Changing human DNA that is passed on to future generations has long been considered ethically closed and banned in many countries. Scientists report they are using new tools to repair disease genes in human embryos. Although the researchers are using defective embryos and have no intention of implanting them in a woman's uterus, the work is troubling.
A change in the DNA of human eggs, sperm, or embryos is known as a germline change. Many scientists are calling for a moratorium on the revision of clinical embryos, editing the human germ line, and many believe that this type of scientific activity should be banned.
However, editing the DNA of a human embryo may be ethically acceptable to prevent illness in a child, but only in rare cases and with guarantees. These situations can be limited to couples where they both have serious genetic conditions and for whom embryo editing is really the last reasonable option if they want to have a healthy baby.
The danger of deliberately changing genes
Scientists believe that editing a human embryo may be acceptable to prevent a child from inheriting serious genetic diseases, but only if certain safety and ethical criteria are met. For example, a couple cannot have "reasonable alternatives" such as being able to select healthy embryos for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or through prenatal testing and abortion of a fetus with a disease. Another situation that may meet the criteria is if both parents have the same medical condition, such as cystic fibrosis.
The scientists warn of the need for strict government oversight to prevent germline editing from being used for other purposes, such as giving a child desirable, distinctive traits.
By editing genes in patient cells that are not inherited, clinical trials are already underway to fight HIV, hemophilia and leukemia. It is believed that the existing regulatory systems for gene therapy are sufficient to carry out such work.
Genome editing should not be to increase potency, increase muscle strength in a healthy person, or lower cholesterol levels.
Human germline gene editing or human germline modification means the intentional modification of genes that is passed on to children and future generations.
In other words, creation of genetically modified humans. Human germline modification has been considered a taboo subject for many years due to safety and social reasons. It is formally banned in more than 40 countries.
Experiments on the creation of genetically modified people and the science of eugenics
However, in recent years, new methods of genetic engineering have been used to experiment with human embryos. For research, genes and human embryos associated with beta blood disease - thalassemia were used. The experiments were mostly unsuccessful. But gene-editing tools are being developed in labs around the world and are expected to make it easier, cheaper, and more accurate to edit or delete genes than ever before. Modern yet theoretical methods of editing the genome will allow scientists to insert, delete and tweak DNA with positive results. This holds the promise of treating certain diseases, such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, and certain types of cancer.
Selection in relation to humans - eugenics
Gene editing of human embryos or the direction of eugenics leads to the creation of genetically modified very different people. This causes serious security due to social and ethical issues. They range from the prospect of irreversible harm to the health of future children and generations, to opening doors to new forms of social inequality, discrimination and conflict and a new era of eugenics.
The science of eugenics for human selection came into existence in the middle of the last century as a science of the Nazi direction.
Scientists are not allowed to make changes to human DNA, which is passed on to subsequent generations. Such an innovative step in the science of eugenics should be considered only after additional research, after which changes can be made under severe restrictions. Such work should be prohibited in order to prevent serious illness and disability.
Variation caused by changing genes is also called mutations.
It is a long taboo against making changes in the genes of human sperm, eggs or embryos, because such changes will be inherited by future generations. This is taboo in part because of the fear that mistakes could inadvertently create new artificial diseases that could then become a permanent part of the human gene pool.
Another problem is that this species can be used for genetic modification for non-medical purposes. For example, scientists could theoretically try to create a child constructor in which parents try to select the traits of their children to make them smarter, taller, better athletes, or with other supposedly necessary attributes.
Nothing like this is currently possible. But even the prospect causes fears of scientists to significantly change the course of evolution and the creation of people who are considered genetically improved, to come up with what dystopias of the future, described in films and books.
Any attempt to create babies from sperm, eggs or embryos that have their own DNA and attempt to edit can only be done under very carefully controlled conditions and only to prevent devastating disease.
It can be difficult to further distinguish between using gene editing to prevent or treat a disease and using it to enhance a person's abilities.
For example, if scientists manage to find out that gene changes increase mental abilities to fight off dementia in Alzheimer's disease, then this can be considered preventive medicine. If you simply radically improve the memory of a healthy person, then this is no longer a medical direction.
When is it allowed to change DNA
The ability to edit genes can be used to treat many diseases and possibly even prevent many devastating disorders from occurring in the first place by editing out genetic mutations in the sperm, egg and embryo. Some potential changes could prevent a wide range of diseases, including breast cancer, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and Huntington's disease.
Clinical trials for gene editing should be allowed if:
- no “reasonable alternative” to prevent “serious illness”
- it has been convincingly proven that genes, when edited, eliminate the cause of the disease
- changes are aimed only at the transformation of such genes that are associated with the usual state of health
- Sufficient preliminary research work has been carried out on the risks and potential health benefits
- continuous, rigorous supervision to study the effect of the procedure on the health and safety of participants, and long-term comprehensive plans
- there is maximum transparency in accordance with patient confidentiality and reassessment of health, social benefits and risks is underway
- there are robust oversight mechanisms in place to prevent the spread of a serious illness or condition.
Proponents of human germline editing argue that it could potentially reduce, or even eliminate, the occurrence of many serious genetic diseases that would reduce human suffering throughout the world. Opponents say that altering human embryos is dangerous and unnatural, and does not take into account the consent of future generations.
Discussion on the change of the human embryo
Let's start with the objection that changing the fetus is unnatural or playing against God.
This argument is based on the premise that natural is inherently good.
But illnesses are natural and people by the millions fall ill and die prematurely - all quite naturally. If we only protected natural beings and natural phenomena, we would not be able to use antibiotics to kill bacteria or otherwise practice medicine or fight drought, famine, pestilence. The health care system is maintained in every developed country and can rightly be described as part of a comprehensive attempt to thwart the course of nature. Which of course is neither good nor bad. Natural substances or natural treatments are better, if they are, of course, possible.
Leads to an important moment in the history of medicine and genome editing and represents promising scientific endeavors for the benefit of all mankind.
Interference with the human genome is permitted only for prophylactic, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes and without modification for offspring.
Rapid progress in the field of genetics, the so-called "designer babies" increases the need for bioethics for a broader public and debate about the power of science. Science is able to genetically modify human embryos in the laboratory to control inherited traits such as appearance and intelligence.
As of now, many countries have signed an international convention banning this kind of gene editing and DNA modification.
The work of the nervous system is carried out by means of electromagnetic impulses. Roughly speaking, this means that our entire brain works on magnetism, like a computer processor, and thoughts have a connection with electricity, recording information at the cellular level in much the same way as the head of a cassette tape recorder does. And since a person forms his thoughts into words, then we also encode our reality with language. We'll talk about this later.Of course, the authors of this study did not hear about. All the better. Their information confirms his words without looking for evidence that he is right. DNA is a bioacoustic antenna that not only carries information, but also receives it from outside. Just as thoughts can change the genes in an individual person, the general thoughts of an entire civilization can change its entire reality!
It has been scientifically proven that training the brain and stimulating certain areas of it can have a beneficial effect on health. Scientists have tried to understand exactly how these practices affect our body.
A new study by scientists in Wisconsin, Spain and France provides the first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body that occur after intense mindfulness meditation.
The study examined the results of using clear mind meditation in a group of experienced meditators and compared the effect with a group of untrained subjects who were engaged in a quiet, non-meditative activity. After 8 hours of clear mind meditation, the meditators were found to have genetic and molecular changes, including altered levels of gene regulation and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes that are responsible for physical recovery from stress.
“To our knowledge, this work demonstrates for the first time rapid changes in gene expression among subjects practicing clear mind meditation.” says study author Richard J. Davidson, founder of the Healthy Mind Research Center and professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"The most interesting thing is that the changes are observed in the genes that are currently being targeted for anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics" says Perla Kaliman, first author of the paper and researcher at the Institute for Biomedical Research (IIBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, where the molecular analysis was carried out.
Clear mind meditation has been found to have a positive effect on inflammatory diseases and is endorsed by the American Heart Association as a preventive intervention. New research results may demonstrate the biological mechanism of its therapeutic effect.
Gene activity can change depending on perception
According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, the activity of the gene can be changed based on daily training. If your perception is reflected in the chemistry in your body and your nervous system reads and interprets your environment and then controls your blood chemistry, you can literally change the fate of your cells by changing your thoughts.
In fact, Dr. Lipton's research clearly shows that by changing your perception, the brain is able to change the activity of genes and create more than thirty thousand variations of products from each gene. The scientist also claims that the gene programs are contained within the nucleus of the cell, and you can rewrite these genetic programs by changing the blood chemistry.
Simply put, this means thatfor cancer treatment we need to first change the way we think.
"The function of our mind is to harmonize our beliefs and real experiences" says Dr. Lipton. “This means that your brain will regulate your body biology and your behavior in accordance with your beliefs. If you were told that you were going to die within six months and your brain believed it, then chances are you will actually die within that time. This is called the "nocebo effect", the result of negative thoughts, the opposite of the placebo effect."
The Nocebo effect indicates a three-part system. Here the part of you that swears it doesn't want to die (consciousness) plays out the part that believes it will die (doctor's prediction, mediated by the subconscious), then a chemical reaction occurs (reinterpreted by brain chemistry) that is supposed to prove that the body conforms to the dominant belief
Neurology has recognized that 95 percent of our lives are controlled by the subconscious.
Now let's return to the part that does not want to die, that is, to consciousness. Doesn't it affect body chemistry? Dr. Lipton stated that it all comes down to the fact that the subconscious mind, which contains our deepest beliefs, has been programmed. Ultimately, it is these beliefs that take precedence.
"It's a difficult situation" says Dr. Lipton. “People are programmed to believe that they are victims and that they have no control over the situation. They are programmed from the very beginning by the beliefs of their parents. So, for example, when we are sick, our parents tell us to go to the doctor, because the doctor is the authority that cares about our health. We receive the message from our parents as early as childhood that doctors are responsible for our health and that we are victims of external forces that we cannot control ourselves. It's funny how people get better on the way to the doctor. That's when the innate ability to heal itself kicks in, another example of the placebo effect."
Clear Mind Meditation Affects Regulatory Pathways
The results of Davidson's research demonstrate the down regulation of genes involved in inflammation. Affected genes include the pro-inflammatory genes RIPK2 and COX2, as well as histone deacetylase (HDAC), which epigenetically regulate the activity of other genes. Moreover, a decrease in the expression of these genes was associated with a faster physical recovery of the body after the release of the hormone cortisol in a situation of social stress.
For years, biologists have suspected that something like epigenetic inheritance is going on at the cellular level. The various types of cells in our body confirm this example. The cells of the skin and the brain are endowed with different forms and functions, although their DNA is identical. So there must be mechanisms other than DNA to prove that skin cells remain skin cells when they divide.
Here's what's amazing: According to scientists, there were no differences in the genes of each of the studied groups before the practices. The above effects were noted only in the clear mind meditation group.
Because several other DNA-modified genes showed no difference between the groups, it is hypothesized that the practice of clear mind meditation affects only a few specific regulatory pathways.
A key finding of the research was that a group of clear-mind meditators experienced genetic changes that were not found in the other group, even though they also engaged in quiet activities. The result of the survey proves the principle: clear mind meditation practices can lead to epigenetic changes in the genome.
Previous studies in rodents and humans have shown a rapid (within hours) epigenetic response to stimuli such as stress, diet, or exercise.
"Our genes are quite dynamic in their expression, and these results suggest that the calmness of our minds may influence their expression." Davidson says.
“The results obtained can be the basis for studying the possibility of using meditative practices in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. » Kaliman says.
Unconscious beliefs are the key
Many practitioners of positive thinking know that good thoughts and constant repetition of affirmations do not always bring the effect that books on this topic promise. This point of view is not disputed by Dr. Lipton, who argues that positive thoughts come from the consciousness, while negative thoughts are usually programmed by a stronger subconscious mind.
“The main problem is that people are aware of their conscious beliefs and behaviors and are not aware of their unconscious messages and behaviors. Many people do not even realize that everything is controlled by the subconscious, a million times more powerful sphere than the consciousness. From 95 to 99 percent of our lives are controlled by subconscious programs.
“Your subconscious beliefs work for you or against you, but the truth is that you are not in control of your life because the subconscious takes the place of conscious control. So when you're trying to heal by repeating positive affirmations, it's possible that an invisible subconscious program is getting in the way."
The power of the subconscious is clearly visible in people suffering from a split personality. For example, when "at the helm" is one of the personalities, a person may suffer from a serious allergy to strawberries. At the same time, it is worth changing the personality - and the same person is able to eat strawberries without any consequences.
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It may seem that DNA is the main center of the molecule, without which its life is impossible. In fact, DNA is a rather sensitive complex molecule, which itself is capable of rapidly changing and exhibiting special properties. It is influenced by both our thoughts and intentions, as well as physical and chemical influences.
Complex chains of genetic codes, each link of which can stop working or become active at any moment - this is what constitutes the concentration of human genetic material. In addition, gene helixes can exhibit incredible properties and help store energy for an incredibly long time. But how is this possible and how can you tune your body to heal by influencing DNA?
light trap
Photons of light are not delayed, but are constantly scattered. In plants, light energy is converted into nutrient molecules, and in the human body, a helical DNA molecule can serve to capture photons of light. This was proven in an experiment with placing DNA in a quartz container and irradiating it with light. Interestingly, the light itself also acquired a spiral structure and could be stored for a month even after the DNA molecule was removed from the container. Such transformation and storage of light energy is available only to helical molecules, which are responsible for the transmission of genetic information.
Self Healing
Many people believe that heredity plays a major role in health. In fact, experimental data on the importance of positive thinking in managing DNA suggests that genes determine us only in part, while the rest of the person is responsible for his own diseases and tendencies. With stress, irritation, constant experiences, genes stop working normally, prerequisites for the development of diseases arise. Pathologies can affect absolutely any organs and tissues, but it all starts with thinking and self-destructive mechanisms of the impact of consciousness on spiral molecules.
The source of energy for the healing of cellular molecules is love. This is a method of targeted healing rejuvenation of cells, preventing their aging and destruction. Love allows you to increase positive energy and make thoughts stronger. Without love, the body cannot develop normally. This is proved by experimental observations, when children cannot fully develop if they lack parental affection and love. It has been proven, for example, that children from shelters are more likely to suffer from autism than babies who are cared for by their parents.
mental transformations
Structural changes in DNA can be influenced at a distance through intention.
If a person consciously concentrates on good thoughts, and his brain begins to radiate harmonious waves, but the DNA helix begins to transform. Moreover, if a person influences with positive thoughts and intentions, then the changes lead to healing transformations, and if there is directed anger, anger, irritation in the thoughts, then the DNA is tuned to the wave of dying. The thing is that the brain begins to transform thoughts into energy flows that are perceived and interpreted by DNA as signals for the restoration of the body, or, conversely, for self-destruction.
According to the experimental data, there were practically no changes in the structure of DNA placed in an isolated test tube with a neutral medium in the absence of mental influence. But when thoughts were focused on the test tube with DNA, changes began in 10% of the sections of the molecule, which carries genetic information. That's how healers work. They are able to convert positive thoughts and attitudes into brain wave energy. It is these waves that give the cells of the body signals about the need to heal organs and systems.
10.04.2015 13.10.2015
The human body contains between 50 and 100 trillion cells, each containing 23 pairs of chromosomes.
The sentence: “You can’t crush genes with your finger” was read and heard by many. The intended meaning of the phrase is what genes a person got from his parents, with those he will walk all his life.
Western scientists have found that 10% of the DNA in the human body is involved in the construction of proteins, and 90% of biologists consider DNA "junk" on the grounds that they do not know and do not understand their purpose.
Russian scientist - biophysicist, biologist P. Garyaev, together with colleagues, established and proved by experiments that the "junk" DNA of the human body can change under the influence of sounds of a certain frequency. That is, Russian scientists have proven that miraculous healings of people from deadly diseases (stage 4 cancer, AIDS, diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart) with the help of spells are not charlatanism or inventions of traditional healers, but a fact that has a scientific explanation.
Now it is possible to explain the impact on the human body of such activities / actions as affirmation, passionate prayer, hypnosis, which can change a person's behavior for the better.
Each person is independently able to change their own DNA for the better with the help of thought, language, word and way of life.
Information on how to get rid of "bad" heredity on your own
The fact that thought is material will not be challenged by the greatest scientist, the conservative. Only the vast majority of people misunderstand the phrase "thought is material." Everyone believes that it is enough to want something, and it should immediately come true. By analogy: a person put all the necessary radio components near him, wrote the word “radio” and waits for the music to play. In order for a set of radio components to become a radio receiver, a person needs to assemble them correctly. The phrase “correctly assemble” is decisive, because when a person needs to get from Bologoye to Moscow, and he goes to St. Petersburg, no matter how intensively he “stomps”, until he turns around, he will not get to Moscow.
In order to change the "bad" heredity, a person must do several mandatory things:
1. Desire to change your genes;
2. Outline the right plan with which you can change your genes;
3. Strictly adhere to the chosen correct plan;
craving
People involved in esotericism know that a passionate desire forms a need, that is, what a person passionately desires becomes necessary. In the universe, mechanisms are being launched by which a person can change his genes. More precisely, these mechanisms have existed since the creation of the Universe, but with his passionate desire, a person presses the “button” that is necessary FOR HIMSELF.
Map out the right plan
Let's look at the "right plan" for a person who is prone to alcoholism because his father "rewarded" such genes.
Such a person gets drunk faster than people who have normal genes, and his internal organs can quickly begin to irreversibly change from the alcohol he takes (cirrhosis of the liver, stroke, heart / kidney disease). It is not enough for such a person to simply “quit drinking”, the genes from such an act do not change, the “sword of Damocles” will always hang over him to go into a binge.
There must be a mental attitude that genes are changing - here and now. And changes will begin to occur, because the biochemical composition of a person will change. Someone will ask: "How and why?" After all, no one questions the fact that an absolutely sober person (did not drink alcohol) behaves like a drunk under the influence of a hypnotist. Think about it, the words of one person produced in another person a change in his biochemical composition and, as a result, his behavior changed.
Proper nutrition, the use of high-quality drinking water (it is necessary to melt), the correct daily routine (sleep from 19 - 00 to 24 - 00 is the most effective) and after a year a glass of alcohol will no longer have such an impact on a person as before realizing that you need what - then change in yourself.
Strictly adhere to the chosen correct plan
Here, perhaps, there is nothing to comment on. The option when we “do exercises” for a week, and then “to relax with a good snack” we drink alcohol will not work - sooner or later, irreversible processes will begin in the human body with all the ensuing consequences.
How medicine can help people change their DNA
At the gene level, there is a predisposition not only to alcoholism, but also to cancer, tuberculosis, heart / kidney / liver diseases and many others. And all these people can be helped to change their lives for the better.
I believe that this article does not need to describe the mechanism of influence on human DNA: ether, torsion fields, electromagnetic oscillations, resonant oscillations - a clear knowledge of these terms will not bring a person predisposed to any disease closer to health.
A change in human DNA in a positive direction will lead to: 
· Awareness that he can change it to do;
· Actions in the right direction, his, the patient's, actions, and not the doctor, mom / dad / acquaintances / friends. “The road will be mastered by the walking one”;
A person is 85% water, in old age up to 60%. Therefore, it is difficult to underestimate the importance of high-quality drinking water for human health. Water absorbs and stores the information that a person put into it.
In the morning, after sleep, put a glass of good drinking water on the palm of your left hand, and with the palm of your right hand move clockwise around the glass and confidently say whatever you want it to happen in your body. Just don't doubt that it will happen. Doubts are able to destroy the very powerful construction, remember as in the Bible: "According to your faith it will be to you."
For some reason, people are too lazy to move, even for themselves. If you want to change your DNA, it will definitely happen, only you need to do things.
Jennifer Doudna is a well-known scientist from the USA, whose works are mainly devoted to structural biology and biochemistry. Jennifer is a laureate of many prestigious awards, in 1985 she received a bachelor's degree, and already in 89 she became a doctor of philosophy at Harvard University. Since 2002 he has been working at the University of California at Berkeley. She is widely known as a researcher of RNA interference and CRISPR. Conducted research on Cas9 with Emmanuelle Charpentier.
00:12
A few years ago, my colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier and I invented a new technology for editing genomes. It's called CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR technology allows scientists to make changes to the DNA inside cells, which could enable us to cure genetic diseases.
00:31
You may be interested to know that CRISPR technology originated as part of a basic research project to understand how bacteria fight viral infections. Bacteria have to deal with viruses in their environment, and a viral infection can be thought of as a ticking time bomb: the bacterium has only a few minutes to render it harmless before the bacterium is destroyed. In the cells of many bacteria, there is an adaptive immune system - CRISPR, which allows them to detect and destroy viral DNA.
01:04
The CRISPR system includes the Cas9 protein, which is able to search for, cleave, and ultimately destroy viral DNA in a special way. And it was during our research into the activity of this protein, Cas9, that we realized that we could use its activity in a genetically engineered technology that would allow scientists to remove and insert DNA fragments inside cells with incredible precision, which would allow us to do what was previously it was simply impossible.
01:42
CRISPR technology is already being used to change DNA in mice and monkeys, as well as other organisms. Recently, Chinese scientists have shown that they have even been able to use CRISPR technology to modify the genes of human embryos. Scientists from Philadelphia have shown the possibility of using CRISPR to remove the DNA of an integrated HIV virus from infected human cells.
02:09
The ability to do genome editing in this way also raises various ethical issues to keep in mind, because the technology can be applied not only to adult cells, but also to embryos of various organisms, including our species. Thus, together with colleagues, we began an international discussion of the technology we invented in order to be able to take into account all the ethical and social problems associated with such technologies.
02:39
And now I want to tell you what CRISPR technology is, what it allows you to do, where we are now and why I think that we need to move forward with caution on the path of using this technology.
02:54
When viruses infect a cell, they inject their DNA. And inside the bacterium, the CRISPR system allows you to pull this DNA out of the virus and insert small fragments of it into the chromosome - into the DNA of the bacterium. And these pieces of viral DNA are inserted into a region called CRISPR. CRISPR stands for "short palindromic repeats regularly arranged in clusters". (Laugh)
03:24
Too long. Now you understand why we use the acronym CRISPR. This is a mechanism that allows cells to register, over time, the viruses that infect them. And it is important to note that these DNA fragments are passed on to the descendants of cells, so that cells are protected from viruses not for one generation, but for many generations of cells. This allows the cells to keep a "record" of the infection, and as my colleague Blake Widenheft says, the CRISPR locus is actually the cell's genetic vaccination card. After inserting these DNA fragments into the bacterial chromosome, the cell makes a small copy in the form of a molecule called RNA, in this picture it is orange, and this is an exact print of the viral DNA. RNA is the chemical "cousin" of DNA, which allows it to interact with DNA molecules that have a suitable sequence for it.
04:24
So these little pieces of RNA from the CRISPR locus associate, bind to a protein called Cas9, which is white in this picture, and form a complex that acts as a sentry in the cell. It scans all of the DNA in the cell to find regions that match the RNA sequences associated with it. And when these sites are found, as you can see in the figure, where DNA is the blue molecule, this complex binds to this DNA and allows the Cas9 protein to cut the viral DNA. He cuts the gap very accurately. We can think of this sentry, the complex of the Cas9 protein and RNA, as a pair of scissors that can cut DNA - it makes a double-strand break in the DNA helix. And it is important that this complex can be programmed, for example, it can be programmed to recognize the necessary DNA sequences and cut the DNA in this area.
05:26
As I'm about to tell you, we realized that this activity could be used in genetic engineering to allow cells to make very precise changes to the DNA at the site where the cut was made. It's like using a word processing program to correct typos in a document.
05:48
We were able to suggest that the CRISPR system can be used in genomic engineering, since cells are able to find broken DNA and repair it. So, when a plant or animal cell finds a double-strand break in its DNA, it is able to repair it, either by joining the broken ends of the DNA, making a slight change in the sequence at that location, or it can repair the break by inserting a new stretch of DNA at the break. Thus, if we can introduce double-strand breaks in DNA in strictly defined places, we can force cells to repair these breaks, while either destroying genetic information or introducing new one. And if we could program the CRISPR technology so that a DNA break is introduced at or near a mutation that causes cystic fibrosis, for example, we could get cells to fix that mutation.
06:51
Actually, genomic engineering is not a new field, it has been developing since the 1970s. We have the technology to sequence DNA, to copy DNA, even to manipulate DNA. And these are very promising technologies, but the problem is that they were either ineffective or too difficult to use, so most scientists could not use them in their laboratories or apply them in clinical settings. So there was a need for a technology like CRISPR because it's relatively easy to use. You can think of old genome engineering as having to rewire your computer every time you want to run a new program, while CRISPR is like genome software: we can easily program it using small pieces of RNA.
07:53
Once a double-strand break is made, we can trigger a repair process and thereby possibly achieve amazing results, such as fixing mutations that cause sickle cell anemia or Huntington's disease. Personally, I believe that the first applications of CRISPR technology will be in the blood, where it is relatively easy to deliver this tool into cells, compared to dense tissues.
08:22
Right now, a lot of ongoing work is using the method in animal models of human disease, such as mice. Technology is used to make very precise changes, which allows us to study how these changes in cellular DNA affect either tissue or, as here, the whole organism.
08:42
In this example, CRISPR technology was used to disrupt a gene by making a small change to the DNA in the gene responsible for the black coat color in these mice. Imagine, these white mice differ from their colored brothers and sisters in just a small change in one gene in the entire genome, but otherwise they are completely normal. And when we sequence the DNA of these animals, we find that the change in the DNA happened exactly in the place where we planned, using CRISPR technology.
09:18
Experiments are also being carried out on other animals in which it is convenient to create models of human diseases, for example, on monkeys. And in this case, we find that these systems can be used to test the application of this technology to certain tissues, for example, to figure out how to deliver a CRISPR tool into cells. We also want to expand our understanding of how we can control how DNA is repaired after it breaks, and find out how we can control and limit off-target effects, or unintended effects, when using this technology.
09:55
I believe that we will see the use of this technology in the clinic, of course, in adult patients, within the next 10 years. It seems likely to me that there will be clinical trials and perhaps even therapies approved during this period, which is very encouraging. And because of this excitement that the technology generates, there is a huge interest in it from start-up companies created to turn CRISPR technology into a commercial product, as well as many venture capitalists,
10:26
investing in such companies. But we must also consider that CRISPR technology can be used to improve performance. Imagine if we could try to design humans with improved characteristics, such as stronger bones, or less proneness to cardiovascular disease, or even features that we might find desirable, such as a different eye color or more tall, something like that. If you want, these are "design people". Now there is practically no genetic information that allows us to understand which genes are responsible for these traits. But it is important to understand that CRISPR technology has given us the tool to make these changes,
11:13
as soon as this knowledge becomes available to us. This raises a number of ethical questions that we must carefully consider. And that is why my colleagues and I called on scientists around the world to pause any clinical applications of CRISPR technology in human embryos so that we have time to carefully consider all the possible consequences of this. And we have an important precedent for such a pause: in the 1970s, scientists came together to declare a moratorium on the use of molecular cloning,
11:47
until the technology has been thoroughly tested and proven safe. So while the genetic engineering of humans is delayed, it is no longer science fiction. Genetically engineered animals and plants already exist. And this imposes on all of us a great responsibility and the need to consider both the undesirable consequences and the role of the deliberate influence of this scientific breakthrough.
12:21
Thanks!
12:22
(Applause) (Applause ended)
Bruno Giussani: Jennifer, this technology could have huge implications, as you pointed out. We highly respect your position on the announcement of a pause, or a moratorium, or a quarantine. All of this, of course, has therapeutic implications, but there are also non-treatment ones, and it seems that these are the ones that attract the most interest, especially in the media. Here is one of the latest issues of The Economist: "Editing Humanity." It only talks about improving properties, not about healing. What kind of reaction did you get in March from your colleagues in the scientific community when you asked or offered to pause and think about all this?
Jennifer Doudna: I think colleagues were glad to have the opportunity to discuss this openly. It is interesting that when I talked about this with people, my fellow scientists and not only expressed very different points of view on this matter. Obviously, this topic requires careful consideration and discussion.
BJ: There will be a big meeting in December that you and your colleagues are convening together with the National Academy of Sciences and others. What exactly do you expect from this meeting, from a practical point of view?
JD A: I hope that the views of many people and stakeholders willing to responsibly consider the use of this technology will be made public. It may not be possible to reach a consensus, but I believe that we should at least understand what problems we will face in the future.
BJ: Your colleagues, for example, George Church at Harvard, say: “Ethical issues are basically a security issue. We test again and again on animals, in laboratories, and when we feel that there is no danger, we switch to humans.” This is a different approach: we must seize this opportunity and must not stop. Could this cause a split in the scientific community? That is, we will see that some people will retreat because they doubt ethics, while others will simply go forward, since in some countries there is little or no control.
JD : I think any new technology, especially one like this, will have a few different points of view, and I think that's completely understandable. I believe that eventually this technology will be used to construct the human genome, but it seems to me that doing this without carefully considering and discussing the risks and possible complications it would be irresponsible.
BJ: There are many technologies and other fields of science that are developing exponentially, in fact, as in your field. I mean artificial intelligence, autonomous robots and so on. Nowhere, it seems to me, except for the field of autonomous military robots, has anyone initiated a similar discussion in these areas, calling for a moratorium. Do you think that your discussion can be an example for other areas?
JD: I think it's hard for scientists to leave the lab. Speaking about me, I'm not very comfortable doing it. But I do believe that since I am involved in the development of this, this fact imposes a responsibility on me and my colleagues. And I would say that I hope that other technologies will be considered in the same way that we would like to consider something that can have an impact. in fields other than biology.
15:44
BJ: Jennifer, thank you for coming to TED.
JD: Thanks!
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