Key Messages
Exploring the Ethics and Impact of Gene Editing: What We Could Gain or Lose with CRISPR Technology
Gene editing has the potential to usher in a new era of medical miracles, and it’s already making itself known.
CRISPR technology is poised to make huge waves in the world of medicine – potentially leading to cures for diseases that were previously thought to be incurable.
But while this opens the door to incredible advancements, it also has its darker sides.
We now have the ability to not only diagnose and treat certain genetic conditions, but even to make designer babies with improved qualities over their peers.
This presents a plethora of ethical issues that need to be carefully considered before diving fully into this brave new world of gene editing technology.
For those who want an in-depth look at both the amazing benefits and troubling implications of gene editing, A Crack In Creation is a must-read.
It brings readers into a wonderful – and utterly terrifying – world of gene editing, uncovering its potential for advances in healthcare, food production, and even creating “designer babies”.
With thorough explanations accompanied by thought-provoking questions about its implications for society, this book provides an invaluable starting point for discussions on the future possibilities of gene editing technology.
Unlocking Nature’s ‘Editor’ – Harnessing the Power of Gene Editing to Revolutionize Medicine
Nature has been modifying genetic code since the beginning of time.
In fact, there exist examples where genetic mutations occur naturally and result in beneficial changes that would not be possible through standard evolutionary principles.
This is a concept that is explored in-depth in the book “A Crack in Creation,” which looks at cases like Kim’s, who experienced miraculous symptom relief from a rare hereditary disease despite no known treatment or cure.
When researchers examined her blood cells, they were amazed to find an incredible 35 million letters missing from her DNA code and an overall disorder in her chromosomal structure.
It turns out that a particular event – referred to as chromothripsis – had occurred spontaneously and unintentionally erased the misspelling which was causing her condition.
This example proves that it’s possible for diseases to be treated without any conscious effort on our part; all thanks to nature’s ability to modify genetic codes!
So when considering potential applications of gene editing, we should remember that genetic modifications can occur naturally, giving us assurance and confidence that these methods are safe and effective.
The CRISPR Revolution: Gene Editing from Fundamentals to Practical Applications
For a long time, deliberately modifying DNA was an impractical exercise.
That changed when scientists made an incredible discovery for a region of bacterial DNA called CRISPR—clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.
Basically, certain sections of the DNA were repeating themselves exactly over certain intervals.
This discovery allowed for the development of a new and effective gene editing technique that could actually be used in the real world.
Prior to this breakthrough, other methods had been created but they proved to be too complex and impractical to actually use clinically.
With CRISPR, gene editing is now much simpler and more reliable than ever before with Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies homologous recombination being able to successfully overwrite defective genes with healthy ones in one out of 100 attempts instead of 1 in 1000 or even 1 in 10,000 in some cases as was typical before this advancement.
Discovering the Wonders of CRISPRs: Uncovering a Bacterial Defense System That Can Be Used for Gene Editing
Research on CRISPRs has opened up a new world of possibilities in the scientific community.
After discovering that CRISPRs act as “vaccination cards” for bacteria, scientists were amazed when they realized that CRISPRs could be used to cut through and not just disable, but edit the DNA of viruses.
Through this research, scientists began to understand how CRISPRs work within a cell – essential components like CAS genes, CRISRP RNA and tracrRNA all worked together to make a very precise cut, with Cas9 proteins leading the way.
This discovery paved the way for what would become a revolutionary technology – gene editing.
The research that went into discovering this DNA cutting machine led directly to the development of genetic engineering and gene-editing technology such as CRISPR-Cas9, opening up entirely new opportunities inside and outside the laboratory.
Thanks to this groundbreaking discovery we have an incredibly powerful tool at our disposal!
Exploring the Possibilities of CRISPR: A Recap on Its Innovative Gene Editing Technique
The author’s discovery of the CRISPR gene editing method was revolutionary, as it provided a cheap and easy alternative to previous gene editing techniques.
In 2012, she and Emmanuel Charpentier published a groundbreaking paper in Science, demonstrating how the CRISPR could be used to precisely cut apart jellyfish DNA at specific locations.
This added to the appeal of this method since it was both incredibly cheap and incredibly easy to use.
This sparked much excitement within the scientific community, soon leading to further research relating to this tool.
For example, Harvard professor Kiran Musunuru used CRISPR in 2013 when researching patients suffering from sickle cell anemia – a disease caused by single-letter mutation in the beta-globin gene.
By using the CRISPR method, he was able to correct the misspelling of this gene in his laboratory.
Clearly, its potential for transforming medicine cannot be denied and that is why it quickly became the most valuable tool available for genetic research; all thanks to the discovery made by our author through her utilization of this amazing medical tool!
The Potential of Gene Editing: From Woolly Mammoths to Phosphorus-Reducing Pigs
Gene editing technology has opened up a plethora of possibilities, and some of the most practical applications can be seen in agriculture.
CRISPR offers amazing potential when it comes to making yields higher, crops more resilient, and food healthier.
For instance, CRISPR could potentially help save the global citrus industry from huanglongbing (or yellow dragon disease), which has swept across Asia and is now threatening orchards in Florida and California.
It could even make the consumption of soybean oil healthier for us by reducing trans fats linked to cholesterol and heart disease.
It’s not just plants that have potential for gene manipulation either – livestock can also benefit from this technology.
Canadian researchers have developed an Enviropig, a genetically modified sow that contains genes from E. coli bacteria, significantly reducing phosphorous content in its manure by 75%.
This is incredibly important because phosphorous-heavy manure often finds its way into waterways and kills aquatic life.
Cows are another potential application for gene modification – using genetic engineering to prevent horns from growing so that animals aren’t subjected to stress or pain caused by horn removal.
Clearly, gene editing has a number of practical applications in agriculture alone which offer innumerable benefits to farmers and consumers alike!
CRISPR: Revolutionizing Medicine and Bringing Risks Along the Way
It’s no wonder that CRISPR gene editing is causing a stir in the medical world.
Not only does it offer unprecedented possibilities for understanding and treating genetic diseases, but it also has the potential to unearth new treatments for various ailments.
Take HIV, for example.
It’s widely known that this sexually transmitted disease affects millions of people worldwide.
But what you may not know is that some individuals have a natural resistance to HIV thanks to a mutation in their CCR5 gene.
Through genetic manipulation with CRISPR, this same mutation could potentially be administered on a widespread basis as protection against the virus.
Or consider those affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
It’s estimated that one in 3,600 male babies are born with the fatal muscle degenerating disorder, which leads to severe muscular decline throughout childhood and eventually wheelchair confinement.
Recent studies show that scientists can use CRISPR systems to target mutated DMD genes.
Cancer patients too could benefit from CRISPR as it could help identify mutations responsible for cancer development – allowing for new treatments or even prevention of the disease entirely – ushering in a new world of medical possibilities!
We Must Address The Difficult Questions and Start An Open Discussion About Gene Editing
Gene editing technology, such as CRISPR, can be an instrument of great good.
It can prevent genetic diseases and even offer previously impossible curative treatments.
But the ease of use and advances in gene editing technology have raised significant ethical questions that require careful discussion.
For example, there are implications of “designer babies,” gender selection, and even implanting genes associated with desirable traits like bigger muscles (to name just a few).
As this startling new power emerged, the coauthor of A Crack in Creation—PhD student Samuel Sternberg—was approached with an offer to join a start-up providing couples with “CRISPR babies.” This proposition only further underscored the severity of these implications.
These troubling ethical dimensions of gene editing were so concerning to author Jennifer Doudna that she had a dream about Adolf Hitler wanting to use her discovery for meticulously creating a genetically filtered Aryan race.
That experience helped shape her views on the need for open discussion amongst experts and society at large about any potential misuse or abuse of gene editing technologies.
In 2015, this discourse was formalized through a white paper exploring the social and ethical dilemmas involving gene editing in human germline cells–the kind passed along during reproduction.
During this process, they urged the scientific community to pause their research until after proper societal discussions took place.
Germline Editing: Safety, Ethics and Regulation Must Be Considered Before Decisions Are Made
The debate over gene editing is one that will likely continue for years to come.
There are a number of considerations that must be taken into account before deciding whether or not to move forward with human gene editing.
First, safety: Will gene editing be safe enough for clinical use? While some may argue that it’s too risky, it should also be noted that the human body experiences 1 million natural genetic mutations each second, and even if CRISPR causes unintended mutations while removing disease-causing genes, the overall benefits could still outweigh potential threats.
Next is the ethical dimension: Is gene editing ethically permissible? Can we safely modify genes to cure diseases without crossing a thin line into genetic enhancements such as improving athletic ability or physical beauty? And will this technology lead to increasing inequality between those who can afford access to these methods and those who cannot? These and other questions on the ethics of gene editing need to be answered and addressed before any decisions are made.
Finally, governments must take a role in regulating how modifications to the human germline are implemented.
What’s more, international regulations need to be developed so there is understanding and agreement among countries on how gene editing should be monitored and regulated.
Summits, such as the 2015 International Summit on Human Gene Editing can help facilitate conversations needed for this process.
Ultimately, when it comes down to deciding whether or not human gene editing should move forward in the future, a number of important considerations must be kept in mind before any decision is made.
Wrap Up
A Crack in Creation by Jennifer A. Doudna and Samuel H. Sternberg offers an important message: it is possible to edit the human genome with a process called CRISPR, but ethically analyzing the implications of this power is of the utmost importance.
This book delves into CRISPR’s ability to edit genomes, from understanding how it works, to exploring where its applications can be beneficial or destructive.
It explains some of the potential risks and benefits of allowing for major genetic manipulation, such as its potential for curing diseases or upgrading physical abilities.
It also warns us of the ethical concerns over its misuse and cautions us to think carefully before making any changes on a larger scale.
The ultimate summary is that while we are able to make significant genetic interventions, we must contemplate their consequences before pursuing them further.
