Genetics: Opening Up a Pandora's Box?

- by Mariano DiFabio, Guest Contributor

I wrote a few weeks ago on the Avelient Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical blog about Genetics and Gene Therapy, and the promise it holds to cure diseases that were once accepted as incurable in the scientific community. I also wrote about leveraging what we know about genetics for selecting the traits of an unborn child, and the moral issues naturally associated with such a process. The study of genes can even be fun, as one company, Alpha-Genics is doing. Those of you who have been following the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical group for a while probably are familiar with Alpha-Genics, since they did a
presentation for us a while back, but they are focused on commercializing genomics science through scientifically-based products that can help people discover traits about themselves that are programmed in their DNA.

As we march forward in research in this area, I can’t help but wonder if we’re opening up a Pandora’s box of potential issues in the future. If you’ve ever seen the movie “I Am Legend,” the premise is that a geneticist has discovered a method to cure cancer by modifying a normally benign virus to repair cancerous cells. It is largely successful, but has an unintended side effect of actually altering the human genome of those infected, causing them to become nocturnal, violent creatures that survive on instinct and savagery. Granted, this is an extreme example of the type of things that can go wrong, but something to consider nonetheless.

Then again, knowledge is power. There was a lot of excitement in the scientific community when the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was to be turned on for the first time. At the same time, a significant minority had their doubts that the massive project would prove anything, and could potentially cause they end of the Earth by creating a stray black hole that would swallow us up into
oblivion. The majority won out, and the LHC started small experiments at the end of last year. Is it possible that we could blow ourselves up? Certainly, but nothing has ever been gained when we don’t take chances.

We are greater than the sum of our parts.

Does genetic experimentation make me nervous? Yes. While I think there’s so much potential for good, I also think there’s so much potential for misuse. As I mentioned in my Genetics and Gene Therapy article, there is a new company in California that claims it can “assemble” a baby for you based on the traits in which you’re interested. This is problematic in two ways. First, in selecting our child’s genes, we are really not doing anything for the child, but really it’s a selfish exercise in creating what’s pleasing or convenient for us. I didn’t read about any ability of the company to screen out genetic defects that might cause an infant pain or suffering, but I did read all about how you could choose the color of your infant’s eyes, hair, or other physical attributes. What happened to, “I’m just happy it’s healthy?” The second problem is that we’re really not doing the child any favors if we decide to create them according to predefined image we had in our head. If we begin to actually choose our most desirable features, how will that affect our individuality in the future?

Do I think genetic experimentation should be halted and buried under the rug? No. We strive as a human race to reach beyond our limits and consistently understand and improve who we are. We should be aware of the potential misuses that could ensue gene experimentation, but it should not be a limiting factor for discovery. As much as movies like to depict evil overlords who will destroy the world because of their thirst for power, we’re actually pretty good at regulating ourselves and there are far more dangerous and likely threats out there. Without challenging conventional beliefs and pushing the moral envelope, we would not understand that the Earth is round, that the Sun is at its center, that microscopic organisms live
among us, or that we could be destroying our home because of our thirst for energy.

The box is open now anyway. We might as well discover what’s inside and embrace it.

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About the author: Mariano DiFabio has over 10 years of experience as a consulting professional and has worked for 4 years in the Pharmaceutical industry. He joined with his business partner, Scott Alexander, to create Avelient, a project-oriented, full service IT Solutions Provider, specializing in team-based service delivery for Pharmaceutical companies and small business in New York and New Jersey. See his blogs at:

http://bpblog.avelient.com

http://webandyou.avelient.com