[dropcapW[/dropcap]hen genetically modified (GM) crops were initially commercialized in the mid to late 1990s, many critics of the new technology predicted the benefits would be minimal and short-lived. These critics…
Category: Genetics
Switzerland edges towards embracing gene edited foods
[After a 20-year moratorium on genetically modified crops], the Swiss parliament asked the government to prepare a draft act for consultation [to introduce] a risk-based approval system for plants and…
Viewpoint: Understanding risk—Why parts per trillion (or smaller) trace of pesticides sparks intense fear?
At speaking engagements, I would often remind audiences of Bruce Ames’ quote on coffee and pesticides. In an attempt to reassure us on relative toxicity, Ames noted how there are…
For the 24 million people globally who suffer from schizophrenia, newly approved Cobenfy offers a breakthrough treatment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration [has] approved a new kind of drug to treat schizophrenia, a breakthrough after 70 years of incremental innovation that appears to avoid side effects that…
AI is supercharging gene editing, slingshotting us into a future of creating new life
During her chemistry Nobel Prize lecture in 2018, Frances Arnold said, “Today we can for all practical purposes read, write and edit any sequence of DNA, but we cannot compose it.”…
Key Biochemical Trigger of Huntington’s Disease Progression Identified
Summary: Researchers have identified a crucial biochemical mechanism that could allow Huntington’s disease to be studied before symptoms appear, offering hope for early intervention. The team found that disrupted dopamine…
Childhood Attention Problems and Genes Linked to Psychosis Risk
Summary: Childhood attention issues, coupled with genetic predispositions, increase the likelihood of experiencing psychotic-like symptoms in adolescence. By analyzing data from 10,000 youths, researchers discovered that variability in attention spans…
Viewpoint: Britain’s new Labor government signals it will move forward legislation to open the door to CRISPR and other crop gene editing innovations
There are increasingly positive signs that the newly-elected Labour administration will shortly bring forward the secondary legislation needed to implement the provisions set out in the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding)…
Rwanda launches Gates-funded project to develop drought, virus and blight resistant crops
Farmers and agriculture sector leaders have said they expect a new five-year scheme called Rwanda Agricultural Biotechnology Program, to support improvement in crop productivity, by addressing production challenges including pests, diseases,…
Viewpoint: Hurricane-caused drug and IV fluid shortages expose a vulnerability in U.S. supply chains. Here’s a solution.
The recent storms that ravaged Florida and other states affected more than homes and infrastructure. Hurricane Helene inflicted significant damage on a Baxter International drug production plant in Marion, North…
