July 2015
A new test aims to eliminate the risk of having a baby with a rare genetic disease
“GenePeeks is doing something no other company has done before: By taking a look at the DNA of a prospective parent together with that of a potential sperm or egg donor, they can predict, with what they claim is 99% sensitivity, the risk of having a baby with a rare genetic disease.”
Prenatal tests can now reveal whether a mom-to-be has cancer
Genomic testing within newborn and even prenatal patients have led to the parents learning about their own genome. Doctors are debating on how to treat these “incidental results” and how to best approach patients with these findings.
Gene therapy could be the key to hearing loss
“One simple injection could someday restore hearing in children who suffer from genetic deafness, thanks to a cutting-edge gene therapy being developed by local researchers — a treatment that doctors say represents the future of medicine”
Should babies have their genome sequenced?
The BabySeq project in Boston at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, led by Dr. Robert Green, has begun collecting data to quantify the risks and benefits of DNA sequencing at birth.