S.H.I.T. Show to the people! (an update)
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OK, so we arranged our first ever Science&Health Informal Talk (S.H.I.T.) Show in Amsterdam. We uploaded pictures from it on our social media, but where’s that written update we promised you?? Sorry for the delay, but it’s summer here. Plus, the preparation for the event took some time and accumulated our responsibilities outside the Ivory…
The Upcoming S.H.I.T. Show and How It All Started, Interviewing the Organizers
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In case you haven’t heard, the Ivory Embassy is organizing the upcoming Science & Health Informal Talk Show (or simply the S.H.I.T. Show). The event DNA Manipulation: Treating Diseases and Designing Babies with CRISPR takes place in Amsterdam on May 23rd and will highlight the implications of CRISPR-Cas – a new biotechnological tool that can…
Epigenetics: the making of a concert
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Epigenetics: the making of a concert Epigenetics is important for the development of an organism. It’s also an important process in cancer, and a potential target in the battle against it. Word has it that epigenetics is “hot” as fudge in research. It’s the present and future they say. Don’t believe me? Ask my mom;…
Genome edited CRISPR babies are born
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It finally happened. The first CRISPR edited babies were recently born! Or that’s the claim at least. He Jiankui, a scientist from the Southern University of Science and Technology of China in Shenzhen claims to have disabled a gene important for HIV infections. He edited embryos using CRISPR, which he then used for in vitro…
The top six reasons only some diseases are treated in CRISPR clinical trials… for the moment
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The top six reasons only some diseases are treated in CRISPR clinical trials… for the moment Damn, this CRISPR-thing escalated fast. In 2013, we could read the first reports of the genome editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 being used in human and mouse cells and just two years later it was suddenly possible to change genes in…
The gut microbiome (Part2) – what controls your microbiome?
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The gut microbiome (Part2) – what controls your microbiome? Yet another Q&A, because it’s fun. In our last post we saw that microorganisms in your digestive tracts is a big part of your life. Much of the bacteria in your intestines for example live in symbiosis with you and form can affect many aspects of…
The gut microbiome (Part1): The good, the bad and the slacker
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The gut microbiome (Part1): The good, the bad and the slacker This is a simple warm-up preparing you for a series of upcoming posts, dealing with the gut microbiome. You know, these microorganisms living inside you that can alter your mood, weight and overall health. Remember the germophobic times? The times when germs were…
How to recognise pseudoscience: 5 common traits
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How to recognise pseudoscience: 5 common traits Let’s talk pseudoscience. Why? Because it’s so available and many times seen as a replacement for conventional medicine. And to be honest, it also scares the crap out of me. We see it on the news, advertisements and social media. Some pharmacies even have shelves dedicated to homeopathy…
Sure, you might be resistant to CRISPR/Cas9 – but there are still ways around it
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Sure, you might be resistant to CRISPR/Cas9 – but there are still ways around it It looks like there could be a setback for CRISPR/Cas9 as a gene therapy option for humans. Last year ended well for CRISPR/Cas9 and we got one step closer to using the genome editing tool as a treatment for diseases.…
New Year Special: A dish that will supposedly make you healthier
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New Year Special: A dish that will supposedly make you healthier The Ivory Embassy wishes all of you a happy new year! The doors to the Embassy are finally reopened, after a well needed Christmas break and we know exactly what you need right now. You need to get healthy.You need a healthy diet. A…