A simple way to understand CRISPR gene-editing technology
In November of 2018, the scientist He Jiankui revealed that he birthed healthy twins which had been genetically engineered without the CCR5 gene — hopefully rendering the offspring resistant to HIV, smallpox, and cholera. Immediately, there was a global uproar in the science community which mounted fear-mongering proclamations in mass media that the era of designer babies was among us. Seven months later, a Russian biologist is looking for approval of a similar experiment.
The process in question here is called CRISPR-Cas9 (or CRISPR for short):
CRISPR technology is a simple yet powerful tool for editing genomes. It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. Its many potential applications include correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving crops… [CRISPR] acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA.
These molecular scissors have been glorified to the level of taking human evolution into our own hands — a possibility with great potential reward. At the same time, as we pointed out two years ago this technology could help create a new form of speciation — where economic inequality becomes biological inequality. The New York Times echoes this in their…
