Human Gene Editing
Viewpoint: BMJ editorial on ethical quandaries stirred by human gene editing — ‘Adopting a purely scientific view risks ignoring ethical, societal, and equity considerations’
Adopting a purely scientific view of human genome editing risks ignoring ethical, societal, and equity considerations ...
Here’s how CRISPR gene editing is already revolutionizing medicine
A number of genetic disorders are caused by a mutation in a single gene. The power (and precision) of CRISPR ...
Fear of unintended consequences slows adoption of embryo gene editing
As gene-editing technology advances, we take a look at how debate about its application has evolved in recent years, and ...
Human Genome Project was completed 20 years ago. Here’s how it has revolutionized science
For the 20-year anniversary of this historic event, we took a look back at the Human Genome Project and its impact ...
Pivotal year for gene therapy: Slew of CRISPR treatments will hit the market in 2023
Currently, there are no gene editing–based treatments on the market, but the technology continues its march toward potential FDA approval, ...
Making human eggs from scratch: Scientists are trying to replicate this complex chemical recipe
Gameto, a biotech startup, has developed a product called Fertilo that it hopes can improve the odds of success in ...
Audio: Jennifer Doudna on how diseases can be permanently cured using CRISPR gene editing, reshaping the arc of evolution
In 2011, biochemist Jennifer Doudna helped discover the genetic editing tool CRISPR. Today CRISPR is actively deployed in clinical trials ...
98% of the human genome: We are finally beginning to understand the mystery of ‘dark matter’ junk DNA
Twenty years ago, an enormous scientific effort revealed that the human genome contains 20,000 protein-coding genes ...
Why did Ellie in the Last of Us not succumb to Cordy, the zombie virus? Stem cells might explain it, and that could yield real-life vaccines
It’s unsettling to watch The Last of Us, in which parasitic fungi turn humanity into flesh-eating zombies, just as the ...
Could CRISPR be replaced by an AI-powered gene editing tool?
A new study has developed what the researchers call the "world's first" simple, modifiable proteins. Called "zinc fingers," these special ...
Ethical issues aside, CRISPR babies are too risky
While society grapples with the social and ethical implications of heritable genome editing, technical obstacles still abound ...
CRISPR cats and dogs? Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals raises alarm that pets could be ‘created’ with extreme features under new UK gene editing law
Pets could be gene-edited under new English law, says RSPCA: Act opens door to technology being used to create cats ...
‘Supercells have changed my life’: The $3 million sickle cell disease CRISPR cure
The case of American Victoria Gray shows the hope of new CRISPR therapies, but also their problems: they will cost ...
Treating epilepsy with a keto diet? Sounds far-fetched, but it can work
The ketogenic diet is an extremely low-carb diet that consists of almost no carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and ...
Epigenetics: How environment impacts health of you, your child — and possibly their children as well
Why you need to know about epigenetics: A lesser-known genetic code influences your health—and that of your kids and grandkids ...
Gene editing medicine is accelerating: More than 200 people worldwide have been treated with experimental CRISPR therapies
More than 200 people have been treated with experimental CRISPR therapies. But at a global genome-editing summit, exciting trial results ...
CRISPR gene editing has shown it can cure sickle cell anemia — raising questions about who can access this life-changing treatment
At age 37, free of symptoms, able to be a mom and work a full-time job, sickle cell patient and ...
‘Three-parent baby’ mitochondrial replacement therapy was developed to prevent fatal illnesses — but the the technique might not work as expected
Mitochondria are little “energy factories” that float around in the cytoplasm of our cells. While most of our DNA is ...
2 billion people have impaired vision. Here’s how CRISPR might lead to a cure
See how researchers are uncovering the mechanisms of retinal degeneration and identifying new targets for therapeutic intervention ...
Viewpoint: Human gene editing research prioritizes speed, profit, and breakthroughs. Is that in sync with fundamental ethical values?
He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who announced in 2018 that he had edited the DNA of embryos to make them ...
Next generation medicine: Will the people who most need gene therapy and gene-editing tools have access to them?
One of greatest risks of gene editing tools ‘is that the people who would benefit most will not be able ...
Addressing childhood trauma: Could epigenetic gene editing reduce the likelihood of developing mental illness?
Many researchers now think that childhood trauma biologically embeds itself in our bodies, alters how our genes work and puts ...
‘College prep might start in a test tube’: Should we test embryos for genetic markers related to intelligence? A plurality of Americans say ‘yes’
Imagine that you were provided no-cost fertility treatment and also offered a free DNA test to gauge which of those ...
At-home biohacking using CRISPR to edit DNA? You can do it with a kit
Genetic engineering using CRISPR from the comfort of home might seem futuristic, but you can do it right now ...
Publicity stunt? Chinese embryo-tinkering scientist supports limitations on gene editing embryos — but refuses to discuss his 2018 CRISPR experiment
He Jiankui refused to answer researchers’ questions about his controversial 2018 experiments at weekend event ...
Million-dollar gene therapies offer salvation for many patients but pose financial challenges for government-funded health care systems
A wave of transformative but hugely expensive treatments is challenging the budgets of health systems in wealthy nations. Now countries ...
What guardrails should be set when using gene editing to improve our species? March global meeting of scientists will address
As the world’s top human genome editing researchers gather in London, the ethical issues posed by pioneering scientific advances will ...