Navigating Biotech’s New Normal, Applying AI to Cas9 Enzymes, and Sequencing Generations

The seismic changes made by the current administration in the United States continue to impact the scientific community. The business news segment of this week’s episode covers the effects of job cuts on biotech, Roche’s manufacturing and R&D plans amid tariff threats, and shares an update on Eli Lilly’s diabetes pill. Also, in honor of DNA Day, we reminisce about how far the field has come since the discovery of the structure of DNA and the completion of the Human Genome Project. We also talk about today’s DNA-related advances that use machine learning to design tailored Cas9 proteins and multiple sequencing technologies to study mutation rates in four generations of the same family. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:After Job Cuts, “We’re Entering a Very New Territory for Biotech. By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 17, 2025 Roche Commits $50B to U.S. Manufacturing, R&D as Tariffs Loom By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 22, 2025 StockWatch: Investors Hungry for Lilly after Diabetes Pill Aces Phase III Trial By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 20, 2025 Machine Learning Engineers Bespoke Cas9 Enzymes for Gene EditingBy Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, April 22, 2025Multi-Platform Sequencing Study of Four Generations Sheds Light on Mutation RatesGEN, April 23, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.