Good Day BIO: 5 gene-editing advances to know

D.C. is marking the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. Meanwhile, as food supply chains and prices continue to dominate headlines, we review five gene-editing advances that could help. And, January is Glaucoma Awareness Month—taking a look at these resources could save your eyesight. (690 words, 3 minutes, 27 seconds)

5 gene-editing advances you need to know

You’re going to be hearing a lot more about food prices, supply chains, and the impact of climate on both in the coming year. Luckily, developments in gene editing can protect and improve our food—and the health of people and planet. 

Five exciting advances announced in 2021 include… 

1. Helping strawberries keep longer. Roughly 35% of the strawberry harvest goes to waste. A collaboration between J.R. Simplot Company with the “proprietary strawberry germplasm and plant growing expertise” of Plant Sciences Inc. uses gene editing to produce strawberries that last longer without getting mushy or moldy. 

BIO member Simplot is also using gene editing to develop potatoes less likely to brown.

2. Cutting back hair to keep cows cool. Certain cows are less hairy due to natural changes in their so-called “slick” gene. Scientists in Scotland used gene editing to make other cows less hairy, and therefore less susceptible to heat—which could save energy and precious water.

3. Preventing the culling of male chicks. Work by University of Kent scientists could lead to all-hen (female) chicken broods, allowing us to end the practice of culling male chicks.

4. Suppressing mosquitoes without chemicals. Scientists are using CRISPR-Cas9 to control  the risks from the southern house mosquito, which spreads disease including the deadly West Nile virus.

5. Making healthier toast. Europe's first trial of gene-edited wheat was approved last summer. CRISPR greatly reduced asparagine, “which is converted into a cancer-causing chemical when wheat-containing foods like bread are baked or toasted,” according to Innovature.

Read and share the whole thing. 

More: GMOS and Gene Editing—Nothing to Be Afraid Of

Glaucoma Awareness Month could save your vision

When it comes to glaucoma, what you don’t know can hurt you. Glaucoma is the No. 1 cause of preventable blindness in the United States—but half of the people with the disease don’t know they have it.

What is glaucoma? A group of treatable, hereditary diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging the optic nerve at the back of your eye, NIH’s National Eye Institute explains. About 3 million Americans have glaucoma, the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide, CDC says. 

Knowing you have glaucoma can save your eyesight. Glaucoma Awareness Month in January is an essential time to remind everyone about the importance of eye exams. 

Glaucoma can start without symptoms—and slowly reduce peripheral vision, so people often don’t realize they have it. 

Who is high risk? People with diabetes and African Americans over 40, CDC says: “African Americans are 6 to 8 times more likely to get glaucoma than whites.” Glaucoma is more common in adults over 60, especially Hispanics, but also impacts 1 in 10,000 infants, whose symptoms include enlarged eyes, cloudy eyes, frequent tearing, and light sensitivity.

Who should get a glaucoma test?Members of high-risk groups and anyone over 40. The test typically involves the use of eyedrops to dilate your pupil and facilitate examination for glaucoma or other potential problems. 

Once detected, glaucoma CAN be treated, usually with medicine that reduces pressure on the eye. While medicines can’t reverse glaucoma, treatments can prevent it from getting worse—and researchers are using CRISPR sequencing to identify causes. 

Learn More: Prevent Blindness and the Glaucoma Research Foundation have more resources about Glaucoma Awareness Month—taking a look might save your eyesight.

More Health Care News: 

Biopharma Dive: 5 FDA decisions to watch in the first quarter
“The first three months of 2022 could bring clearances for cancer drugs from Bristol Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly as well as a HIV medicine from Gilead.” 

President Biden’s Thursday: At 9 AM ET, he delivered a speech about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack—watch here. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The Senate Parliamentarian will not rule on Build Back Better drug price controls provisions as Democrats discuss election reform legislation, reports Inside Health Policy.  The House will hold a moment of silence to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, followed by a discussion with historians and an opportunity for House Members to share personal accounts. The Senate will remember the day with a moment of silence at noon, while a prayer vigil is set for this evening.