KNAU eNews: Restoring Biocrust, Gene-Editing and more

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KNAU Insider
March 6, 2020
This week’s Insider is brought to you by:
TGEN North Head Says it Could Soon be Testing for COVID-19
David Engelthaler made the comments Tuesday during a campus forum at Northern Arizona University. He says his lab is awaiting federal approval to begin testing. Learn more at KNAU.org.
Earth Notes: Restoring Biocrust
Biocrust is a vital, but fragile material that covers a good portion of the soil surface on the Colorado Plateau. This “living skin” is a complex concoction of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, moss and lichen. Learn more at KNAU.org.
US Senate Bill Aims to Reduce Native American Suicide Rates
Native American communities throughout the U-S have the highest suicide rates of any ethnic group. A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to combat the growing numbers. Learn more at KNAU.org.
Prescott Man Who Recovered WWII Airmen Remains Under Investigation
A Prescott man is under federal investigation after an expedition to the Himalayas to recover the remains of the crew of a B-25 bomber that was shot down in World War II. Learn more at KNAU.org.
In a 1st, Scientists Use Revolutionary Gene-Editing Tool to Edit Inside a Patient
The groundbreaking procedure involved injecting the microscopic gene-editing tool into the eye of a patient blinded by a rare genetic disorder, in hopes of enabling the volunteer to see. They hope to know within weeks whether the approach is working and, if so, to know within two or three months how much vision will be restored. Learn more at NPR’s health blog, Shots.