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
Image of a small black mouse in the palm of blue gloved hands in a laboratory

Base Editing Tweaks Mouse Gut Microbiome, in Scientific First

By Julianna LeMieux, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News | 07.10.2024

Image by Rama from Wikimedia Commons licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 FR

Microbiome research has faced a hurdle from the...

Human Genetic Modification
Image of a person working in a biology lab.

Serious errors plague DNA tool that’s a workhorse of biology

By Katherine Bourzac, Nature | 07.10.2024

Image by NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research from Flickr

Researchers analysed thousands of laboratory-made plasmids and discovered that nearly half...

Genomics
flag of japan on blue background

Amid discrimination, Japan's eugenics missteps could be repeated, expert warns

By Staff, Japan Times | 07.10.2024

Photo by Roméo A. on Unsplash

How did Japanese society, which was supposed to have transformed into a democracy after...

Other Countries
graphic of sperm donor

Netflix's 'Man With 1000 Kids' puts a spotlight on the lack of international regulations for sperm donors

By Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News | 07.09.2024

A Netflix docuseries has put a spotlight on the unregulated world of sperm donation, particularly the lack of stopgap measures...

Assisted Reproduction
ivf graphic on blue blackground

Victoria's IVF regulator is internationally awarded for its fertility services — now it's facing the axe

By Rachel Clayton, ABC News | 07.08.2024

In her early 30s, Michelle Galea wasn't convinced motherhood was for her.

"I didn't know if I wanted a child...

Policies
Black and white image of a women's rights demonstration related to reproductive health

RNC approves platform that would give rights to fetuses, endangering abortion, IVF

By Amanda Becker and Shefali Luthra, The 19th | 07.08.2024

Image by Duke University Archives from Flickr

Republicans have adopted a slate of policy positions ahead of next week’s convention...

Policies
DNA strands and moneybags on green background

Why isn’t gene therapy available to more patients? Blame millionaire prices and uncertainty as to its effectiveness

By Oriol Güell, El País | 07.07.2024

Image by Nick Youngson from Pix4free

Darius is 15 years old and is a dazzling example of how medical research...

Human Genetic Modification
synthetic embryo graphic

Work on synthetic human embryos to get code of practice in UK

By Ian Sample, The Guardian | 07.04.2024

Biological models of human embryos that can develop heartbeats, spinal cords and other distinctive features will be governed by a ...

Policies