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DARPA
unveils gene editing infrastructure
to build genetically engineered “super
soldiers”
In the Marvel comic books, Steve Rogers is a character that transforms
from a rather weak and skinny man into a supersoldier with the help of gene
editing technology. For decades since fans were officially introduced to
Captain America in 1941, this fictional character has fascinated people throughout
the country and across the world. Now, thanks to new technology and millions of
dollars spent on research, it appears that you no longer have to live in a
fictional world full of superheroes and villains to become a supersoldier
similar to Captain America.
According to the official website for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA), “The Safe Genes program aims to deliver novel
biological capabilities to facilitate the safe and expedient pursuit of
advanced genome editing applications, while also providing the tools and
methodologies to mitigate the risk of unintentional consequences or intentional
misuse of these technologies.”
Recently, DARPA announced that it has assigned seven teams to fulfill
the goals set forth by the Safe Genes Program in order to better understand how
gene editing technologies work. If all goes well, the program could potentially
help troops become immune from infectious disease, defend certain forms of
wildlife against invasive species, and limit the spread of mosquitoes that
carry diseases.
Over the next four years, DARPA is set to distribute $65 million amongst
the seven teams, which include the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard
Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, North Carolina State University, UC Berkeley and UC Riverside.
DARPA says that each of these seven teams will pursue at least one of
three overarching objectives, which includes: 1) the development of technology
that can initiate and reverse genome editors inside of living organisms, 2) the
development of drug-based countermeasures as a means of limiting the genome
editing process in order to maintain genome integrity, and 3) develop
technology that can erase unwanted genes and bring them back to their original
state.
“Part of our challenge and commitment under Safe Genes is to make sense
of the ethical implication of gene editing technologies, understanding people’s
concerns and directing our research to proactively address them so that
stakeholders are equipped with data to inform future choices,” said Dr.
Wegrzyn, the manager of the Safe Genes program.
Dr. Wegrzyn added that it is difficult to draw a line between ethics and
technology development when it comes to gene editing, but “we’re hopeful that
the model we establish with Safe Genes will guide future research efforts in
this space.”
Indeed, the ethics surrounding the debate over gene manipulation are
questionable at best. While there would more than likely be many good things
that come from gene editing, such as making certain people immune to infectious
diseases, there is still the question of whether or not human beings should be
messing with the genetic makeup of living organisms in the first place.
Everything on this earth was created a certain way for a reason, and one could
argue that it is not our place to be altering it just because we have the
technology to do so.
Furthermore, many people have serious concerns over what widespread gene
manipulation would mean for future generations. Genes, of course, are passed on
from parents to their children, down to their children’s children, and so on.
While it would be great for a gene to be passed down that, for example, made
future generations immune from a particular disease, what if a mistake was
passed down instead? What if the genetic modification accidentally put future
generations at a disadvantage rather than an advantage?
There is no doubt that DARPA’s new gene editing initiative is intriguing
and even somewhat inspiring, but it is also important to weigh the risks with
the rewards. Otherwise, our children and our grandchildren may be forced to
suffer the consequences.
ΠΗΓΕΣ: Jayson Veley, Natural News, Monday,
July 31, 2017.
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