Day 3, Embryos & Society, is focused on artificial wombs, and the societal implications of all this near-future advanced reproductive technology.
Register here: www.reproductivefrontiers.org/register
Day 2 is on Understanding Genes--polygenic prediction, embryo screening, and gene editing.
So, if you have something to learn or teach, don't miss the chance to help advance the conversation.
The theme of Day 1 is Reprogramming Cells, featuring leading researchers on in vitro gametogenesis, in vitro oocyte maturation, and other magic with cells.
The schedule is now up for Reproductive Frontiers Summit 2026. Early bird tickets available for just a few more days: www.reproductivefrontiers.org
This is shaping up to be a local peak (summit) of information and coordination about advanced reproductive technology and reprogenetics.
Speakers for Reproductive Frontiers 2026 (June 16-18, Berkeley) include leaders in polygenic prediction, artificial placentas, in vitro gametogenesis, in vitro oocyte maturation, repro law, and more. Early bird tickets $350 (until April 25); aid available for students. www.reproductivefrontiers.org
The 2026 Reproductive Frontiers Summit will bring together creators of emerging advanced reproductive technology. Come to Berkeley, June 16-18, to learn about polygenic embryo screening, embryo gene editing, IVG, and more. (Very early bird tickets available March only) www.reproductivefrontiers.org
Read more: berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Gen...
Comment here, or on LessWrong: www.lesswrong.com/posts/yH9FtL...
New article: "Genomic emancipation contra eugenics"
How can society develop and use reprogenetic technologies in a way that ends up going well? As part of that project, I propose to put up bulwarks against eugenic abuses, using both broad ideals and specific policies. Link ⬇️
Ectogenesis, germline editing, and more--what do these upcoming technologies mean for society? In his talk at Reproductive Frontiers 2025, Stanford law professor Hank Greely gives his outlook on these questions.
Thanks to @hankgreely.bsky.social!
YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6x...
The only cells in the human body with 23 chromosomes are sperm and eggs, formed by meiotic division. But Jeff Hsu (Ivy Natal) wants to make cells do meiosis on command... and reverse genetic aging with iterated meiosis!
Thanks to @jeffhsu.bsky.social
YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXmC...
Read more: berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Chr...
Comment here or on LessWrong: www.lesswrong.com/posts/PneJmh...
Another idea is RNA sequencing. In theory, based on work of Bhutani et al., it could be possible to identify what alleles made into a sperm's haploid genome by sequencing the RNAs in that sperm, without destroying the DNA itself.
This article analyzes this problem theoretically, looks at existing methods, and proposes a couple (AFAIK) novel ideas. One new idea is complementary identification: you destructively identify all but one chromosome, and infer the remaining one.
New article: "Chromosome identification methods"
If we have a chromosome, how do we know what number it is? There are lots of ways scientists do this, but AFAIK, none of them are well-refined, non-destructive, and confidently informative.
Professor George Church, renowned Harvard geneticist and biotechnologist, spoke at Reproductive Frontiers 2025. What does the future hold for xenotransplantation, ectogenesis, de-extinction, and gene editing? + Great Q&A.
Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxWO...
Thanks to
@geochurch.bsky.social !
Max Berry, biologist and founder of Nucleostream, spoke at Reproductive Frontiers 2025. Germline gene editing: How does it work? What is it good for? What's next for this field?
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-R3...
Professor Steve Hsu, found of Genomic Prediction, spoke at Reproductive Frontiers 2025. What do & don't we know about the genetics of traits? How can this be used to empower parents on behalf of their future children through embryo selection?
Watch here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n64r...
Essay: berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Gen...
Discussion: lesswrong.com/posts/rdbqmy...
Reading on Sunday, 12:00 PM Pacific time (roughly 50 min), followed by discussion / Q&A:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xllh...
New essay: "Genomic emancipation"
What's the vision motivating reprogenetic technology? My simple answer is genomic emancipation:
Empowering parents to make genomic choices on behalf of their future children.
I'll read out the main part of the essay on Sunday, +Q&A.
Links⬇️
* Understanding public interest in reprogenetics
* Understanding the regulatory landscape around reprogenetics
* Educating the public about reprogenetics
Read more about these projects here: berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Som...
A few projects you might find interesting and that might help a bit to build the reprogenetics field:
* Submit deregulation suggestions
* Iterated selection scheduling simulations
* Can genomic vectoring have large effects?
* Power of recombinant chromosome selection
1/2
LessWrong: lesswrong.com/posts/qjJDr2...
Berkeley Genomics: berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Pol...
PDF: berkeleygenomics.org/pdfs/Policy_...
* Change the 14-day rule for in vitro embryos to the 28-day rule
* Have the FDA proactively provide regulatory standards
* Make a primate research center for assisted reproductive technologies
Let's enable all parents to have the healthy babies they want!
Full article links:
How could the US support frontier reproductive technology? Six recommendations:
* Waive CITES treaty restrictions on importing cell lines
* Remove the Section 749 appropriations rider banning genetic modification
* Repeal the Dickey-Wicker rider
This is my recommendation as the first place to start to understand the overall technical problem from a biotech perspective.
From a technical standpoint, how do we get to strong human germline engineering? Since this field is full of unsolved problems and open questions, the answer is uncertain and complicated. We've just published a visual roadmap, as a zoomed-out guide.
berkeleygenomics.org/articles/Vis...
There's still lots of crucial open questions, like what happens if you have several UPD-like missing imprints at less-crucial imprinting regions. But this natural experiment at least tells us where the sex-linked imprints are that we most need to get right.
Sometimes UPD results in developmental disorders such as Prader–Willi syndrome; sometimes UPD has little or no apparent effect.
The most direct way: uniparental disomy. A small fraction of people inherit a pair of chromosomes at some index from one parent, and no chromosomes from the other parent. Those people will have the wrong sex-linked imprints on those chromosomes, but otherwise normal imprinting.
