How can cell culture advancements help us study host-microbe interactions in endangered species? GeneBites writer Sandhyaa Venkatachalam describes a recent study that developed the first red panda intestinal organoids 🦠 #scicomm #organoids #redpanda Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/09/15/t...

The Red Panda Story: Bamboo, Bacteria and Biodiversity

Red pandas are among the world’s most adorable yet endangered animals, with fewer than 10,000 remaining in the wild. Protecting them requires a better understanding of their health, especiall…

genebites.org

The practice of vaccination is well-established, but scientists are continuing to develop new vaccine platforms. GeneBites writer Ethan Honeycutt describes recent work on modular vaccines. 💉 Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/08/25/b... #vaccines #scicomm

Build your own vaccine:  A modular vaccine platform that may revolutionize how vaccines are designed

Vaccines of the past required new designs and protocols for each pathogen, making the process expensive and time consuming. A new modular vaccine platform might provide a better approach to designi…

genebites.org

🧬 Are all genetic conditions & diseases inherited? Explore key concepts in genomic variation & their impact on human health with @jax.org’s 🆓 Types of Variation MiniCourse: education.learning.jax.org/gia-types-of... Topics: 🔹 Genetic predisposition 🔹 The two-hit hypothesis 🔹 Cancer case studies

Types of Variation

Are all genetic conditions and diseases inherited? Not always! While humans inherit their genomes from their parents, it is possible to acquire genomic variants later in life. There are some key diffe...

education.learning.jax.org

In what has been a labor of love & joyful collaboration, we are super excited to share our preprint on recommendations towards the ethical and accurate use of population descriptors generated from a survey by trainees, for trainees. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Recommendations for the ethical and accurate use of population descriptors: a trainee-led survey of early-career researchers

Despite the importance of population descriptors in human genomics research, many scientists struggle to translate evolving ethical guidelines into their computational workflows. To characterize this ...

biorxiv.org

We can see when things change, but what about changing things to help us see? GeneBites writer Sandhyaa Venkatachalam writes about a study where scientists turned fibroblasts into retinal-like cells that could integrate into rat eyes 👁️. #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/06/29/r...

Reprogramming Cells for Restoring Sight

Behind every retinal disease is a clock counting down on photoreceptors – the light-sensing cells that once lost do not naturally grow back. A new study suggests that might change. Scientists…

genebites.org

Can one disease protect a patient from another? GeneBites writer Olivia Fish describes a study finding that factors released by cancer cells reduce the formation of brain protein plaques in Alzheimer’s Disease model mice 🐁. #Alzheimers #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/06/16/c...

Cancer may hold clues for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Could cancer hold answers to the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease? A recent paper suggests that a protein released by cancer cells may lead to degradation of characteristic protein aggregates in Al…

genebites.org

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet. Editor-in-Chief @jayatirsharma.bsky.social discusses a recent study exploring how variations in DNA affect the way our bodies process and respond to the food we eat 🍎🍝. #food #genetics #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/05/12/i...

Is Your DNA Misinterpreting Your Diet?

Photo by Vanessa Loring on Pexels.com Imagine sitting down to a dinner specifically designed for your health: a plate full of vibrant sweet potatoes, spinach, and liver, all rich in the Vitamin A w…

genebites.org

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Editor-in-Chief @jayatirsharma.bsky.social, a postdoc in Cancer Epidemiology, is interested in genetics research’s potential for developing precision medicine, including risk reduction for historically underserved populations. She also has a ceramics hobby 🏺!

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Deputy Editor Jameson Blount, a PhD candidate in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, loves genetics since it allows nature to constantly reinvent itself. He joined GeneBites after reading an inspiring genetics paper. Jameson also enjoys writing about paleobiology 🦕!

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Writer Emily Faulkner, an Applications Specialist, is excited about genetics because knowing more about ourselves empowers us to take care of ourselves. She joined GeneBites because she loves writing and it helps her keep up with research. Emily also loves to dance 💃!

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Writer @ecoevodanny.bsky.social, PhD candidate in Marine Environmental Biology, is interested in how we detect genetic differences across species. He joined GeneBites to write about scientific articles that excite him. He enjoys soccer ⚽, cooking 🍴, and animal photography 📸!

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Writer Sarah Lester, a PhD candidate in Genetics and Bioinformatics, loves learning about gene-environment interactions. They joined GeneBites in order to help people have easier access to science that could impact their lives. They are also learning to draw ✏️!

Today’s #MeetTheTeam: Writer Sandhyaa Venkatachalam, a science and travel writer, is interested in how genetics carry evolutionary information. She was inspired to join GeneBites from her childhood reading of the book “Tell Me Why”. Sandhyaa also loves travel literature ✈️!

Be on the lookout 👀 for our upcoming #MeetTheTeam posts, where we’ll be introducing you to the writers and editors behind many of our exciting recent articles!

It’s time for our periodic call for authors! If interested, please DM us for the link to the form by April 10.

Congratulations to GeneBites Senior Editor @jpflores.rbind.io for successfully defending his PhD 🎉! JP’s thesis work focused on how a type of cellular stress impacts the 3D structure of chromatin. You can read a preprint from his thesis work here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #GoodNews #PhD

What do genetic predispositions have to do with your relationships ♥️? GeneBites writer Emily Faulkner discusses research into associations between genetic variants and marriage 💍 patterns. #genetics #relationships #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/02/27/f...

For the Love of Genetics: Our DNA’s Impact on Relationship Health

We usually think of DNA as a blueprint for physical traits like eye color and height. But our genes also quietly shape how we experience the world, respond to stress, and form and sustain relations…

genebites.org

Polly 🦜 want a…pigment? GeneBites writer Sandhyaa Venkatachalam describes how gene mutations 🧬 affect the colors of parrots’ feathers. Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/02/25/t... #genetics #parrots #scicomm

The Hidden Science of Parrot Colors

Parrots display dramatic colors, from the famous green and red, to the less familiar blue, yellow and brownish tones. Although acknowledged as genetically inherited, the genes resulting in these di…

genebites.org

Happy #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience!

eLife@elife.bsky.social · 8mo ago

1/ Today is UNESCO’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science #IDWGIS To mark the occasion, Lisa Thomann and Julie Batut highlight four pioneering biologists whose work shaped developmental biology, electrophysiology, and genetics. 🔗 buff.ly/eVipb6d

How do your intestines push their contents forward ▶️? Senior Editor @jpflores.rbind.io writes about a preprint study that discovered the previously unknown role of a group of gut cells in synchronizing 🕜 the process. #intestines #glia #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/02/05/t...

The Cells That Help the Gut Keep Time

A good song depends on more than hitting the right notes. It depends on timing. Somewhere in the background, a metronome keeps the beat steady so everything else can fall into place. New research s…

genebites.org

New Practice Insight in JCOM explores how evidence-based game design can translate complex science into play. Using a museum touchscreen game on the human microbiome, the study shows what works, and where social learning still falls short: jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...

Translating research into play: design insights for evidence-based science games in museum settings

Digital games in museums face the challenge of translating complex scientific concepts into engaging experiences that facilitate both individual learning and peer discussion. This practice insight exa...

jcom.sissa.it

The rise of “superbugs” 🦠 poses a major public health threat. Social Media Editor @amandan-weiss.bsky.social describes a new scientific community-based resource for researching viruses that kill bacteria. #genetics #scicomm #openscience Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/01/30/a...

Answer the (KlebPha)Col: a new community resource for Klebsiella phage research

As bacteria evolve to become more resistant to antibiotics, scientists are revisiting “phage therapy” (using natural viruses that destroy bacteria) as an avenue for treating infections. A new commu…

genebites.org

Who says mice 🐁 can’t menstruate? Senior Editor @jpflores.rbind.io discusses a preprint study where scientists genetically engineered mice for menstrual-like bleeding to study the uterus’s rebuilding. That’s innovative, period. #genetics #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/01/29/r...

Rewriting the Cycle: How a New Model Could Transform Women’s Health

For more than a century, scientists said one thing with certainty: mice do not menstruate. A new study has now rewritten that rule, and with it, how we study one of the most common biological proce…

genebites.org

Trauma has lasting biological effects. GeneBites writer @pattersonhabitat.bsky.social explores a study that found that part of the biological impact of living through a massacre persisted through multiple generations 👪. #epigenetics #empathy #scicomm Check it out: genebites.org/2026/01/27/d...

Decoding Life: The Echo of Trauma

It’s time to dig a little deeper into some newer genetics concepts. Previously in this series, we have explored the ins and outs of cell division and other genetic processes as a way to dive …

genebites.org

🌵 Join us on February 14 at @aaas.org Annual Meeting to hear from our fellows! @michalruprecht.com, @smallthoughts.bsky.social and @peterha2l.bsky.social will be sharing their experiences as #MassMediaFellows, bringing their scientific expertise to newsrooms across the country.

The #DNADay26 Essay Contest is HERE! 🧬This year’s challenge: Analyze a genetic treatment or therapy developed or widely used in recent years. Teachers—help your students share their ideas with the world! Submit by March 4 👉 https://www.ashg.org/dna-day/ #ASHG

X and Y chromosomes don’t drive binary opposing outcomes. Senior Editor @jpflores.rbind.io discusses a study that found additional Y or inactive X chromosomes in cells affect activity of some genes 🧬 similarly. #genetics #BeyondTheBinary #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2026/01/08/t...

The X and Y Divide Isn’t Binary

The X and Y chromosomes split hundreds of millions of years ago and seem to live very different lives. But new research shows they still regulate the same genes across the genome, quietly shaping b…

genebites.org

Some gene therapies give patients a new, functional, version of the gene 🧬 that’s mutated. GeneBites writer Ethan Honeycutt describes the use of a miniaturized dystrophin gene to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy 💪. #genetics #genetherapy #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2025/12/17/o...

One small gene therapy, one big advancement for muscular dystrophy

While there are no drugs to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, there is still hope for a treatment that can alleviate its cause and symptoms. A new gene therapy approach that introduces a mini vers…

genebites.org

When thinking about data privacy 🔒, does your mind go to genetics 🧬? GeneBites writer @pattersonhabitat.bsky.social describes the political and ethical implications of 23andMe’s bankruptcy and sale of clients’ genetic data. #genetics #data #scicomm Check it out here: genebites.org/2025/12/13/d...

Decoding Life: Spit Take…the Downfall of 23andMe And Our DNA Future

Stories bring people together, help learners see deeper meaning, and provide much needed context to learning. Here we examine the different sides of the home genetic revolution, and how something t…

genebites.org

Wave 🌊 hello to genetic discoveries about ocean-dwellers 🪼! GeneBites writer @ecoevodanny.bsky.social describes the finding that there are genetically-distinct populations of bluebottles with unique body shapes. Check it out here: genebites.org/2025/12/03/s... #genetics #marinebiology #scicomm

Sailing across the ocean: Bluebottles are found to have four distinct populations

The ocean is full of biodiversity; however, with no apparent geographic barriers to initiate speciation we do not fully understand how new species form in the ocean. Blue bottles shed some light in…

genebites.org