that western men are experiencing declining sperm counts. But more extensive research is needed to determine if it's ...
Is ‘light drinking’ while pregnant really that bad?
Drinking in pregnancy is a fraught issue and causes much anxiety. Last year new guidance to the NHS in England ...
Homeless ‘tent cities’ ripe for infectious disease outbreaks
[The] luxury of modern life is due to the strong defense provided by the "pillars" of our public health system. According ...
Multiple sclerosis added to list of diseases exacerbated by gut microbes
The trillions of bacteria that live in our intestines, known collectively as the gut microbiome, have been linked to maladies ...
‘Designer babies’ just around the corner? More scare than science
As CRISPR technology advances, old fears about 'designer babies' resurface. But we are a long way from being able to ...
Left and right share anti-science instincts, rooted in fears of ideological misuse
Anti-science views have been increasingly embraced by political factions, left and right. Both harbor deep suspicions of government, industry and ...
New pathway for spread of antibiotic resistance: ‘Membrane blebbing’
Unlike animals, bacteria can readily share genetic information with other bacteria, even those of entirely different species. [...] For decades, ...
Lung tumors identifiable by single-photon light
Scientists in the UK have developed a new technique that uses light to locate objects deep within biological tissue and ...
Viewpoint: Mayo Clinic’s embarrassing embrace of ‘alternative’ and ‘complementary’ medicine now includes nutrition
[Editor's note: Kevin Klatt is a PhD candidate in nutritional sciences at Cornell University.] The prestigious Mayo Clinic regularly gets itself ...
Why viruses, like Ebola and deadly flus, are not ‘living’
Viruses are responsible for some of the most dangerous and deadly diseases including influenza, ebola, rabies and smallpox. Despite their ...
Genetic testing pitfall: Major genetic company missed 50,000 cancer screenings
As fun as it is to find out where your great-great-great grandparents came from, the real promise of genetic testing ...
How genes influence mouth bacteria and tooth decay
The composition of our oral bacteria when we are very young is predominantly influenced by our genetic background. But as ...
23andMe chasing Parkinson’s clues through genomic data mining
In 2015, 23andMe began inking lucrative research agreements with pharma giants like Genentech and Pfizer, in addition to launching its own R&D ...
Why is type 2 diabetes difficult to diagnose in African Americans?
One of the tests used to diagnose type 2 diabetes and monitor blood sugar control is influenced by 60 genetic ...
Why do gene therapy treatments cost so much?
The first gene therapy treatment in the United States was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration, heralding a new ...
Genetics and obesity: Expanding waistlines can’t be blamed on poor lifestyle choices alone
The sources of obesity look more biological, and less psychological, which opens new avenues toward addressing the crisis. Finding answers ...
Glyphosate herbicide not an ‘endocrine disruptor’, European Food Safety Authority concludes
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the world's most used pesticide, glyphosate, does not have endocrine disrupting ...
Tiny genetic alteration linked to devastatingly large brain size
An international collaboration led by scientists and doctors from the UK, Netherlands and United States has identified a new genetic ...
Genes suggest who is most likely to get tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2016, this was the most common causative pathogen for death by infectious diseases. Therefore, ...
Diabetes and heart disease share common genetic links
Scientists out of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine say that they’ve uncovered 16 new genetic risk factors for ...
Will the public embrace CRISPR to ‘edit out’ birth defects as it has other reproductive technologies?
As CRISPR becomes more widespread, will the public accept gene-edited alterations in the same way we embraced in vitro fertilization? ...
Public education about QR codes important to success of proposed federal GMO label, study finds
The study, the release of which was the subject of a now-moot lawsuit from the Center for Food Safety last ...
Evidence confirms likely link between regular exercise and reduced cancer risk
Researchers have long recognized an epidemiological link between exercise and a lower risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer. But ...
