March 2026 Newsletter

This spring, we’re looking forward to our professional development workshops with all 55 biology teachers in Worcester Public Schools.

As a part of our collaboration, we are teaming up with a high school biology teacher to design a new classroom activity focused on pedigree creation and analysis. The activity encourages students to use a roleplay approach to think through the personal questions that surface when discussing family histories. Gill is excited to pilot this activity with students in April.

A key focus of this collaboration is integrating bite-sized personal genetics topics into the core biology curriculum. To help us do this, we would love to hear from teachers who are already using our materials in their classrooms. If you could take a few minutes to respond to a short form, we would appreciate your insights. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Monica Colaiacovo is a Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School (HMS). She is also the Associate Director for the PhD program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at HMS.

PGED invited Monica to join us as a speaker for our 2025 ‘Venture Beyond the Horizon in Genetics’ forum, where she presented about her eye-opening research on the health impacts of chemical exposures in our environment. Monica is an advocate for teaching, mentorship, and science outreach opportunities, believing that early inspiration and engagement are key to a future in the field for today’s science-curious students.

Read Monica’s Story

Here are some of the articles we’ve been reading this month.

Article: CRISPR makes enhanced cancer-fighting immune cells inside mice (Nature). “Gene-editing technique promises a potentially safer way to create CAR T cells with a simple injection.”

Article: Colossal Biosciences breeds controversy while trying to revive mammoths (NPR). “A Texas biotech company is trying to bring mammoths and other extinct creatures back to life. The science is as intriguing as the ethical questions are thorny.”

Article: Komen Push for No-Cost Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Risk Taking Hold in State Legislatures (GenomeWeb). “The group has already helped pass bills in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and is supporting bills introduced in Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee.”

Article: Genetically modified pig liver keeps man alive until human organ transplant (Nature). “The procedure has been performed for the first time on a living person.”

Article: Why is autism more common in males? (Harvard Griffin GSAS News). “In new research on the female protective effect in autism, Harvard and MIT scientists reveal how sex-based genetic differences influence risk and open new doors for targeted therapies.”

Article: Mandatory genetic sex tests for female athletes branded a ‘backwards step’ in new report (The Independent).  “Mandatory testing was brought in last year, with World Athletics president Sebastian Coe declaring it would “protect and promote the integrity of women’s sport”.”

Article: International Olympic Committee announces new Policy in the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport (Olympics.com). “The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new Policy on the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category in Olympic Sport and Guiding Considerations for International Federations and Sports Governing Bodies.”

Article: Identical twins on trial: can DNA testing tell them apart? (Nature). “In a French criminal trial, conventional DNA analysis couldn’t distinguish between twin brothers, but emerging scientific methods could help in such cases.”

Note: Views expressed in shared articles are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our organization.

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