What LINE-1 is, where it matters, and why we think it is a tractable therapeutic target
Ancient virus-like DNA reactivates inside neurons, drives inflammation, and may accelerate rare neurological disease - but it can be slowed
LINE-1 is active in roughly 40% of cancers and is linked to faster progression and treatment resistance - but it is only one factor in a heterogenous disease
Retroviruses evolved from ancient retrotransposons. Some HIV drugs already inhibit LINE-1 - a head start for therapies aimed at diseases of aging
What an island reptile teaches us about retrotransposons, evolutionary trade-offs, and why long-lived species lock down genomic viruses
