compiled by Noah
In this regular series, I will highlight fascinating new and old articles covering most scientific fields.
1. The mouse trap – The dangers of using one lab animal to study every disease (Slate, November 2011)
A huge and long overdue examination of possible drawbacks associated with the over use of the mouse as a disease model in biomedical research
Part 1 : The mouse trap
Part 2: The trouble with black-6
Part 3: The anti-mouse
2. The fall and rise of gene therapy (Wired Magazine, August 2013)
A fascinating overview of the history of what may yet prove to be an indespensible component of medicine.
3. It’s spreading – Outbreaks, media scares, and the parrot panic of 1930 (New Yorker, June 2009)
Media hype and bad reporting are not only common features of modern reporting into zoonotic infectious diseases.
4. Some of my best friends are germs (NYT Magazine, May 2013)
The author Michael Pollan takes a close and personal look at the latest research into the human gut microbiome.
5. Has Carl June found a key to fighting cancer? (Philadelphia Magazine, August 2013)
An inspiring story of how basic research could lead to novel therapies against cancer in which the power of the patient’s own immune system is tuned to fight back.