UC Consortium Launches First Clinical Trial Using CRISPR to Correct Gene Defect That Causes Sickle Cell Disease Dr. Mark Walters of UCSF talks about how those who suffer from sickle cell disease, could be helped by a new CRISPR gene therapy developed by scientists and physicians at UC Berkeley, UCSF and UCLA. The trial aims to directly correct the sickle mutation in blood stem cells that causes them to create deformed red blood cells, leading to the debilitating and painful disease,...

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Herman Pontzer explores the evolution of metabolism, Grazyna Jasienska discusses different effects of activity on women's reproductive health and Ellen Breen explores an evolutionary pathway for high endurance activity....

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Jandy Hanna explores climbing in human evolution. Most primates live and move in the trees, but humans have evolved to move bipedally on the ground. Primates’ arboreal life-style has long been thought to have allowed the...

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Herman Pontzer explores the evolution of human metabolism and its role in our evolution and health. From an evolutionary perspective, life is a game of turning energy into offspring. The strategies that species use to...

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Ellen Breen explores an evolutionary pathway for high endurance activity. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 36945]

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Yana Kamberov explores how sweating evolved and what it means for Homo sapiens. Humans use sweating as the primary mechanism to dump body heat. Humans’ ability to effectively harness sweating as a thermoregulatory mechanism...

Explores cellular anthropology to understand how variation in human regulatory elements can mediate morphological evolution and individual variation of the craniofacial form. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 32973]

Human physical activities differ significantly from other species. How, when and why did these capabilities evolve? What adaptations underlie them? And how did the evolution of human physical activity affect other key human characteristics that have advanced our species? Tatum Simonson explains adaptations to altitude and diving. Humans have persisted for hundreds of generations under challenging environmental extremes. Adaptations to such environments have been essential for survival,...

Breakthroughs in genomics and targeted therapies are revolutionizing the practice of clinical oncology. Precision genomics and immunotherapy offer promise to improve outcomes in cancer, but doing so means we need to move beyond historical models for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Razelle Kurzrock, MD discusses insights from this rapidly changing field and addresses some of the ethical challenges that must be met if we are to transform the lives of patients with cancer. Series: "Exploring...

Mark Tuszynski, MD, PhD, Bob Yant, and Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, PhD discuss the newest research and treatments for spinal cord injury, including how neural stem cells may be leveraged to potentially regain function. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 37102]

Experts address altered states of the mind that are deliberately induced by humans. We will address what is known about origins and mechanisms of these mind-altering practices.In doing so, we hope to gain new insights into the origins and workings of the human mind. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36671]

Stem cells may play a critical role in treating genetic diseases. Hear from experts in the field. Moderated by Matthew Porteus, MD, PhD, Stanford University Tippi MacKenzie, MD, UC San Francisco: Fetal Therapy for Alpha Thalassemia Major Matthew A. Spear, MD, Poseida Therapeutics: CAR-T Cells: Poseida Therapeutics Stephen Gottschalk, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Gene Therapy for X-linked SCID Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36351]

Rosa Bacchetta, MD Stanford University Series: "Women in Science" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36345]

Jennifer M Puck, MD UC San Francisco Series: "Women in Science" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36329]

Donald B. Kohn, MD UCLA Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36330]

What impacts has stem cell research made for blood and immune system disorders? Hear the latest from experts in the field. Moderated by Crystal Mackall, MD, Stanford University Alysia Vaccaro: Patient Perspective Jennifer M Puck, MD, UC San Francisco: Gene Therapy for Artemis Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (ART-SCID) Donald B. Kohn, MD, UCLA: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Primary Immune Deficiencies Mark C. Walters, MD, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland: Gene correction...

Mark C. Walters, MD UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36331]

Dr. Aimee Kao discusses how induced pluripotent stem cells, iPSC's, could offer ways to individualize patient therapy. Dr. Kao then looks at the history of gene editing. [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 36270]

In this presentation from the course The Evolution of Infectious Diseases, professor of biology and infectious disease researcher Justin Meyer provides a detailed overview of the previous, current and future evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Series: "The Evolution of Infectious Diseases with Justin Meyer" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 36095]

In the United States, privacy is considered a fundamental right. Yet today our activities are followed to a degree unfathomable not long ago by way of cell phones, online behaviors, and more. As genomic technologies continue to expand, another avenue now exists by which we may potentially be scrutinized: DNA sequence. Our genetic information contains our most private details, but we leave it everywhere and share the sequence closely with dozens or even hundreds of relatives. Laura Rivard,...

What defines consciousness? Can it develop in a petri dish? Patricia Churchland reviews the current state of brain organoid research and shares her views on how conciseness and physical structures within the brain intersect. She also cautions the media on the tendency to "over hype" new research advances. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Show ID: 35247]

The study of brain organoids is leading to a better understanding of human development and potential therapies for neurological disorders. Yet when people hear the phrase "brain in a dish" it instantly brings to mind the stuff of science fiction - labs full of sentient brains thinking and plotting. Alysson Muotri explains why these organoids should not called "brains in a dish" and how they are being used to explain human processes previously inaccessible to study. While underscoring...