This presentation describes about gene modified babies, latest examples about that (Lulu and Nana), gene modifying techniques (CRISPR technique), advantages and disadvantages of gene modified babies.
2. Definition
Babies who genetic makeup has been
altered using genetic engineering
techniques.
Remove or alter genes associated with
disease.
Gene Modified Babies 2
3. History
Gene modified babies are
the obvious result of
decades of advancing in
IVF technology.
The first IVF baby – 1978
In Vitro Fertilization
Gene Modified Babies 3
4. Lulu and Nana
Scientist He Jainkui, Southern University of Science
and Technology in Shenzhen, China.
25th November 2018, Sunday
HIV Resistant
He modified gene using
CRISPR technique
Gene Modified Babies 4
5. CRISPR
Cluster Regularly Interspaced
Short Palindromic Repeats
Adaptive immune response in
bacteria against viral infection.
Consists Cas Protein & Guide
RNA (sgRNA)
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6. CRISPR Concept
Gene Modified Babies 6
The Cas-9 component is a molecular scissors
Cuts the DNA at the location specified by a small piece of
RNA, called the “CRISPR template.”
The cut is then repaired by enzymes already present in
cells
8. Pros
Help to increase the life expectancy
Positive influence on the baby
Altering the lifestyle earlier
Reduces the chances of genetic disorders
Fewer Chances to getting genetic diseases
Gene Modified Babies 8
9. Cons
Not error free
Ethical and Moral Issues
Violation of Your Baby’s Rights
Can create a marked gap in
society
Takes away from the child’s
individual personality
Gene Modified Babies 9
Editor's Notes
An embryo than has been genetically modified for the sake of producing a child with specific traits.
In some cases, unfavorable characteristics or bad traits (like genetic disease) may be removed, or favorable traits (like enhanced intelligence or strength) might be added.
IVF = In Vitro Fertilization
Since the first IVF baby in 1978, more than 8 million babies have been born thanks to advancing IVF technology
IVFis the process of fertilization by extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish.
I will give you recent example for genetically modified babies. It’s Lulu and Nana
He said these embryos created from their parents’ and eggs to protect the children from the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, which causes AIDS.
Father of these babies is Mark who is an HIV carrier, and the mother is grace
After sent her husband’s sperm into her eggs and sent a little bit of protein and some instructions for a gene surgery.
Lulu and Nana were just a single cell
This surgery removed a doorway through which enter to infect people
The protein doorway is used by a gene called CCR5 which permits HIV to enter cells.
He modified gene using technique CRISPR to create these babies
The trendiest strategy to modify DNA these days involves the CRISPR/Cas-9 gene editing tool, which can make precise genetic modifications in living cells. Although other tools have been available for years, the CRISPR/Cas-9 approach is simpler, easier, more accurate and less expensive.
The way it works is simple in concept. The Cas-9 component is a molecular scissors that cuts the DNA at the location specified by a small piece of RNA, called the “CRISPR template.” Once the DNA is cut, a gene can be modified at that location. The cut is then repaired by enzymes already present in cells.
In this case, He targeted a gene which produces a protein on the surface of cells called CCR5. The HIV virus uses this protein to attach to and infect the cell. He’s idea was to genetically change CCR5 so that HIV can no longer infect cells, making the girls resistant to the virus.
The trendiest strategy to modify DNA these days involves the CRISPR/Cas-9 gene editing tool, which can make precise genetic modifications in living cells. Although other tools have been available for years, the CRISPR/Cas-9 approach is simpler, easier, more accurate and less expensive.
The way it works is simple in concept. The Cas-9 component is a molecular scissors that cuts the DNA at the location specified by a small piece of RNA, called the “CRISPR template.” Once the DNA is cut, a gene can be modified at that location. The cut is then repaired by enzymes already present in cells.
In this case, He targeted a gene which produces a protein on the surface of cells called CCR5. The HIV virus uses this protein to attach to and infect the cell. He’s idea was to genetically change CCR5 so that HIV can no longer infect cells, making the girls resistant to the virus.
From the diagram He presented, it appears that He injected the CRISPR/Cas-9 system into an egg at the same time as he injected a sperm to fertilize it. After this, the egg divided and formed a ball of dozens of cells – the embryo. At this stage, He removed a few cells from each embryo to determine if the desired genetic change was made. Based on my experience, the embryos were probably frozen at this point. When the analysis was complete, He probably thawed the modified embryos and transferred the best ones back into the mother’s uterus for gestation to term. Embryos without the edits or incorrect edits would either be discarded or used for research.
1. By editing out an unborn baby’s defective genes and only retaining the healthy genes, the baby will grow up healthier. Therefore, you may increase their overall life expectancy by up to 30 years.
2. . Some aspects of your baby’s life that you can surely create a positive impact on are your baby’s health, your baby’s intelligence, your baby’s looks and more.
3. by designing a baby may help you create some similar types of influences but even before the baby is born. Like instead of pushing the baby to study hard and do well in the academic field, you can already enhance your baby’s mental capabilities before your baby is even born.
4. When you use the genetic modification technique to create a designer baby, it will help to reduce the chances of various genetic disorders in your baby. In many instances, these are not only a means to reduce your baby’s chances of getting affected with certain health conditions, but are also a way of increasing your baby’s chances of survival.
The process of genetic modification to create designer babies is still in its nascent experimental stage, and needs time and research to progress forward. Genetics are not always a hundred percent sure, which means that it is very likely possible that error may come up at some point in the future in case of designer babies. Researchers worry that when they will do everything possible to eradicate any illness in the baby while modifying the genes, an accidental error could give rise to some new form of illness, something they may not be aware of how to treat
It is almost the same as carrying out an abortion when you have plenty of choices to eliminate the unwanted ones. In some cases, the parents have also gone ahead and aborted the baby, depending on their reasons for creating the baby in the first place. Sometimes parents do it for money they will get as compensation for donating the stem cells and have no thought whatsoever of the baby.
When you go ahead with the process of creating a designer baby, you essentially change the life and mind of a living human being without taking the person’s permission or choice in regard. In this case, you will alter your baby’s mental, emotional and physical makeup for life, without your baby having any say in whether or not it is something your baby wanted or not. It is a process in which your baby will be used as a scientific experiment, instead of being treated more like a human being.
If more parents decide to go in for designer babies, the world will soon be divided into a class of babies who are designer babies as compared to non-designer babies. As a result, those babies who are created as part of the designer baby series will feel more superior to those who are born naturally without any form of genetic manipulation. Those who follow social norms believe that it could lead to a hostile environment in the future.