AMID THE CRISES and chaos of 2016, life, as they say, went on. And so too did the study of life: Biologists had their work cut out for them handling the Zika virus, a quickly-blossoming science and public health concern that turned out to be our biggest biology story of the year.
But the field forged ahead in other areas. Biologists continued to hammer away at old enemies like HIV, cholera, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And their tools keep getting better: Neuroscientists have used slicker cameras and techniques to map out the brain more precisely than ever, and creative researchers are now applying gene editing to tackle everything from HIV to animals on the brink of extinction. Here are some of 2016’s biggest moments in biology:
Zika Showed the Anatomy of a Public Health Crisis
As Zika spread in the US—via travelers and (later) Florida mosquitoes—scientists raced to study the disease in earnest, eventually confirming that Zika causes microcephaly. Meanwhile, public health officials, ob-gyns, and mosquito control experts managed the virus on the ground with Zika kits, counseling for pregnant women, and pesticide spraying. And scientists took to wackier, less-traditional methods as well: hacking disease transmission by modifying the mosquitoes’ genes, or infecting thousands of males with a sterilizing bacteria called Wolbachia. All the while, Congress tussled over whether to put money towards Zika research and prevention, finally approving $1.1 billion towards the fight in September.
Scientists Wielded Crispr Against Disease
Now that scientists have gotten busy applying the much-fêted gene-editing technique Crispr to their work, they’re finally publishing the fruits of their labors. Researchers have edited white blood cells and injected them into patients with lung cancer, edited bone marrow cells to test sickle cell anemia therapies, and edited human embryos (twice!). And forget Jennifer Doudna. Crispr’s real big break came this year: It’s the central plot device for a TV drama, C.R.I.S.P.R, currently being developed by Jennifer Lopez.
