By Xingyu Gao (Nicole)

Genetic modification has becoming a popular topic since the technology developed rapidly in 21th century. Human beings are so curious about genetic engineering, also they are so fear of that technology actually works on human ourselves and we have to accept those changes no matter they are positive or negative. So we are always careful with genetic experiments.

In order to avoid unwanted gene, the related gene segments need to be changed in the early. The fertilized ovum carries all the information of a human being, it was decided and never change as it grows up and eventually developed to a fully formed organism. So this prototype visualize its use on change gene segments in fertilized ovum.

In this scenario, there is a female Lily Chen who is preparing having a baby. According to the procedure of pregnancy, she wants to do a pre-pregnancy test ensure her baby is 100% healthy. We got her blood sample for analysis. Unfortunately, through technical testing, her gene carries a mutation on the x chromosome, a genetic mutation that causes her future child to suffer from autism. Autism is a diffuse central nervous system developmental disorder caused by a variety of environmental factors under certain genetic factors（Kuras, 2016）. So all we have to do is fix this genetic factor and change its specific fragment on the DNA so that Lily’s offspring and each subsequent generation will no longer have this disease.

The principle of this project is not difficult to understand. When a virus invades a bacterium, the DNA of the virus is injected into the bacteria, which is fatal to the bacteria. Therefore, the elimination of viral DNA has become the main task. At this time, the bacteria will identify the DNA of these viruses in their own database, that is, CRISPR, and give the “navigation information” to a “cutting guard” – Cas9 protein, which will cut the DNA of the virus, and the bacteria will saved. More importantly, these integrated genes are passed on to the next generation of bacteria, protecting the next generation from the same virus. In short, CRISPR is the database and Cas9 is the weapon.

For all of this, I know what you want to say: Will humanity in the future be human?

When the CRISPR/Cas9 is mature enough to not only eliminate all genetic-related diseases, but also to modify every subtle feature of a person, don’t you want your next generation to grow taller and better? Let his/her eyes be big and the nose is quite straight? In short, once humans use CRISPR/Cas9 for embryo editing, this Pandora’s Box is no longer likely to be closed. When each creature becomes the most perfect existence in nature, what is the unique difference and naturalness of all things? But on the other hand, after the birth of the first “perfect baby”, the ethical view of human beings on the design of the baby may change: if the embryo is not genetically edited, it is equivalent to letting the birth be born. Babies suffer from illness and death. Not genetically editing embryos has become a new “immoral” .

 

References:

Michelle, K, 2016, “Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Autism”, blog, viewed 16/10/2018,< https://blog.stageslearning.com/blog/recognizing-the-signs-and-symptoms-of-autism>

 

By Xingyu Gao (Nicole)

Background: interview with an obstetrician-gynecologist

Professor Huang is an expert in reproductive medicine who is currently a professor of Shanghai Jiaotong University. Speaking of genetic modification in clinical using, she knows a lot and holds her own opinion. While asking her whether genetic engineering is widely use, she nodded. According to the data(Zhang, 2018), the birth defect rate in China is as high as 5.6%, and the number of birth defects is about 900,000 per year. The annual economic loss caused by birth defects in China exceeds 20 billion yuan. Government has established three precaution methods for birth defects but they are still not enough to prevent giving birth to a defective baby, therefore the significance of genetic editing is obvious. Here, birth defects refer to the general term of various structural malformations and functional abnormalities at birth caused by congenital, hereditary and adverse environment(EMORY, 2008), as fact suggests, there are 30% of them are caused by hereditary. Professor Huang demonstrated the significance of these new technologies in controlling birth defects with success stories in several clinical applications. Last year, Ms. Yang, a mother who seeking for children extremely difficult came to professor Huang. Ms. Yang lost her children three times before, as a result of carrying the pathogenic gene. Professor Huang used PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) technology to block the pathogenic gene and eventually had a healthy baby girl, she told Ms. Yang that the genetic disease of her family will be no longer exist in the future. This is a typical example of genetic editing in China which In terms of gene editing, some domestic fields are also at the forefront of the world, including genetic editing techniques for hereditary diseases. However, the technology has relative risks include technical and ethical risks. In recent years, with the popularization of gene editing technology, especially the molecular scissors technology CRISPR-Cas9 technology, there are more and more ethical and moral disputes on the transformation of human genes. Professor Huang believes that genetic editing should continue under appropriate legal and ethical supervision. In specific, if genetic editing of early human embryos or germ cells is performed in the study, the modified cells should not be used for pregnancy purposes.

There is a case happened in June 2018 in the north of china (TMTPOST, 2018), a woman recognized the positive result of prenatal examination, so she didn’t take further test on the advice of doctors, but eventually gave birth to a baby with birth defects and as a result in tragedy. Therefore, I have a question that can DNA examination be accepted and become the most credible test? Professor Huang said that it would not be a problem in the future, the result can be much more accurate as the technology is developing. Opportunities and challenges are simultaneously unfolding in front of human beings, and in the case that human beings are not fully prepared at the technical, legal, and ethical levels, every step we take must be careful, because it is impossible to be God.

References:

Dan, Z. 2018, “China researching rising birth defects as ease on child limits contributes to older mothers”, Global Times, viewed 15/10/2018

Department of Human Genetics, 2008, “Genetic Population Risk for Birth Defects”, EMORY University School of Medicine

by Xingyu Gao(Nicole)

Youtube Link:

U.S. Scientists Use CRISPR to Fix Genetic Disease in Human Embryos For the First Time

This article reflects my understanding, cognition and thoughts after viewing the documentary of  CRISPR.

 

Genetic engineering used to be popular in the world in the early 20^thcentury when physical anthropology and genetics flourished, and a new theory called “eugenics” appeared. With the advancement of technology and changes of people’s thoughts, most studies and experiments focus on genetic improvement. Creating “artificially transformed babies” is a topic of concern. It’s not entirely far-fetched to think that we might one day use Technology to edit the human genome to eliminate disease, or choose athletic ability, or to get better intelligence. On June 2nd 2016, Science magazine published a breakthrough on CRISPR technology(figure1) which has been developed as an efficient gene editing tool. (figure1:Specific operation process diagram of CRISPR-Cas9)

Take one of experiments as an example, Scientists at the university of Oregon health and science and colleagues in California, China and South Korea say they have repaired dozens of embryos to tackle mutations that cause a common heart disease that often causes sudden death in children as they grow up(Cater, J. and Wiedenheft, B. 2015). If embryos that repair the mutation can develop into babies, they will not have the disease or transfer it to their offspring. To achieve this, scientists put CRISPR/Cas9 with an egg，then let them be fertilized with a sperm. The CRISPR/Cas9 is a system built into bacterial DNA that helps it identify and defend against attack viruses in humans. This process is just like record what suspects look like, and when they find it with specific genetic code, they chop it off to remove the threat.

However，people holds different perspective towards this kind of technology. On the one hand, it helps reduce the rates of getting diseases as born, and it’s permanent. In addition, many couples suffer from certain DNA issue that causes infertility or effect the fetus, this technology has potential to cure them. On the other hand, some people may concern it can be abused: what if there is only male progeny in the future-and then use gene drives across the population, as time goes by, the population will go extinct. From an ethical perspective, the less intervention in the reproductive process is correct. The religious community is worried that genetically modified babies will bring endless social problems. In 2001, Sing TaoNewspaper (Hong Kong) published that the reverend honorable Fung Chi-wood(2001) pointed out that the genetic modification of the baby causes adaptation problem. Where did the baby come from? “If a baby has genes from multiple persons, then who is his parents?” Fung said. This will increase orphans and lead to genetic discrimination problem, the worst thing is to repeat the history of Nazi Germany screening eugenics. In summary, genetic modification does more good than harm, it depends on how people use the technology rightly. What’s more, relevant departments of government should public relevant laws and regulations to restrict its use.

There are thousands of genetic diseases in humans. Although not everyone brings huge physical harm, some people may suffer from it, and even suffer for generations. We have the need to transform our own body, and this demand is universal. Irreplaceable. Science itself has always offered possibilities only and not promised results. The same is true of life sciences that the combination of eugenics with specific history is rejected. But eugenics and human rights are fundamentally contradictory.

 

Reference

 

1. Abudayyeh, O. O. et al. 2016, C2c2 is a single-component programmable RNA-guided RNA-targeting CRISPR effector, Science, aaf5573.

2. Alice, P. 2017, U.S. “Scientists Use CRISPR to Fix Genetic Disease in Human Embryos For the First Time”, TIME Health, viewed 08/10/2018,<http://time.com/4882855/crispr-gene-editing-human-embryo/>

3. Cater, J. and Wiedenheft, B. 2015, Snapshot：CRISPR-RNA-guided adaptive immune system., Cell.163(1): 260-260.

4. Jackson, R.N., and Wiedenheft, B. 2015, “A conserved structural chassis for mounting versatile CRISPR RNA-guided immune responses”, Mol. Cell. 58, p.p.722–728.

 

 

Contain:

1. chance of suffering a heart attack.
2. Acquiring cancer
3. Getting addicted to smoking or tobacco
4. Taking drugs
5. Physical appearance feature elements

Link: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/11558305/China-shocks-world-by-genetically-engineering-human-embryos.html

1.https://academic.oup.com/asj/pages/asian_aesthetic_surgery
2.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113686/
3.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4579160/

 

“完美计划”

 

How futuring begins?

by Xingyu Gao (Nicole)

Research is what every scholar has to do and which is the quickest to gain knowledge from others. There are various of ways to do research which depend on different occasions. In the journal of Australian studies (Martin, 2003), authors looked at the research problem from their own positions. The study is about what the indigenous people view of the theory put forward by westerners. The method is put oneself in a part of the other, and the other is a part of oneself, by doing this answers of research questions can be more critical and objective. As an indigenous herself, environments of society, history, culture and policy provide contexts to shape positions and future. The process of researching always repeats again and again, re-visit, re-connect, re-present, etc.

To futuring, it requires basis of present reality, possibilities and feasibility. Time is a significant tool to help designing future, it tells what has happened and places that may otherwise remain invisible or meaningless. It was used in Tony Fry’s article (2009), the main methodology in this journal is standing in the stream of time and learning from it. In addition, also requires skill and practice which tell more potentials and future determinants. As Fry states out, future imagination shouldn’t be just a fiction with sensational predictions as there are multiple complex problems in the future scenario. Instead, deep-researched sources and critical analysis are desired.

Imagination is more like an indispensable tool for me to build my future scenario. In order to imagine possibilities in the future, one way is list related elements in the scenario, select some typical things out. After this, you can take them to a coordinate, there are two parameters can go to their different extremes each. This method seems like a combination of mathematics and mapping. In my view, the intersection is where we stand right now and the start of imagination. In the class, we’ve discussed what will our lives be like when wealth and time go to different values. What we end up with was pretty dynamic. People imagine the best and the worst condition normally based on their experiences and desire from inside. When met something not familiar with, we might referenced others’ experiences around. At this point, it can be seen a method “user’s story”. Every person tells their own stories which provide a large number of data to consider from aspects. One thing I find interesting is that paradox always exists in futuring. Theoretically, we may prefer the situation “++”the most and situation “–”is the most-unwanted. However, the outcome is that the last thing we want is about “-+”zone. That is why we were told to concrete analysis of specific problems. By asking “flourishing or being exploited?” to identify barriers and understand issues (Brown, 2017). In different fields of studies may not work the same but focus on same ideology. For instance, in business understanding the stakeholders and their desires involves analyzing various groups of people involved in economic activity. There is always no answer to please everyone, the more you consider, the more people benefit.

 

Research about autonomous cars:

References:

Fry, Tony. “Design futuring: sustainability, ethics and new practice”. ‘Methods of Change 2 — Designing in Time’ in Design Futuring, Oxford : Berg, c2009 pp.145-155