News

'Superbabies' Startup Seeks Funds for Controversial Gene Editing Push

By Sophie Alexander and Ike Swetlitz, Bloomberg | 06.25.2025

A California-startup focused on genetically editing human embryos — a step toward creating so-called designer babies — is raising money as many of Silicon Valley’s ultra-rich turn their attention to one of the most controversial technologies in medicine.

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Patents & Other IP

Can doctors test embryos for autism? And should they?

By Brittany Luse, Liam McBain, and Neena Pathak, NPR [cites CGS' Katie Hasson] | 05.28.2025

A newly available kind of genetic testing, called polygenic embryo screening, promises to screen for conditions that can include cancer, obesity, autism, bipolar disorder, even celiac disease. These conditions are informed by many genetic variants and environmental factors - so...

Genetic Selection

Why Deleting Your 23andMe Data Is a Political Imperative

By Katie Sagaser, The DNA Exchange | 05.27.2025

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this piece are solely my own and do not represent those of my...

U.S. Federal

Trumpian “Common Sense” and the History of IQ Tests

By Pepper Stetler, Los Angeles Review of Books | 05.08.2025

"Donald Trump Signs The Pledge" by Michael Vadon 
is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

This is...

Society
2 mitochondria in grayscale

'Maeve's Law' passes Senate hurdle to legalising mitochondrial donation through IVF

By Anna Salleh, ABC News | 03.30.2022

Photo of mitochondria from Wikicommons

Mitochondrial donation will become legal in Australia, with a controversial bill passing the Senate after...

Human Genetic Modification
covid vaccine

Politics and expertise: How to use science in a democratic society

By Zeynep Pamuk, LSE European Politics and Policy Blog | 03.30.2022

The Covid-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of scientific advice to modern policymaking. But how can the use of expertise...

Biotech & Pharma

Biopiracy row at UN talks in Geneva threatens global deal to save nature

By Patrick Greenfield, The Guardian | 03.30.2022

A standoff over biopiracy is threatening to derail a global agreement to halt the loss of nature, with developing countries...

Policies
The former Ryland Hall and surrounding area in the University of Richmond

University of Richmond strips names of enslavers from campus buildings

By Nick Anderson, The Washington Post | 03.28.2022

Photo of the Humanities Building from Wikicommons

The University of Richmond announced Monday that it has removed from six buildings...

Society
Labor organizers protesting Starbucks

She got a job at Starbucks for access to IVF treatment. It cost more than her actual paycheck.

By Leticia Miranda and Louise Matsakis, NBC News | 03.28.2022

Photo of Starbucks workers from Wikicommons

Leah Russell felt a surge of hope when she spotted Starbucks on a list...

Society

Experts push for genetic testing to personalise drug prescriptions

By Linda Geddes, The Guardian | 03.28.2022

Genetic testing to predict how individuals will respond to common medicines should be implemented without delay to reduce the risk...

Genomics
A woman waking and stretching

How natural “short sleepers” thrive on 4 hours of sleep per night

By Ross Pomeroy, Big Think | 03.28.2022

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

Too many Americans are sleep-deprived. Although the overwhelming majority of adults needs at least seven...

Genomics
4 pregnant women dressed in robes, standing in line; grayscale

Safety Concerns For Ukrainian Surrogate Mothers And Babies

By Bianca Facchinei, Newsy [cites CGS' Emily Galpern] | 03.25.2022

Photo by Astaken on Flickr

The war in Ukraine has disrupted trade and threatened the global economy, from oil to...

Other Countries