Human DNA Will Be Synthesized Within 5 Years, Prominent Geneticist States

The Human Genome Project (HGP) was the most ambitious and far-reaching scientific analysis of our DNA. Just a reminder, a genome is a complete set of instructions or DNA, the blueprints for building a complete organism. The project brought innumerable findings, which are just beginning to shape medicine and society.

However, something else has become very clear. Being able to "read" our DNA does not mean that you know everything about it. To develop understanding, a new program seeks to write whole genomes from scratch, including plants, microbes, animals and even human DNA. But the latter is creating a storm of controversy over whether we should do it at all.

Today, we have the entire human genome presented to us, about three billion base pairs in total. These are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). When they come together, they form the iconic double helix with which we are familiar. The genome is so complex, there are many things that we simply do not know or even understand about it. For example, we are still not sure how these base pairs work side by side.


So how can genetics advance? You really do not understand something inside and out without dismantling it, replacing it and doing it yourself. As the renowned physicist Richard Feynman once said, "What I can not create, I do not understand?"

Using information blocked at nucleotides, the ultimate goal is to manipulate our genome and those of other organisms, to meet human needs. These include healing the disease, producing healthier foods and more, and someday perhaps, improving the human body beyond its current capabilities. Going this way raises all kinds of ethical issues, however.

Because of this, more than 100 experts from around the world met in secret last year at Harvard Medical School. Attendees were asked not to share what had happened at the meeting. Some scientists rejected the event, as the press was not invited, despite the fact that reporters ultimately found out and plastered on the Internet. The point was to create what came to be known as the Human Genome Project-Write (GP-Write).

About 250 researchers met again in New York City from 9 to 10 May this year. Attendees at the event discussed the logistics, ethics and applications surrounding the project. The group behind GP-Write is now seeking $ 100 million for the first push of their project. From last year's closed-door session and the criticism he got, scientists are more open about the project now. They have even published an article and a white paper explaining their proposal in detail.

Jef Boeke is one of the scientists leading the project. He is director of the Systems Genetics Institute at New York University. Dr. Boeke recently announced that GP-Write will be able to create artificial human DNA within 4-5 years.

Some geneticists believe Dr. Boeke's timeline is too ambitious. But most agree that we will create an artificial organism within the next decade. What are the benefits? Consider printing 3D organs for transplantation, eliminating the donor waiting list. Or engineering an immune cell to fight something like an Ebola outbreak more effectively. It can also help us better understand and someday eliminate the role of genes in disease development.

The knowledge gained through GP-Write could ultimately enable scientists to make human cells resistant to infection, radiation, and even cancer. The results could also lead to new drugs, advanced stem cell therapy, new gene therapies and even new biofuels.

To create an organism from scratch, innovative techniques will have to be devised. One thing that scientists can not do yet is to take entire sections of DNA and connect them in the right places. CRISPR-a9 or gene editing, will probably help to devise other similar techniques. Once researchers have artificial chromosomes, they will inject them into hollow cells and see if they begin to divide.

Preliminary experiments are already under way. Critics argue that such efforts could lead to designer babies. Here, certain features such as skin color, height, sex, appearance and intelligence would be selected by potential parents. After the outrages propagated by the eugenics and the Nazis during World War II, trying to build a "master career", one is not so baffled by such concerns. There is even concern about the possibility of pAttempt genes. Unequal income would not be a candle for biologically designed inequality, is it? Something else that is troubling, scientists could accidentally create a new genetic disease that could enter the genome and be transmitted to future generations. Or, artificially designed cells could come out and wreak havoc on the environment. Dr. Boeke no longer wiggles

away from public concerns. Now he invites comment. Francis Collins is the director of the US National Institutes of Health. He said, "Moving beyond reading DNA to writing DNA is a natural next step." But he also cautioned that input and discussion with the public is critical. This is not only to clear up misinformation and garner input but to help shape what regulations should be in place. Just like with other breakout technologies, the innovation seems to be outpacing regulatory efforts. So far, the US has no coordinated biotech policy in place. Besides controversy, the other stumbling block is cost. The current projection is $.10 per base pair. With three billion of them, the cost quickly adds up. The Human Genome Project cost $3 billion and took 13 years to complete. Should they receive appropriate funding, renowned geneticist George Church at Harvard University, will launch an experiment. He will be heading the program along with Dr. Boeke.