Interesting!

Someone should tell them that there's a massive pool of CPU crunching power sat idle here at WCG, just waiting for something like this to come along.

How IBM Watson will impact our fight against cancer

At the inaugural World of Watson event in New York Tuesday, IBM announced a new Watson initiative that will utilize the computing capabilities of Watson to make it easier and faster to fight cancer.

http://wapo.st/1cm0RGd

Latest Advances in Gene Editing: The Possibilities and Risks-The Diane Rehm Show

Here is an interview on gene editing from the Diane Rehm show with Dr. Frances Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health and Joel Achenbach science reporter, The Washington Post.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-01-05/...e-possibilities-and-risks

Can CRISPR help edit out female mosquitoes?

The recent discovery of the first male-determining factor in mosquitoes, combined with the gene-editing capabilities of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, could be used to bias mosquito populations from deadly, blood-sucking females toward harmless, nectar-feeding males, thus helping to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160217125535.htm

Scientists Talk Privately About Creating a Synthetic Human Genome

Scientists are now contemplating the fabrication of a human genome, meaning they would use chemicals to manufacture all the DNA contained in human chromosomes.

The prospect is spurring both intrigue and concern in the life sciences community because it might be possible, such as through cloning, to use a synthetic genome to create human beings without biological parents.

While the project is still in the idea phase, and also involves efforts to improve DNA synthesis in general, it was discussed at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday at Harvard Medical School in Boston. The nearly 150 attendees were told not to contact the news media or to post on Twitter during the meeting.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/scientists-t...ome/ar-BBt2dHj?li=BBnbfiL