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.
Maverick ethics professor: “It’s our duty to have designer babies”
Julian Savulescu, the Oxford University professor of ethics controversially argues that “breeding better babies” is our human imperative ...
New DNA encyclopedia attempts to map function of entire human genome
Hundreds of thousands of new genomic pieces, catalogued for the very first time, are contained in the data, which is ...
Genetic study stirs hope for lung cancer patients
The first large and comprehensive study of the genetics of a common lung cancer finds that more than half the ...
Genetic clues to causes of liver disease
Researchers have newly identified three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), the most common autoimmune liver disease, increasing ...
Gene sequencing project builds the foundation for next generation of childhood cancer care
As St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital celebrates its 50th anniversary and marks September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, investigators are ...
Animal genetics help scientists understand diseases
Not only have great strides been made in human genetics but also in animal genetics. This is important because such ...
Gene ‘switch’ may explain heart defect syndrome severity
The discovery of a 'switch' that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations ...
Researchers identify stem cells responsible for tissue repair
The skin, which is an essential barrier that protects our body against the external environment, undergoes constant turnover throughout life ...
Stem cell breakthrough helped two paralyzed people feel again
New hope was raised yesterday for people left paralyzed by injury, after doctors said they had succeeded in using stem ...
Human genome far more active than thought
The GENCODE Consortium expects the human genome has twice as many genes than previously thought, many of which might have ...
‘Gene switches’ in ‘junk DNA’ control human health
The human genome is packed with at least four million gene switches that reside in bits of DNA that once ...
New approach for efficient analysis of emerging genetic data
With the ability to sequence human genes comes an onslaught of raw material about the genetic characteristics that distinguish us, ...
Unraveling the human genome: 6 molecular milestones
In a milestone for the understanding of human genetics, scientists just announced the results of five years of work in ...
Stem cell supplement approved in Taiwan
RBC Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: RBCL) announced today that the Company's stem cell supplement, Stem-Kine™, has been approved for importation ...
Medical ethicist examines ‘how to build a better human’
Science moves fast these days, and remarkable tools for human enhancement seem to emerge frenetically. Society often questions the way ...
What does cheap genome sequencing mean for the future of medicine?
The human genome has been heralded as the key to personalized medicine, but for the longest time complete sequencing of ...
Gene therapy restores sense of smell in mice, may aid research into other diseases
Scientists have restored the sense of smell in mice through gene therapy for the first time—a hopeful sign for people ...
Will overregulation in Europe stymie synthetic biology?
The promising new field of “synthetic biology” involves the design and construction of new biological components, devices and systems, as ...
Evidence matters in genomic medicine: Cancer genomic tests
In a previous blog, CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics announced a list of health-related genomic tests and applications, stratified ...
Newborn screening can help prevent problems
Newborn babies are screened, even if they look healthy, because some medical conditions cannot be seen by just looking at ...
Glaucoma genetic link discovered
Singapore scientists have identified three new genes associated with Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG), a leading cause of blindness in ...
Researchers find genetic signs of human migrations and marriage practices
Your genome is a window onto your heritage – or, more precisely, several windows. There are the marks left by ...
Can early menopause be cured? A genetic mouse model may pave the way
Scientists have established a genetic mouse model for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), a human condition in which women experience irregular ...
Tracing the world’s ancestor: How many generations does it take before someone alive today could be the ancestor of everyone on the planet?
The bloodline between Jesus and King David raises a wider genealogical issue. How many generations does it take before someone ...
Ancient human kin’s DNA code illuminates rise of brains
DNA analysis of an extinct human ancestor that lived 80,000 years ago has pinpointed fundamental genes tied to the brain’s ...
Genome of ancient Denisovans may help clarify human evolution
Our ancestors didn't walk alone: Neanderthals and other ancient peoples shared Earth with them tens of thousands of years ago ...
New genetic risk factor for inflammation identified in African American women
African Americans have higher blood levels of a protein associated with increased heart-disease risk than European Americans, despite higher “good” ...
