The hottest Genetics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Human Immunology Biosciences

Axial • 7 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🔬 Science Biosciences Therapeutics Genetics
  1. Human Immunology Biosciences (HI-Bio) is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on precision medicines for immune-mediated diseases, with the aim to target specific cellular drivers of disease with therapeutics.
  2. HI-Bio's assets include felzartamab and HIB210, targeting dysfunctional plasma cells and other immune system components to potentially provide more effective treatments for diseases like membranous nephropathy and IgA nephropathy.
  3. The company utilizes a platform that integrates human genetics, immunophenotyping, data sciences, and therapeutic engineering to advance its clinical pipeline in understanding and addressing immune-mediated diseases.

Anniversary bonus: A sample from the archives of 2020

The Strategy Toolkit • 26 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🔬 Science Language Evolution Genetics Virology
  1. Language is a key element that distinguishes humans from other species and plays a vital role in human history.
  2. The study of the survival and extinction of languages over time reveals the impact of demographics, empire-building, and technological change.
  3. Reviving a dying language involves various strategies such as language nests, support from institutions, political action, and technology.

We didn’t produce this much only to produce this much

Topsoil • 5 HN points • 19 Apr 23
🔬 Science Agriculture Genetics Environment Technology Research
  1. Yield in agriculture is determined by numerous factors in a dynamic system, not just one element.
  2. The Genotype-by-Environment-by-Management framework helps understand how different factors interact to influence yield.
  3. Advances in technology, consumer demands, and policy may shape how we think about yield in the future beyond just volume.
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Setting the Scene for Genetic Breakthroughs

Superfluid • 13 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🔬 Science Genetics Gene Therapy CRISPR Biotechnology
  1. Gene therapy has the potential to treat and cure genetic diseases, but it is a complex process requiring expertise in biology and manufacturing.
  2. The gene therapy value chain involves steps like target identification, payload design, delivery vehicle design, translation development, manufacturing, and clinical trials.
  3. Companies are working on breakthroughs in gene therapy technology, such as improving AAV vectors and refining CRISPR-Cas9 systems, but face challenges in experimental processes and data availability.

Brains, Mammals, and the Brains of Mammals

Natural Selections • 6 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🔬 Science Evolution Anatomy Biology Neuroscience Genetics
  1. Our ancestors were successful in evolution, leading to our existence today. Every single one of us is part of a long line of evolutionary success.
  2. Mammals have evolved unique traits such as mammary glands, four-chambered hearts, and specialized teeth, making them distinct from other species.
  3. The mammalian brain has evolved to be large, well-connected, and specialized, with a balance between autonomy and integration, as shown in the structures like the forebrain and the corpus callosum.

Genetics and Cholesterol: How the APOE4 Gene Impacts Your Longe-Term Health

Neuro Athletics • 3 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics Cholesterol Nutrition Supplements Wellness strategies
  1. The APOE4 gene can significantly impact your health by influencing cholesterol levels, where having certain combinations can increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's.
  2. The APOE4 variant of the APOE gene accelerates cholesterol metabolism, leading to higher LDL cholesterol levels and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  3. Genetic testing for APOE variants can provide valuable insights for personalized health strategies, showing that genetics are risk factors and not definitive destinies.

Infolife

Engineering Our Social Vehicles • 8 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🔬 Science Evolution Society Genetics
  1. Imagining a world where information has physical form.
  2. Infolife exists in different environments on the Infoplane mirroring different mediums of storage and communication in the physical world.
  3. Translation into new informational mediums may represent adaptation or development of information into new species on the Infoplane.

How Much Choline Should I Eat? The Genetic Calculator

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 27 Jul 19
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Methylation Supplements
  1. The Genetic Choline Calculator can help determine how much choline you should aim for based on your genetic data.
  2. The calculator considers specific genetic variations related to choline metabolism and folate utilization to provide personalized recommendations.
  3. Utilize the calculator to understand your choline requirements better and explore resources to meet them through diet and supplementation.

Prisoners of our genes or masters of our destiny?

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🔬 Science Psychology Genetics Econometrics Environment Behavior
  1. Our risk and time preferences are influenced by a mix of genetics and environment, with the unique environment playing a significant role.
  2. Despite genetic influences, the most crucial factor driving our preferences and decisions is our unique life experiences and choices.
  3. We have the power to shape our destiny regardless of genetic predispositions or shared environments. What we make of our lives is ultimately up to us.

037: Living With MTHFR

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 59 implied HN points • 12 Aug 17
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Lab Tests Research
  1. MTHFR enzyme affects vital processes like methylation, gene expression, and neurotransmitter metabolism.
  2. Supplementing with methyl-folate is just a small part of managing MTHFR polymorphisms; focus on a diet rich in natural food folate and incorporating choline, creatine, and glycine.
  3. Key tests for MTHFR mutations include measuring homocysteine levels and evaluating plasma methionine, glycine, and sarcosine.

010: How to Know if Your Genetics Contribute to Your Sensitivity to Blue Light and Poor Sleep, and What to Do About it

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 20 May 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics Sleep Nutrition Biochemistry
  1. You can determine if your genetics contribute to sensitivity to blue light and poor sleep by looking at variations in the melanopsin gene.
  2. Understanding your genetics can help you optimize your light exposure and improve your sleep and alertness.
  3. Tools like f.lux, blue-blocking glasses, and specific light bulbs can assist in creating a sleep-friendly environment based on your genetic sensitivity to light.

038: Are We All Evolved to Eat High Protein?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 04 Oct 17
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Fitness Diet Metabolism
  1. Excessive protein intake can be harmful, especially for individuals with rare genetic disorders affecting the breakdown of proteins.
  2. Consuming 4-5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein in athletic populations does not show negative effects.
  3. Understanding rare metabolic conditions related to protein metabolism can provide valuable insights for general health and wellness.

019: The Evolution of Diverse Vitamin D Requirements

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 09 Aug 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Vitamin D Genetics
  1. Vitamin D requirements can vary among different racial groups due to genetic factors unrelated to skin color.
  2. Individual differences are crucial in understanding vitamin D needs, so it's important to move beyond general racial categories.
  3. Genetic variation and factors like calcium intake play a role in determining levels of 25(OH)D, calcitriol, and PTH in different populations.

012: What Is Measuring Our Hba1c REALLY Telling Us About Our Blood Glucose and Diabetes Risk?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jun 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Diabetes Enzymes Genetics
  1. Hba1c is a useful test, but it has limitations due to factors like red blood cell turnover and variations in deglycating enzymes; it should be used in conjunction with other information for a complete understanding.
  2. Higher levels of the deglycating enzyme FN3K coupled with lower downstream metabolism of 3-deoxyglucosone can lead to lower Hba1c, which might not accurately reflect glycation levels.
  3. Insulin signaling and consumption of polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables may help protect against the accumulation of harmful substances like 3-deoxyglucosone, which contribute to diabetes complications.

The New Genetics — Part III: Genes Don’t Express Themselves

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 16 Feb 11
🔬 Science Genetics Molecular Biology Cell Biology
  1. Genes by themselves are inactive; it's the cells that activate genes and express them.
  2. A complex process involving multiple proteins is needed for a cell to make a functional protein from a gene.
  3. Cells have intricate mechanisms to adjust gene expression based on their needs and the environment, highlighting the complexity of genetic regulation.

Meeting the Choline Requirement — Eggs, Organs, and the Wheat Paradox

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 04 Dec 10
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Diet Genetics Wellness Disease Prevention
  1. The key sources of choline in our diet are organ meats, particularly liver, and eggs, with significantly higher choline content compared to most vegetables and other foods.
  2. Determining the exact choline requirement is complex due to factors like genetic variations, interactions with other vitamins like folate and B12, and dependency on energy sources like sugar, alcohol, and fat.
  3. Wheat and spinach are notable sources of betaine, which can contribute to choline needs and may help resolve paradoxes in dietary studies, suggesting its importance in balancing nutrient intake.

The New Genetics — Part V: Is the Intestinal Microbiome Part of Our Genome?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 18 Apr 11
🔬 Science Genetics Microbiome Inheritance Metabolism Health
  1. Intestinal microbes contribute to our phenotype and are inherited from one generation to the next, challenging assumptions about genetic inheritance.
  2. The co-evolution of humans and their gut flora is vital to consider when discussing human evolution.
  3. Fixing metabolic issues may involve normalizing gut flora, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive health approach.

Genes, LDL-Cholesterol Levels, and the Central Role of LDL Receptor Activity In Heart Disease

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 11
🏥 Health & Wellness Heart Disease Cholesterol Genetics Meta-analysis
  1. High levels of LDL-cholesterol are not the sole cause of heart disease; it is the oxidative destruction of LDL particles, not the cholesterol concentration, that plays a central role.
  2. Genetic mutations affecting LDL receptor activity reveal that poor activity increases the risk of heart disease, while greater activity decreases the risk significantly.
  3. Blood lipid levels, although not determinants, can indicate metabolic issues related to LDL receptor function and should not be ignored as they provide essential clues about heart disease risk.

What Can Familial Hypercholesterolemia Mortality In the 19th Century Teach Us About Genetics?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 12 Mar 11
🔬 Science Genetics Mortality Environment Data Analysis Health Effects
  1. Genetic studies may overestimate the impact of genetics and underestimate the role of the environment when the environment is uniform.
  2. Naming genes based on a singular observed trait, like associating a gene with a mortality risk, can be misleading and oversimplifies their functions.
  3. An allele's effects can be context-dependent, influenced by changing environments, making it challenging to accurately assess genetic impact with insufficient environmental variation.

What Can Modern Toxicology Tell Us About Food Toxins and Food Intolerances?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 30 Dec 10
🏥 Health & Wellness Toxicology Food Nutrition Genetics Immunity
  1. Modern toxicology distinguishes between intrinsic and idiosyncratic adverse reactions to drugs, showing how some drugs are toxic in high doses for everyone, while others like acetaminophen can become toxic based on individual susceptibility.
  2. Food toxicities and intolerances also involve intrinsic toxicity of foods and individual susceptibility factors like nutritional status, intestinal flora, genes, and immunological reactions.
  3. Factors affecting food toxicity include proper food preparation, genetic variations, intestinal flora, nutrient status, and immunological responses - all of which impact the toxicity of various foods.

Do Blockages In Coronary Arteries Really Cause Heart Attacks?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 23 Mar 09
🏥 Health & Wellness Heart Health Cholesterol Genetics Research Nutrition
  1. Dr. Tom Cowan argues that heart attacks cause blockages in coronary arteries, not the other way around, attributing heart attacks to a buildup of lactic acid in heart muscle.
  2. Genetic evidence indicates that LDL receptor activity significantly influences the risk of heart attacks, with low activity leading to early heart attacks and high activity almost guaranteeing freedom from heart attacks.
  3. The concentration of oxidized LDL in the blood, derived from dietary vegetable oils, plays a key role in atherosclerotic plaque formation, foam cell generation, and eventually heart disease risk.

Is Dietary Cholesterol an Essential Nutrient?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 29 Dec 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Genetics Mental health
  1. Certain individuals, such as those with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), may require dietary cholesterol as an essential nutrient for their health.
  2. Individuals who carry the SLOS gene may be more susceptible to aggressive and self-injurious behaviors, making dietary cholesterol crucial for managing such behaviors.
  3. Dietary cholesterol has been shown to improve various health aspects in individuals with clinical SLOS, such as hyperactivity, attention span, and resistance to infection.

Foods High in Cholesterol Could Save Your Health!

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 29 Dec 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Cholesterol Diet Health Benefits Genetics
  1. Foods high in cholesterol might not negatively impact blood cholesterol levels for most people, and can even be essential for a small percentage of the population.
  2. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from vegetable oils might not be as beneficial as once thought, and the need for PUFA in the diet could actually be minimal.
  3. Cholesterol-rich foods are crucial for obtaining nutrients like arachidonic acid, essential for growth and health, and can play a vital role in certain genetic conditions and mental health.

Myth: Cholesterol Causes Alzheimer's Disease Part II: The Real Causes of Alzheimer's Disease

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 14 Sep 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Nutrition
  1. Cholesterol is not the cause of Alzheimer's disease, despite a popular myth.
  2. Alzheimer's disease has multiple contributing factors including genetics, DHA depletion, insulin resistance, and oxidation.
  3. Consuming a diet rich in traditional whole foods, low in vegetable oils and excessive carbohydrates, and including sources of DHA can help protect against Alzheimer's.

A Crash Course in Lipoproteins

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 26 Aug 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Cholesterol Heart Disease Antioxidants Genetics
  1. Cholesterol is carried in lipoproteins, like a bus carrying fats, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins.
  2. There are different types of lipoproteins besides HDL and LDL, such as chylomicrons, VLDL, IDL, and Lp(a).
  3. The LDL receptor plays a crucial role in heart disease, with mutations affecting its functioning linked to increased risk, while a well-functioning receptor can significantly reduce heart disease risk.

When Our Digital World Fades, Will We Too?

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital Preservation Artificial Intelligence Data Storage Genetics Information Security
  1. Stone and paper may endure longer than digital storage. Our digital memories are fragile and could be lost in the future.
  2. Our current Digital Age might leave a gap in history for future historians and archaeologists to wonder about.
  3. Technological advancements may lead to storing information in DNA, potentially changing how future generations understand humanity.

Debunking Race “Science”

Space chimp life • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics Psychology Sociology Neuroscience Education
  1. Heritability and genetics are often confused. While some studies suggest certain traits are 50-60% heritable, this doesn't mean they're purely genetic, as environment plays a big role too.
  2. Twin studies, commonly used to support race 'science', have flaws because they often fail to isolate the twins' environments correctly, leading to misleading conclusions about heritability.
  3. Understanding intelligence requires looking at how the brain interacts with the environment, rather than just focusing on race or IQ numbers. The brain learns from experiences, showing its flexibility and adaptability across cultures.

[in case you missed it] Data Science Weekly - Issue 309

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 26 Oct 19
🕹 Technology Data science Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Quantum Computing Genetics
  1. A new gene editing method called prime editing has been developed, making changes to DNA easier and more accurate.
  2. Teaching rats to drive small cars has shown that learning complex tasks can help reduce stress and improve mental abilities in these animals.
  3. Researchers are making strides in quantum computing, claiming they have achieved a significant milestone that proves a programmable quantum computer can perform useful tasks.

Sometimes it’s Better to React with No Reaction

Are You Okay? • 0 implied HN points • 15 Jun 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Medical COVID-19 Genetics Preventative Care
  1. Genetic factors, like blood type, may influence COVID-19 severity, but knowing your blood type doesn't change how you behave. It's just a piece of the larger puzzle.
  2. Seek information that can actually impact your actions, such as COVID-19 case rates or personal health data, and adjust your behavior accordingly.
  3. Human nature drives us to seek control by grasping onto knowable information, but focusing on actionable insights is key to navigating uncertainty.

Quacking the Code: Bridging the Animal-Human Divide

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🔬 Science Biology Genetics AI Drug Development Pharmacology
  1. Transfer learning allows computers to use knowledge from one area to help in another. This approach helps in drug development by applying what we've learned from studying animals to predict how those drugs might affect humans.
  2. Gene reactomes help us compare how genes respond to drugs across different species. This means we can identify which genes may act similarly in humans and animals, leading to safer drug development.
  3. The Universal Gene Embedding framework acts like a translator for genetic information. It allows scientists to understand gene functions across species, making it easier to predict how drugs will work in humans based on animal studies.

Your partner isn't a narcissist

Penelope Trunk's Substack • 0 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Autism Relationships Mental health Therapy Genetics
  1. The idea that a partner might be perceived as a narcissist could actually be a misinterpretation of autism traits.
  2. Autism and narcissism can share certain characteristics, like difficulty in understanding other people's feelings and a focus on oneself.
  3. It's common for people with autism to attract and be attracted to others with autism, which can lead to challenges and misunderstandings in relationships.

Your Body is Not "Attacking Itself"

Christian Bonanno • 0 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Autoimmune Disorders Enzymes Nutrition Antioxidants Genetics
  1. Autoimmune disorders may not be the body attacking itself, but a protective response to certain conditions.
  2. High levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) might be a key factor in autoimmune thyroiditis (AT), and reducing H2O2 levels could potentially cure it.
  3. Genetic defects in enzymes like GPX1 can lead to higher AT risk, and boosting enzyme activity with nutrients like selenium may offer a solution.

The Latest Vitamin D and COVID-19 Study

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 30 Aug 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Vitamin D COVID-19 Genetics Infection Risk
  1. Genetics play only a small role in determining vitamin D status, which complicates studying its association with COVID-19.
  2. A recent study suggests that higher vitamin D levels are linked to lower COVID-19 infection risk, especially with sufficient exposure to UVB light.
  3. While certain genes may impact vitamin D levels more in high-UVB conditions, overall, the evidence for a direct causal link between vitamin D and COVID-19 is still weak.

Links #2

Splitting Infinity • 0 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🔬 Science Energy Microbiology Genetics Biotechnology Health
  1. Proximity to friends can enhance happiness; a startup is aiding in buying houses near friends for this reason.
  2. People tend to use tools to act more rationally, shown by the study on people's behavior and commitment systems.
  3. Generosity exists even with high financial stakes; many spend significant amounts on others and charities when given money.