The Science and Ethics of Genetically Engineered Human DNA

Genome-editing tools that allow a gene to be deleted, inserted, or replaced by a different piece of DNA are becoming more cost-effective and simpler to execute. New gene-editing techniques that can repair or enhance a human gene, are also now capable of altering the human germline - the cells that last for the life of the individual and are passed on to future generations. New gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9, can be thought of as "search and replace" tools for DNA. They use "molecular scissors" to create a break in DNA in order to delete and often insert new DNA. Since these new gene editing technologies are more precise and easier to use than earlier generation technologies, they have become powerful research tools, and have the potential to lead to treatments and possibly cures for genetic diseases. This hearing was prompted by a paper by a Chinese research group that used CRISPR/Cas9 to edit non-viable human embryos. That research called attention to the scientific and ethical issues with these technologies.