Comments on: Gene Therapy Not Needed

By: Roger Anderson

Roger Anderson — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:12:02 +0000

Yes, nature contributes a change every 10,000 bases or so. The difference is that no one is legally responsible for that. When we begin introducing intentional changes we become liable for them. Yet we have little control over them once they are unleashed.

Targeting is a hope not yet a reality as far as I understand. Perhaps if the change is introduced in vitro and then the cells reintroduced to the host we would be safer.

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 17:01:45 +0000

Hi and welcome, Roger! I’ve also been away from the bench since 1999. Can’t believe time has passed so quickly.

The thing is, new gene variants ARE being introduced all the time by nature. In fact, I wonder if we are better able to control the creation of good mutations vs bad although there’s really no way any of us can know for certain. And as for gene therapy, most–if not all–will target somatic cells instead of germ cells so we should be safe there.

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:30:01 +0000

Hi Andrew! I would personally like to blame my genes for everything that’s gone wrong in my life. On the other hand, I can’t really claim that things have gone badly wrong either.

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:29:15 +0000

“What he found was these people who lived longer than 100 were in fact smokers and drinkers.”

Ahhh. The irony of life.

By: Roger Anderson

Roger Anderson — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:58:33 +0000

This is a topic I have not followed closely for some time. I have been away from the bench for over a decade. I think that a very important but difficult to confront issue is that of the introduction of new gene variants into the population. I am all for curing a disease but not for introducing new alleles. That means that anyone who receives gene-therapy must not reproduce. How will that be enforced - ouch - sterilization. Otherwise the risk to the general population is too great.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

By: Genes, Activism, and Why We Still Have the Push Mower

Genes, Activism, and Why We Still Have the Push Mower — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:56:30 +0000

[...] Genie, a blog carnival on genetics, genes, DNA, and the genome over at Eye on DNA. clipped from http://www.eyeondna.com Infants and Autism and Education at Autism Vox Kristina Chew looks at diagnosis for autism [...]

By: Andrew Sun

Andrew Sun — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:18:24 +0000

Genetic Determinism…there is genetic determinism in every piece of sci-fi work. People just like genetic determinism (or hate), but they don’t always think of it, unfortunately

By: Steven Murphy MD

Steven Murphy MD — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 11:46:23 +0000

Hsien,
Dr Eric Topol of Scripps wrote an article a few months ago on GWAS regarding “healthy” genes. Nirs Barzilai at Albert Einstein has focused on these same things “Centenarian studies” What he found was these people who lived longer than 100 were in fact smokers and drinkers. Their genes helped them defend against these insults. Predictive, Preventative, Personalized Medicine is where we are all headed.
-Steve
http://www.thegenesherpa.blogspot.com