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Not to Mention the Amazing Bay Views

In an article from Forbes, Matthew Herper questions whether a move by Roche to buy out Genentech will be a good or bad thing. Roche already owns a majority stake in the biotech company, but recently made what analysts have called a lowball bid of $43.7 billion to acquire the rest. Genentech might stand to gain from going invisible, but for the most part, its unique culture is what's most worth saving, Herper says. "The most important part of Genentech's value is in soft assets -- the world-leading scientists, the culture, the single site, the values and history," says analyst Geoffrey Porges.

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.