In a report released by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, an expert committee of scientists and bioethicists from 10 countries has laid out a set of principles to inform future manipulations of the human genome. Preaching caution, not prohibition, they recommend that regulators tightly control rather than entirely ban the option of making changes to human DNA to prevent genetic disease and disability.
News & Events
Artificial Intelligence app launched to digitize health care triage
February 9, 2017Digital health firm HealthTap’s newest mobile app, Dr. A.I., digitizes the process of assessing the level of medical risk facing a patient and outlines the first step in the treatment pathway. The AI-powered “physician” software goes beyond conventional medical search engines by incorporating individual patients’ medical profiles such as age, weight and medical history, alongside expert knowledge gleaned from 105,000 triage physicians.
Fashionable synthetic biology: The North Face’s ‘Moon Parka’ spun from faux spider silk
February 9, 2017Using genetically modified bacteria to produce synthetic silk proteins, North Face’s special edition Moon Parka is both innovative and sustainable, created by the Japanese company Spiber using an entirely biological process requiring no fossil fuels or petroleum. These synthetic polymers, with the near-magical properties of spider silk, are tougher than Kevlar by weight but more elastic and responsive than fibers like cotton–a holy grail material for wearable protection.
Ontario research facilities for genomics and advanced computing receive $116 million in funding
February 9, 2017Canada’s Genomics Enterprise, The Centre for Phenogenomics, and Compute Canada MSI 2.0 were awarded over $116 million in funding by the Government of Canada as part of the Major Science Initiatives’ $328.5-million investment into 17 national research facilities across the country. With partnerships between SickKids, Mount Sinai Hospital’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research, UBC, Mcgill, and University Health Network (UHN)’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, these three projects will utilize the funds to make ground-breaking discoveries at the cutting edge of genomics research and technology.
Advances in precision medicine reflected in new colon cancer clinical practice guideline
February 9, 2017A new, evidenced-based clinical practice guideline on molecular biomarker testing for patients with colorectal cancer identifies opportunities for improving patient outcomes. This pivotal guideline will help establish standard molecular biomarker testing, guide targeted therapy decisions, and advance personalized care for patients with colorectal cancer.
Cracking the genetic code for why inherited disease can turn lethal
February 9, 2017CDN and AUS prostate cancer researchers have discovered a key piece in the genetic puzzle of why men born with a BRCA2 mutation may develop aggressive localized cancers that resist treatment and become lethal for up to 50% of patients within five years. The findings show that the genes normally involved in regulating cell growth and division are abnormal in the BRCA2-associated cancers and resistant to therapy from the onset.
Scientists create first stable semi-synthetic organism
January 26, 2017The first living organisms to thrive with an expanded genetic code have been made by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute. Paving the way for synthetic biology, scientists added two synthetic base pairs to the DNA of E. coli microbes. They hope to program the base pairs so the organism produces new types of proteins to be made into drugs.
New model to help policymakers assess emerging synthetic biology technologies
January 26, 2017Researchers from North Carolina State University and Nanyang Technological University have developed a model that can be used to assess emerging synthetic biology products, well before they are ready for the market, to determine what needs to be done to inform future policies. “For emerging technologies, there are a host of groups that may have an interest in determining how the technologies should be governed – from public policymakers to the private sector,” says Jennifer Kuzma, co-lead author of a paper describing the work.
Gene-editing marks next generation of genetically altered foods
January 26, 2017A new generation of crops known as gene-edited, rather than genetically modified, is coming to the market. Created through new tools that snip and tweak DNA at precise locations, they, at least for now, largely fall outside of current US regulation.
Precision medicine for kids with brain cancer
January 26, 2017Dana-Farber scientists have released new research in which 56% of brain tumor samples from children had genetic abnormalities that could influence diagnosis and/or treatment. This suggests that more effective care could be identified by sequencing the genes of the tumors and selecting treatments that target each tumor’s specific genetic abnormalities.