• Scientists Make History By Genetically Modifying Human Embryos
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[IMG]http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Re2uO6iF--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1221466051147840037.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]After weeks of speculation, it can finally be confirmed that geneticists in China have modified the DNA of human embryos. It’s a watershed moment in biotech history, but the experiment may ultimately serve as a major setback in the effort to responsibly develop beneficial interventions involving the human germline. Rumors about the experiment had been circulating for weeks, prompting calls for oversight and even a moratorium on such work. The reason for the controversy stems from the nature of germline modifications, which differ from somatic gene therapies in a very fundamental way. Unlike the latter, germline gene therapies are genome-editing techniques that affect egg and sperm cells, which means that patients with modified germ cells can pass them down down to the next generation. Proponents say it’s a necessary and logical next step in medical evolution, but many scientists and bioethicists warn that heritable modifications could lead to unforeseen consequences.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://io9.com/scientists-make-history-by-genetically-modifying-human-1699681875"]Source[/URL] [highlight](User was banned for this post ("late thread, didn't search." - OvB))[/highlight]
[url]http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1462067[/url]
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