Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

A Million Vets

The US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a million veterans to volunteer to take part in its databank of genetic and medical information, reports the Baltimore Sun. Veterans and the VA system have especial appeal for this kind of research since there are veterans of a variety of ages, ethnicities, and medical histories. With this genetic and medical information, the VA plans to study what genes are linked to disorders like post-traumatic stress or heart disease, and develop preventive treatments. "We did tell them that this may not benefit them directly," says Joel Kupersmith, the chief research and development officer at the VA, to the Sun. "But vets are very altruistic people and they're likely to help if you tell them it will benefit someone else." About 51,000 people have agreed to participate thus far, the Sun adds.

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.