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
an embryo

Scientists Grow Mouse Embryos in a Mechanical Womb

By Gina Kolata, The New York Times | 03.17.2021

The mouse embryos looked perfectly normal. All their organs were developing as expected, along with their limbs and circulatory and...

Animal Biotechnologies
embryonic stem cell

Scientists plan to drop the 14-day embryo rule, a key limit on stem cell research

By Antonio Regalado, MIT Technology Review | 03.16.2021

In 2016, Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz grew human embryos in a lab dish for longer than anyone had before. Bathing the tiny...

Assisted Reproduction
person in wheelchair

The Threat That CRISPR Poses to Disabled People

By Sandy Sufian, BRINK | 03.15.2021

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

The gene-editing technology CRISPR promises enormous potential as a therapeutic for curing illnesses, including...

Society

Florida considers banning abortions for women who have fetuses with disabilities

By News Service of Florida, Sun Sentinel | 03.12.2021

TALLAHASSEE — A House panel Thursday backed a bill that would prevent doctors from performing abortions that women seek because...

Policies

Can China’s New Criminal Law Deter the Next He Jiankui?

By Shao Bowen, Sixth Tone | 03.12.2021

The latest edition of China’s criminal law formally came into effect March 1. The updated code includes a range of ...

Animal Biotechnologies
twin eyes

World at ‘peak twin’ as birth rates reach historic high, study finds

By Ian Sample, The Guardian | 03.11.2021

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Twins may be more common today than at any time in history, according to...

Assisted Reproduction
lab research

UC Davis: First clinical trial of stem cells to treat spina bifida

By David Jensen, Capitol Weekly | 03.10.2021

Photo by Satheesh Sankaran on Unsplash

Backed by $17 million in cash from California’s stem cell agency, researchers at UC...

Human Genetic Modification

CRISPR Could Switch Off Chronic Pain Without Opioids

By Emily Mullin, Future Human | 03.10.2021

In 2006, scientists described the curious case of a Pakistani boy who seemed immune to pain. The 10-year-old street performer...

Animal Biotechnologies