We’re at the point in DNA technology where individuals who – having parted with $99 and a small vial of saliva – may suddenly find themselves in a criminal investigation.
When the Human Genome Project completed its work in 2003, the entire human genome was published in book form.
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In 2003 the Human Genome Project “cracked the code of life”, yet parts of our DNA remained unidentified. A new study fills out our genetic blueprint by using a nanotechnology-based technique.
From the man who gave away his genome under open consent, to the 'Mathematikado', this episode of the podcast features highlights from the British Science Festival in Brighton.
As genes are favored or phased out, human evolution continues.
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Comparing genomes of more than 200,000 people, researchers identified genetic variants that are less common in older people, suggesting natural selection continues to weed out disadvantageous traits.
Professor Samir Brahmachar: ‘Why should drug discovery be kept in the Wright brothers’ era of trial and error?’
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Professor Samir Brahmachari’s innovative Open Source Drug Development allows thousands of researchers to work together to discover novel therapies for under-studied diseases.
Researchers are starting to harness the potential of this much-hyped gene editing technique – with coming applications in medicine, biology and agriculture.
Our cells have a built-in genetic clock, tracking time… but how accurately?
Stopwatch image via www.shutterstock.com.
How do scientists figure out when evolutionary events – like species splitting away from a common ancestor – happened? It turns out our DNA is a kind of molecular clock, keeping time via genetic changes.
What could genomic medicine do in the future?
DNA gel image via www.shutterstock.com.
Although genomics research has the potential to revolutionize medicine, it has limitations. It may not do much to prevent many of the leading causes of death.
Do we contain the most elaborate set of instructions?
Genome image via www.shutterstock.com.
As we consider the ethics of human gene editing, we need to understand what can and can’t be meaningfully edited.
Gene editing allows us to eliminate any misspellings, introduce beneficial natural variants, or perhaps cut out or insert new genes.
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Should the gathering of experts from around the world that’s considering the scientific, ethical, and governance issues linked to research into gene editing ring alarm bells?