Synthetic Biology
Public needs to be more informed on human germline gene editing
The news that scientists have edited the genomes of human embryos induced a predictable sharp intake of breath. The work ...
Scientists reverse evolution in birds to make them more like dinosaurs
The past hundred million years or so have not been kind to the dinosaurs. Once formidable “terrible lizards,” their closest modern descendant is the distinctly unimpressive chicken. Now ...
Scientist who discovered CRISPR/Cas9 weighs future of new technology
Three years ago, Jennifer A. Doudna, a biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley, helped make one of the most monumental ...
Should human germline gene editing even be considered for future use?
Rumors about human germline editing experiments prompted scientists to gather in January in Napa, Calif. Discussions there led two groups ...
Mammoth genes could be used to create new species of ‘Arctic’ elephant
Unlike their elephant cousins, woolly mammoths were creatures of the cold, with long hairy coats, thick layers of fat and ...
First baby born through promising new IVF technique using stem cells
Doctors in Canada have begun a new chapter in medical history, delivering the first in a wave of babies through ...
NIH won’t fund research towards human embryo gene editing
Recently, the use of gene editing has proven a useful practice in the prevention of genetic diseases and disorders for ...
Two decades of GMO crops in the US in infographics and charts
The use of GMOs is undoubtedly widespread. Since GMOs were approved for commercial use, and then first planted in the ...
Does DIY synthetic biology promote science, or distort it?
The Do-It-Yourself synthetic biology movement (or, DIY synbio) is mixed up, in a naive and dangerous way. What it's advocating ...
Synthetic biology needs to start small before it can solve the world’s problems
Recently, Newsweek tweeted: "Synbio was going to save the world. Now it's being used to make vanilla flavoring." Synthetic biology ...
Could CRISPR’s simplicity make it difficult to regulate human embryonic gene editing?
A group of researchers shocked the world in April when they revealed that they had used a revolutionary gene editing ...
Why we should stop talking about gene editing in terms of dystopian sci fi
Recently, I went on the NPR show “On Point” to talk about using CRISPR to edit embryos. Towards the end of ...
Beyond familiar GMOs: How biotech is improving other products
Most everyone knows that biotechnology produces cures and therapies for healthcare; but not everyone knows that biotechnology is also applied ...
Is it possible to bring the extinct woolly mammoth back to life?
Extinction, it seems, may no longer be for ever. Recently, scientists in George Church’s lab at Harvard University announced that ...
Could mitochondria DNA editing be a more sound alternative to three-person IVF?
Salk Institute scientists used specifically engineered molecular scissors to snip out mutations in embryos, leaving healthy DNA intact. They hope ...
Embyro editing experiment continues to roil scientists
In the wake of the first ever report that scientists have edited the genomes of human embryos, experts cannot agree ...
How biotech, GMOs can reduce CO2 emissions
Are GMOs increasing the profits of farmers and biotech companies at the expense of the environment? As I have learned more ...
NASA scientist tells story behind fake plea for help over ‘framed’ DNA test that went viral
A Craigslist ad thought to be covert advertising or “viral marketing for the upcoming Fantastic Four movie” is actually an experimental ...
Synthetic biology threatens to displace African vanilla, stevia in global market
An ongoing expansion of an extreme form of genetic engineering threatens to deny Africa its share of the global market ...
“Orphan Black” is back! Reflections on reproductive cloning and eugenics
The Clones are Coming: Airing on BBC America, the popular show Orphan Black already has included a goldmine of conversation ...
What do breast milk and narwhal milk have in common? Possible basis for vegan cheese?
Counter Culture Labs takes its name pretty literally. It is a bio lab, for sure, complete with pipettes, carboys, microscopes, and ...
‘Search and replace’ CRISPR DNA tool gaining traction despite calls for moratorium
Momentum has been rapidly mounting around a technology called CRISPR-Cas9, often described as a “search and replace” tool for DNA. The reason? ...
GENeS launches: New project provides journalists, NGOs, policy analysts scientific expertise on breaking stories
Journalists and policymakers take note: GENeS--Genetic Expert News Service--is now live! Turn to GENeS for independent expert analysis and commentary ...
How can we best consider the consequences of altering a human genome?
The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 again sees a biomedical technology challenging norms and raising concerns. CRISPR/Cas9 makes it comparatively easy to ...