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Scientists Announce Plans For Synthetic Human Genomes (washingtonpost.com)
An anonymous reader writes: After it was reported three weeks ago that scientists have held a secret meeting to consider creating a synthetic human genome, the participants of that meeting have officially published their plans. They announced a plan to launch a project that would radically reduce the cost of synthesizing human genomes -- a revolutionary development in biotechnology that could enable technicians to grow human organs for transplantation. The Washington Post reports: "The announcement, published Thursday in the journal Science, is the latest sign that biotechnology is going through a rapidly advancing but ethically fraught period. The promoters of synthetic genomes envision a project that would eventually be on the same scale as the Human Genome Project of the 1990s, which led to the sequencing of the first human genomes. The difference this time would be that, instead of 'reading' genetic codes, which is what sequencing does, the scientists would be 'writing' them. They have dubbed this the 'Genome Project-write.'"
What could possibly go wrong, Dr. Frankenstein?
Write Now
seems to be in too much of a hurry.
why not demonstrate this with synthetic animal/plant genomes first.
and drop the "to grow human organs for transplantation" whitewash. that is not the only use, if this can be done.
they are promising and planning stuff too early and rather dishonestly. as with embryonic stem cells.
scientists should develop the technology for itself, without broadcasting either selective benefits, or hiding possible abuses.
leave that to people who will make the political and legal decisions; public, politicians judges, philosophers, etc
Seriously. Organs with synthetic genomes will be rejected just like any other foreign tissues. As a result, immunosuppressive drugs are needed, which prevent rejection at the expense of making the person more vulnerable to infections. The goal shouldn't be to create a synthetic genome but to make the best use of a person's own stem cells. Furthermore, I'm skeptical of the true motivations because the justifications given don't make sense and I don't understand the need to hold a secret meeting to plan the project. Nothing about this makes sense.
STFU
Fucking with shit that shouldn't be fucked with. Death is a blessing. Embrace it.
This looks like an end run around patent law, to create "synthetic" genes that are patentable even if they're functionally identical to existing "natural" gene sequences.
Two hearts for the price of one.
Synthetic DNA has been around a few years. Yeah, this is definitely stuff that should not be messed with lightly. Artificial life in all forms is terribly more dangerous than the biotech industry recognizes. This is not an oops that is easily repaired, look at all of the unintended consequences of just about every single technology ever. Case in point, in America alone about 17000 people die from taking aspirin each year. When this comes down to self-replicating strands of DNA with mutation at every stage I would tread a bit more cautiously. The reported percentage of "junk DNA" an approximate measure of our ignorance.
http://www.syntheticdna.org/
"Death is a blessing. Embrace it."
You first! :)
Our ignorance is great. Tidying up the genome may break it.
All new tech gets implemented by industries that can get return on investment the quickest.
So look for your life like sex dolls/slaves to be available within a few years.
and human like wage slaves soon after.
Then the Clone Wars start.....
This is my opinion based on what little I know and understand of the rumors and lies Thanks, Randal
This looks like an end run around patent law, to create "synthetic" genes that are patentable even if they're functionally identical to existing "natural" gene sequences.
Which results in Replicants being sold as slaves, even though they are really just slightly modified humans. (Blade Runner Film)
Hmm. Every genome-analysis technique in existence has a substantial read-error rate, and overcomes those errors by reading lots of strands and doing lots of statistics. It seems like a very, very large leap from "analyze a billion DNA strands to come up with a single sequence that's accurate enough" to "produce a billion specified DNA strands that are each accurate enough".
The time has come for me to reveal the earth shattering news that you hve all been waiting for!
Ayn Rand was right and so was Carl Menger and Ludwig von Mises! Collectivism is poop and anyone who believes in a collectivist ideology has poop where they would otherwise have a brain! Open your skull, scoop out the poop, and let your brain grow back by reading AYN RAND and participating in the revolutionary movement for a free future!
Fixed that for you.
If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
Synthetic human genomes, in fact, are all over my neighborhood. Damn things are creepy.
To bio-roids becoming a reality (for you Appleseed fans out there).
You're messin' with my Zen Thing, man.....
Considering we drop bombs on people every day and accept "collateral" damage as morally passable, you can take your "ethically fraught" and shove it back into your hypocritical pie hole.
:T:R:A:N:S:
"..and this is how the zombie apocalypse starts."
Somehow.
I dunno; someone's gotta post it.
Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
It's not Igor, it's Eyegor.
I for one welcome our new Dominion shape shifting overlords, and their Gem Hadar enforcers.