What makes every person unique? Part of the answer is in our genes. A gene is a basic unit of heredity, the means by which traits get passed from one generation to the next, and genetics is the study ...

How does a tiny cluster of cells become an embryo with a head, trunk, and tail? And how do thousands of genes coordinate this development? A new imaging method makes it possible to visualize the ...

When my middle school class read Tuck Everlasting, the novel about a girl who befriends a family who drank from a magical stream and gained eternal life, I was conflicted. The moral of the story was ...

"The eyes are the window to the soul," notes a timeless quote. And while your eyes also bring the world your way, the origins of eye color are fascinating and even mysterious. To help lay out the ...

An estimated 170,000 Australians were diagnosed with cancer in 2025. Many people know the causes of cancer are partly genetic. But how do your genes, which contribute so much of what makes you you, ...

The human microbiome is essential for good health. It affects digestion, immune system activity, and how the body regulates metabolism. The gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms, ...

Life is precious, and many of us try to do everything “right” to live longer. We eat better, move more, avoid pollutants, guard our sleep, manage stress, and take supplements. The prevailing belief is ...

Dr. Conley is the author of “The Social Genome: The New Science of Nature and Nurture.” Since Francis Galton coined the phrase “nature versus nurture” 150 years ago, the debate about what makes us who ...

Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Sofie Salama. Photos by Carolyn Lagattuta A new award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will support a team of ...