Genetics
Cholera vaccine made from GM rice passes first human trial
An oral cholera vaccine that’s grown in genetically modified rice and can be stored at room temperature has passed its first human trial.
Editing one gene extends mouse life expectancy by 23%
By modifying just one gene, researchers were able to extend the life expectancy of mice by 23%, and they think their results may translate to humans.
The entire human genome has (finally) been sequenced
Researchers have finally sequenced the complete human genome, filling the gaps in the Human Genome Project’s historic first draft.
Gene therapy and special goggles partially restore man’s vision after 40 years
Researchers have demonstrated that restoring limited vision to people suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a historically permanent type of blindness, is within reach.
The DNA-based diet you’ll be hearing about everywhere
A growing field called "nutrigenomics" aims to provide people with personalized lifestyle guidance based on their DNA
Gene therapy appears to cure “bubble boy disease”
A new gene therapy designed to treat children with ADA-SCID, a form of “bubble boy disease,” was incredibly successful in trials.
1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in the U.S.
Oxitec recently released genetically modified mosquitoes on three of the Florida Keys. The idea is that they will curb the spread of diseases by decreasing populations of Aedes aegypti.
Supercentenarians’ DNA reveals clues to human longevity
A human longevity study involving people over the age of 105 has found that genetic variants linked to DNA repair appear to contribute to a longer life.
These plants have been genetically modifying themselves for decades
New evidence shows that plants have been genetically modifying themselves for decades in a process called lateral gene transfer.
This spit test will help couples know their baby's risk of genetic disease
A new genetic test offers prospective parents a "polygenetic risk score," or an estimate of their potential offspring's predisposition to certain conditions.