23andMe is potentially selling more than just genetic data – the personal survey info it collected is just as much a privacy problem

If you were a 23andMe customer, your genetic and personal information could be used in civil or criminal cases, targeted advertising, medical discrimination and so much more.

Kayte Spector-Bagdady, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan • conversation
April 2, 2025 • ~10 min

MicroRNA − a new Nobel laureate describes the scientific process of discovering these tiny molecules that turn genes on and off

Victor Ambros received half of the Nobel Prize for his work on microRNAs. Here he talks about the teamwork – and the nematodes – that made the discovery possible.

Victor Ambros, Professor of Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School • conversation
Oct. 17, 2024 • ~12 min

Researchers can learn a lot with your genetic information, even when you skip survey questions – yesterday's mode of informed consent doesn't quite fit today's biobank studies

Biobanks collect and store large amounts of data that researchers use to conduct a wide range of studies. Making sure participants understand what they’re getting into can help build trust in science.

Robbee Wedow, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Data Science, Purdue University • conversation
June 29, 2023 • ~7 min

How a South African community's request for its genetic data raises questions about ethical and equitable research

The South African Khoe-San communities are no strangers to exploitative research. One research team is trying to provide genetic ancestry results to community members. But they still face many challenges.

Brenna Henn, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Davis • conversation
April 19, 2022 • ~13 min

Museums preserve clues that can help scientists predict and analyze future pandemics

Genetic information that could help finger the next infectious threat is stored in museums around the world.

Richard Yanagihara, Professor of Pediatrics and Principal Investigator, Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, University of Hawaii • conversation
June 24, 2020 • ~9 min

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