Guidelines Warn Against Racial Categories in Genetic Research

Posted on by Lori Jia

The New York Times, March 14, 2023

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Grappling with the deep history of racism in Western science, the National Academies of Science on Tuesday released guidelines recommending that scientists not use race as a category in genetic studies.

The guidelines, produced in response to a directive from the National Institutes of Health, noted that racial categories were poor proxies for genetic diversity and that social and environmental factors, like poverty and injustice, were often overlooked.

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Ancient DNA Reveals History Of Hunter-Gatherers In Europe

Posted on by Lori Jia

The New York Times, March 1, 2023

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In the 1800s, archaeologists began reconstructing the deep history of Europe from the bones of ancient hunter-gatherers and the iconic art they left behind, like cave paintings, fertility figurines and “lion-man” statues.

Over the past decade, geneticists have added a new dimension to that history by extracting DNA from teeth and bones.

And now, in a pair of studies published on Wednesday‌, researchers have produced the most robust analysis yet of the genetic record of prehistoric Europe.

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Expert Panel Votes For Stricter Rules On Risky Virus Research

Posted on by Lori Jia

The New York Times, January 27, 2023 (with Benjamin Mueller)

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An expert panel on Friday endorsed a sweeping set of proposed changes to the federal government’s program for regulating experiments that involve tinkering with risky viruses and other pathogens. The move sets the stage for a closely watched decision by the Biden administration about its approach to protecting against lab disasters that could kick off a pandemic.

The experts unanimously approved draft recommendations that, among other things, ask health officials to extend their oversight to less dangerous pathogens, including ones similar to the coronavirus. They also recommended an end to exemptions for research related to vaccine development and surveillance of emerging viruses.

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Health Experts Warily Eye XBB.1.5, The Latest Omicron Subvariant

Posted on by Lori Jia

The New York Times, January 7, 2023

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Three years into the pandemic, the coronavirus continues to impress virologists with its swift evolution.

A young version, known as XBB.1.5, has quickly been spreading in the United States over the past few weeks. As of Friday, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that it made up 72 percent of new cases in the Northeast and 27.6 percent of cases across the country.

The new subvariant, first sampled in the fall in New York State, has a potent array of mutations that appear to help it evade immune defenses and improve its ability to invade cells.

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