Do Probiotics Work?
In recent years, biologists and nutritionists alike have been abuzz over the human microbiome: the thriving ecosystem of microorganisms colonizing the lining of our guts, the surface of our skins, and every...
Does Menu Labeling Lead to Healthier Eating?
It’s almost painfully obvious now that obesity is a serious problem in the United States. Over a third of U.S. adults are obese, and obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and...
A Cap on Life
Telomere Length and Lifestyle It is the year 1975. Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn is doing her postdoctoral fellowship at Yale, when she notices something strange about the genome of the protozoan Tetrahymena...
A World Within Us
The Human Microbiome On almost every surface of the human body, both inside and out, are thriving ecosystems of microorganisms: bacteria, fungi and archaea. In fact, there are so many of them that they...
One New Liver, Please
The Advent of 3D Bioprinting Patients in desperate need of organ transplant certainly do not have the odds in their favor. Of the 123,000 patients currently awaiting a life-saving donation, less than...
Defensive Medicine
Too Much of a Good Thing A middle-aged woman goes into her doctor’s office, complaining of chest pains. Her doctor does a routine checkup and diagnoses her with heartburn. He prescribes some antacids, makes...
What’s in My Genes?
23andMe Genomic Research The idea sounds like something out of a science fiction novel: spit in a little vial, send it through the mail, and not long after, receive a detailed report assessing your risk for...
From Generics to Genomics
The New Age of Medicine In grade school, students are taught that their DNA sequences are unique and individual. A look into any pharmacy, however, would suggest otherwise: the shelves are filled with...