S.H.I.T. Show to the people! (an update)
Reading Time: 4 minutes 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 S.H.I.T. Show and how it all started, Interview with the organizers
Reading Time: 5 minutes 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…
What is epigenetics? The making of a spectacular concert
Reading Time: 4 minutes Don’t believe me? Ask my mom; seven years of researching epigenetics in cancer, and she finally learned: “He studies epigenetics! …and cancer…”. Her doctor-friends apparently give her looks of admiration (her words, not mine) and tell her that “that’s the shit in research today” (my words, not hers). Yet, except for doctors, researchers and now…
First CRISPR babies born in China | Is that a good thing?
Reading Time: 3 minutes It finally happened. The CRISPR babies born in China were the first gene edited babies ever! 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…
Limitations of CRISPR | Top 6 reasons clinical trials only focus on some diseases
Reading Time: 6 minutes China started CRISPR clinical trials already in 2015. The US came shortly after. Why so few diseases targeted? What are the limitations of CRISPR technology? 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…
The gut microbiome (Part 2) – what controls the microbiome?
Reading Time: 5 minutes Yet another Q&A, because it’s fun. In our last post you saw that microorganisms in your digestive tracts are a big part of your life. Much of the bacteria in your intestines for example live in symbiosis with you, which can affect many aspects of your life. If you missed it you can have a…
The gut microbiome: The good, the bad, and the slacker (Part 1)
Reading Time: 4 minutes 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 everywhere and they were out to get you? Girls had germs…
How to recognize pseudoscience: 5 common traits
Reading Time: 9 minutes 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. It can be good to learn how to recognize pseudoscience. Some pharmacies even have shelves…
You might be resistant to CRISPR-Cas9 – but there are still ways around it
Reading Time: 6 minutes It looks like there could be a setback for CRISPR-Cas9 as a gene therapy option for humans. Last year ended well for the gene-editing tool, and we got one step closer to using it as a treatment for diseases. The expectations were high, to say the least. But now, according to a recent publication our…
New Year Special: Combining the fads in 1 dish to create a healthy dish… supposedly
Reading Time: 12 minutes 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. We cleaned our office kitchen to create a healthy dish; actually…