My new book GMO Sapiens just recently came out. You can see a few reviews of it here and you can order it here. It’s an approachable, quick read on the unsettling, but exciting topic of using CRISPR gene editing technology to make a new kind of people. Here’s an excerpt from the book (publisher: World …
GMO Sapiens: An excerpt from my new book on human #CRISPR Read More »
There has been a lot of excitement this week about a press release from stem cell biotech Athersys that reported that treatment of stroke patients with its product MultiStem was associated with a statistically significant improvement at 1-year. This sounds encouraging and the stock has spiked up as a result. However, there are some naysayers …
About that Athersys stem cell stroke clinic trial PR… Read More »
Haruko Obokata was reportedly questioned by police in Japan today. The questioning relates to the STAP cell scandal that led to the retraction of two Nature papers. As first author of the papers, Obokata and other authors had reported that they could make IPSC-like cells simply via acid or other stress treatment. However, it is …
Obokata questioned by police over STAP cell fiasco Read More »
Isn’t it cool how close one can get with just an iPhone and a macro lens to take pictures of things including nature? 2020 update: you might also enjoy these pages of nature photos I took. Can you figure out or guess what these things are below that I captured “on film”? Some are self-evident and …
With iPhone zoom lens, fun photos of super tiny stuff including nature Read More »
It’s exciting that the reviews are starting to come in on my new book, GMO Sapiens, on human genetic modification including CRISPR. Here is one from The Scientist and the book was recommended by Scientific American. Reviews from individual authors and scientists are below. “GMO Sapiens could not be more timely. New technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 gene …
Reviews of my new book GMO Sapiens on #CRISPR & human modification Read More »
Can stem cells mend a broken heart via cardiac regenerative medicine? The idea of the use of stem cells and regenerative medicine strategies for heart disease has taken us on a roller coaster ride over the years. There are many controversial questions still such as whether the adult heart has meaningful populations of endogenous stem …
Stem Cells on Valentine’s Day: Cardiac Regenerative Medicine Read More »
For the first time I have ever seen in at least half a dozen years, a major newspaper in the form of The Boston Globe has published an editorial on FDA regulation of stem cells. The editorial, entitled “It should be safety-first on stem cell therapies”, argues that while we should take patient concerns into …
Historic Boston Globe editorial on FDA, stem cells & patients argues safety first Read More »
I had fun doing an interview on This Week in Science (TWIS) this week with Dr. Kiki Sanders. The video is below. We talked specifically about CRISPR, designer babies, gene drive, and my new book GMO Sapiens. Check out the book. TWIS is so awesome and I am now going back to watch their older …
Video: #CRISPR, designer babies, gene drive, my book & more on TWIS Read More »
The FDA in the past year or so has issued draft guidances on regulation of stem cells that would, if finalized, make it crystal clear that what many American stem cell clinics are selling are unapproved drugs. That would be a good thing for patients who are often being put at risk by many of …
FDA meeting on stem cell regs: mostly who’s who of anti-regulation forces Read More »
Update: you can also enter our contest on Twitter using the hashtag #CRISPRback. Do you like contests, words, science, and cash? Enter our new contest. It’s a backronym contest for CRISPR. The author of the best backronym will win a $50 prize paid by me and fame of course as the winner. The judges will be …