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Remembering fungal genetics legends
The passing of two members of the fungal genetics community has saddened many of us but also brought smiles in remembering all the wonderful things they brought to the community. So sending this out to ask you to take some time to remember Rowland Davis  and Hans Van Etten who have passed away in the past month. Rowland Davis, an eminent figure in the fungal genetics community, died on 18 July at his home in California. Rowland was 81 years old. He made many contributions to the community as a researcher, as an editor and reviewer, as a mentor, and as a valuable source of wise counsel, always delivered with intellect an...
Source: Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics - August 5, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Jason Stajich Tags: news Hans Van Etten Rowland Davis Source Type: blogs

An open letter to the fungal research community regarding genome database resources
(from the Broad Institute & FungiDB/EuPathDB): As many of you are already aware, fungal genome websites at the Broad Institute are undergoing a major transition. These resources were originally developed in support of sequencing projects, many of which have long-since been completed. While we have tried to keep such sites operational for as long as possible without funding, infrastructure changes now underway will make these websites nonfunctional over the coming weeks. We are therefore replacing formerly interactive websites with a static page providing information on fungal projects, along with links to the Broad FT...
Source: Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics - July 31, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Jason Stajich Tags: 1000 Fungal Genomes database fungidb news broad institute mycocosm Source Type: blogs

No simple genetics for thedress - but does color vision affect compensation for lighting?
In my previous post, I asked whether the way that one sees the now famous dress might have a genetic influence and invited people to send me family data. I got data from 28 families (thank you very much!), and have some conclusions. First, this cannot be strictly genetic. There are examples of monozygotic twins that see the dress differently, and there is a significant minority of people who see it differently from one time to another. These observations are inconsistent with a purely genetic basis. In my own data, I have four families where both parents see blue and black; four of the 12 children in these families se...
Source: On Genetics - March 16, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: 23andMe complex traits optical illusion sex-linked inheritance thedress Source Type: blogs

Could the dress illusion be genetic?
I am very curious about whether the dress illusion might have a genetic basis. I'm referring to differences in the way that people see the dress in this photo:Most explanations of the fact that people see this differently (e.g. Steven Pinker, writing in Forbes) have to do with unconscious compensation for lighting. I'm sure that those explanations are generally correct, but which way you see it (whether and how much you compensate) may still have a genetic basis. The fact that very few people report a change in how they see it is consistent with a genetic (or at least biological) basis.So, I'm trying to find out if how one...
Source: On Genetics - March 1, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Mendelian genetics optical illusion thedress Source Type: blogs

Integrating Digital Literacy into Medical Education: AMMC Interview
I was asked by the Association of American Medical Colleges to share my opinions about digital literacy with their readers. I was glad to participate and one line of mine got quite an attention through their social media channels: “Today’s medical professionals must be masters of different skills that are related to using digital devices or online solutions.” I remain confident that is it the case today. They also included the thoughts of one of the best clinician bloggers worldwide, Bryan S. Vartabedian, M.D from the 33 Charts blog. An excerpt from the interview: Bertalan Meskó, M.D., Ph.D., a medical futurist w...
Source: ScienceRoll - September 1, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Interview Medical education Medicine Medicine 2.0 digital digital literacy Source Type: blogs

The Guide to the Future of Medicine: Foreword by Lucien Engelen!
My book, The Guide to the Future of Medicine, comes out on the 2nd of September and I’m happy to share with you the foreword written by Lucien Engelen, Director of REshape Innovation Center at Radboud University Medical Center. I got to know Lucien in person about 6 years ago and he has always been very kind to me giving me pieces of advice and suggestions related to transforming my visions into products and services. I consider him the No. 1. voice in the field of digital health worldwide. He has been consistently talking about the need for innovation and implementing his own visions into practice. This is really r...
Source: ScienceRoll - September 1, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Future Medicine Medicine 2.0 The Guide to the Future of Medicine book Source Type: blogs

Withings launches #NoMoreSnooze and Aura: Interview
Withings launched the #NoMoreSnooze campaign to encourage people to not hit the snooze button, as well as their sleep tracker Aura which not only helps improve sleep but how we wake up. I did a quick interview with the founders to find out how it actually works. I wrote about how and why I use Withings Pulse before. How do Pulse and Aura compare regarding the quality of measuring sleep?Pulse measures sleep only based on the users movements. The Aura measures sleep based on movement and vital signs (heart rate & breathing), therefore it allows the user to track more in depth sleep cycles including REM (rapid eye movemen...
Source: ScienceRoll - September 1, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Health Health 2.0 Technology aura sleep Source Type: blogs

Prominent Stem Cell Researcher Opposes Three-Parent Embryo Technique
Paul Knoepfler is a stem cell researcher in California. His work focuses on the reasons pluripotent stem cells (both induced and embryonic) form tumors. He is also a writer and a blogger which is unusual for a research scientist. Knoepfler does not oppose embryonic stem cell research or therapeutic cloning, but he does oppose the three-parent embryo technique also called mitochondrial replacement. On a recent blog about three-parent babies at the New York Times, Knoepfler wrote this comment:I'm a stem cell researcher and one of the more vocal opponents of this technology....It comes down to 2 key issues for me.First, I don...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - August 27, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Reproductive Technologies Source Type: blogs

Twenty-Two Trends Shaping the Future of Medicine: The List
My upcoming book, The Guide to the Future of Medicine, will become available on Amazon.com in black&white paperback, colored paperback and Kindle formats in a few days, therefore I thought I would share an excerpt of the table of contents revealing what trends are featured and described in details through stories and a lot of pictures in the book. Through these, I try to prove that we can use more and more disruptive technologies in medicine while successfully keeping the human touch. Please feel free to comment on these trends here or by using the #medicalfuture hashtag on Twitter. Empowered Patients Gamifying Heal...
Source: ScienceRoll - August 26, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Future List Medicine Medicine 2.0 The Guide to the Future of Medicine technology trend Source Type: blogs

The Most Connected Man: Video
There is an amazing article about Chris Dancy, who I also interviewed for my upcoming book, The Guide to the Future of Medicine, and who is considered the most connected man. Sometimes, I heard people commenting on his story/journey saying that he is focusing on technology too much and his case should not be an example for others. Although I think he made it clear in this article why he is using a lot of wearables and sensors to make his life better. “I’m the most connected man in the world to myself,” he says. “I’m not the most connected man in the world to technology. Technology was the ro...
Source: ScienceRoll - August 26, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Future Medicine Medicine 2.0 Technology Video connected Health wearable Source Type: blogs

AliveCor Receives FDA Clearance to Detect Atrial Fibrillation
I’ve been using AliveCor for over a year now and I think this is the best device for measuring 1-channel ECG. I’ve been saying that it should soon be available for use for patients as well. See their recent press release for the great news. AliveCor, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company clearance for its algorithm to detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. AliveCor’s automated analysis process (algorithm) instantly detects if patients are experiencing AFib through real-time electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings taken ...
Source: ScienceRoll - August 26, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Medicine Medicine 2.0 Technology alivecor device ecg medical device Source Type: blogs

The Guide to the Future of Medicine: See The Cover!
Here is the cover of my upcoming book, The Guide to the Future of Medicine. Only a few days left before it becomes available in paperback and e-book formats on Amazon.com. Over one year of hard work, 70 interviews and 22 trends that will shape the future of medicine. My mission is to prove that it is possible to find a balance between using technologies and keeping the human touch in practicing medicine at the same time. I cannot wait to hear what you think about it! Stay tuned for more details about the book in the coming days! (Source: ScienceRoll)
Source: ScienceRoll - August 21, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: Future Innovation Medicine Medicine 2.0 The Guide to the Future of Medicine Healthcare technology Source Type: blogs

Hey Dawkins, People With Downs Are Happier than Atheists
This week atheist writer, Richard Dawkins, tweeted that parents should abort their babies with Downs and "try again." He said it was "immoral" for parents not to kill their baby if he or she had an extra 21st chromosome. (Notice how quickly a "choice" becomes an "obligation" in the Culture of Death.)After reading his comments, I wanted to write a post that was composed of just one sentence:Richard Dawkins is an ignorant bigot.But since I have always tried to rise above simple name calling, I decided against it. Instead I think I will shove some statistics in his face.I can only imagi...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - August 21, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Eugenics Source Type: blogs

Are There Limits of 3D Printing in Healthcare?
In only a few days’ time, one could read about the potentials of 3D printing in healthcare from different angles. Surgeons in Portugal recreated the tumor and surrounding tissue of a 5-year-old boy’s neuroblastoma using 3D-printing to be able to practice removing the tumor before trying again after failed attempts. In another story, a company tries to create a specialized filament and process for the 3D printing of medical pill capsules. More and more ideas appear online every day about how this technology could be used for medical purposes. Companies such as 3DSystems are in the forefront of innovation. The N...
Source: ScienceRoll - August 19, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Bertalan Meskó (MD, PhD) Tags: 3D Printing Future Healthcare Medicine Source Type: blogs

Be Careful Where You Send Your ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Donation
You have no doubt seen a video of a friend on Facebook being doused with buckets of ice water. What would possess a human being to do something so chilling? It is the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often called Lou Gehrig's Disease. ALS is a devastating, progressive neurodegenerative disease that is fatal and has no cure. Here is how Ice Bucket Challenge works. People video themselves getting doused with ice water then share that video on social media. They challenge others to do the same in the next 24 hours. If anyone rejects the challenge they are encouraged to...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - August 15, 2014 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Stem cells, Fetal Source Type: blogs