Week in Review, June 10–14

Supreme Court says no patenting (natural) genes; brain-computer interfaces mimic motor learning in brain; regenerating finger tips; gene therapy goes deeper; NIH needs more diversity; cross-border collaboration

Written byBob Grant

| 4 min read

Save for Later

Listen with Speechify

0:00

4:00

WIKIMEDIA

The United States Supreme Court ruled Thursday (June 13) that naturally occurring human genes could not be patented but that synthetic DNA sequences could. The decision effectively invalidated patents on two genes used as markers for a variety of cancers held by biotech company Myriad Genetics. Myriad patented the two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, in which mutations often portend breast and other cancers, as the basis of diagnostic tests to predict cancer risk.

The Court’s decision deals a blow to biotech companies hoping to secure monopolies on similar tests that target one or two specific genes. But the verdict benefits researchers and patients, according to Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health. “The decision represents a victory for all those eagerly awaiting more ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Bob Grant
From 2017 to 2022, Bob Grant was Editor in Chief of The Scientist, where he started in 2007 as a Staff Writer. Before joining the team, he worked as a reporter at Audubon and earned a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University. In his previous life, he pursued a career in science, getting a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from Montana State University and a master’s degree in marine biology from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Bob edited Reading Frames and other sections of the magazine.
View Full Profile