Month: August 2015

Steven Pinker interview: case against bioethocrats & CRISPR germline ban

February 1, 2021 / By / 15 Comments
Steven-Pinker

CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology is red-hot right now and I’ve been doing interviews with various thought leaders on it, which today includes Steven Pinker. This technology has great power for research in the lab and there are hypothetical transformative clinical applications of CRISPR too. The latter efforts could include experimental attempts at reversal of disease-causing …

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Elephant in the lab series: common science excuses

February 1, 2021 / By / 6 Comments
elephant-in-the-lab

In this Elephant in the lab series we discuss the most taboo topics in science. Past Elephant in the lab examples include such pieces as the following: Dirty dozen easy steps to killing a paper Scientist’s guide to insulting other scientists  Followed by insults 2.0 that was a post including even nastier science insults Top 10 reasons …

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6 recent stem cell good news stories including on liver disease

February 1, 2021 / By / 1 Comment
IPSC-array

Ready for some stem cell good news? It can be difficult at times in a cutting edge field like stem cells in terms of keeping upbeat about hopes of rapid translation to help patients with real, proven therapies. It takes a long time, money, dedication, and even a bit of luck for the researchers and …

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Michael Cea ISSCR chat with Jeanne Loring on stem cell field

December 22, 2023 / By / 3 Comments
Lewy_Body_alphaSynuclein

ISSCR Chat By Michael Cea Jeanne Loring of the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California kindly sat down with me at the ISSCR annual meeting for a broad discussion of her history, views on the field and developments in the science. I found Jeanne a refreshing character, as I did a number of others I was …

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Global transhumanism leader Natasha Vita-More on human germline modification

February 1, 2021 / By / 1 Comment
Transhuman-Visions-2-14

In my continuing series of conversations with thought leaders related to heritable human modification, today’s post is an interview with Natasha Vita-More, a pioneer in the transhumanism movement and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Humanity+ (H+), the global transhumanist organization. Where do you see transhumanism today? Has it changed over the years? What …

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Historic turning point for IPS cell field in Japan?

December 22, 2023 / By / 24 Comments
RPE-sheet_pr

As many of you know, the pioneering, first of its kind IPS cell clinical study in Japan has been suspended as I first blogged about here.2020 Update: I believe a version of this study is ongoing. In the comments section of that blog post there has been a helpful overall discussion that has involved Dr. …

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