Ricki Lewis
How the “F” word—flu—led to confusion as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded
Thinking that a novel virus is like a familiar one is like assuming that a guinea pig is the same ...
The risks of using gene drives to get rid of ‘pesky species’
Using gene drives to eradicate pests has a potential downside—DNA is constantly changing. That means gene drives have the potential ...
Will scientists ever get ahead of fast-mutating deadly health viruses? Exploring the coronavirus and the genetics of other viral outbreaks
Even as our methods of detection and treatment improve, we will likely never be able to completely stay ahead of ...
What’s your ‘ageotype’? Classification system explains why some of us are older—or younger—than we look
Study shows that "it’s possible to change the way you age for the better." ...
Can DNA predict who might be a mass murderer?
There have been repeated attempts over the past 50 years to find genetic links to criminal behavior or mass murderers ...
Viewpoint: Prohibiting treatment of transgender teens ignores reality of gender dysphoria
New study delves into the genetics of individuals with gender dysphoria ...
How fertile are you? ‘Ovarian reserve’ DTC tests that count your eggs offer mixture of control and misinformation
Joining the reproductive fray are tests designed to assess fertility by counting the number of eggs left in a woman's ...
Novels ‘All About Evie’ and ‘The Family Upstairs’ illustrate how DNA tests can reveal ‘dark secrets’, from rape to unknown siblings
It was inevitable that fiction writers would begin weaving unexpected DNA test results into their narratives ...
Will 2020 see the debut of promising gene therapy for hemophilia A? It’s up to the FDA.
Hemophilia A gene therapy has been twenty years in the making ...
2019 offered ‘eclectic’ mix of potentially breakthrough treatments for genetic diseases, from cystic fibrosis to sickle cell
2019 was a very good year for new treatments of genetic diseases ...
‘CRISPR this, CRISPR that’: Is our fascination with the popular gene-editing tool distracting us from the potential of gene-silencing RNAi technology?
I hope the public fascination with CRISPR can also embrace the other biotechnologies providing new therapeutic options ...
Does the ‘genetics revolution’ unsettle you? Here is a guide, and reasons to be hopeful
I'm thrilled that DNA science has become so much more tangible and practical. Yet we must use the information wisely ...
Can DNA predict a person’s facial features? New forensic tool gets us closer, by deducing hair, eye and skin color
Could DNA testing predict faces to go with found body parts? ...
Viewpoint: Netflix’s horror movie ‘Eli’ is a fright. But why did they have to ‘tarnish gene therapy’?
Attempts to treat genetic disease shouldn’t be the stuff of horror films ...
Ancestry tests underreport African genetic diversity, limiting benefits of precision medicine for blacks. Here’s how we can change that.
The newly-sequenced African genomes will help fill in the outlines of the origin and diversification of humanity ...
Hemophilia B—the blood disease that plagued Europe’s royal families—might be treatable using gene editing
Researchers are hoping to use gene editing to create more effective and less expensive treatment options--compared to gene therapy--for people ...
What sperm banks could learn from Fox’s ‘Almost Family’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ sequel ‘The Testaments’
It’s time for tighter regulation of assisted reproductive technologies ...
Did a ‘flawed’ bioterror plot doom Netflix’s ‘Designated Survivor’?
The bioterror plot succeeded, in tone if not in detail, by illuminating the idiocy of white supremacy ...
Using young blood to battle Alzheimer’s could be ‘an exciting new start in a frustrating field’
The idea of therapeutic benefits from 'young blood' has been around a long time ...
No ‘gay gene’: Massive study finds no specific genetic predictors for sexual behavior, preferences
The once-prevailing concept of a “gay gene” dictating sexual orientation has been put to rest in a powerhouse study ...
‘We simply don’t yet know enough’: International commission urges caution with human germline editing
Using CRISPR in a heritable way raises the stakes exponentially ...
How a one-time CRISPR shot could obliterate lower back pain
CRISPR may be able to block back pain by dampening the immune system’s cytokine signals ...
The ‘magic mix’ of ingredients responsible for the Impossible Burger’s taste and texture
The actual science behind the Impossible Burger is fascinating ...
‘Why did I get cancer?’ We can do more to alleviate ‘angst, guilt’ accompanying a diagnosis
More time spent explaining the biology of cancer to patients can help alleviate angst and guilt. ...
How microbiome research promises to solve blood shortages, halt food allergies and give us better skin
A microbiome isn’t just something to maintain or optimize – it can also be a crystal ball ...
Pot smokers with this genetic variant could face addiction risks similar to those who smoke cigarettes
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, for those of us who can remember them, marijuana was widely regarded as not ...
Pharmacogenetics and depression: Genetic screening could eliminate trial-and-error approach to medications
Antidepressants may soon be added to the growing list of medications genetically matched to patients most likely to respond — ...
Do China’s controversial CRISPR babies illustrate the need for an ‘undo button’?
Will CRISPR-in-the-clinic come with a fail-safe mechanism? ...
