Meredith Knight
Could gene editing, Prozac or choline treat Down Syndrome?
Scientists may be closing in on an effective treatment for Down Syndrome. But questions abound as to the ethics of ...
Mutated genes don’t always lead to genetic diseases
Sonia Vallabh, a scientist, carries a rare mutation that normally causes a neurodegenerative disease. But how likely is it she ...
What next for Editas? First gene-editing company to go public
Is the Cambridge-based company Editas truly ready for the big time or is it trying to capitalize on technological hype? ...
Should healthy patients with disease genes be told of their genetic risks?
Many people with gene variants that might cause disease have a very low risk of getting sick. Telling patients may ...
Why humans uniquely live long enough to become grandparents
The Grandma Hypothesis suggests that humans were evolutionarily successful because older females helped their daughters raise children. But living beyond ...
Could we functionally cure HIV through gene editing?
Charlie Sheen’s HIV announcement put AIDs back in the headlines. Gene editing may provide the chance to eliminate the disease ...
Immune therapy for cancer needs the right gut stuff
A patient’s microbiome influences how well a new class of immune system cancer drugs work ...
Precision medicine’s cost challenges: Are there lower tech alternatives?
Precision medicine is leading to cures but at high cost to healthcare systems. But there are emerging examples of lower-tech ...
Controversial recommendation: American College of Medical Geneticists warns against Alzheimer gene tests
Citing inconclusive results and lack of medical treatments, the national authority on genetic testing recommends against not to test for ...
Wrongful birth: Court upholds parental rights when hospital and lab screw up genetic testing
Many conservatives are upset about a $50 million judgment on behalf of a family that had a baby with severe ...
Want to make money off genome sequencing? There’s an app for that
Helix, a growing DNA sequencing company, moves into direct-to-consumer genetics with a plan for the first genome app store. Will ...
Don’t blame evolution for war
Despite the chance of acquiring wealth and power, whole war doesn't make life better. But engaging in a little violence ...
Promising future of delayed fertility? Don’t count your (frozen) chickens
Affluent women or those willing to take on sizable debt and want to delay having babies can freeze their eggs ...
Meet blebb: To treat addiction, would you agree to have your memory erased?
Scientists have found a way to keep memories made while using meth from becoming permanent, erasing the lure of drugs ...
While UK embraces life-saving germline editing, US mired in debate as promising life-saving cases go untreated
Thousands of women with mitochondria disease have no hope of having children without genetic editing or assisted reproduction techniques. Critics ...
Kuwaiti citizens: Register your genes…or else
In the wake of a suicide bombing, Kuwait became the first country to order mandatory DNA testing of all citizens ...
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 ...
Precision medicine inches along
More than a decade ago, we sequenced the human genome with hope that disease cures might soon follow. Finding treatment ...
Teen boy checklist: Graduate high school, freeze sperm, go to college
A UK bioethicist urges young men to freeze sperm so their kids won’t run a higher risk of inheriting genetic ...
Who’s your (ancestral) daddy? Family tree genetics might link everyone to King David
Companies claiming to pinpoint your ancestral village of origin or relationship with famous historical figures are likely telling you the ...
DNA, the ‘devious defecator’ and the right to genetic privacy
A poop paternity test may set legal precedents on privacy in the workplace ...
Three parent babies: Parent #3’s impact may go beyond mitochondria
New research shows mitochondrial and nuclear DNA interact throughout a person’s lifetime. What does that mean for parents seeking mitochondrial ...
Mysteries of cat, human health revealed through microbiome
Studying the bacteria that live in an on our feline friends maybe a good proxy for humans. They live in ...
Arm chair geneticists looking for enlightenment could provide useful data
People who sequence their genomes don’t hinder public health; they offer an opportunity for free data. We should capitalize on ...
Lifestyle changes can’t alter DNA: Claiming it can is a public disservice
Lifestyle changes have profound effects on human health, more so than most blockbuster drugs. But despite their potency, supplements, exercise ...
What are the odds? Family celebrates birth of 13th consecutive son
Beyond X and Y chromosomes, scientists postulate genes and environmental exposures play a roll in making sons or daughters more ...
What is Apple up to in its foray into personal genetics?
Tech’s highest profile company is positioning itself as a genetic testing powerhouse. Personal genomics may be coming to an iPhone ...
Is CRISPR gene editing advanced enough to warrant human testing?
Some experts say CRISPR-edited humans could be here in 5 years, but scientists are quickly moving to self-regulate experimentation with ...
