Research Library

Gain-of-function research is an important tool in medicine and other areas that leads to new biotechnologies, therapies, and tools. Instead of banning it, existing oversight can be used to ensure its safety.

Given the importance of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to the economic well-being of the three countries involved, it is essential that all parties begin now to identify priorities for a formal review of the agreement to avoid trade delays and to secure economic competitiveness, writes fellow David A. Gantz.

Texas abortion bans lack specific guidelines for physicians to follow when providing reproductive care, especially in miscarriage cases. Thus, health care providers are forced to weigh legal consequences before patients’ safety. In a paper by researchers from the Center for Health and Biosciences and Rice University students, authors outline the large-scale implications of Texas policy on access to miscarriage care and recommend policy actions to ensure the protections of physicians and patients.

Hoping to expand trade relations post-Brexit, the U.K. is forming nonbinding memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with individual U.S. states. Fellow David A. Gantz’s report navigates the complex political terrain and economic promises of these MOUs with a focus on the U.K.’s agreements with Texas and Washington.

No longer confined to the lab, genetically altered products are now being marketed to the public. This means the need for genetic biocontainment has shifted from the laboratory to the general environment.

By respecting, valuing, and nurturing the brain health of asylum seekers and refugees, we can build healthier, more resilient communities.

The Mexico Country Outlook 2024 analyzes key policy issues ahead of Mexico’s June 2024 elections, from foreign investment and regulatory challenges to migration and public security.

“Nearly one billion travelers pass through U.S. airports each year,” writes Alicia L. Johnson, civic science postdoctoral associate. In a new commentary, she outlines how the CDC’s genomic surveillance program, which monitors airport wastewater for traces of infectious disease, must balance public health and privacy concerns.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a gap in our ability to track and stop the spread of infectious diseases. With funding from the National Science Foundation, a Rice University research team is engineering bacteria to sustainably and continuously monitor wastewater for viruses.

The work of Katalin Karikó, 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine recipient, laid a foundation for the development of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines that saved close to 20 million lives worldwide. But her discoveries almost did not happen, writes Alicia L. Johnson, a civic science postdoctoral associate at the Baker Institute Center for Health and Biosciences. Karikó’s story highlights the vital importance of supporting women in STEM.