Biology vs. Trump: do we need a wall? | Liquid–liquid phase separation
Reading Time: 5 minutes In a world where walls seem to be the next big thing, science shows us this might not be the answer. It seems that our cells have a new superpower: they can control the function of specific molecules by “freezing” them, without having to confine them. This superpower is also known as liquid–liquid phase separation,…
The R0 of COVID-19: Dealing with the misconceptions
Reading Time: 7 minutes This post will try to rip apart some misconceptions around the basic reproduction number of an infection defined as R0 and, more precisely, the R0 of COVID-19, the new Coronavirus disease first identified in Wuhan, China. You’ll learn to debate my imaginary nemesis Chad who has no clue about R0 and COVID-19 but likes to…
How we deliver scientific thinking | The Ivory Embassy in 2019 and 2020
Reading Time: 4 minutes We know it’s too late to say it, but what the heck! Happy new year, fam! Lovers, haters, and in between, all of you. “Why the sudden good mood?” you ask. Because 2019 treated us well, 2020 looks promising already, and we’re now psyched to share our accomplishments of the past year and our plans…
Are CRISPR designed babies the future? Update 1 year after birth
Reading Time: 6 minutes The German news site n-tv.de interviewed me about a week ago about the possibilities and risks of the CRISPR gene-editing technology. The reason for this piece was the first anniversary of the CRISPR designed babies, the twins (with the pseudonyms Lulu and Nana). In short, a Chinese researcher and former associate professor at the Southern…
Creating better scientific stories. Should we fight fake fire with fire?
Reading Time: 7 minutes Using anecdotes in a scientific context may be a double-edged sword. Still, we need captivating strategies to replace pseudoscientific stories with better ones without losing accuracy and trust. The time my niece got a triple vaccine shot Let me tell you about the time my niece received a triple vaccination shot. She was about a…
Can we treat diseases with Cas12a (CRISPR)? Modifying multiple genes.
Reading Time: 4 minutes A Swiss team figured out how to modify multiple genes in one cell using the gene-editing CRISPR-system Cas12a. What do the findings mean for disease treatment strategies? Can we now treat diseases with Cas12a? In May, during our Amsterdam S.H.I.T. Show, we talked about the gene-editing CRISPR-Cas systems and how they enable you to cut…
Sex and gender | Blue is for Girls, Pink is for Boys
Reading Time: 6 minutes “Is it a boy or a girl?” The first question we ask about a new baby. But can we honestly answer it? Or is this distinction between male and female sex or gender trickier than we think? In our society, we accept that genitalia determines our sex and gender: if you are born with a…
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…