U.S. Health Officials Eliminate Special Regulations for Gene Therapy Experiments
Policy and Advocacy News
Reorganization of USDA Research Offices Concerns Scientists
August 16, 2018 |The Scientist
The administration is floating a plan to reorganize two research offices in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a move that concerned scientists say could cut funding for studies on climate change and nutrition.
Officials Remove Special Rules for Gene Therapy Experiments
August 15, 2018 | The New York Times
U.S. health officials are eliminating special regulations for gene therapy experiments, saying that what was once exotic science is quickly becoming an established form of medical care with no extraordinary risks.
Coming Soon: Acting EPA Administrator’s First Big Moves on Science
August 13, 2018 | Scientific American
Since Scott Pruitt resigned as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief last month, attention has turned to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and whether he will continue some of Pruitt’s decisions on science.
Opinion
US EPA’s Chemical Assessment Guide Creates Contention
August 16, 2018 | The Scientist
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s overhaul of guidelines that decide the safety of chemicals is being met with resistance from researchers and environmental organizations. The proposal would make it easier for new chemicals to enter the market as reviews would likely favor industrial research.
Science in the News
Eye regeneration technique lets blind mice see the light
August 15, 2018 | Science
Researchers claim to have prompted Müller glia to regenerate one type of light receptor cell in the eyes of mice. According to their study published in Nature, these new cells could detect incoming light and network with other cells in the eye to relay signals to the brain, a potential step toward reversing certain genetic eye conditions and injuries.
Positive thinking can be healthy, but reality checks are important: Study
August 13, 2018 | ABC News
Positive thoughts seem to increase connections between regions of the brain in favorable ways, but one study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, showed that optimism can also come with risks.
Children's Brains Benefit From Proper Conversations With Adults
August 14, 2018 | MSN
Back-and-forth dialogue with adults from an early age might help promote language skills in children, regardless of factors like parental income and education. In a new study, these child-adult conversations were linked to a possible influence in brain structure where connections were strengthened between two developing regions critical for language.
