CRISPR patent fight redux? A new battle is brewing among biotechs over next-gen gene-editing tools

For the better part of the last decade, the nascent gene-editing community had been swept up by a bitter, expensive legal battle for the intellectual property rights to the CRISPR 1.0 technology, called CRISPR-Cas9. An examination by STAT shows that the next war, however, may look quite different from the last: It's shaping up to be a free-for-all among a multitude of companies and labs. Read more.

By Jason Mast, Allison DeAngelis, and Megan Molteni

Christine Kao/STAT

How Mindstrong's rush to roll out a 'smoke alarm' for mental illness led to its downfall

An examination by STAT shows that Mindstrong assembled a talented executive team with a largely noble mission, but struggled with the tension between the slow, measured pace of designing and pressure testing a new tool and the breakneck demands of the startup world and the investors who back it. Read more.

By Mohana Ravindranath

Christine Kao/STAT

How Eric Lander's sharp elbows spurred MIT's Nancy Hopkins to start a gender revolution

Nancy Hopkins' dispute with Eric Lander set off a revolution that in 1999 would prompt MIT to publicly acknowledge it had discriminated against women on its faculty. Read more.

By Kate Zernike

More great reads from STAT this week

An intimate look at dementia — and the emotional toll it takes on family and caregivers
Facebook, TikTok, and proteins: Why big tech companies are betting on AI protein design
One type of artificial sweetener may increase heart attack risk, preliminary study says
Ahead of a genome editing summit in London, questions linger about CRISPR baby scandal
Opinion: My son's time is running out due to a rare disease. The FDA needs to add more clinical trial flexibility
Advocates and lawmakers warn that the Biden administration's proposed telehealth rule will worsen the opioid crisis
Covid-19 surveillance added new burdens on essential workers — and gave them little data to protect their health