The
next generation of parents is set to embrace genetic testing of kids
for diseases that may occur later in life, according to a study
published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. This is big news
given th at many medical professionals oppose the practice and there is
a mov ement in Congress to secure genetic privacy.
This raises a key ques tion: What is the nature of genetic data?
The study’s author, Angela Bradbury, M.D., mentioned a gen erational
component to understanding how society interacts with genetic data.
Perhaps the generational argument can help explain things. After all, the younger generation is also much more willing to post information about themselves online in places like MySpace and Facebook. However, older people read the news as well, and it is no secret that genetic testing and manipulation have many potential health benefits.
Indeed, the idea of genetic testing is rocking the tech world where companies like 23andMe, Navigenics and deCODE genetics are helping individuals figure out what diseases they are predisposed toward. There is even an X Prize for the first team that can sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days. These initiatives are just the beginning of personalized medicine, a true revolution in health tech.
Current power brokers generally look askance at revolutions, which may explain why some leaders from the medical profession oppose widespread testing, but that doesn’t account for the apparent hesitation on the part of older parents. It could be that when it comes to genetic technologies, older people are more focused on the social ramifications, an area where they certainly have more experience. »Comments (0) »more
At this week’s Digital Life Design (DLD) conference in Germany, renowned scientists Craig Venter, Ph.D., and Richard Dawkins wowed the audience with a conversation about genes and information technology. They discussed how evolution is becoming man-made, which brings up a number of interesting issues.
"Genetics has become a branch of information technology," Dawkins opined. There’s a good deal of evidence for his statement, including the announcement that Google-funded firm 23andMe launched its Web-based DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) testing services in Europe this week. 23andMe is one of a number of firms that sample an individual’s DNA in order to offer clues to their genetically-driven future.
Increasingly, life is being translated into bits of code to be manipulated in the laboratory. Last year, for instance, Venter’s team transplanted the entire genome from one species of Mycoplasma bacteria into another. A few days later, the DNA from the first bacterium completely took over the second and became indistinguishable from the donating bacterium. »Comments (0) »more
Today, the J. Craig Venter Institute announced that they have created the first man-made chromosome. The next step will be to place it inside a living organism so it can replicate and they can claim to have created an artifical life form. Wow. »Comments (0) »more
On Thursday, a monkey named Idoya made a 200-pound, 5-foot humanoid robot walk on a treadmill using only her brain activity.
She was in North Carolina, and the robot was in Japan. Dr. Miguel A. L. Nicolelis, a neuroscientist at Duke University carried out the experiment. It was his team that in 2003 demonstrated that monkeys could control a robotic arm for reaching and grasping using only their thoughts.
Here is the NYT story, but you’d better read it fast. Last time this stuff was reported, it mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Net. »Comments (0) »more
This is yet more step on the way to fully personalized medicine. The new test, which will analyzes blood or saliva samples, will soon be offered by ProActive Genomics. Here’s the full story from the NYT. »Comments (0) »more
University of Minnesota researchers created a beating heart in the laboratory by injecting fresh heart cells into a non-living rat heart matrix. Amazing stuff.
"In the United States alone, about 5 million people live with heart failure, 550,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, and 50,000 die waiting for a donor heart. The work is published online in the January 13 issue of Nature Medicine." »Comments (0) »more
This is yet more step on the way to fully personalized medicine. The new test, which will analyzes blood or saliva samples, will soon be offered by ProActive Genomics. Here’s the full story from the NYT. »Comments (0) »more
