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.
Brains of schizophrenics may repair themselves over time
[Psychiatrist] Lena Palaniyappan...and other mental health professionals have noticed is that, unlike those with degenerative neurological disorders[,]...sometimes schizophrenia patients eventually start ...
Lead discoverer of ‘three-parent baby’ method breaks 13 year silence—affrms technique’s safety
When scientists announced in 2003 they had used a pioneering technique for the first time to create so-called ‘three-parent babies’, ...
Legal battle over CRISPR ownership heating up
Beneath the technical and legal jargon...filed in the battle over CRISPR patents is a simple argument that...comes down to this: ...
CRISPR gene editing may help treat sickle cell disease
An international team of scientists led by researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has found a way to use ...
Genes help Latinos age slower than other ethnic groups
Latinos age slower than any other ethnicity, a study has found. Scientists refer to the phenomenon as the 'Hispanic paradox', ...
Cancer survivors at high risk to develop obesity
A recent report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology presents some puzzling news — survivors of some types of cancer ...
Personal DNA tests carry high risk of privacy breach
Where did my ancestors come from? What can my genes tell me about lurking health dangers? Is this child really ...
Genetic evidence identifies schizophrenia as ‘modern’ disease
Schizophrenia is a "modern" disease, which developed after humans diverged from Neanderthals, between 300,000 and 700,000 years ago. Scientists say ...
Clinton pledges to continue Biden’s Cancer Moonshot efforts if elected president
Hillary Clinton endorsed the Obama administration’s cancer moonshot initiative on [August 15] and pledged to continue its work if she is ...
DIY CRISPR-Cas9: Should we fear or embrace programmable gene editing kits for the home?
When you hear about do-it-yourself CRISPR, you may imagine amateurs cooking up something dangerous in their kitchens. But that is ...
Video: DNA looks much different than what you might think
Biology textbooks like to depict DNA looking like an abstract spiral staircase, representing the classic double helix shape. However, real ...
Gene therapy 2.0: Will CRISPR make expensive treatment accessible to all?
Gene therapy, at a million dollars a treatment, will run up a patient's medical bill quickly. Can CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing ...
Do East African distance runners dominate races due to genetics?
More than 10,000 athletes from 206 different nations will compete for glory in [the 2016] Olympic Games...But when it comes ...
Everything you need to know about CRISPR gene editing
CRISPR refers to unusual DNA sequences that help protect organisms by identifying threats – especially viruses – and attacking them ...
Athletes avoiding genetic test for concussion risks despite potential benefits
[The new APOE test is] an easy genetic test that promises to identify which young athletes are likely to suffer the most ...
Precision medicine threatened by sloppy, inefficient research
To the average American,...precision medicine sets a high expectation of a more targeted...[and] more effective...treatment. But all too often the science ...
GM mosquito critics brand Key Haven trial as “human rights” issue
For the last five years, the biotechnology company Oxitec has been developing a plan to experimentally release the GMO mosquitoes ...
Kenyans sweep distance races, Jamaicans sprints: How evolution has shaped elite sports
The results of the Rio Olympics, especially in track and field events, reinforce the now widely accepted theory that evolution ...
Gene mutation linked to aggression and healthy body weight
Acting aggressive and reckless when drunk could be a sign that you’re a complete jerk, or it could be an ...
Parents turn to Prozac and other unproven drugs to help children with Down’s syndrome
Drugs that change the chemistry and structure of the brain could boost the intelligence of people with Down’s syndrome...[However, s]uch ...
Genetics key to why world’s greatest solo climber doesn’t feel fear
[Alex] Honnold is history’s greatest ever climber in the free solo style, meaning he ascends without a rope or protective ...
Curing diseases with embryonic stem cells proving much harder than expected
[N]o field of biotechnology has promised more and delivered less in the way of treatments than embryonic stem cells. Only ...
Potential benefits of human-animal chimeras vastly outweigh risks
If we had a cheap and unlimited supply of healthy organs for transplant, it wouldn’t just transform the lives of ...
Genes may play key role in timing of your first child, number of children you have
[W]hether you're 16 or 40 when you decide to have sex for the first time, you may think the choice ...
Synthetic biology launches into new frontier
Researchers have built something pretty weird—an artificial stingray. The tiny creation, made of silicon, gold, and human muscle cells, was actually ...
Faulty stem cell clinics proliferate in Australia, leading to deaths
Australia has among the world’s highest concentrations of stem cell businesses advertising medical and cosmetic treatments online, despite a lack ...
Epigenetic Zs: Could a bad night’s sleep alter your genes?
Sleep deprivation can not only ruin your day, it may change your DNA ...
