Author: Gabrielle Rabinowitz

Gene Patenting is a Matter of Perspective

Gene Patenting is a Matter of Perspective

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz, @GabrielleRab On a typical day as a molecular biology PhD student, I combine tiny amounts of clear liquid in a small plastic tube. One of those small droplets contains several billion molecules of RNA, each one a copy of the information from […]

From BAM to The BRAIN Initiative: A clearer view of a major neuroscience enterprise

From BAM to The BRAIN Initiative: A clearer view of a major neuroscience enterprise

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz In February, the media was abuzz in response to President Obama’s pledge to fund the creation of a Brain Activity Map (BAM). Reporters erroneously promised a comprehensive human brain map, complete with cures for neuropsychiatric disorders, while glossing over the fact that […]

A 3 Billion Dollar Mistake: Why the American government should think twice about a Brain Activity Map (BAM)

A 3 Billion Dollar Mistake: Why the American government should think twice about a Brain Activity Map (BAM)

Update: The United States government has released more information about the specifics of their brain mapping project, now called the BRAIN Initiative. I break down the details and discuss the pros and cons here.   By Gabrielle Rabinowitz, @GabrielleRab In the 2013 State of the […]

Sensationalism in Science, Part II

Sensationalism in Science, Part II

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz, @GabrielleRab In Part I of this post I explained the harm that can result from over-hyped science reporting. But what if scientists’ own enthusiasm for their work is what sparks the hype? As Rob O’ Sullivan of Dar-winning pointed out in a […]

Sensationalism in Science, Part I

Sensationalism in Science, Part I

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz “NASA Discovers Alien Life”  “Doctors Talk to Vegetative Patient Through Brain Scans”  “Sleep Apnea Tied to Increased Cancer Risk” The world according to popular science headlines is a pretty crazy place. Miraculous cures and surprising causes for all of our ailments can […]