Helix made headlines when they announced authorization from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for a whole exome sequencing platform, called the Helix Laboratory Platform. In the same breath, they also announced they obtained 510(k) clearance for their new...
Research Wonder: DNA with a bow on it, a gift that may (unexpectedly) ‘keep on giving’
If you’re looking for a last minute gift for friends or family this holiday season, you may be considering direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing kits. These saliva-based at-home DNA tests (offered by companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com) are available for quick...
The NHGRI’s 10 Bold Predictions: Visions of Genomics & Society in 2030
The NHGRI, as an institute of the NIH (National Institutes of Health), is focused on the role of genomics in human health and disease. Working with key members of the genomics community, the NHGRI recently published its strategic vision in Nature.
With hope and anticipation, the NHGRI boldly predicts that . . .
Is now a good time? Surveying higher ed students in a pandemic
One of the most common questions I am fielding today—with COVID-19 spreading across the nation, is now a good time to conduct surveys? Is the pandemic having an impact on response rates?
As one of my favorite grad school professors, Mick Couper, loved to say, “It depends.”
Whether one engages in a survey right now will depend on their current status. This may not be a good time to survey emergency department staff. Professionals who are engaged in conducting online surveys may also have their hands full of work (from home) and may not have much extra time to spare. But if you are surveying the general population, with exploding rates of unemployment, you may have better luck. Students in higher education have been ripped from their regular social routines and disconnected from others. They may welcome an opportunity to share their experiences . . .
SoundRocket Jobs: Research Study Manager
Click Here to Apply Job Description: Research Study Manager SoundRocket, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based survey research organization is seeing a talented intermediate level Study Manager to join its small and growing team. This...
Personal Genetic Tests: 12,000 Gallons of Drool
When I am asked often what I do for a living – a recent story I get to say is “We watch people spit, and then ask them about their experience.” That usually draws a raised eyebrow, and often silence as the recipient of that nugget decides how to rearrange those words into something that makes more sense. Generally, they don’t get there without help.
Customer Trajectory: Michael Linderman
On an early June afternoon, Michael Linderman and I sat in our respective offices, our faces connected as they often are through a Zoom video call. Mine in Michigan, his in Vermont. I was eager to chat—I had only once before known someone to attend Harvey Mudd College, one of the seven contiguous Claremont Colleges huddled together in an otherwise sleepy Los Angeles suburb. I had heard stories from the other Mudd alumni I know about pranks pulled against their Caltech rivals (Google “Caltech Cannon Heist” if you want to learn more), and I wanted to know if Michael had been involved.
Grapes + Microwave Oven + YouTube Science = Plasma + Scientific Progress
Living in the world of science for some time has raised my awareness of what it means to live in the scientific method. Patterns emerge that I cannot easily ignore. In recent years, I have found myself captivated by the quantity (and quality) of scientific communications emerging from within YouTube.
Revisiting the Role of the Science Journalist
In today’s ecosystem of online science publications, it can be hard to tell what qualifies as journalism and what doesn’t. Does it matter?
For Erin Zimmerman, a plant molecular biologist turned freelance science writer living in Ontario, Canada, a recent plant science conference presented a rare opportunity to meet scientists working in the field and to gin up some story ideas.