Scientists are considering the option of using chemicals for manufacturing the entire DNA in a human chromosome. This endeavour is speculated to exalt the overall process of DNA synthesis in general. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, at Harvard Medical School in Boston, The Idea was secretly discussed by over 150 attendees.
The attendees were asked to refrain from passing any comments to news correspondents and the meeting was held within closed-doors, ensuring all the privacy.
Now, there have been projects which included reading the sequence of three billion chemical letters for contemplating DNA blueprint. This project, however, intends not only to read but to write a significant part of the chemical letter composition.
The Project’s intent is unabashedly close to altering the nature of chromosomes which has got some people worried for obvious reasons.
Drew Endy, a bioengineer at Stanford & Laurie Zoloth, a bioethicist at Northwestern University, have criticised the project. They have serious considerations when it comes to overviewing the ethical implications of this endeavour. Drew Endy was invited for the closed-door meet but chose not to attend because of the secret behaviour of the organisers.
However, George Church, a professor of Genetics at Harvard Med. School said “that the project is not only about ‘re-writing or copying’ human DNA. It is aimed to improve the process of DNA synthesis in general and does not intend to ‘clone’ human cells. Creating cells is the only objective here which can help us in working with the cellular structures of animals, plants and microbes”.
Dr. Church further maintained that the entire project was being misread by many and that ethical aspects have been thoroughly discussed by the organisers.
As of now, the project does not have ample funding but the idea will be pitched to private investors along with the federal government as well.
