New studies connect gene editing with CRISPR technology to cancer, sending stocks plummeting and raising serious questions about the technology's potential. More
CRISPR Community Wrestles With Potential and Peril of Gene Editing
Scientists, academics and other stakeholders gathering in Boston lauded the potential of what CRISPR-powered innovation could offer society — and grappled with potential negative or unintended consequences from the still-nascent technology. More
I Got My Genetic Results. Now What? A Techonomy Guide
Genetic testing has become more mainstream and greater numbers of consumers are receiving their results — and left wondering what they mean and what to do with them. For those who need help navigating and understanding everything from so-called recreational genetic tests to potentially scary medical tests, this guide is for you. More
Bio & Life Sciences Community Insights
Happy 15th Birthday, Human Genome Project
This month marks the 15th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project. While the main goal of the project has not been fully realized, we are closer than ever to reaching it. Meredith Salisbury walks us through the ongoing benefits. More
Genomic Medicine’s Racial Inequality Problem: A Conversation with Malia Fullerton
The medical benefits of genomics go disproportionately to white people, while people of other ethnicities are more likely to receive inconclusive results because scientists don’t know enough about their genetic variation. We spoke with Malia Fullerton, a bioethicist and population genetics expert, about what can be done about it. More
Genomics Yields Insights About Ancient Humans
Scientists are using genomics to reconstruct the evolutionary history of humans. These findings shed new light on our past, and also yield insights into related species, like the Neanderthals as well as other ancient hominids. At the recent Advances in Genome Biology and Technology conference, Meredith Salisbury reports on the results. More
Bio & Life Sciences Community Insights
Why Science Wants to Sequence Your Dog
A citizen scientist project allows dog owners to contribute to the understanding of canine genetics, shedding light on the genetics and evolution of many related species. Further scientific understanding of the habits of mountain lions are underway and critical to the development of the species. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare Science
As Genomics Matures, Funding Priorities Will Shift
During the next two years, NHGRI will be using interactions with scientists and the public to take stock of the genomics field and where its funds can make the most difference. The landscape has shifted rapidly from the institute's early days, when it set the direction for much of the genomics community around the world. More
Bio & Life Sciences Innovation
India: A Wellspring of Untapped Genetic Knowledge
Now is a unique time in the history of world healthcare. We can sequence faster, and we can sequence at a lower cost. Indian genomic data will unlock more of life’s source code to benefit everyone. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
What’s Lurking in Your Genome?
It's still hard to know what to do about genetic news that's discovered about a patient during sequencing for another reason. A small percentage of such tests turn up disturbing findings. Some people want to know, some don't, but figuring out what to do often vexes doctors and researchers. Debate about how to handle this problem is growing within the genetics world. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
An Optimistic Gates Sees Promise in Genetics
At the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Bill Gates told 7,000 geneticists that the world needs them to up the pace of innovation in order to solve our most pressing health challenges. Early childhood death, malaria, and pandemics are all dangers that may be mitigated by progress in this realm, he said, showing his characteristic optimism. More
Funding Cuts—Even Threatened Ones—Wreak Havoc on Biomedical Science
The United States faces a biomedical funding crisis. The Trump administration has proposed budget cuts that would slash scientific research. Though Congress hasn't yet gone along, the fears that the process has generated are already causing tangible harm in the scientific community. Concern about cuts is stalling progress on drug discovery and other healthcare innovations. More
Bio & Life Sciences Community Insights Science
Believe the Neuralink Hype—It’s Important for Technological Innovation
Elon Musk’s latest venture, the recently-launched startup Neuralink, aims to merge mind and machine using brain-computer interface technology. Some commentators are dismissing its vision as pure hype. But buzz matters—we need such hype for radical tech innovation. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
Could Bats Reveal the Fountain of Youth?
Unlike other tiny mammals, bats and mole-rats live especially long lives. Now scientists are starting to understand why. At a time when interest in longevity is massive and growing, their answers might point the way toward useful knowledge about how we ourselves could last a bit longer. More
Bio & Life Sciences Community Insights Healthcare
2017 Biotech Trends–Regrown Organs, Augmented Brains, and AI Diagnosis
At IndieBio we see hundreds of biotech startups and technologies, and a few key themes are emerging for 2017. Fiction is becoming a reality with cell therapies. The era of the brain has arrived. And machine learning and AI are now a key part of biotech innovation. More
Contradictions Abound in Public Opinions about Genetics
People are so opposed to GMOs that such food has often been banned, though studies find zero evidence it harms people. But paradoxically, when it comes to editing human genomes, many are eager to press forward. Yet here scientists themselves mostly call for caution, because little is known about long-term ramifications. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
Anybody Want a $25,000 Checkup?
Human Longevity Institute offers a $25,000 full-day full-body examination including genomic sequencing. It promises to uncover hidden health risks and enable potentially lifesaving interventions. The benefits, it says, are not just for you, but for society, as info is gathered about how our genome intersects with our health. The price is controversial, but co-founder Craig Venter is confident he's onto something big. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
Islamic Bioethicists Debate Genomics at Qatar Health Summit
Many countries in the Middle East see exciting opportunities in genomics. Yet they also face challenging questions about reconciling it with local moral and cultural traditions. At a meeting in Qatar global healthcare leaders debated guidelines for a region where, for example, more than 20% of marriages are between first cousins. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
The Three-Parent Baby Is Not as Weird as You Think
People may have a "yuck response" when they hear about this new experimental technique for creating healthy babies. But it isn't as huge a leap from what we're used to as most reports would suggest, as Techonomy's genomics expert explains. Like a top medical source she quotes here, Salisbury will be continuing this conversation at Techonomy 2016 on November 10. More
Bio & Life Sciences Healthcare
Ethical Issues Abound with Fast-Growing Prenatal Genetic Testing
In the last few years, the standard tests for fetal abnormalities have been largely replaced with new genetic tests. Since they launched, traditional procedures that confer a small risk of miscarriage have dropped by about 70 percent. Now we face a big ethical issue: these tests reveal much more about future diseases than those they replaced. What information should parents know, and what can and should they do about it? More
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