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.
Scientists alarmed by so-called stem cell “therapies”
The dubious business of selling so-called stem cell "therapies" seems to be gathering momentum, and some scientists are becoming quite ...
Complicated truths of donating eggs
When agencies advertise for egg donors, the ads never say, “Do you have a big heart?” They usually have a ...
FTC charges GeneLink with false advertising
It sounded like a miracle of science and convenience: swab your cheek and drop the saliva sample in the mailbox ...
23andMe uncovers semen switching at a fertility clinic
A young women conceived with help from a fertility clinic in Utah in the early 1990s is actually the biological ...
Resurrected 700 year-old water flea eggs show human impacts on evolution
DNA evidence says some tiny water fleas hatched from eggs at the bottom of a Minnesota lake, are 700 years ...
23andMe’s rush to market irresponsible
Pretty soon, you'll be able to swab your nose or mouth at home and be able to find out whether ...
Genetics might explain preferences of heat or cold
As half the country recovers from record low temperatures, scientists have found that genetics plays an important role in human ...
Shark genome may help explain bone formation
By decoding the genome of the elephant shark, researchers are learning about the genetics of bone formation and bone diseases ...
Wal-Mart’s donkey/fox meat mix-up in China spurs DNA tests
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) said it’s adding DNA tests of meat it sells in China after recalling donkey products from ...
Rare mutation may explain Tourette syndrome
A rare genetic mutation that disrupts the production of histamine may help researchers unravel the mystery that surrounds Tourette syndrome ...
British four-year olds offered DNA tests, to teach about obesity
Children as young as four years old are being offered DNA tests that will help determine the kind of diet ...
Multitasking skill may be genetic
Human factors/ergonomics researchers have long studied the connection between cognitive function and the ability to perform well on multiple simultaneous ...
Pittsburgh Zoo’s new cheetahs “genetically valuable”
From South Africa to Pittsburgh — four cheetahs are now living at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The animals ...
DNA may be the best way to preserve data
Recording media and storage devices last decades, but DNA stores information for thousands of years. Maybe we should store our ...
Do patents help or hinder stem-cell research?
As scientists get closer to using embryonic stem cells in new treatments for blindness, spinal cord injuries and heart disease, ...
Pre-marital DNA screening could reduce hereditary disorders in Qatar
Incorporating the newly-discovered genetic variations in the DNA of Qatar’s native population into the pre-marital screening process could have a ...
Precision medicine: reading genes and treating people before they get sick
Doctors and researchers around Boston are working to make drugs and health care delivery more individualized than ever. And patients ...
Synthetic genetic clock tracks temperature changes
Genetic systems run like clockwork, attuned to temperature, time of day and many other factors as they regulate living organisms ...
Could mapped citrus greening genome save the Florida orange?
A University of Florida researcher has mapped the DNA genome of a new strain of citrus greening, which could help ...
Racism may cause African-American men to age faster
Being the victim of racism and internalizing racist beliefs may speed up the aging process, a new study suggests. Research ...
Common lab mouse, though inbred, has significant genetic variation
The Black 6 mouse strain is the most commonly used lab mouse in the United States, and its highly inbred ...
GM salmon could double world production, if ‘Frankenfish’ fears don’t halt progress
A new type of Atlantic salmon, engineered by biotech firm AquaBounty Technologies, could double world production of the fish. But ...
Rumors of the death of consumer genomics greatly exaggerated
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing can offer exciting new ways of understanding ourselves and so far we've only seen the tip of ...
Single nanoparticle carries and delivers two different cancer-fighting drugs
Two birds with one stone? How about two drug targets with one delivery vehicle? Researchers in North Carolina have developed ...
E. coli: still showing us new evolutionary tricks after a century
It’s hard to believe that Escherichia coli could have any secrets left. For over a century, scientists have picked the ...
Genes influence family size equally for kids and grandkids
Although many factors influence the size of a family, Australian researchers have found that the genetic influences on both the ...
Causes of cancer may lurk in the unsequenced gaps of the human genome
The DNA sequence of the human genome is an iconic breakthrough in biology. Originally released more than 10 years ago, ...
