News

Surrogacy goes more mainstream

By Carly Mallenbaum, Axios [cites Emily Galpern] | 03.29.2026

More Americans are turning to surrogacy to build their families, as the practice becomes more common and more publicly discussed.

Why it matters: As surrogacy becomes more visible and accessible, ethical, legal and cultural tensions become harder to ignore...

U.S. Federal

Eugenics and the Modern Synthesis, Part I

By Jessica Riskin, Los Ángeles Review of Books | 03.23.2026

This is the first part of the 14th installment in the Legacies of Eugenics series, which features essays by leading thinkers devoted to exploring the history of eugenics and the ways it shapes our present. The series is organized by...

Civil Society

Surrogacy laws are all over the map

By Carly Mallenbaum, Axios [cites Surrogacy360] | 03.29.2026

Without a federal law, surrogacy in the U.S. is governed by a patchwork of state regulations/

Why it matters: Confusing...

Policies

Project Eugenics: The Rollback of Disability Rights

By Kiana Jackson and Shannon Stubblefield, New Disabled South | 02.09.2026

"MC0_8230" via Wikimedia Commons licensed under CC by 2.0 

This report documents a deliberate assault on disabled people in...

U.S. States
A wooden-like figure of a child builds a colorful tower of blocks. The child sits in a background surrounded by white and black checkered flooring.

2016 Fear vs Hope: Gene Editing— Terrible turning point?

By Pete Shanks, Deccan Chronicle | 01.01.2017

The next year may represent our best chance to prevent the rise of a modern, uncontrolled and dangerously ill-considered techno-eugenics...

Human Genetic Modification
Black and white photo of a young baby looking out distantly.

Unexpected Risks Found In Replacing DNA To Prevent Inherited Disorders

By Jill Neimark, NPR | 01.01.2017

In September, reproductive endocrinologist John Zhang and his team at the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City captured...

Human Genetic Modification
Illustrated image of a DNA molecule.

China’s $9 billion effort to beat the U.S. in genetic testing

By Ylan Q. Mui, Washington Post, [cites CGS's Marcy Darnovsky] | 12.30.2016

Lindsay Weekes knew something was wrong as soon as her son was born.

Her pregnancy had been easy. The baby...

Genomics
Colorful DNA stains are displayed side by side.

Will the Alt-Right Promote a New Kind of Racist Genetics?

By Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic | 12.29.2016

Jedidiah Carlson was googling a genetics research paper when he stumbled upon the white nationalist forum Stormfront. Carlson is a...

Genomics
Clock with both hands pointed near the midnight hour.

UC Davis professor wants FDA to create firm guidelines for stem-cell treatments, put clinics on notice

By Claudia Buck, Sacramento Bee | 12.24.2016

Adding year-end urgency to the national debate over stem cells, a prominent UC Davis researcher is asking federal officials to...

Stem Cells

Somatic Gene Transfer

By admin | 12.23.2016

Somatic gene transfer involves adding genes to cells other than egg or sperm cells. If you had a lung disease...

Human Genetic Modification
A gloved hand swabs a knife to collect DNA for evidence.

Lawmakers try to fix a side effect of reducing drug and theft crimes: Not enough DNA samples for cold cases

By Jazmine Ulloa, Los Angeles Times | 12.22.2016

California lawmakers are once again trying to expand the collection of DNA evidence in criminal cases, something they say has declined...

Biopolitics
A human hand grips onto a microphone.

In an engineered world, who benefits from biological diversity?

By Molly Bond and Deborah Scott, The Guardian | 12.22.2016

Outside the conference hall of the Moon Palace, a luxury Cancun resort, warm waves lapped white sands, bathed in...

Synthetic Biology