Every month, I compile just in time news and the most popular articles in Health & Aging, Science & Tech, and InsurTech & Entrepreneurship for your reading pleasure. Comments or questions? Leave me a comment on Twitter or Instagram.
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Health & Aging News
Chronologically, I’m 23, But Biologically – I’m 26
Review of Chronomics from someone whose biological age came back higher…
https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/articles/chronologically-im-23-but-biologically-im-26-326645
How Old Are You Really? Elysium Health Will Tell You—For $500
The company is now offering a test that examines your DNA to tell you how old your “epigenome” says you are…
https://www.fastcompany.com/90406604/how-old-are-you-really-elysium-health-will-tell-you-for-500
The Economic Consequences Of Millennial Health
Alarming macroeconomic projections for millennial health outcomes…
https://www.bcbs.com/sites/default/files/file-attachments/health-of-america-report/HOA-Moodys-Millennial-10-30.pdf
UVM Health Network To Offer DNA Testing As Part Of Primary Care
The tests are part of a pilot project that will allow doctors and geneticists to identify and treat preventable diseases earlier…
https://vtdigger.org/2019/11/07/uvm-health-network-to-offer-dna-testing-as-part-of-primary-care/
A Single Combination Gene Therapy Treats Multiple Age-Related Diseases
Human and animal longevity is directly bound to their health span…
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/10/31/1910073116
Racial Bias Found In A Major Health Care Risk Algorithm
Black patients lose out on critical care when systems equate health needs with costs…
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/racial-bias-found-in-a-major-health-care-risk-algorithm
Is Running Associated With A Lower Risk Of All-Cause, Cardiovascular And Cancer Mortality, And Is The More The Better?
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/09/25/bjsports-2018-100493
Epigenetics: Is This New Health Regimen Better Than Keto Or Crossfit?
Is this why Keto did nothing for you but your friend was a slim Jim after just two weeks?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12287472
AHA: Intermittent Fasting Increases Longevity In Cardiac Catheterization Patients
Study findings presented at the American Heart Association finds Intermittent Fasting Increases Longevity in Cardiac Catheterization Patients…
https://www.cathlabdigest.com/content/aha-intermittent-fasting-increases-longevity-cardiac-catheterization-patients
Science & Technology News
Google Buys Fitbit For $2.1 Billion: Here’s What It Means
The continuing convergence of health care, various longevity products, consumer engagement models, and data monetization…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2019/11/01/google-buys-fitbit-for-21-billion-heres-what-it-means/#73fbd697732f
Histone Hangover: Alcohol Metabolism Actively Alters Acetylation In The Brain
Acetate from alcohol is metabolized into acetyl-CoA and used by neurons in the hippocampus to increase histone acetylation and alter addiction-related RNA-seq gene expression…
https://epigenie.com/histone-hangover-alcohol-metabolism-actively-alters-acetylation-in-the-brain/
Inherited Learning Appears To Be Real, Through Epigenetics
Some researchers have found evidence that even some learned behaviors and physiological responses can be epigenetically inherited…
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/10/28/inherited-learning-appears-to-be-real-through-epigenetics-but-we-still-arent-sure-how-it-happens/
Lupus Study Illustrates The Importance Of Diversity In Genetic Research
Scientists have pinpointed epigenetic differences in the way lupus affects black women compared to other lupus patients…
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-10-lupus-importance-diversity-genetic.html
Prudential Pivots On Preventative Healthcare Through Technology
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/sff-x-switch-2019/prudential-pivots-on-preventative-healthcare-through-technology
CEO Of Constellation Pharmaceuticals Puts Focus Back On Epigenetics
https://www.clinicalleader.com/doc/ceo-puts-focus-back-on-epigenetics-0001
A Two-DNA Methylation Signature To Improve Prognosis Prediction Of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.
Effective DNA methylation biomarkers and models are needed to improve the prognostic prospects of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)…
https://www.urotoday.com/recent-abstracts/urologic-oncology/renal-cancer/115990-a-two-dna-methylation-signature-to-improve-prognosis-prediction-of-clear-cell-renal-cell-carcinoma.html
Scientists Develop Method To Standardize Genetic Data Analysis
MIPT researchers have collaborated with Atlas Biomedical Holding and developed a new bioinformatics data analysis method…
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/miop-sdm110819.php
Invitae To Buy DNA-Counseling Chatbot Developer Clear Genetics For $50M
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/invitae-to-buy-dna-counseling-chatbot-developer-clear-genetics-for-50m
Study Sheds New Light On How Epigenetic Events Might Spur Disease
Scientists are increasingly tracing a variety of diseases back to the so-called ‘epigenome’, a type of indexing system imposed on DNA that dictates how genes should be read by the cells…
https://www.rockefeller.edu/news/26837-histone-dna-methylation-drive-tissue-overgrowth-cancer/
Dose-Dependent Activation Of Gene Expression Is Achieved Using CRISPR And Small Molecules That Recruit Endogenous Chromatin Machinery
Activation of gene expression with chemical epigenetic modifiers…
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-019-0296-7
Sperm DNA Methylation Epimutation Biomarkers For Male Infertility And FSH Therapeutic Responsiveness
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-52903-1
Epigenetic Mechanism Connects Early Binge Drinking To Adult Behaviors
https://today.uic.edu/mechanism-connects-early-binge-drinking-to-adult-behaviors
The AI-First Playbook
We explain why the AI moment for biology is here and how AI-first biology startups can capture value…
https://www.airstreet.com/blog/ai-first-biology
Pulsed Yamanaka Factors Set Back Epigenic Age
In a column last month, I posed the question of whether the methylation clocks of Horvath are drivers of aging or responses to aging…
https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2019/11/14/pulsed-yamanaka-factors-set-back-epigenic-age/
Gene-Edited ‘Supercells’ Make Progress In Fight Against Sickle Cell Disease
First U.S. trials for CRISPR gene-editing therapy show promising results for treating sickle cell disease…
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/11/19/780510277/gene-edited-supercells-make-progress-in-fight-against-sickle-cell-disease
Scientists At UCSD Looked At The DNA Methylation Of 104 Labrador Retrievers And Created A Nonlinear Dog-To-Human Aging Model
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/829192v1.full
Bioengineers Develop Quick, Saliva-Based Detection Test For Marijuana
Dr. Shalini Prasad and her team have developed a THC biosensor…
https://phys.org/news/2019-11-bioengineers-quick-saliva-based-marijuana.html
InsurTech & Entrepreneurship News
Amazon And JPMorgan To Roll Out New Health Insurance Plans As Part Of Haven Joint Venture
Haven Healthcare, a joint venture between Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway, created its first offering in the form of health insurance plans for tens of thousands of employees…
https://www.geekwire.com/2019/amazon-jpmorgan-roll-new-health-insurance-plans-part-haven-joint-venture/
Cigarette Smoking Falls To Record Low In The United States
With tobacco smoking hitting record lows, insurance carriers will be happy to know there is a non-invasive solution to indicating past smokers…
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/14/health/smoking-tobacco-use-cdc-study/index.html
Sensely Raises $15 Million
The “avatar-based, empathy-driven platform” that leverages “natural user interfaces” to connect insurance plan members with advice and services…
https://coverager.com/sensely-raises-15-million/
Healthcare.Com Scores $18 Million Series B To Help Consumers Find Better Health Insurance Coverage
https://techstartups.com/2019/11/07/insurtech-startup-healthcare-com-scores-18-million-series-b-help-consumers-find-better-health-insurance-coverage/
Quantemplate, Insurtech Provider Of Cloud-Based Data Services, Raises $12M
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2019/11/01/545719.htm
Where Tech Giants Are Betting On Digital Health
Big Tech Digital Health Investments on Data Mgmt & Analytics, Genomics, & Wellness…
https://interactives.cbinsights.com/tech-giants-digital-healthcare-investments
Lifemark Partners And BRAMCO Financial Resources Unite To Form LIBRA Insurance Partners
LifeMark Partners and BRAMCO Financial Resources have joined forces to create LIBRA Insurance Partners (LIBRA)…
https://www.winkintel.com/2019/11/lifemark-partners-and-bramco-financial-resources-unite-to-form-libra-insurance-partners/
Life, Annuity Providers Becoming More Customer-Centric, Less Producer-Focused, J.D. Power Finds
https://insurance-forums.com/annuities/life-annuity-providers-becoming-more-customer-centric-less-producer-focused-j-d-power-finds/
Infinity Life Tech Launches App To Measure Emotional Well-Being
Chilean start-up company Infinity Life Tech redefines the insurtech sector by tracking the emotional well-being of its customers…
https://www.verdict.co.uk/life-insurance-international/news/infinity-life-tech-app-emotional-well-being/
Datacubes Raises $15.2 Million In Series B
https://coverager.com/datacubes-raises-15-2-million-in-series-b/
Northwestern Mutual Expands Accelerated Underwriting For Disability Insurance
Northwestern Mutual announced that it has recently rolled out an accelerated underwriting process for disability insurance product applications, a technology…
https://coverager.com/northwestern-mutual-announces-accelnorthwestern-mutual-announces-accelerated-underwritingerated-underwriting-capabilities
Aon Acquires Coverwallet, Coveting The Growing Small Biz Digital Insurance Marketplace
https://www.carriermanagement.com/news/2019/11/20/200682.htm?amp=1
Insurer Lures Young Annuity Buyers By Invoking Parents’ Financial Woes
MassMutual has a new annuity designed for customers who fear they’ll have to help cash-strapped parents in later life…
https://phys.org/news/2019-11-bioengineers-quick-saliva-based-marijuana.html