A new study from the J. Craig Venter Institute simulates the complete life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell in 4D space and time at nanoscale resolution. Meanwhile, in gene editing, a new technology has designed DNA donors that evade the immune system, allowing safer large gene insertion that is one step closer to scalable mutation-agnostic therapies. In brain diseases, researchers have found a novel blood-based biomarker that can predict a woman’s risk of developing dementia as many as 25 years before symptoms appear. Our episode rounds out with uniQure’s roller coaster stock, following Vinay Prasad, MD, and his second departure from the FDA.

Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, Uduak Thomas and Alex Philippidis 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: 

Simulating Life: 4D Whole-Cell Model of a Minimal Bacterium

GEN, March 9, 2026

Safer Large DNA Insertion Moves Genetic Medicine Toward Scalability

By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, March 11, 2026

Blood Biomarker Predicts Women’s Dementia Risk Up to 25 Years Early

GEN, March 10, 2026

StockWatch: Under Fire from FDA, uniQure Stock Roller-Coasters

By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, March 8, 2026

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