Exploring the future of gene editing with Dr. Francis Collins
Posted on August 6, 2018 by College Communications in Featured, News.
What CRISPR/Cas9 has to offer to those living with genetic diseases
But to appropriately answer this question, Collins revisited the problem for which CRISPR/Cas9 is a real solution for—the 6,000-plus genetic diseases that exist today, most of which are severely debilitating, fatal and without treatment. Back in the 1980s, Collins became very familiar with one of these genetic diseases: cystic fibrosis (CF). At the University of Michigan, he was on a research team of “gene hunters” whose sole purpose was to identify the disease gene causing CF. To do so, they had to “sift through three billion base-layers of the human genome to find one letter that was out of place.” In 1989, his team finally pinpointed the disease gene for CF, but Collins was discouraged. This was an awfully slow way to tackle some of the world’s most difficult diseases. It wasn’t until a few years ago that geneticists could actually provide a scalable solution for the thousands of other genetic diseases known to humankind. Collins explained in the latter half of his lecture that thanks to a pair of “DNA-scissors” called CRISPR/Cas9, scientists can now replace bad genes with good ones.How we can move forward now that gene editing is possible
Although CRISPR/Cas9 has given humans the ability to virtually erase every genetic disease from the planet and the ability to instruct immune cells to attack cancer without the need for chemotherapy or radiation, Collins cautioned that the line between treatment and enhancement can be hard to define. Even with so many grey areas, Collins mentioned that—given the progress involving infants living with spina bifida and people living with sickle cell anemia and many others suffering from genetic diseases— “doing nothing is the most unethical of the options.” Yet as CRISPR/Cas9 continues to get more sophisticated and gene editing starts to skirt and trespass over several ethical boundaries, Collins urged, “we must proceed, but proceed responsibly.” To provide guidance on how to move forward when thinking about advances in biotechnology, Collins urged Christians and scientists who are believers to consult the two books God has authored. “We are given the privilege as scientists who are Christians to read both of Gods books—as Sir Francis Bacon puts it—the book of God’s words (the Bible) and the book of God’s works (nature). If we believe that God is the author of both then how could they be in conflict?” asked Collins. If we do see a conflict between science and faith, then “surely we are the ones who have misunderstood.” In closing, Collins provided a metaphor and a visual for how Christians and scientists who are believers can move forward responsibly—in stewardship of Imago Dei, the image of God.“This is a portrait that hangs over my desk in my office at NIH. The title of this painting is Jacob’s Ladder. . . the ladder is a double helix with angels going up and down on it,” said Collins. I think this is a nice metaphor for what we’re trying to do as scientists who are believers—to bring together the awesome things that are being discovered in science and remember really what it’s all about. Jesus spent a lot of his time healing people, and I think we are called to do that to. But we have to do so in a fashion that represents and adequately stands up for all those principles we were also given as human beings, especially as human beings who have the image of God in them.”
To find out more about the ASA, contact Gordon alumna Vicki Best, ASA Director of Operations and Development, at [email protected] or consider joining ASA’s student chapter by contacting Dr. Mike Paul at [email protected]
Photo courtesy of Zach Enfield
Share
- Share on Facebook
- Share on X (Formerly Twitter)
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share on Email
-
Copy Link
-
Share Link
Categories
Archives
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014