Chapter #9 : CRISPR, Should we use it to edit embryos genome ?

Chapter #9 : CRISPR, Should we use it to edit embryos genome ?

https://soundcloud.com/zoz19-202289416/podcast-presentation

CRISPR is a powerful genome editing  tool that can participate in transforming the field of gene therapy to prevent millions of diseases. CRISPR stands for clustered interspaced short palindromic repeats, which is a specific patterns of DNA sequences, that can be cut by the aid of another enzyme called Caspase 9 to create new genome. How scientists discovered CRISPR? How CRISPR work to prevent diseases? Is it safe to be used on embryos? What are the ethical issues surrounding this technique? Are there any other useful applications for CRISPR? 

All of these questions are answered on the audio link above.

Recources:

https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students99/wharam.htm

https://www.musc.edu/humanvalues/pdf/gene-therapy.pdf

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/therapy/ethics

http://thirdspacemedical.com/services/internal-anti-aging/restorative-medicine/diagnostics-and-testing/genetic-fit-test/

Chapter 8: Final thoughts and personal perspective

Chapter 8: Final thoughts and personal perspective

            While doing my research about gene therapy, I realized that the benefits of this technology can be very huge in preventing countless number of diseases. However, ethical issues that arises from gene therapy and the fear of using this technology for genetic enhancement  participated somehow in abandon the use of it. Personally, I think that the benefits of using gene therapy can in some cases outweigh the ethical concerns.  Furthermore, I believe that strict government regulation of the use of gene therapy can solve the fears of using it in the wrong way. For these reasons, I think that we should encourage the use of gene therapy and continue on discovering how to treat more diseases using gene therapy approach.  

         

   Finally, I would like to thank you all for the time you spend reading my blog. I hope I provided you with all information you would like to know about gene therapy.  

Image resource:

https://choward2614.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/a-very-public-thank-you-to-robin-tidwell/