Manipulating the Genome of Human Embryos: Some Unforeseen Effects
        
            By Craig Holdrege, 
                The Nature Institute
             | 06. 22. 2015
        
                    
                                    
                    
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                            
                              
    
  
  
    
  
          
  
      
    
             
  Untitled Document 
  
 In recent years scientists have developed powerful tools to create  specific breaks in DNA sequences. They can then either repair those  breaks or introduce new DNA into the sequence at the site of the  break. These are called genome editing techniques. Two main techniques  at present are the CRISPR-Cas9 system and zinc-finger nucleases. In  principle, researchers can modify any part of the genome. They have  achieved intended modifications in experiments with human and animal  cells and also with mouse embryos. But the specific alterations do not  always occur and there are also unintended effects. 
 
   The techniques are not as precise as they are sometimes made out to be,  so there is every reason for caution in their application, especially in  connection with the manipulation of human cells or human embryos. But  over and beyond technical issues is the pressing ethical concern:  should researchers cross the line into genetically manipulating  human embryos?   
 
   Knowing that scientists in China were performing these  experiments, two groups of researchers and others published  comments in Science and Nature in March 2015 warning  about...
 
 
  
 
    
    
  
   
                        
                                                                                
                 
                                                    
                            
                                  
    
  
  
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