“Enchant your loved ones with nature’s lost scents, revived through biotechnology and perfume artistry.” When that popped up on Facebook, I was…
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post Perfume from Extinct Flowers, Thanks to Ancient DNA and Synthetic BiologyRead more
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post Why Cats Sniff Each Other’s ButtsRead more
Anyone who lives with more than one member of Felis catus knows that our beloved felines love to smell each other’s anal…
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post Breeding Better Butternut Squash – and a Thanksgiving RecipeRead more
After a long career as a science writer, textbook author, and genetic counselor, I’ve become an accidental authority on squashes. I began…
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post The Dawn of Molecular Genetics: A Glimpse of History in a Textbook from 1952Read more
The email from my former neighbor Shaun Kuczek was unexpected. “Hi Ricki! My Dad passed in July, and we’re cleaning out his…
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post FDA Returns Disappointing News for ALS Stem Cell TherapyRead more
Last week DNA Science covered a setback in a clinical trial of a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Also recently…
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post Is Recent Gene Therapy Setback for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Déjà vu All Over Again?Read more
In the final chapter of my 2012 book The Forever Fix: Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It, I predicted that…
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post How Breast Cancer Reunited Six High School FriendsRead more
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I am republishing this essay written on the eve of the pandemic. It’s an intriguing…
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post Determining Disease Risks Based on Genetic Ancestry Can Counter Health Care Disparities, But Doesn’t Go Far EnoughRead more
When it comes to estimating risk of a disease that is either genetic or has a genetic component, ancestry of an individual…
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post The Festival of Genomics and Biodata 2023 Comes to BostonRead more
One of the most anticipated returns to normalcy following the pandemic is the in-person conference. Like the mythical Phoenix bird arising from…
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post Why I’m Not Worried that ChatGPT Will Replace Me as a Biology Textbook AuthorRead more
I just used ChatGPT for the first time. Initially, I was concerned about my future as the chatbot near-instantaneously answered my queries…
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post Watermelon Pangenome Reveals Origins of SweetnessRead more
As autumn looms, we’re enjoying the last bites of sweet, juicy watermelon. Conventional agriculture has molded our fruits and veggies to suit…
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post Maui Fires: How Mitochondrial DNA Will Identify Human RemainsRead more
The Maui firestorm was so vast and fast that most identification of human remains will come from bits of persisting DNA from…