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The Challenges and Opportunities of Genome Editing | Prof. William Hurlbut

The Thomistic Institute

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Using Targeted DNA Modifications to Prevent Diseases

Scientists are turning on a system of fetal hemoglobin, which allows pretty normal functioning well enough to keep people from being sick. They can deliver these alterations into the cells using using a variety of means but if they want to get them into the internal parts of the body for cells and tissues that they can't take out and manipulate in the lab. This is reawakened, the long held hope that we might one day be able to make targeted DNA modifications directly at the level of human gamates or maybe at early embryos. But this in turn raises challenging questions about the degree of acceptable risk, and what types of conditions should count as worthy targets of such interventions.

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