November 9th, 2009
By: April Lynch
Two headlines regarding genetics hit the wires recently, and together, spoke volumes.
In one, gene sequencing firm Complete Genomics announced that it had sequenced a whole human genome for $1,700 — a significant turn in the race to deliver an affordable, high-quality readout of a person’s entire DNA sequence.
In the other, members of a family known to carry a hereditary form of colon cancer discuss getting a genetic test — and some say they’d rather not know. “If it came back positive,” said one, “I think I would feel like it would be some kind of countdown.’’
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October 25th, 2009
By: April Lynch
In the latest online edition of Nature Genetics, researchers at powerhouse genetics center Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory report that they have identified an important mutation that, while rare, significantly increases a person’s risk of developing schizophrenia. (If the Nature Genetics looks like only so much jargon, you can find a more readable overview here instead.)
In schizophrenia genetics, it’s becoming increasingly clear that numbers matter.
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October 24th, 2009
By: April Lynch
Gene therapy — the use or manipulation of genes to address disease — doesn’t get much attention in general health news. There were notable failures and problems early on, and since then, efforts have been more low-key.
But every now and then, a new study makes it clear that gene therapy researchers keep trying, and sometimes succeed.
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