David Ewing Duncan

"Darwinian winnowing" has become a brutal reality at J.P. Morgan's annual biotech conference, long considered the bellwether for the industry.

Never mind falling oil prices. Bill Gates and the Rockefellers think they know a better way to fill up your gas tank: algae (Yes, we mean pond scum).

Technology, science, medicine, and business are converging to deliver more information than ever about you and your body. Individually tailored medical care is coming.

Complete Genomics says it can sequence a human genome for a fraction of the current cost; a savings that could make DNA scanning affordable to millions.

A flailing stem-cell company says it's invented synthetic blood. If so, it will mean a victory for stem cells.

A study in Sweden reveals that flame retardants designed to protect people show up in high levels inside airplane cabins, and in humans-including our columnist.

Having conquered Wall Street, hedge fund manager David E. Shaw takes up a real challenge: Unlocking the secrets of life.

Dozens of companies are trying to come up with a cure for Alzheimer's disease; one announces a novel technique that reaps a whirlwind of publicity ... prematurely.

By focusing on corn-based ethanol and ignoring alternatives such as algae, Congress may make a mistake as big as one the Romans made two millennia ago.

The neurotech industry is engaged in a $2 trillion race to fix your brain. Many players will fail, but the payoff will be huge for those who succeed.

Illumina C.E.O. Jay Flatley is moving fast to outmaneuver rivals in a futuristic industry that stands to make billions of dollars off your DNA.