• Question: Is there any way to genetically modify DNA to make a baby with specific characteristics chosen by yourself and if so, how?

    Asked by elmolovesyou666 to Alexandra, Dean, Jess, Luisa, Sian on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Alexandra Kamins

      Alexandra Kamins answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      We do have the techniques to modify DNA of living organisms, and we currently use this technology in animals for many, many research projects. We can put fluorescence genes from jellyfish into a mouse, which will then happily glow green! http://www.forbes.com/2001/07/26/0726gfp.html

      This is accomplished (as far as I understand) by literally injecting new pieces of DNA into embryos or by using viruses to transport the new DNA pieces to the host cells.

      There is a LOT of debate, as I’m sure you’d suspect, about whether we should do this in humans. We aren’t to the “checklist baby” idea yet, where you could just request a baby with blue eyes, blond hair, etc. But we could use something called “gene therapy” to help people who suffer from any number genetic diseases, by replacing faulty genes with working ones.

    • Photo: Sian Foch-Gatrell

      Sian Foch-Gatrell answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Yes, but I am not exactly sure how. I am also not sure that we are allowed, or that we should be allowed.

    • Photo: Dean Whittaker

      Dean Whittaker answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      I think there is, but I don’t know enough about this.

    • Photo: Luisa Ostertag

      Luisa Ostertag answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      I think that’s way to complex. You might be able to have some influence (hair colour, eye colour or so) but for ‘ordering the perfect baby’ all the interactions of coding genes and the proteins they get translated into is too complicated to be influenced in such a precise way. We just don’t know if we change something here, what are the consequences for everything else.

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