Weekly Links #3

Axolotls with brain implants. In utero gene editing for cystic fibrosis. LLMs for modeling pandemics.

PandemicLLM, modeling the spread of diseases using text-based data.

“The brain works at more than 10 bits per second.” (Apparently during movement.)

Genetic tools to engineer Xenorhabdus griffiniae, a non-model bacterium that lives inside nematodes.

Perturb-Multi merges “imaging with scRNA-seq for pooled CRISPR screens” in intact, mammalian tissue.

The way a person breathes through their nose is enough to uniquely identify them, much like a fingerprint.

“…a brain-to-voice neuroprosthesis that instantaneously synthesizes voice with closed-loop audio feedback by decoding neural activity from 256 microelectrodes.”

Bilirubin is protective against malaria in mice. “Bilirubin targets the parasite’s mitochondrion and simultaneously interferes with heme detoxification, disrupting the parasite food vacuole and therefore inhibiting the acquisition of essential amino acids from hemoglobin.”

In utero gene editing for cystic fibrosis.

Alex Telford on AI and drug discovery, regulatory challenges, whether the FDA is “net positive or net negative,” and more.

AI-based restoration of damaged artwork.

U.K. science funding will basically be flat through 2030.

A microbe that may be evolving into a virus. Note that I dislike the first paragraph of this article, though. Aren’t all lifeforms basically just trying to make more of themselves?

How to delete your 23andMe data.

“A Son, a Scientist, and the Secret of Bioluminescence.” Beautiful story about a scientist with dementia.

Works in Progress Issue 19, including “The end of lead” and “Brain-computer interfaces.”

Hard Drugs podcast with Saloni Dattani and Jacob Trefethen. First episode on lenacapavir, the HIV drug that is given once every six months and is nearly 100% effective at protecting people against infections.

Bioelectronics to record axolotl brain activity.

More details on peanut allergies, and why they are so common.