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ANIMALS AND EVOLUTION

• Do epigenetic changes influence evolution? The Scientist, Nov 2022. Evidence is mounting that epigenetic marks on DNA can influence future generations in a variety of ways. But how such phenomena might affect large-scale evolutionary processes is hotly debated. 
• This ogre-faced spider can hear through its legs. The Scientist, Oct 2020. The tropical net-casting spider Deinopis spinosa joins several other arachnid species that can hear sounds from afar without the help of a web, or even ears—an ability that aids its unique hunting tactics.
• Researchers see signs of chronic stress in polar bear’s blood. Hakai Magazine, Oct 2020. Abnormally long fasts linked to melting sea ice may be pushing polar bears to their limits.
• Climate change helped drive Homo sapiens‘ cousins extinct. The Scientist, Oct 2020. Sharp drops in global temperatures helped seal the fate of three extinct hominin species, including our close relatives, the Neanderthals, according to thousands of archaeological specimens and a model of past climate conditions.
• Genetics steps in to help tell the story of human origins. The Scientist, Sep 2020. Africa’s sparse fossil record alone cannot reveal our species’ evolutionary history.
• For mates to fuse bodies, some anglerfish have lost immune genes. The Scientist, Jul 2020. In most vertebrates, the absence of adaptive immunity would be catastrophic, but in some deep-sea angler fish species, it enables their “wild” and “wacky” mating habits.
• Gene regulation gives butterflies their stunning looks. The Scientist, Nov 2019. Distantly related, lookalike Heliconius species arrive at the same appearance using the same few genes, but regulated differently, according to recent studies.
• When humans hear music, monkeys may hear noise. The Scientist, Oct 2019. The auditory cortices of humans and rhesus monkeys respond very differently to harmonic tones.
• This deep-sea fish has the most types of opsins among vertebrates. The Scientist, May 2019. The silver spinyfin has an extraordinary diversity of rod photopigments, which researchers propose may allow it to see color in the deep, dark sea.
• Softer diets allowed early humans to pronounce “f,” “v” sounds. The Scientist, Mar 2019. Drastic dietary changes during the agricultural revolution altered the configuration of the human bite, paving the way for new sounds in spoken language, a new study finds.
• Turtle embryos may have a say in deciding their sex. The Scientist, Aug 2019. In a species of freshwater turtle, embryos can move toward warmer or cooler environments within the egg and thus help choose their sexual destiny, but not all experts are convinced.
• Worm parents pass behaviors epigenetically to offspring. The Scientist, Jun 2019. Two research groups demonstrate that in Caenorhabditis elegans, behavioral traits can be passed down through the germline to future generations, even though they aren’t hard-wired.
• Why chimpanzees have big testes, and mandrills have small ones. The Scientist, Apr 2019. For primates, males’ fancier ornaments are linked with smaller testes, according to a new comparative study.
• New species of human, Homo luzonensis, identified in the Philippines. The Scientist, Apr 2019. Thirteen hominin bones found in a cave are so unique that archaeologists have determined they stem from a distinct hominin species, although others question whether the researchers have enough evidence.
• Some cancers become contagious. The Scientist, Apr 2019. So far, six animal species are known to carry transmissible, “parasitic” forms of cancer, but researchers are still mystified as to how cancer can become infectious.
• Mitochondria play an unexpected role in killing bacteria. The Scientist, Jan 2019. The energy-producing organelles also send out parcels with antimicrobial compounds to help destroy pathogen invaders in macrophages.
• What dolphin whistles tell us about grief. Hakai Magazine, Sep 2018. A dolphin carrying a dead calf made whistles that were longer and more complex than normal.
• Fruit flies likely enjoy sex, offering clues into drug addiction. National Geographic, Apr 2018. Deciphering the brain mechanisms involved in pleasure may help scientists learn how to help people addicted to heroin and cocaine.
• Why bats make such good viral hosts. The Scientist. Jun 2018. The bat version of the STING protein helps dampen the mammals’ immune response to infection, researchers have found.
• Like humans, walruses and bats cuddle infants on their left sides. The Scientist, Jan 2018. These mothers and babies keep each other in their left visual fields during maternal care, which aids right-hemisphere processing.
• What bat quarrels tell us about vocal learning. The Scientist, Jan 2018. New research shows humans aren’t that different from our winged cousins.
• A newly identified species represents its own eukaryotic lineage. The Scientist, Nov 2017. The 10-micrometer-long flagellate cell might have a big story to tell about the evolution of eukaryotes.

DISCOVERIES IN THE HUMAN BODY

• Macrophages shuttle mitochondria to neurons in need. The Scientist, Mar 2020. The findings could represent a novel mechanism for relieving inflammatory pain.
• Researchers Find Cell-Free Mitochondria Floating in Human Blood. The Scientist, Feb 2020. The functional, respiring organelles appear to be present in the blood of healthy people, but their function is yet unclear.
• Novel type of immune cell discovered in type 1 diabetes patients. The Scientist, May 2019. A rogue hybrid lymphocyte, bearing characteristics of both B and T cells, may play a role in driving autoimmunity in the disease, although the mechanism is far from clear.
• A new role for platelets: boosting neurogenesis after exercise. The Scientist, Mar 2019. A mouse study finds that when blood platelets are activated during exercise, they release factors that increase the number of newborn neurons in the hippocampus.
• Circulating mitochondrial DNA alerts immune system to danger. The Scientist, Mar 2018. In response to short DNA fragments, lymphocytes release mitochondrial DNA that helps trigger an immune response.

HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE

• Can the moon influence human health? Surprising new research suggests it might. National Geographic, Jul 2024. After decades of skepticism, researchers are uncovering evidence for a subtle influence on sleep, menstruation, and certain mental illnesses.
• Should you take vitamin D? Here’s the science. Knowable Magazine (republished in La Nacion, The Wire, Popular Science, El País), Apr 2024. Some people take too much, and too many get too little. Experts explain who needs D supplements, and why.
• “Silent” mutations make noise in cancer. The Scientist, May 2023. Synonymous mutations have long been ignored in cancer studies since they don’t affect the amino acid sequences of proteins. But research increasingly reveals that they can have disease-driving effects.
• The nature prescription. Proto Magazine, Nov 2022. Can encounters with nature be healing? Family physician Melissa Lem thinks they should be part of the medical toolkit.
• New treatments for a worst-case scenario. Proto Magazine, Jul 2022. The war in Ukraine has revived worries about nuclear violence. New or improved treatments for radiation poisoning are in the works. 
• Hope, concern surround WHO green light of first malaria vaccine. The Scientist, Nov 2021. RTS, S has several flaws but could still save tens of thousands of lives, experts say. 
• DNA in cell cytoplasm implicated in age-related blindness. The Scientist, Oct 2021. A new study suggests that DNA synthesized in the cell cytoplasm drives retinal cell death in an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
• “Social” mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health. Quanta Magazine, Jul 2021. Mitochondria appear to communicate and cooperate with one another, both within and between cells. Biologists are only just beginning to understand how and why.
• “Silent” mutation linked to worse kidney cancer outcome. The Scientist, Feb 2021. A synonymous mutation in the tumor suppressor gene BAP1 can result in loss of function of the protein without altering its amino acid sequence.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome may be inherited epigenetically. The Scientist, Feb 2021. Female mice modeling the hormonal disorder can pass symptoms down for several generations, likely via changes in genome methylation that are similarly observed in women with PCOS.
• Blood microRNA patterns linked to chronic fatigue syndrome. The Scientist, Nov 2020. A finding of distinct patterns of gene-regulating RNA snippets in the blood of ME/CFS patients in response to a stress test could pave the way for a diagnostic tool for the condition and help untangle its underlying mechanisms.
• Can destroying senescent cells treat age-related disease? The Scientist, Mar 2020. A handful of clinical trials are underway to find out whether drugs that target senescent cells can slow the ravages of old age.
• There’s a troubling rise in colorectal cancer among young adults. The Scientist, Aug 2019. Some experts blame our modern, sugary diet, while others think that gut microbiome changes and sedentary lifestyles may play a role. Altogether, the causes are far from clear.
• Is kratom safe during pregnancy? Scientists start to investigate. The Scientist, Jul 2019. Recent reports of babies born with opioid withdrawal symptoms after their mothers used kratom during pregnancy have generated much concern about the medicinal.
• Dying cells push the mouse immune system into killing tumors. The Scientist, Jun 2019. Introducing either necroptotic cells or an enzyme that triggers necroptosis can wipe out cancer.
• Cachexia is driven by killer T cells in a mouse model of infection. The Scientist, May 2019. A new study reveals an unexpected role for the immune cells and a previously unknown mechanism for the wasting syndrome.
• Q&A: Epigenetic therapies for breast cancer. The Scientist, Apr 2019. Breast cancer researcher and oncologist Nancy Davidson discusses what we’ve learned from the first wave of epigenetic trials for breast cancer, and what challenges lie ahead before such therapies reach the clinic.
• Natural killer cells prove effective as a cancer immunotherapy in mice. The Scientist, Jul 2018. Stem-cell-derived natural killer cells engineered in a similar way to CAR-T cells may pave the way to “off the shelf” cancer therapies that aren’t patient-specific.
• We’re asking the wrong questions about glyphosate. The New Food Economy, May 2018. It’s not enough to talk about how safe glyphosate is. We need to consider what “safe” actually means—and who gets to define it.
• How toxic is the world’s most popular herbicide, Roundup? The Scientist, Feb 2018. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is designed to be toxic to plants, but scientists observe some untoward effects on animals in the lab.
• Skin “remembers” wounds, heals faster the second time around. The Scientist, Jan 2018. After an initial wounding, genes needed for repair remain ready for action.
• Linoleic acid derivatives potentially mediate pain and itch in the skin. The Scientist, Jan 2018. Researchers uncover a family of compounds that may be involved in pain transmission.
• Telomere length and childhood stress don’t always correlate. The Scientist, Nov 2017. Shorter telomere length is widely considered a manifestation of stress in young children, but the results of a new study find it’s more complicated than that.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COVERAGE

• Dissecting the unusual biology of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. The Scientist, Aug 2021. An ability to build up higher concentrations of viral particles in people’s airways and mutations that might boost its ability to infect human cells could be what gives the Delta variant its evolutionary edge.
• Labs worldwide still struggling amid broken supply chains. The Scientist, 2021. Countries outside the EU and Europe that are already used to long wait times for laboratory supplies are facing greater research disruptions than ever during the pandemic.
• Pfizer vaccine induces immune structures key to lasting immunity. The Scientist, Mar 2021. In the armpit lymph nodes of people who had received the mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, researchers found germinal centers needed to generate long-lived antibody-making cells.
• A guide to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The Scientist, Jan 2021. Scientists across the world are closely tracking the spread of mutations in the coronavirus and investigating whether they could render current vaccines less effective.
• COVID-19’s effects on the brain. The Scientist, Jan 2021. Autopsy studies have yet to find clear evidence of destructive viral invasion into patients’ brains, pushing researchers to consider alternative explanations of how SARS-CoV-2 causes neurological symptoms.
• The immune hallmarks of COVID-19. The Scientist, Sep 2020. Researchers are trying to make sense of immune systems gone haywire and develop biomarkers to predict who will become the sickest from a coronavirus infection.
• Some COVID-19 patients lack key structures for antibody creation. The Scientist, Aug 2020. An absence of germinal centers—which arise during infections to produce long-lived antibody-generating cells—might explain rapidly waning antibody levels in the disease.
• Differences in antibody responses tied to COVID-19 outcomes. The Scientist, Aug 2020. In a small study of patients hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, researchers report distinct early differences between the antibody responses of patients who recovered and those who died, possibly paving the way for a tool to predict disease prognosis.
• Could COVID-19 trigger chronic disease in some people? The Scientist, Jul 2020. A handful of viruses have been associated with long-term, debilitating symptoms in a subset of those who become infected. Early signs hint that SARS-CoV-2 may do the same.
• Why R0 is problematic for predicting COVID-19 spread. The Scientist, Jul 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has revealed the limitations of R0 as no other disease outbreak has before, at a time when policymakers need accurate forecasts.
• SARS-CoV-2 can infect human brain organoids. The Scientist, Jul 2020. The results are a proof-of-concept that the novel coronavirus can replicate in neurons, but it’s too soon to say whether this occurs in people with COVID-19.
• Colombian engineers’ ventilators to be tested in COVID patients. The Scientist, Jul 2020. In just a few months, researchers have constructed low-cost ventilators that can keep sedated pigs alive. Getting them to work safely and reliably in people is the next challenge.
• Study identifies abnormal surge of flu-like illnesses in March. The Scientist, Jun 2020. Modelers try a new approach to gauge the true number of COVID-19 cases in the US by using surveillance data for flu-like illnesses.
• Gender gap in research output widens during pandemic. The Scientist, Jun 2020. Experts identify childcare, which tends to fall to women, as one likely cause for the relative decrease in women’s scientific productivity compared with men’s.
• First antibody trial launched in COVID-19 patients. The Scientist, Jun 2020. In record time, scientists have gone from harvesting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from survivors of coronavirus infections to testing the antibodies’ safety as a drug in humans.
• COVID-19 vaccine researchers mindful of immune enhancement. The Scientist, May 2020. There is no evidence that any of the coronavirus vaccines in development worsen a coronavirus infection rather than confer immunity to it, but the phenomenon is something scientists are closely monitoring.
• What do antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 tell us about immunity? The Scientist, Apr 2020. Studies from serum samples could transform our understanding of the spread of COVID-19, but what antibodies alone say about immunity is not yet clear.
• Some coronavirus researchers are running low on masks. The Scientist, Apr 2020. A large-scale shortage of respirators and face shields threatens progress in some labs that are currently trying to ramp up their studies of SARS-CoV-2.
• Supporting your immune system is simple. Outside Magazine, Mar 2020. Products and companies offering a quick and easy immunity boost aren’t going to help, but these three everyday practices might.
• Monkeys develop protective antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The Scientist, Mar 2020. A small study of macaques finds they don’t develop a coronavirus infection the second time they are exposed, supporting the idea of using plasma from recovered patients as a treatment for COVID-19. 
• Why some COVID-19 cases are worse than others. The Scientist, Feb 2020. Emerging data as well as knowledge from the SARS and MERS coronavirus outbreaks yield some clues as to why SARS-CoV-2 affects some people worse than others.

OF BRAINS AND NEURONS

• Karaoke-sleep study links disrupted REM sleep with poor memory processing. The Scientist, Jul 2019. An unusual experiment suggests that interrupted REM sleep can interfere with the amygdala’s ability to process emotional memories overnight—in this case, the distressing memories of listening to oneself sing out of tune. Karaoke-sleep study links disrupted REM sleep with poor memory processing.
• Jermaine Jones seeks to untangle the genetics behind substance abuse. The Scientist, Mar 2018. Studying pharmacogenetics in lab rodents prepared the Columbia University professor to investigate the biological underpinnings of substance use disorders in humans.
• Stressed rodents make different choices. The Scientist, Mar 2018. Chronic stress tweaks a circuit in the brain that influences how lab rodents make tough decisions.
• Cellular senescence in astrocytes may play central role in Parkinson’s disease. The Scientist, Jan 2018. The elimination of these glia in the mouse brain ameliorated the development of Parkinsonian neuropathologies induced by the pesticide toxin paraquat.

VIRUSES, BACTERIA, AND OTHER SMALL THINGS

• Type of Herpes Virus Tied to Multiple Sclerosis. The Scientist, Jan 2020. A study of 16,000 people suggests that human herpesvirus 6A is a risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis, reinvigorating a neglected hypothesis that the virus could be involved in triggering the disease.
• Study Finds No Association Between Herpes Virus and Alzheimer’s. The Scientist, Jan 2020. While the findings contradict previous studies that have linked human herpesvirus 6 to the neurodegenerative disease, they do not eliminate the possibility of a relationship.
• Can a Vaccine Save the World’s Pigs from African Swine Fever? The Scientist, Jan 2020. A devastating outbreak of the virus across East Asia has made the long-neglected pathogen a top research priority, but many challenges lie ahead.
• How bacteria become drug-resistant while exposed to antibiotics. The Scientist, May 2019. A membrane pump found in most bacteria helps E. coli acquire drug resistance from neighboring cells even while they’re exposed to antibiotics, a new study shows.
• Without this enzyme, insertions thrive in the yeast genome. The Scientist, Mar 2019. A study underscores the importance of Dna2 in maintaining the integrity of the genetic code.
• Molecules found in ginger remodel the microbiome. The Scientist, Feb 2019. Small RNA-containing particles in ginger root are found to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and alleviate colitis in mouse guts.
• Can viruses in the genome cause disease? The Scientist, Jan 2019. Clinical trials that target human endogenous retroviruses to treat multiple sclerosis, ALS and other ailments are underway, but many questions remain about how these sequences may disrupt our biology.
• Researchers catalog Earth’s microbiome. The Scientist, Feb 2018. The new database includes data from 27,000 samples collected in sites ranging from Alaskan permafrost to the ocean floor.
• A newly identified photoenzyme helps algae pump out fuel. The Scientist, Feb 2018. The finding could lead to a new way of producing “green” alternatives to fossil fuels.

INSIDE THE SCIENTIFIC ENTERPRISE

• How to fix science’s coding problem. The Scientist, Sep 2022. Despite increasingly strict journal policies requiring the release of computational code files along with research papers, many scientists remain reluctant to share—underscoring the need for better solutions.
• If insects feel pain, should they be protected in research? Undark, Jul 2022 (republished in Popular Science, The Atlantic). New evidence is prompting some researchers to rethink ethics in the lab.
• Making the most of media interviews. The Scientist, May 2022. As the pandemic has underscored the importance—and benefits—of communicating science to the general public, it’s also highlighted the challenges that researchers can face in speaking with journalists.
• How Brexit is transforming the UK’s STEM community. The Scientist, Nov 2020. Scientists face the ramifications of the country’s departure from the European Union, from delays in laboratory supplies to difficulties hiring international students and faculty. 
• Pharma looks to outer space to boost drug R&D. The Scientist, Dec 2020. There are benefits of studying certain biological processes under microgravity, but whether those advantages outweigh the costs of getting experiments off Earth remains to be seen.
• When your supervisor is accused of research misconduct. The Scientist, Jun 2020. Early career researchers face unique challenges when a senior collaborator becomes embroiled in allegations of scientific malpractice.
• The Wild West of cannabis testing. The Scientist, Mar 2020. The US lacks standardized methods to assess products for potency and safety. That’s a big problem for the labs tasked with doing the testing.
• Pharma’s ghost labs find new life. The Scientist, Nov 2019. Finding new tenants for former drug development sites isn’t always easy. But a new, thriving industry has materialized to do just that.
• UCL to phase out single-use plastic, including pipette tips. The Scientist, Oct 2019. Britain’s largest university aims to eliminate single-use plastics, in the lab and elsewhere around campus, by 2024. How exactly the institution plans to meet that goal is yet to be determined.
• Is mandatory retirement the answer to an aging workforce? The Scientist, Mar 2019. For many, it’s not a question of when senior academics should leave their posts, it’s about how to distribute scarce resources such as grants and faculty positions more fairly.
• HeLa cells from different labs vary in genetics, phenotype. The Scientist, Feb 2019. This could account for some reproducibility problems in cell line research, according to the authors of a comprehensive analysis of HeLa variants.
• As primate research drops in Europe, overseas options appeal. The Scientist, Aug 2018. A combination of public opposition, intense regulations, and rising costs in the EU make conditions in China and elsewhere attractive for studying monkeys.
• Life scientists cut down on plastic waste. The Scientist, Aug 2018. Across the US, laboratories are finding creative ways to minimize the amount of plastic they throw away.
• One way to fix reproducibility problems: train scientists better. The Scientist, Nov 2017. Leonard Freedman, president of the Global Biological Standards Institute, discusses the causes of irreproducible science and his latest effort to spread best practices.

ELECTIONS AND SCIENCE

• Can citizens’ assemblies fix America’s broken democracy? Atmos Magazine, May 2024. The growing gap between public opinion and government policies is driving a renewed interest in political tools that give ordinary citizens a greater say in politics.
• California voters to decide on future of stem cell funding agency. The Scientist, Oct 2020. If approved, Proposition 14 would authorize the state to sell $5.5 billion in bonds to extend the life of CIRM, which funds stem cell research. The ballot measure has its critics.
• Amid pandemic, scientists lean on credentials in political races. The Scientist, Oct 2020. Numerous candidates with STEM backgrounds are running for federal seats, and record numbers are competing in local races across the country.
• A year after the midterm elections, where are they now? The Scientist, Dec 2019. Political newcomers to federal and state legislatures with STEM backgrounds are bringing evidence to drafting laws, yet getting bills passed remains elusive.
• Numerous life scientists seek election to state legislatures. The Scientist, Oct 2018. In local races across the country, researchers are running on platforms of bringing more evidence-based decision-making into state governments.
• Meet the scientists still in the running for congressional seats. The Scientist, Oct 2018. After a surge of political enthusiasm among the scientific community since 2016, only a small fraction of candidates with science and engineering backgrounds made it through the primary elections this year.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• UPR hasn’t paid some TAs for nearly 2 months. The Scientist, Oct 2019. Graduate students at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras campus have issued a public statement denouncing their institution over late payments for teaching and research assistants.
• Northwestern University stem cell therapy clinic closes abruptly. The Scientist, Sep 2019. A Chicago-based center that has long operated a clinical trial program for stem cell therapies, has stopped recruiting further patients as its chief, Richard Burt, leaves for a research sabbatical.
• Science in Puerto Rico still recovering after Hurricane Maria. The Scientist, Feb 2019. Scientists at the University of Puerto Rico suffered major setbacks due to damages and delays in repairs, and government austerity measures are adding insult to injury.
• Scientists raise concerns about revisions to human research regulations. The Scientist, Feb 2019. Authors of a new paper take issue with revisions to regulations on biospecimen research enacted last month, and argue that cell lines should be treated differently from other biospecimens.
• Researchers take action to end airlines’ restrictions on lab animals. The Scientist, Sep 2018. United Airlines, British Airways, China Southern Airlines, and Qatar Airways face a formal complaint over their refusal to transport animals for scientific research.
• RNA detection tool debate flares up at ACS meeting. The Scientist, Sep 2018. Researchers have flagged several issues with so-called SmartFlares over the years, and it’s still unclear why they don’t appear to work under certain circumstances.
• Third retraction for Harvard cancer biologist. The Scientist, Jul 2018. The move follows two major corrections to a 2011 Nature paper, in which researchers demonstrated that a natural compound selectively kills cancer cells.

NEW METHODS, TOOLS, AND TECH

• Cryo-EM incites a “resolution revolution,” rousing drug discovery. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Dec 2022. Once derided as “blobology,” cryo-electron microscopy is being celebrated for bringing structure-based drug design into focus.
• Harnessing cell therapy’s cancer-killing, tissue-reviving potential. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Nov 2022. Researchers are deploying a range of genetic engineering techniques to realize the true potential of cellular therapies. 
• Gene therapy hits its stride in the clinic. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Oct 2022. Following a rocky start, gene therapies are finally beginning to live up to their potential, as recent clinical trials demonstrate. 
• Liquid biopsies guide the development of cancer drugs. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Sep 2022. Analyses of circulating tumor DNA can improve clinical trial patient recruitment, assessments of treatment efficacy, and other aspects of drug development. 
• Phage therapy starts realizing its long-deferred potential. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Aug 2022. Decades after being slighted in favor of antibiotics, phages are attracting interest as therapeutic candidates that can overcome bacterial resistance. 
• Microbiome therapeutics try a lighter touch. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, April 2022. Proposed approaches for eliminating or transferring gut microbes can be indiscriminate, so more selective approaches are in development. 
• The ultimate incubator: the brave new world of bionic babies. IEEE Spectrum, Mar 2021. Artificial placentas could better the survival odds of premature infants.
• CRISPR can create unwanted duplications during knock-ins. The Scientist, Feb 2020. A new study in mice documents frequent undesirable repeats of DNA insertions that are not detected using standard PCR analysis.
• New iPSC culture medium promises weekends off at low costs. The Scientist, Jan 2020. Biologists have published a DIY recipe for human induced pluripotent stem cell maintenance, which they estimate costs 3 percent of commercial media prices.
• Human reference genome doesn’t capture full genetic diversity. The Scientist, Oct 2019. A new analysis of 1,000 Swedes uncovers a chromosome’s worth of novel DNA sequences—much of them ancient—underscoring the need for a more diverse reference genome.
• Blood-based epigenetics screen tests for diabetes complications. The Scientist, Oct 2019. Researchers could accurately detect life-threatening vascular complications in type 2 diabetes patients by analyzing hydroxymethylated cytosines in freely circulating DNA.
• Two studies fail to replicate magnetogenetics research. The Scientist, Sep 2019. The new work calls into question the idea that neurons can be genetically engineered to fire in response to magnetic fields, a setback for the budding technique.
• Researchers develop new method for sexing sperm. The Scientist, Aug 2019. Scientists found they could sort mouse sperm prior to IVF by treating semen with a drug that selectively slows down X-bearing cells.
• Scientists race to build a vaccine for African swine fever. The Scientist, Jun 2019. The devastating outbreak of the disease that has led to millions of pig deaths in East Asia has intensified efforts to develop a vaccine quickly, but the virus presents several challenges that are yet to be overcome.
• CRISPRed B cells produce antibodies against hard-to-treat viruses. The Scientist, May 2019. In line with previous research, a new study in mice demonstrates that B cells can be engineered to ward off infections, this time against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
• Researchers analyze epigenetic signatures to diagnose rare diseases. The Scientist, Mar 2019. A number of rare diseases show unique epigenetic patterns across the genome, a feature researchers have now exploited to build a diagnostic tool.
• CRISPR scientists slam methods used on gene-edited babies. The Scientist, Dec 2018. Since He Jiankui presented his  results at last week’s gene editing summit, researchers have raised concerns about his protocol, calling the procedure “amateurish” and “unconscionable.”
• iPS cell therapies inch their way closer towards the clinic. The Scientist, Nov 2018. Since their discovery in 2006, induced pluripotent stem cells have been poised to reprogram regenerative medicine. Twelve years on, here’s how far they’ve come.
• Rapid DNA analysis steps in to identify remains of California wildfire victims. The Scientist, Nov 2018. Investigators have the victims’ samples in hand, but face a range of obstacles before they can finally ID them.
• First iPS cell trial for heart disease raises concern as well as excitement. The Scientist, Aug 2018.  Without knowing the cells’ mechanism of action, researchers question the best way to administer them to patients.
• Why the sad demise of the last northern white rhino male might not mean extinction for his species. NBC News MACH, Mar 2018. Assisted reproduction may save endangered animals or even resurrect extinct ones.
• A systematic approach to finding unannotated proteins. The Scientist, Mar 2018. A study suggests that there is more to the eukaryotic genome than was previously suspected.

ONCOLOGY

• Long-term benefit with abemaciclib in high-risk early breast cancer. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Nov 2021. 
• Navigating disruptions to lung cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Apr 2021.
• NCCN releases first practice guidelines for Wilms tumor. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Mar 2021.
• MRI-based algorithm more predictive of biochemical recurrence after prostate cancer surgery than existing diagnostic tools. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Mar 2021.
• Do early-generation TKIs still have a place in EGFR exon 19 or exon 21-L858-mutated NSCLC? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Feb 2021.
• Bystander killing could be key factor in CAR-T success in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Feb 2021.
• Gene mutations and transcriptional signatures correlate with response to therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Dec 2020.
• Targeted therapies, immunotherapies, immunomodulators: a quick guide to cancer therapy descriptions. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Nov 2020.
• Multicenter study of Spanish patients provides new insights on COVID-19 in multiple myeloma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Nov 2020.
• Most coronavirus-positive cancer outpatients are asymptomatic. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Oct 2020.
• Study documents real-world survival improvement for non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Sep 2020.
• Can culturing CAR-T cells with ibrutinib improve their efficacy in CLL? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Aug 2020.
• CLL diagnosis preceded by decades of increased infection susceptibility. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Aug 2020.
• Upfront radiation may be a cost-effective strategy in oligorecurrent hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Jul 2020.
• GPS Assay Could Help Guide Treatment Decisions in Unfavorable, Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Jul 2020.
• Could checkpoint blockade be useful in non-Hodgkin lymphoma after all? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Jun 2020.
• Early memory T-cell population may predict CAR-T efficacy in several hematological malignancies. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Jun 2020.
• Investigating CAR-T efficacy limitations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer Therapy Advisor, May 2020.
• Do at-home colorectal cancer screening tests influence survival? Cancer Therapy Advisor, May 2020.
• Can plasma tumor mutational burden measures inform lung cancer therapy selection? Cancer Therapy Advisor, May 2020.
• What factors influence hematological recovery in patients who receive CAR-T therapies? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Apr 2020.
• Axi-cel versus tisa-cel in the real world: patterns of use, efficacy, and safety in B-cell lymphoma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Apr 2020.
• Breast cancer in women versus men: prolonged survival in women might be influenced by lead-time bias. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Mar 2020.
• What contributed to the decrease in melanoma incidence in younger adults? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Mar 2020.
• Can researchers harness metabolic changes in renal cell carcinoma to improve diagnosis? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Feb 2020.
• How targeted therapies could actually promote cancer cell mutability. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Jan 2020.
• Popular genetic tests miss many cancer-associated genetic variants, particularly in ethnic minorities. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Dec 2019.
• Study on veterans reveals real-world survival outcomes for targeted therapies in advanced renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Nov 2019.
• Can CAR-T be optimized for multiple myeloma? Cancer Therapy Advisor, Nov 2019.
• Cognitive impairment following immunotherapy treatment may be underestimated. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Sep 2019.
• Axi-cel moves toward the first-line setting for high-risk large B-cell lymphoma. Cancer Therapy Advisor, Aug 2019.