In a decision that raises significant questions about the future oversight of genetically engineered (GE) plants in the United States, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday, December 2,...more
The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) has been the subject of many genetic studies, particularly since the dawning of the age of Whole Genome Sequencing in the late 20th Century. These studies have elucidated some...more
In a time of a global pandemic, with antivaxxer and anti-science sentiments running rife, and when combinations of fear, distrust, and paranoia are rampant, it is easy for important results from basic science to become fodder...more
The wooly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) is an iconic animal, like the saber tooth tiger or dire wolf, from a time in human history when our position at the top of the global food chain was decidedly not assured (and being...more
The dire wolf (Canis dirus), prototype of the various wolves that were important members of the House Stark family of characters in Game of Thrones, was found uniquely in North America until its extinction in the late...more
Scientists at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) have developed a single test, Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS), that can rapidly identify infectious microbes in body fluids, increasing the speed...more
This article provides a basic overview of the immune system and how its successful engagement is necessary to produce a commercial vaccine, with a specific focus on the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease and...more
Lions (Panthera leo) once were a widely distributed group of terrestrial mammals, ranging during the Pleistocene (from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago) in Eurasia, Africa, and North America, with species that included the...more
The avocado, having gained popularity (at least in the U.S.) as a convenient (and delicious) vehicle for consuming otherwise not particularly healthful corn chips, has more recently been hailed as a "superfood" when consumed...more
Starting on January 1, 2020 The USDA will require certain products that contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to have a “Biological Engineered” or “BE” label. ...more
20 years or five months? On March 8, 2019, nearly 20 years after AquaBounty Technology discovered a novel approach to increase the growth of Atlantic salmon, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally “deactivated”...more
It was recently reported that China had successfully cloned a 12-year old schnauzer — the most recent of over 20 dog breeds successfully cloned by the nation so far. "Doudou" the schnauzer was cloned through somatic cell...more
CRISPR is a gene editing technique that promises to revolutionize genetic engineering, but already is raising ethical, business, and legal issues. This is the first in a monthly series of articles on CRISPR. ...more