• Question: How soon can we change the genes of humans?

    Asked by Avanti2005 to Kate, Pip, Reka on 17 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Reka Nagy

      Reka Nagy answered on 17 Nov 2016:

      We are already testing gene therapies in humans that can be used to cure or at least help manage some genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis or even HIV.

      However, changing genes to improve intelligence or enhance other features is not really possible since we don’t yet understand how these traits are influenced by our genes. Also, these procedures would be very risky and probably result in a genetically modified embryo never even getting born – the reason we’d need to do these genetic modifications at such an early stage is because all our cells have DNA and changing the genes in every single cell of an adult human would be basically impossible.

    • Photo: Pip Millington

      Pip Millington answered on 18 Nov 2016:

      We can already but only when very limited criteria are met:
      1) Single gene disorders where a mutation in specific gene is known to cause the disesase
      2) Where the gene of interest is expressed in a wide range in humans (i.e. too much is not bad for you)
      3) Where the problem affects a particular type of cell which is easily accessible (e.g. blood cells)
      4) Where you can design a good vector to transplant your gene into the unhealthy cells (most methods of doing this use viruses as a mechanism to get new code into the DNA or RNA)
      5) Where alternative treatments are worse

      One example of the use of gene therapy in practice is for the disease SCID (Severe combined immunodeficiency) where the body can’t make lymphocytes due to a mutation in the DNA. This is the disease behind the famous “bubble boy”. If treated bone marrow can be safely transplanted into the patient, they can live relatively normal lives without having to be trapped in a bubble shielded from the entire outside world.

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