Daily Human Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of human genetics issues, including gene editing, regulations and bioethics, gene therapy, epigenetics, personal genomics, evolution, ancestry and artificial intelligence. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Neuron diversity might shape personality and ability
Genomic analyses of single human neurons—either from postmortem brains or those derived in culture—reveal a considerable degree of DNA copy ...
Tiny genetic differences spin out new species in literal butterfly effect
A new study from the University of Chicago finds it’s genetically easier to spin off into a new species than ...
Craig Venter’s vision of the age of human-controlled evolution
J Craig Venter has been a molecular-biology pioneer for two decades. After developing expressed sequence tags in the 90s, he ...
‘Bubble kid’ success puts gene therapy back on track
Severe combined immunodeficiency was the first condition to be treated with gene therapy more than 20 years ago. A virus was ...
Scientists shrink brain cancer with new gene regulation technology
A new drug from Northwestern University shrinks an incurable form of brain cancer in mice, paving the way for a ...
Is HIV the hero that’ll help gene therapy rise above the hype?
We're seeing some successes in gene therapy, but cost remains an issue. Could a modified version of HIV save the ...
Gene-silencing could suppress genetic defect that causes Down syndrome
A team of researchers has demonstrated that the genetic defect that causes Down syndrome could be suppressed using the gene-silencing ...
DNA studies show humans impact sea turtle genetic diversity
DNA studies of endangered sea turtles point to loss of genetic diversity caused by recent human exploitation, Australian scientists say ...
Do you share a haplogroup with Dracula?
Some Halloween fans take costuming to a whole other level. The wig will be just right, the make-up impeccable, the ...
Genetic testing raises hope for lung cancer treatments
A study of 5,000 patients found genetic profiling of lung tumours boosted survival rates through better targeting of chemotherapy drugs. The ...
Scientists ID new humpback dolphin species
It has always been difficult to determine how many humpback dolphin species there are. Many biologists think there are just ...
Electronic Frontier Foundation goes after warrantless DNA collection
When it comes to searching the most sensitive part of our bodies—our DNA—the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches and ...
Senator Rand Paul cribs from Wikipedia’s “Gattaca” page
Senator Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican who is among his party’s top 2016 presidential prospects, has found himself accused of plagiarism. ...
Project Einstein: Are there genes for mathematical genius?
An entrepreneur in gene-sequencing wants to find out what genes are linked to mathematical ability ...
Genomics pioneer Craig Venter warns about careless biohackers
In his latest book, genetic guru J. Craig Venter envisions a brave new world where DNA can be teleported between ...
NIH prepares for surge in whole-genome sequencing
The medical community needs a plan for handling the fast-growing knowledge about the health risks identified through whole-genome sequencing, said ...
Whole-exome sequencing IDs disorders when other tests fail
When all else fails, whole-exome sequencing (WES) may succeed at nailing down a tough diagnosis, say investigators. A new review ...
Spain to fast track citizenship for Jews of Spanish descent. Who qualifies?
Last year, Spain announced that it would provide a fast track to citizenship for Sephardic Jews—Jews of Spanish descent (the Jews of Spain were ...
Geneticists map human resistance to AIDS
The key to future HIV treatment could be hidden right in our own genes. Everyone who becomes infected deploys defense ...
Synthetic biology’s malaria promises could backfire
In April, a consortium led by the global health NGO PATH — and comprising the University of California, Berkeley, synthetic ...
Genome hacker builds largest-ever family tree
To help scientists investigate inheritance, so-called genome hacker Yaniv Erlich has built family tree with over 13 million people, using ...
Biotech could improve sugarcane farming in India and beyond
According to the director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, scientists and sugarcane farmers should use the tools of ...
Genomic analysis moves to the cloud
Baylor College of Medicine's Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) is looking to the cloud for large-scale genomic analyses. According to ...
Ötzi the Iceman stirs up enthusiasm for genetics
The popularity of recent news reports on the DNA of the mummy Ötzi remind us that genetic breakthroughs are reaching far beyond white-lab-coat ...
Can your genes predict your politics?
Among the first scientists to dig for the roots of political orientation were a couple of pioneering psychologists in California ...
Ancient DNA links Native Americans to Europe
Where did the first Americans come from? Most researchers agree that Paleoamericans moved across the Bering Land Bridge from Asia ...
How personal genomics is like Michelangelo’s David
Personal genomics is awash in stories of genetic discoveries that turned out to be weak or wrong, yet the field ...
