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First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

technologyreview.com

11–20 of 292 posts

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#11
We would need a very particular set of conditions for embryonic editing to be justifiable under a medical dogma that aims to "do no harm." Both parents would need to carry a large common set of recessive deleterious alleles, as this would make embryonic selection of non-carriers very difficult. Then we would need the editing system to be so reliable as to not introduce off-target mutations. In a preimplantation setting, we can't easily observe if non-desired mutations have been introduced in some cells, as this would require sequencing every cell in the developing embryo. Serious disease introduced through chimeric errors in the editing process would be a real possibility, and there is no feasible way we could guard against this result using sequencing as it would require destruction of the embryo.

A more realistic scenario would be to develop a human embryonic stem cell culture that has been edited as desired and then implant this into a developing blastocyst at a point at which it would take over the and develop into the fetus. This is done with mice and there is no reason it wouldn't work for humans. I think that most people would find this much more abhorrent than directly editing the germline. However, it would be much safer for the engineered proband and would not require a "perfect" editing system that we do not have.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#12
I am so insanely excited for the potential of this technology. There are many ethical questions here, but the potential benefits far outweigh the downsides. In the near future, we can detect and eliminate genetic disorders, ensuring no child has to suffer from these defects any longer. Long term, this gives us a tool to take control of our own evolution in a way never before possible.

Couldn't be more excited for what's possible.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#13
post #7
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kind of addressed in the article. I'd still like to see more data before calling the issue "addressed". (Then again, this is a lay-press article, so I don't entirely expect a lot of detail)

Not sure I would call MIT technology review lay press

Good point... but how would you describe it? It's not exactly lay-press, but it's still a secondary source. It's written for an educated audience, but not necessarily in this field.

What would you call them in this case? Science press?

Still - not enough room in an article like this for too many details.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#14
post #2

Related: 'Unexpected mutations after CRISPR–Cas9 editing in vivo' http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v14/n6/full/nmeth.4293.h...

This paper was incredibly sloppy and has been widely dismissed by scientists in the field.

Well it was refuted by people in biotech, who have a considerable stake in that field.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608073/gene-editing-compa...

I thought the original authors had a rebuttal, but I can't seem to find it.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#15
CRISPR is coming. I seriously think with CRISPR we could see several trillion dollar companies. From cancer and aids cures to fundamentally altering what it means to be human, this is all within the near grasp of CRISPR ( if what i've been reading is to be believed ).

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#16
post #6

The talk is of 'genetic enhancement' but the potential benefit seems more boring and necessary to me: removal of many new and as-yet-unidentified mutations. It is thought that these have been accumulating generation by generation since about 1800 when child mortality started to fall.

I would be very interested to read an academic paper that made this point. 200 years is a blink of an eye in almost any vertebrate's evolutionary time.

Also, to support your claim, one would need evidence that the child mortality of the past reflected genetic unfitness (as opposed to poverty or the unavailability of antibiotics).

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#17
post #11

We would need a very particular set of conditions for embryonic editing to be justifiable under a medical dogma that aims to "do no harm." Both parents would need to carry a large common set of recessive deleterious alleles, as this would make embryonic selection of non-carriers very difficult. Then we would need the editing system to be so reliable as to not introduce off-target mutations. In a preimplantation setti…

[deleted]

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#18

I am so insanely excited for the potential of this technology. There are many ethical questions here, but the potential benefits far outweigh the downsides. In the near future, we can detect and eliminate genetic disorders, ensuring no child has to suffer from these defects any longer. Long term, this gives us a tool to take control of our own evolution in a way never before possible. Couldn't be more excited for wha…

While I appreciate the optimism in this sentiment, the similarity to the early atomic age gives me pause. Human beings have shown time and time again that they cannot be absolutely trusted.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#19
post #6

The talk is of 'genetic enhancement' but the potential benefit seems more boring and necessary to me: removal of many new and as-yet-unidentified mutations. It is thought that these have been accumulating generation by generation since about 1800 when child mortality started to fall.

Why would you throw away the biodiversity of our species? You're forgetting about the huge bulk of mutations that have been tested (and were embryonic lethal). Our rapidly growing species has only accumulated mutations that don't cause us to die, and that's an immensely valuable resource to have. The evolution rate of a species is proportional to its genetic diversity.

Re: First Human Embryos Edited in U.S

#20
Gene editing is probably the only way humans can colonize space. By adapting people to different gravities, air chemistry and pressure, radiation, etc., the need for life support equipment can be significantly reduced, and the quality of life of the colonists can be improved.
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