Search Results for: Genetics

Conversation with Harmit Malik on Gene Drive & Genetics

Harmit-Malik

Gene drive is a powerful, emerging genetic technology that can force genetic modification into an entire population. For more background on gene drive you can read my previous post. It’s a very exciting, but potentially dangerous technology with sizable possible risks. Recently I had an intriguing conversation with leading geneticist Harmit Malik on gene drive. What …

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New iPS cell conventional wisdom from polls: epigenetics & mutations remain concerns, immunogenicity not so much

I recently did a series of 4 polls on potential roadblock issues in the iPS cell field. The impetus for these polls was my sense that there were substantial differences in views on whether iPS cells were now proven to be equivalent to ES cells in 4 key ways. Turns out the polls got a …

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A layman’s guide to stem cell epigenetics: if you don’t understand epigenetics you don’t know stem cells

I know you care about stem cells and research, but do you know much about epigenetics? You should. If you do not understand epigenetics then you do not understand stem cells. Don’t be put off by the complicated sounding name “epigenetics”. It’s really simple conceptually and below is your easy-to-understand guide. Epigenetics controls nearly every …

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Weekly reads: DNA methylation, H3 K27M in glioma, memory wipe, teeth

DNA methylation

I’ve been more interested in histones and their modifications versus DNA methylation when it comes to epigenetics and chromatin. In part this has just been because I have studied histones so much more. For example, we have been knocking out the two histone variant H3.3 genes, H3f3a and H3f3b, now for a decade. My lab also …

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Is DNA methylation destiny? Diving into new epigenetic clock research

I’ve been thinking more about the steady stream of epigenetic clock research out there.  How convincing is the research on such clocks? Do they tightly relate to human biological age?  The related notion of turning back such hypothetical clocks to reverse aging is exciting but controversial. It doesn’t help that some are hyping all of …

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Weekly reads: Sarepta, epigenomics, FDA on eyedrops

Sarepa CEO interview.

The biotech Sarepta has had a complicated go of it with the FDA sometimes related to their Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene therapy efforts. In late 2016 I wrote about how there was some controversy as the FDA approved the Sarepta drug eteplirsen (Exondys 51) also for DMD, going against an advisory panel that had …

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Weekly reads: He Jiankui disappoints, ALS, Vor Biopharma

He Jiankui

I’m sure many of you remember He Jiankui, the guy who made CRISPR babies. He ended up serving three years in jail in China. He seems to be trying for something of a comeback since his release. Were He Jiankui invitations a mistake? Some prestigious places have even invited him to give talks, which seemed …

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