Genetics

Imagine being able to tell the vegetables in your garden when to ripen. Researchers at Colorado State University say they’re developing genetic “toggle switches” for plants that would let people control when and how their crops grow.

Colorado has tested nearly 450,000 people for COVID-19. Right now, about 5% of daily tests come back positive. When you get tested for COVID-19, how does…

Since receiving a landmark treatment with the gene-editing tool CRISPR, a sickle cell patient has the strength to care for herself and her children — while navigating the pandemic.

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Victoria Gray, 34, of Forest, Miss., has sickle cell disease. She is the first patient ever to be publicly identified as being involved in a study testing the use of CRISPR for a genetic disease.

Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.

Genetics can tell us a lot about ourselves, from where we come from to our risk of developing disease. In Nevada, researchers are collecting this...

Crops that have had their DNA tweaked with new gene-editing tools are entering the food supply. But governments are struggling to figure out how — or even whether — to regulate them.

Getting DNA into plant cells is tricky. Researchers have tried using infectious bacteria, as well as gene guns that shoot gold bullets. Then a physicist came up with a new approach almost by accident.

Researchers think genetically engineered versions of microbes that can live in humans could help treat some rare genetic disorders and perhaps help with Type 1 diabetes, cirrhosis and cancer.