Question

Gene therapy – How is CRISPR cas9 used to change faulty genes? (basic description of the process is fine). Describe how changing a gene could be used to disrupt HIV (remember the immune cell membrane example from early in the term) and to help immune cells fight cancer. What are some ethical considerations for editing genes in humans?

Answer 1

CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene editing technology which helps in tweaking the genes of eggs, sperms or early embryos helping in altering the human life. By making changes in the genetic composition of the eggs and sperms it helps in eliminating any sort of faulty genes in the embryo. It is a technique that is said to be able to produce designer babies and might be able to knock out the disease causing genetic mutations that parents are most likely to pass on to their children. It leads to chopping off the DNA which might have the potential error or fault and neutralize the threat associated with the same.

The changing of the gene can be used for disrupting the HIV and help immune cells fight cancer as it might lead to altering the pre-disposition of any HIV related gene. It will enhance the power of the immune cells by altering the genetic ability and make it superior with greater ability to fight the cancerous cells.

Ethical considerations

• The safety is one of the most ethical considerations while going for genome editing as there is a chance of placing the gene in wrong place and get off target effects.
• There is no consent in it as the genome that receives the edit or the germline therapy are embryo and not yet born.
• It in injustice as the whole process of genome editing is only available to the wealthy and rich people