Science Breakthroughs in 2011: Cancer Vaccines, 3-D Printing, and More

MaterniT21, a noninvasive prenatal test for Down syndrome, launched in several U.S. medical centers in October. Instead of removing cells from the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus or from the placenta—and running the risk of miscarriage—the new test uses a small amount of the mother’s blood, which carries DNA from the fetus. Other similar procedures are likely to be introduced in the next year and, in the future, may allow screening for other diseases. Ethicists’ eyebrows are already raising with the advent of easier methods for gathering genetic information.