Outlook

The hope of gene therapy could be crushed by its financial burden unless there are more rational ways of paying for it, says Michael Sherman.

The medical regulatory authorities ride a wave of clinical studies for gene therapies.

An explosion in information technology is remaking the world, leaving few aspects of society untouched.

Electronic-government initiatives could help states to run more smoothly, but all that personal data raises serious questions about security.

A growing proportion of global culture exists only online, presenting a challenge to those tasked with maintaining the historical record.

Fears over the impact on mental health of smartphones, social media and other trappings of the digital world are driving tech companies to change, but the evidence remains sketchy.

More robotics and artificial intelligence in the workplace doesn’t have to destroy your job.

If the digital revolution is to democratize knowledge, it must include the voices of marginalized communities, say Anasuya Sengupta, Siko Bouterse and Kira Allmann.

The public’s view of artificial intelligence may not be accurate, but that doesn’t mean that those developing new technologies can afford to ignore it.

As a multifaceted organ, skin provides the body with protection from infection and the environment, as well as sensory capabilities.

Pollutants in the environment cause more harm than once thought, with effects that can range from irritating to deadly.

Skin-like electronics that stretch and sense will create a way to monitor vital signals and build prosthetics with a sense of touch.

Each person’s skin carries a unique population of microbes that might help to protect skin from infection, or increase its vulnerability.

Skin regeneration is impeded by a host of factors. Working out the part played by each could lead to fresh approaches to treating burns and scars.

Clinicians and researchers must learn to talk about and treat the skin condition without alienating a growing chorus of advocates, says John Harris.

Eating well could be better for skin health than applying lotions and potions. But which vitamins and nutrients will yield the healthiest glow?

The skin is the body’s largest organ and has several, diverse functions. As well as being a physical barrier, it has immune and sensory properties.

New treatments are taking aim at blood cancers that exploit the immune system.

Researchers are closing in on vaccines to prevent or treat lymphomas and other cancers triggered by the Epstein–Barr virus.

A therapeutic approach in which a person’s immune cells are genetically recoded to enable them to target their cancerous cousins is helping people whose disease is beyond the reach of existing treatments.