Posted by attilachordash on May 28, 2008
A good introduction in Nature on the risks and advantages of letting people know their genetic risk information via personal genetics services. I do hope that the test-takers will finally become the risk overtakers.
Helen Pearson: Genetic testing for everyone
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is a rapidly growing market — the past year has seen the launch of companies, such as Navigenics and 23andMe in California and DeCODEme in Iceland, that offer DNA screening for a range of common genetic variants linked to disease. The testing outfits have created a buzz in the business and research communities as well as in the wider public: Google has invested in two of them and Navigenics briefly opened a store in New York’s hip SoHo district.
“It’s an intriguing idea that you can peel back your genome and reveal your future.”
The idea is that test-takers will be alerted to risks and so take preventive action where possible. But psychosocial scientists who study how people respond to risk information say there is scant evidence that people are affected deeply by genetic test results, or that such tests spur much change in behaviour. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in 23andMe, Nature, bioethics, genetics, google, medicine, personal, personalized genetics, personalized medicine, society | Leave a Comment »
Posted by attilachordash on May 28, 2008
90 is the New 50: The Science of Longevity
via Brandon Keim, Wired Science:
Sunday, June 1, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM,NYU – Kimmel Center for University Life
Will it one day be possible to take a pill to stay young? How will an average life expectancy of beyond a hundred years affect society and the planet? Join leading longevity researchers Robert Butler, David Sinclair and Richard Weindruch to investigate the facts and implications surrounding scientific developments — emerging technologies, novel therapies, and innovative medical practices — that forecast a radical extension of a healthy human life. Featuring a special performance by acclaimed singer, Marilyn Maye.
Tickets: $25.00
Student Tickets: $12.00
Posted in New York, USA, Wired, aging, life extension, longevity, science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by attilachordash on May 28, 2008
Desktop background images are important parts of people’s everyday lives in terms of unintended staring time. Usually they are picked up for the eyes (sg spectacular & cool and/or sexy) and hearts (family members), but why not use them for information uptake and learning? So I’d like to ask: What’s your current science related desktop image, if there’s any and how can you utilize it? Here is my current desktop image with the source;
Bonnet et al.:
A Mitochondria-K+ Channel Axis Is Suppressed in Cancer and Its Normalization Promotes Apoptosis and Inhibits Cancer Growth Cancer Cell Volume 11, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 37-51
Figure 1. A Reversible Metabolic-Electrical Remodeling in Cancer Contributes to Resistance to Apoptosis and Reveals Several Potential Therapeutic Targets
Posted in biology, education, geek, lifehacks, personal, science | 2 Comments »
