What were the top posts here on The Niche for the past year? I’ve listed some of them below along with some posts from 2015 that remain highly read. Some top 2016 posts 20 Nominees for Stem Cell Person of the Year 2016 Award REGROW Act is Attack on Science-Based Stem Cell Trial Oversight Will new […]
The Niche top posts of 2016 Read More »
Today an opinion piece that I wrote about CIRM was published in the San Francisco Chronicle. The unusual element here is that the article is critical of CIRM. More specifically I raised concerns about a recent political trend at CIRM under its new President Randy Mills lobbying for dramatically weaker stem cell regulatory oversight. The Chronicle piece was first posted
The backstory on my opinion piece in SF Chronicle critical of CIRM lobbying Read More »
I talked last year about human genetic modification by CRISPR with George Church a year ago. Now we’ve followed up with a long chat on this topic going into much more detail and with questions on recent developments. Each question is listed numerically and then there is a back and forth on that question with George
George Church chat: CRISPR people, Zika, weapons Read More »
There’s a growing trend whereby patients have to pay to be in a clinical trial, which are called pay-to-play clinical trials. Proponents of this idea point toward potential benefits in the form of patients gaining access to innovative therapies. They also argue that this approach provides a much-needed funding mechanism for the trials and that
Poll: How do you feel about pay-to-play clinical trials? Read More »
Discussion of concerns over heritable human genetic modification has spiked in 2015. This dialogue is a good thing, but is it in a sense too late? Are genetically modified (GM) people a foregone conclusion? Rumors are swirling that upwards of four papers reporting production of GM human embryos are in various stages of review at high-profile
Genetic Modification of Humans Now Inevitable? Read More »
The science reads on my radar screen to read in my ample spare time as I work the weekend on literally 5 different grants include these pieces: NECSS and SfSBM: A weekend of science and skepticism Breaking Down Fat: Trends in adipose cell-based clinical trials PubPeer Selections: Odd citations, “practice makes perfect,” a Nature update
Recommended Weekend Science Reads Read More »
Cloning of animals is becoming a big, global business, and Hwang Woo-Suk is a major player here. Hwang Woo-Suk and animal cloning It turns out that this reproductive cloning of animals goes well beyond making duplicates of pets for sentimental customers at $100,000 a copy. Cloning of livestock by agribusinesses is becoming fairly common. Some
Cloning Factory in China Has Familiar Partner: Hwang Woo-Suk Read More »
Dear UK Parliament and Science and Technology Committee, I am writing to you about your deliberations on “mitochondrial donation” (also known as 3-parent technology) intended for the purpose of preventing heritable mitochondrial disorders. I am concerned about the Department of Health’s recent draft regulations that would allow 3-parent experiments to go forward and the possibility that the UK
Open letter to UK Parliament: avoid historic mistake on rushing 3-parent technology Read More »
What do you think when you read a headline like: human skin stolen? The AP reports that one Gary Dudek of Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing more than $350,000 worth of human skin from a Massachusetts regenerative medicine company that was his former employer. Philly.com has identified the firm as Organogenesis and reported that Dudek was a
Human skin stolen from regen med firm? Read More »
Parabiosis and aging When it comes to anti-aging science, creepy meets cool with “young blood” in new blood mixing studies just published. The researchers report that blood from young animals literally makes older animals younger. That striking claim is made by both of two independent teams. They published high-profile papers that just came
Parabiosis and young blood anti-aging in mice Read More »