Scientists managed to modify genes that cause heart diseases.
According to Nature Magazine, a group of scientists was able to eliminate a hereditary heart disease in human embryos successfully through a revolutionary genetic editing technique.
This finding increases the chances of treating genetic diseases more efficiently in the future. The research, which is scarcely on the first stage, is being ethically questioned because it could lead to the production of genetically modified babies. The church believes that parents will be asking to genetically “design” their babies by changing their hair color and physical strength.
The study was carried out at the University of Sciences and Health in Obregon by American, South Korean and Chineses scientists. They use a technique called CRISPR-Cas9 for the experiment, which was first used in 2012 for the same purpose.
The crack team utilized this revolutionary tool to edit the gene that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is a disease that causes sudden cardiac death during physical exercise.
The use of human embryos is tremendously restricted, therefore the team didn’t let them grow so much.
“This method, which is still in its infancy, will be useful to prevent the transmission of hereditary diseases that affect future generations” – said Paula Amato, one of the participants in the research.
“We are very far from our goal yet. There’s still so much to find out and a lot to debate” – she added.
So, will genetics create perfect humans and eliminate other diseases? Watch this video and weigh in.