Life sciences
Biology research from genes to brains, and the tools that let scientists read and rewrite living systems.
- WikiAlnylam PharmaceuticalsAlnylam developed the first approved RNAi drug and is a major siRNA drugmaker. Its medicines, the Amvuttra heart approval and its 2026 pipeline.Updated
- WikiAlphaFoldAlphaFold is Google DeepMind's AI system for predicting protein and biomolecular structures. Versions, accuracy, database and limits.Updated
- WikiAltos LabsAltos Labs is a cell-rejuvenation biotech launched in 2022 with US$3 billion. Its mission, sites, leadership and where it fits in aging research.Updated
- WikiAntibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)Antibody-drug conjugates link an antibody to a toxic payload. Not immunotherapy themselves, they are increasingly paired with checkpoint inhibitors.Updated
- WikiBase editingBase editing rewrites a single DNA letter without cutting both strands. How it works, the first patients treated, and pivotal trials in 2026.Updated
- WikiBioNTechBioNTech is the Mainz-based company that co-developed the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and is now focused on mRNA cancer immunotherapy.Updated
- WikiBispecific antibodies and T-cell engagersBispecific antibodies bind two targets at once, either linking T cells to tumours or pairing PD-1 with VEGF blockade. Approvals and 2026 trial results.Updated
- WikiBRAIN InitiativeThe US BRAIN Initiative funds neurotechnology and brain-mapping research. Its 2013 launch, budget swings from $680 million to $320 million, and 2026 rebound.Updated
- WikiCagriSema (cagrilintide and semaglutide)CagriSema combines the amylin analogue cagrilintide with semaglutide. Novo Nordisk's REDEFINE results, the miss against tirzepatide and its FDA review.Updated
- WikiCalico Life SciencesCalico is the aging research company Google announced in 2013. Its mission, AbbVie partnership, pipeline and 2026 milestones.Updated
- WikiCAR-T cell therapyCAR-T cell therapy: engineered T cells approved for blood cancers since 2017. Approvals, safety rules, the 2026 solid-tumour first and what comes next.Updated
- WikiCasgevy (exa-cel)Casgevy is the first approved CRISPR medicine, an edited stem cell therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Approvals, data and status.Updated
- WikiCell-free protein synthesisCell-free systems express genes in a tube using extracted cellular machinery. Yields, uses in circuit prototyping and on-demand production, and 2026 funding.Updated
- WikiCEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations)CEPI funds vaccines against epidemic threats and leads the 100 Days Mission. Its role in mRNA and pandemic preparedness, and its 2027-2031 plan.Updated
- WikiCRISPR-Cas9CRISPR-Cas9 is the RNA-guided DNA-cutting tool behind modern gene editing and the first approved CRISPR medicine. Origins, uses and limits.Updated
- WikiCRISPR TherapeuticsCRISPR Therapeutics is the Swiss-based gene-editing company behind Casgevy with Vertex, now running in vivo CRISPR trials in heart and liver disease.Updated
- WikiEli Lilly and CompanyEli Lilly makes tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) and the GLP-1 pill Foundayo, and is developing retatrutide. Its 2026 results, pipeline and pricing.Updated
- WikiEnzymatic DNA synthesisEnzymatic DNA synthesis uses polymerases instead of phosphoramidite chemistry to write DNA. Its length claims, pricing and 2026 commercial status.Updated
- WikiER-100 (Life Biosciences' reprogramming therapy)ER-100 is the first partial epigenetic reprogramming therapy tested in people, in a Phase 1 trial in glaucoma and NAION. Design, early data and caveats.Updated
- WikiGinkgo BioworksGinkgo Bioworks sells cell engineering services, lab automation and datasets. Its 2026 finances, restructuring and pivot to automation and government work.Updated
- WikiImmune checkpoint inhibitorsCheckpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab release immune brakes like PD-1 and CTLA-4. How they work, who responds, side effects and 2026 approvals.Updated
- WikiIn vivo CAR-TIn vivo CAR-T aims to make CAR-T cells inside the body with one infusion, skipping cell manufacturing. Early 2025-2026 myeloma data, safety and limits.Updated
- WikiIntellia TherapeuticsIntellia Therapeutics develops in vivo CRISPR therapies. Lonvo-z for hereditary angioedema is under FDA review; nex-z trials resumed after a 2025 hold.Updated
- WikiNIA Interventions Testing Program (ITP)The NIA Interventions Testing Program tests candidate anti-aging compounds in genetically diverse mice at multiple sites. Its design and key results.Updated
- WikiIntismeran autogene (mRNA-4157/V940)Intismeran autogene is Moderna and Merck's personalised mRNA cancer therapy. What it is and its 2026 phase 3 melanoma results.Updated
- WikiIsomorphic LabsIsomorphic Labs is the Alphabet-backed AI drug discovery company led by Demis Hassabis. Funding, partners and clinical timeline.Updated
- WikiJCVI minimal cell (syn3.0 and syn3A)The JCVI minimal cell is a bacterium stripped to roughly 473 genes. What syn3.0 and syn3A are, what they are used for, and what remains unexplained.Updated
- WikiLipid nanoparticle delivery for gene editingLipid nanoparticles carry CRISPR and base-editor instructions into the liver. How they work in gene editing, key trials and their limits.Updated
- WikiLOY-002 (Loyal's senior dog lifespan drug)LOY-002 is Loyal's daily pill meant to extend senior dogs' lifespan. Its FDA status, the 1,300-dog STAY study and what remains before a decision.Updated
- WikiMICrONS ProjectMICrONS mapped the wiring and activity of one cubic millimetre of mouse visual cortex: over 200,000 cells and 523 million synapses, released openly in 2025.Updated
- WikiModernaModerna is the Cambridge, Massachusetts mRNA company behind Spikevax and the first mRNA flu vaccine. Its products, pipeline and 2026 position.Updated
- WikiNeuralinkNeuralink develops the N1, a wireless brain implant placed by a surgical robot. Its trials, reported results, safety record and what remains unproven.Updated
- WikiNeuropixelsNeuropixels are chip-based silicon probes that record hundreds of single neurons at once. How they work, the 2.0 version and first uses in people.Updated
- WikiNovo NordiskNovo Nordisk is the Danish maker of semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Wegovy pill). Its GLP-1 history, 2025–2026 results, pipeline and pricing pressures.Updated
- WikiOrforglipron (Foundayo)Orforglipron (Foundayo) is Eli Lilly's once-daily small-molecule GLP-1 pill, FDA-approved for weight management in April 2026. Trial data and pricing.Updated
- WikiParadromicsParadromics builds Connexus, a fully implanted high-channel brain-computer interface for restoring speech. Its FDA-approved trial and first results.Updated
- WikiPartial reprogrammingPartial reprogramming uses Yamanaka factors briefly to make cells act younger without erasing their identity. The evidence, risks and first human trial.Updated
- WikiPersonalized (bespoke) gene editingPersonalized gene editing builds an editor for one patient's mutation. The 2025 CPS1 case, how it was made and how the FDA plans to regulate it.Updated
- WikiPersonalised mRNA neoantigen vaccinesIndividualised mRNA cancer vaccines such as intismeran autogene and autogene cevumeran: how they work, the 2026 phase 3 win and the setbacks.Updated
- WikiPrecision fermentationPrecision fermentation uses engineered microbes to brew specific proteins such as egg and dairy proteins. Approval routes and the 2026 capacity limit.Updated
- WikiPrecision NeurosciencePrecision Neuroscience makes Layer 7, a thin-film brain surface array with 1,024 electrodes and FDA clearance for up to 30 days of implantation.Updated
- WikiPrime editingPrime editing is a "search-and-replace" gene-editing method. How it works, the first human data in 2025, and the road to a first filing.Updated
- WikiProtein Data Bank (PDB)The Protein Data Bank is the open global archive of 3D biomolecular structures that trained AlphaFold. Size, history and role in AI.Updated
- WikiRapamycin and mTOR inhibitionRapamycin blocks the mTOR growth pathway and extends lifespan in mice. The animal evidence, human trials such as PEARL, and open questions.Updated
- WikiRetatrutideRetatrutide is Eli Lilly's investigational GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon triple agonist. Phase 2 and TRIUMPH phase 3 results and its 2027 filing plan.Updated
- WikiRFdiffusionRFdiffusion is an open-source generative AI model from the Institute for Protein Design that designs new proteins and binders.Updated
- WikiSelf-amplifying RNA (saRNA)Self-amplifying RNA vaccines carry a viral copying enzyme so the RNA multiplies inside cells. How saRNA works and its first approvals.Updated
- WikiSemaglutideSemaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Wegovy pill) is Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drug. Its trials, approvals, oral forms, prices and patent status in 2026.Updated
- WikiSenolyticsSenolytics are drugs designed to clear senescent cells. What they are, the mouse evidence, and how human trials have fared as of 2026.Updated
- WikiSpeech neuroprosthesesSpeech neuroprostheses decode attempted speech from the brain into text or a synthetic voice for people with paralysis. Key results, limits and trials.Updated
- WikiSynchronSynchron's Stentrode is a brain-computer interface delivered through the blood vessels, avoiding open-brain surgery. Its trials, safety data and plans.Updated
- WikiSynthetic yeast genome project (Sc2.0)Sc2.0 is the international effort to build a redesigned yeast genome. Its final chromosome synXVI, the debugging methods it created, and what comes next.Updated
- WikiTAME trial (Targeting Aging with Metformin)TAME is a proposed trial of the diabetes drug metformin designed to test whether a drug can delay aging-related diseases. Its design, history and status.Updated
- WikiTirzepatideTirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) is Eli Lilly's dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist. Its trials, approvals, head-to-head data, sales and pricing as of 2026.Updated
- WikiTumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapyTIL therapy grows a patient's own tumour-derived T cells and infuses them back. The 2024 FDA approval of lifileucel, results and open questions.Updated
- WikiTwist BioscienceTwist Bioscience makes synthetic genes and DNA libraries at industrial scale. Its 2026 revenue, gene volumes and role in the synthetic biology supply chain.Updated
- WikiUtah arrayThe Utah array is a grid of microelectrodes pushed into the cortex. It powered most landmark BCI studies, from cursor control in 2006 to speech in 2024.Updated
- ● DevelopingAI for science tracker: milestones and what to watchLive tracker of AI for science: protein AI, AI weather models, materials, autonomous labs and AI drug discovery, with dated milestones.Updated 25 confirmed1 disputed
- ● DevelopingCancer immunotherapy tracker: approvals and trial resultsA dated, sourced timeline of cancer immunotherapy milestones from 2024 to October 2026: approvals, phase 3 readouts, safety actions and setbacks.Updated 30 confirmed
- ● DevelopingGene editing tracker: approvals, trials and setbacksA dated, sourced timeline of gene-editing milestones: Casgevy approvals, in vivo CRISPR trials, base and prime editing, FDA actions and safety events.Updated 32 confirmed
- ● DevelopingLongevity research tracker: aging biology milestonesA live tracker of aging and longevity research: reprogramming trials, dog lifespan drugs, senolytic and rapamycin trials, clocks and prizes.Updated 25 confirmed
- ● DevelopingGLP-1 and metabolic medicine trackerLive tracker of GLP-1 and obesity-medicine milestones: approvals, pills, triple agonists, outcome trials, Medicare coverage and pricing, 2023–2026.Updated 27 confirmed
- ● DevelopingNeurotech tracker: brain-computer interfaces and brain mappingA dated timeline of brain-computer interface trials, approvals, speech neuroprostheses, connectome milestones and neural-data rules, 2024 to October 2026.Updated 27 confirmed
- ● DevelopingSynthetic biology tracker: milestones and policyA running timeline of synthetic biology and biomanufacturing milestones, from genome writing and circuit design to pilot plants and synthesis screening policy.Updated 20 confirmed
- ● DevelopingmRNA vaccines and RNA medicines trackerA dated, sourced timeline of mRNA vaccine, self-amplifying RNA and RNA-drug milestones and US policy changes, updated as the field moves.Updated 25 confirmed
- AnalysisCan aging be treated? Evidence, hype and the regulatory gapIs aging a treatable condition, and is the evidence strong enough? The debate over animal data, weak human trials, unvalidated clocks and FDA rules.Updated
- AnalysisDo AI-designed drugs work? What the clinical evidence showsAI-designed drug candidates are reaching patients. What trial data show so far, what they don't, and why "AI-designed" is a contested label.Updated
- AnalysisAre brain implants ready to become medical products?China approved an invasive BCI in 2026 and US firms are preparing pivotal trials. The evidence for and against implanted BCIs being ready for market.Updated
- AnalysisHow safe is in vivo gene editing? The 2026 debateIn vivo CRISPR therapies are nearing approval, but a 2025 trial death and AAV liver deaths raised safety questions. What the evidence shows.Updated
- AnalysisMental privacy: should neural data get special protection?Speech BCIs can now decode some inner speech, and laws are catching up. The debate over protecting neural data, from UNESCO to Colorado and the MIND Act.Updated
- AnalysisCan immunotherapy crack solid tumours? The 2026 debateSolid tumours are the main frontier of cancer immunotherapy. What 2025-2026 trials show, where they fall short, and the competing readings.Updated
- ExplainerAI for science in 2026: a crash courseA crash course on AI for science: protein prediction and design, AI weather models, materials and drug discovery, autonomous labs.Updated
- ExplainerCancer immunotherapy in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on cancer immunotherapy in 2026: checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T, bispecifics, mRNA cancer vaccines and the solid-tumour frontier.Updated
- ExplainerGene editing in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on CRISPR, base and prime editing, delivery, approved therapies like Casgevy and where gene editing stands in October 2026.Updated
- ExplainerThe hallmarks of aging, explainedWhat the twelve hallmarks of aging are, how scientists decide what counts as one, and why the framework is useful but contested.Updated
- ExplainerHow anti-aging interventions are tested, from mice to peopleWhy testing drugs against aging is hard: mouse lifespan studies, dog trials, human trial designs like TAME, and the lack of a regulatory route for aging drugs.Updated
- ExplainerHow AI designs new proteins, drugs and materialsHow generative AI proposes new proteins, drug molecules and crystals, and why every design still has to be made and tested in a lab.Updated
- ExplainerHow AI predicts protein structuresWhy a protein's 3D shape matters, how AlphaFold-style models predict it from sequence, and what they still get wrong.Updated
- ExplainerHow biomanufacturing worksFrom engineered strain to shipping product: fermenters, scale-up steps, and why pilot-plant capacity is the bottleneck for biomanufacturing in 2026.Updated
- ExplainerHow brain-computer interfaces workMeasure, decode, control: how a brain-computer interface turns neural activity into cursor movement, text or a synthesized voice, and how it is measured.Updated
- ExplainerHow brain mapping and connectomics workHow scientists map every neuron and synapse with electron microscopy and AI, from the whole fly brain to a cubic millimetre of mouse and human cortex.Updated
- ExplainerHow cancer vaccines work, from shared antigens to personalised mRNAHow therapeutic cancer vaccines differ from preventive ones, how personalised mRNA neoantigen vaccines are made, and what trials show as of 2026.Updated
- ExplainerHow CAR-T cell therapy worksHow CAR-T cells are made from a patient's own T cells, why they cause cytokine release syndrome, and why solid tumours are harder, at two reading levels.Updated
- ExplainerHow CRISPR gene editing works: cutting, base and prime editingHow CRISPR-Cas9 finds and cuts DNA, how base and prime editors change DNA without double-strand breaks, and why the difference matters for safety.Updated
- ExplainerHow DNA synthesis and assembly workSynthetic biology starts by writing DNA. How oligos, genes and whole chromosomes are made and stitched together, and what limits length and cost.Updated
- ExplainerHow epigenetic clocks and aging biomarkers workHow DNA methylation clocks such as Horvath, GrimAge and DunedinPACE estimate biological age, how reliable they are, and why validation matters.Updated
- ExplainerHow gene therapies are delivered: ex vivo, viral vectors and LNPsHow gene editors and gene therapies reach cells: editing cells outside the body, viral vectors like AAV and lentivirus, and lipid nanoparticles.Updated
- ExplainerHow genetic circuits workGenetic circuits make cells compute: sensors, logic and output genes built from DNA parts. How they are designed and how 2026 changed the method.Updated
- ExplainerHow GLP-1 drugs workHow incretin hormones like GLP-1 and GIP control insulin and appetite, and how drug designers stretched them into weekly shots, pills and multi-agonists.Updated
- ExplainerHow lipid nanoparticles deliver RNALipid nanoparticles carry mRNA and siRNA into cells. Their four ingredients, how they escape the endosome, and why most end up in the liver.Updated
- ExplainerHow mRNA vaccines workHow an mRNA vaccine turns a genetic message into an immune response, why modified nucleosides mattered, and what the platform can and cannot do.Updated
- ExplainerHow scientists record brain activityFrom scalp caps to electrodes inside the cortex: how neural recording works, what each method can see, and the trade-off between signal and surgery.Updated
- ExplainerHow RNA silencing drugs work (siRNA and antisense)How siRNA and antisense oligonucleotide drugs switch off disease-causing genes at the RNA level, and where the field stands in 2026.Updated
- ExplainerHow the immune system fights cancer, and how tumours escapeHow T cells recognise cancer, how tumours hide or switch immune cells off, and how immunotherapies try to reverse that, at beginner and expert level.Updated
- ExplainerAging and longevity biology in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on aging biology: hallmarks, epigenetic clocks, senolytics, reprogramming, rapamycin and who leads, as of October 2026.Updated
- ExplainerGLP-1 and metabolic medicine in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on GLP-1 drugs: incretin biology, semaglutide, tirzepatide, pills and triple agonists, outcome trials, prices and coverage.Updated
- ExplainerNeuroscience and brain-computer interfaces in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on brain-computer interfaces and brain mapping: how they work, who leads, what is approved and where the frontier is in October 2026.Updated
- ExplainerSynthetic biology in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on synthetic biology: writing DNA, genetic circuits, fermentation scale-up, key players and the frontier in October 2026.Updated
- ExplainermRNA and next-gen vaccines in 2026: a crash courseA sourced crash course on mRNA vaccines, lipid nanoparticles, self-amplifying RNA and RNA drugs: how they work, who leads, and the 2026 frontier.Updated