The Genaerrative Manifesto
We need to talk.
Humanity as we know it is about to change. Not because of President Trump and the rise of populism. Or because of rising BRICS nations and a post-Brexit EU. No, humanity as we know it is about to change because we are about to change ourselves. It’s only a matter of time before we begin editing the genetic code of our children, their children, and all human generations to come.
Welcome to the era of human gene editing.
Human gene editing means changing the instructions for how we grow and develop. It means understanding who we are and making ourselves healthier, smarter, stronger, or better. It is a fundamental rewrite of our species.
This is not a sci-fi fad. All the signs point to an impending future in which human gene editing is common.
With the recent advent of new gene editing techniques including CRISPR/Cas, TALENs, and ZFNs, we have more power and control than ever with regard to altering biology. We can now sequence an organism’s genetic code and make changes to it with a few relatively simple steps. With each passing day, these tools become more efficient, more accurate, and more affordable as genetic engineering begins to take after Moore’s law.
Beyond the fundamental technology, the scientific community is beginning to change. Just over a year ago, the International Summit on Human Gene Editing called for all scientists to stop work on gene editing in viable human embryos (embryos that have the potential to develop into living babies) based on diverging ethical perspectives and safety uncertainties. Only this past week, the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reversed that decision, declaring in a report that researchers should proceed with caution to consider editing human embryos “for compelling purposes of treating or preventing serious disease or disabilities.” This represents a monumental shift in the scientific community. For the first time ever, we have decided that it might be OK — in certain circumstances — to make changes to human genes that will be inherited by all future generations.
The NAS report raises immediate questions about the future of gene editing. When will we feel confident enough to begin using gene editing techniques in human trials? What domestic and global policy should regulate alteration of the human genome? What defines a “compelling reason” for editing to take place and at what point does disease prevention cross over into human enhancement? Moreover, how should humanity feel about our core code being altered, and how should we weigh in to express and nuance our viewpoints?
Without the answers to these questions, society may find itself once again struggling to catch up with the ethical, social, and security implications of technology run rampant. The same phenomenon produced nuclear armament, mutually assured destruction, cybersecurity breaches, cyberbullying, and more. We need to talk. Not just as scientists in our lab coats or academics in our ivory towers, but also as civilians, politicians, regulators, students, civil servants, parents, children, baby boomers, millennials — all members of the human species.
Sure, there are plenty of articles and TED talks about gene editing that call for conversation, but where is it actually happening? How does the NAS intend to facilitate the “public participation” it encourages? Where can everyday humans start to come together to form an opinion on changing the very fabric of our lives?
Enter Genaerrative.
Together, we will generate a narrative around gene editing that takes into account viewpoints ranging from research and medicine to ethics and policy. Genaerrative intends to be the locus for conversation on human gene editing. We will follow the latest news, engage in conversation with thought leaders, track growing trends, and explore the philosophy of a fundamentally changed human species. Genaerrative will serve as a platform by, about, and for everyone. After all, how can humanity begin to change itself if it does not know how it wants to change?
The era of human gene editing has begun. Are you ready? Follow us.
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Listen to our first podcast here.
Read our first ethics column here.
Learn more about the timeline of human genome here.
And, most importantly, GET INVOLVED HERE!
