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.
What are the genes behind celiac disease inheritance?
The growing list of genetic diseases and disorders that are associated with the heterozygote advantage has led many researchers to ...
Does epigenetics give credibility to placebo effect and mind’s healing powers?
In 2008, the National Institutes of Health announced that $190 million had been earmarked for epigenetics research over the following ...
How oxytocin, the ‘breastfeeding hormone,’ makes social interactions possible
Oxytocin, this molecule that’s classically associated with child birth and breastfeeding, is released in all kinds of settings in which ...
What defines a healthy microbiome depends on context
We all know people who act very differently depending on the company they find themselves in. They can be delightful ...
Popular claims of a genetic link between creativity and psychosis often exaggerated
For some, the mystery that surrounds creativity is at least partially rooted in the concept of the "mad genius," a ...
Science explainer: We may not resurrect dinosaurs but other extinct animals likely to be revived
De-extinction is moving closer to reality--maybe not Jurassic World real, but a number of more recent animals may soon be ...
First strong genetic links to depression identified
Jonathan Flint knew the odds of finding genetic sequences linked to depression were slim: a study of 9,000 people with major ...
Beating heart tissue grown in laboratory using stem cells
UC Berkeley researchers, in collaboration with scientists at the Gladstone Institutes, have developed a template for growing beating cardiac tissue ...
Liberia’s fight with ebola not over yet, cause of resurgence still a mystery
Six cases of Ebola have surfaced in Liberia in the two months since the nation was declared free of the ...
Could stem cells hold the key to treating incurable mitochondrial diseases?
Mitochondrial disease therapy using stem cells appears feasible, according to a study published Wednesday in Nature. However, years of preclinical ...
Don’t stop drinking orange juice: Citrus-cancer link overblown
Reporting on a study linking consuming grapefruit and orange juice to melanoma shows how the press can blow new research ...
PGD–preimplantation genetic diagnosis–dramatically increases disease prevention
Preventing disease is a standard goal of medicine. But a new technology takes it farther than we normally do by preventing ...
Precision medicine can revolutionize cancer treatments
Cancers, revered researcher Harold Varmus are like snowflakes, each one unique. But cancers also belong to families, and members of ...
Designer gut bacteria could help fight stomach diseases in the future
Biologists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a genetically modified version of a common bacteria found in the ...
Should newborns have their genes sequenced to screen for congenital disorders?
For 51 years, newborn babies have gotten a heel-prick test in which their blood is screened for dozens of congenital ...
What does the health data explosion mean for you?
From the recent rise of digitized health records to a dramatic increase in full DNA sequences to devices that measure ...
Ebola vaccine that can be inhaled shows promise in monkeys
A single dose of a new Ebola vaccine that can be inhaled has been found to neutralize the deadly virus ...
Prominent research IGI lab temporarily suspends germline editing research
This post addresses a question that I’ve been asked in many ways by many people: what about germline editing? After ...
Congress’ only scientist raises warns about human gene editing
It is rare that prominent members of the scientific community come together to warn our leaders of technological breakthroughs that ...
Linking LGBT couples with donors and surrogates
Today, there are no shortage of options when it comes to starting a family without traditional conception. But that doesn’t ...
White House Precision Medicine Initiative releases ethical, privacy guidelines
In January 2015, President Obama launched the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI), a bold new research effort to revolutionize how we ...
Hand, face, and uterus transplants for trauma victims pose ethical dilemmas
While the grotesque and fanciful concept of head transplantation is compelling, other new, real forms of organ transplantation like face, hand and ...
Can aging be treated with drugs?
Geneticists have found several genes that seem to affect longevity. Are we on the verge of finding "treatments" for aging? ...
Gene therapy to restore hearing in deaf works in mice; humans next
Gene therapy for deafness is moving closer to reality, with new research showing the technique for fixing faulty DNA can ...
Artificial DNA acts just like the real thing. Does that mean we should we make it?
We know we can create 'artificial DNA'. The real questions are: Should we? and To What end? Should there be ...
‘GENeS’—Genetic Expert News Service–connects journalists directly to scientists on breaking news
Most researchers know of colleagues with bad experiences talking to the media, and you don’t have to make the kind ...
DNA ark: Concerns about mass species extinction prompts scientists to collect genes
An ambitious project was launched last week to collect the genomes of the planet's major plant groups within the next two ...
