Scientists Hold A Secret Meeting To Consider Creating A Synthetic Human Genome (gizmodo.com)

An anonymous reader writes from a report via The New York Times, summarized by Gizmodo: Earlier this week, over a hundred scientists, lawyers, and entrepreneurs held a secret meeting to discuss the possibility of creating a synthetic human genome. Creating a synthetic human genome differs from gene editing as scientists would use chemicals to manufacture all the DNA contained in human chromosomes, instead of patching a gene here and there. Synthetic genomics, unlike genetic modifications, in that it doesn't use naturally occurring genes. Instead, it relies on the custom-designed base pair series. Currently, customers view synthetic genomics as a way to build novel microbes and animals, but with humans it raises the prospect of custom-designed humans, without any parents. George Church, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and one of the organizers of the proposed project, says the characterization was a misunderstanding, and that the project was aimed to generally improve the ability to synthesize long strands of DNA, which could be applied to various types of animals, plants and microbes. "They're painting a picture which I don't think represents the project," Dr. Church said in an interview. The project was initially called "HGP2: The Human Genome Synthesis Project." However, the name was later changed to "HGP-Write: Testing Large Synthetic Genomes In Cells." Why the change? Because the original headline was suppose to be headline-grabbing, or so they say.

Comments

Headline is known to be sensationalist...

[Anonymous Coward]

....and yet the useless piles of shit here posted it anyway. New trashdot editors, same as the old trashdot editors.

Re: This will piss off the republicans!

[Applehu Akbar]

Their kind hates science.

That's why all the people protesting nuclear projects, genetic engineering, and mountaintop telescopes are wearing business suits.

Re:I just invested heavily in popcorn

[I'm New Around Here]

You say this as if they are going to engineer a human being in our lifetime. Maybe your naturally conceived grand children can use your "Popcorn stock" before they die of old age at 400+ years old,but I don't think even they will see the glorious immaculate conception you are hoping for..