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.

Bootstrap Bio...

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
a black mother holding her baby

Sperm Banks Struggle to Recruit Black Donors and Other Donors of Color

By Amy Dockser Marcus, Wall Street Journal | 02.26.2022

A few years after her marriage broke up, Aisha Jenkins started thinking about having a baby on her own. She...

Perspectives
He Jiankui

How to protect the first ‘CRISPR babies’ prompts ethical debate

By Smriti Mallapaty, Nature | 02.25.2022

Photo of He Jiankui licensed for reuse under CC BY 3.0

Two prominent bioethicists in China are calling on the...

Other Countries
globe held by pair of hands representing countries of the world

Genomics’ Ethical Gray Areas Are Harming the Developing World

By Dyna Rochmyaningsih, Undark Magazine | 02.24.2022

Since the first human genome was sequenced in the early 2000s, scientists have touted the breakthrough as a blessing to humanity...

Other Countries
Thomas Insel

The ‘Nation’s Psychiatrist’ Takes Stock, With Frustration

By Ellen Barry, The New York Times | 02.22.2022

Official photo of Thomas Insel from the NIMH Office of the Director

A new book by Dr. Thomas P. Insel...

Genomics

Gene-Edited Brain Organoids Are Unlocking the Secrets of Autism

By Amit Katwala, Wired | 02.21.2022

Hundreds of genes have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a complicated range of conditions affecting the behavior, social...

Genomics
black and white photo of a baby

Ukraine: Ireland ‘speeds up’ exit for surrogate babies

By BBC, BBC | 02.21.2022

The Irish government has expedited plans for families with newborn surrogate babies to travel immediately from Ukraine.

It comes as...

Other Countries
President Biden's Cabinet members sitting in chairs and wearing masks

Biden doesn’t get it

By H. Holden Thorp, Science | 02.18.2022

It has been a rough 2 weeks for the US science community. After 4 years of bludgeoning by the Trump...

Media Coverage
Black mother holding a newborn baby

Black women, long ignored in infertility discussions, speak out

By Shelia Poole, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 02.18.2022

Photo licensed for reuse under CC-BY SA 3.0

Penelope Marshall McCown struggled for years to have a baby.

She and...

Perspectives