Exploring Our Deeper Genome
In The Deeper Genome, John Parrington provides an elegant, accessible account of the profound and unexpected complexities of the human genome, and shows how many ideas developed in the 20th century are being overturned.
The Dark Side of Genomic Testing
Personal genome sequencing costs have fallen sharply over the last several years, and more individuals are taking advantage of genetic testing services to learn about their ancestry and what diseases they might be susceptible to. There are privacy risks, however, that consumers often ignore when sharing their genetic data with these services.
How CRISPR Will Revolutionize Medicine
Over the last couple of decades, biologists have honed their tools for deleting, replacing or otherwise editing DNA. Now, a strategy called CRISPR has quickly become one of the most popular ways to do genome engineering. The discovery of CRISPR promises to significantly accelerate genetic research, with long-term implications that are very promising, but also potentially risky.
Are Childhood Vaccinations at a Crossroads?
Diseases largely eradicated in the United States a generation ago are returning. Across America, children are getting sick and dying from these preventable diseases—in part because some parents (more than 10%) choose to skip or delay their children’s immunizations.
The Hidden Power of “Junk DNA”
Scientists have long known that much of the DNA in our genome does not appear to code for proteins. In fact, up to 98% or our DNA is non-coding. For this reason, the study of this part of the human genome was ignored. Today, researchers are discovering that this so-called “junk DNA” plays a critical role in the regulation of our genes and may hold the key to understanding and curing diseases like breast cancer.