Global Scans · Genetics · Weekly Summary

• [New] NIH's new $12.5 million grant supports the next phase of AI4AD, a national effort to use AI, brain imaging, genetics, and multi-omics data to better classify Alzheimer's and related diseases, predict progression, and identify new treatment targets. EurekAlert!
• [New] In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, Wageningen University & Research will start new field trials with genetically modified potatoes in 2026. Mirage News
• [New] In a clinical trial set to begin late 2026 or early 2027, researchers will test a next-generation version of ATG made in genetically modified cows in people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Live Science
• [New] By 2026, we expect to see a significant expansion of biomanufacturing capacity, driven by the growing demand for biologics, such as antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapies. Innovation Hub Live
• [New] Clinical trials are underway for various conditions, including sickle cell anaemia and cystic fibrosis, and we anticipate seeing the first wave of approved gene therapies within the next few years. Innovation Hub Live
• [New] By 2026, personalized medicine will be significantly more prevalent, driven by advancements in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Innovation Hub Live
• [New] A recent analysis of Canada's $200 million precision health initiative found that large-scale genomic data collection was being advanced ahead of meaningful Indigenous governance - raising the risk of repeating past patterns of dispossession. Tribal Business News
• [New] Expanding GWAS to diverse ancestries is essential not only to increase the number of risk loci but also to enhance the accuracy of precision genomics in AD across global populations. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The Next Generation AI Development Plan, launched in 2017, set a clear national goal: become the world's primary AI innovation center by 2030. Neural DeepLearn Academy
• [New] The electrical engineering and nanotechnology leader will guide the US Army-sponsored research center as it advances next-generation materials, electronics, and photonics for national security. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] Researchers at the University of California, Davis have identified a surprising property in a class of materials known as perovskites that could pave the way for a new generation of light-controlled semiconductor devices. ScienceDaily
• [New] Perhaps the most disruptive entrant is Etched, whose Sohu chip abandons the general-purpose flexibility of GPUs entirely in favor of hard-coded transformer execution. Verodate
• [New] AI-generated attacks are the leading driver of increased wireless security risk. eSecurity Planet
• [New] The National Cyber Threat Assessment report by Canada highlights how generative AI technology is making the job of cybercriminals and nation-state actors much easier by automating the process of cyberattacks. Security Boulevard
• [New] Voice cloning without consent creates major legal risks in 2026, as right-of-publicity laws protect an actor's voice in many countries. Vozo
• [New] The UAE has put forward several income-generation initiatives - in fields such as smart mobility, life sciences, AI, agritech, space technology and sustainable energy - to boost employment opportunities for the national population. BTI 2026
• [New] With early adoption already signaled by players such as Nvidia and momentum similar to the earlier rise of CoWoS, COUPE's commercialization is expected to accelerate the adoption of SiPh in data centers and position it as a critical technology for next-generation AI infrastructure. DIGITIMES Inc.
• [New] As industry players like Jensen Huang and Nvidia accelerate investments in SiPh, Samsung's success in achieving early mass production could significantly influence next-generation data center architectures and mark a decisive phase in foundry competition. DIGITIMES Inc.
• [New] Strengthening the global virology workforce and supporting the next generation of scientists will be just as important as the scientific tools we develop. EurekAlert!
• [New] Complement Therapeutics's CTx001, an investigational gene therapy that targets complement pathways in geographic atrophy, will be evaluated in a phase 1/2 trial in 2026. PentaVision
• [New] Official launch of the European Genomic Medicine Consortium Opportunity to meet the first CRISPR medicine patients. CRISPR Medicine
• [New] Calidi Biotherapeutics (NYSE American: CLDI) is a biotechnology company pioneering the development of targeted therapies with the potential to deliver genetic medicines to distal sites of disease. GlobeNewswire
• [New] The goals of the FYP represent the continuation of the 2017 State Council New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan, which calls for China to become a world-leader in AI by 2030. The Diplomat

Last updated: 12 April 2026