The Biotech Revolution

[MichaelF]

Good overview of the State Of The Art.

With Michio Kaku (Cosmologist, co-creator of String Theory):

http://www.youtube.com/v/WtXx5vnX6UQ&hl=en&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/j2uHATkBOJo&hl=en&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/fPt8BXDr4Kg&hl=en&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/7_606jhMS8E&hl=en&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/3Vk-bxOmZd4&hl=en&fs=1

http://www.youtube.com/v/ACDED7IUWaQ&hl=en&fs=1

Note the rats in part 5.

[osnunez]

Interesting stuff... Thanks for sharing.

[Asheren]

Propably not in our life time. Not because technology doesn't allow it but because of fear and prejudice towards it. Memories of eguenics and what it caused are still to fresh. Not to mention problems like costs both on money and resouces side and potentialy on moral issues. On other side soon we will have means to eradicate some of genetic diseases withing 10 generation time frame.

[MichaelF]

Propably not in our life time. Not because technology doesn't allow it but because of fear and prejudice towards it. Memories of eguenics and what it caused are still to fresh. Not to mention problems like costs both on money and resouces side and potentialy on moral issues. On other side soon we will have means to eradicate some of genetic diseases withing 10 generation time frame.

Actually, the staggering import of Biotech is that it has remarkably low overhead costs. No exotic gear is needed, especially after the genomic analysis is complete (the only part that needs the supercomputers). You can do it all in your average College biology building.

As to political inhibitions.....cross a border and you're good to go. If it's illegal in the US, lots of Middle and Upper Class Americans end up taking holidays in Hong Kong or Russia.

Thirdly, and most importantly, all this stuff is a direct application of therapeutic medicine. The uberstrong/ubersmart mice are the product of research into treating Muscular Dystrophy and Alzheimers. No one is going to mess with the large amounts of funding directed at such things (along with Anemia, etc), so the development marches on.

I expect we'll see this stuff start to be adopted by the Middle Classes (the same people who shell out $30k on fertility/IVF treatments or private schools for the kids), NLT 2020.

[Lokos]

As to political inhibitions.....cross a border and you're good to go. If it's illegal in the US, lots of Middle and Upper Class Americans end up taking holidays in Hong Kong or Russia.

Politically, you're likely right. At least initially. The more dire immediate reaction will likely be a general, social one.

L.

[MichaelF]

Politically, you're likely right. At least initially. The more dire immediate reaction will likely be a general, social one.

L.

Much like Communism, how do you realllllly know your neighbours kids aren't enhanced?

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

[Asheren]

Its much more complicated. Its simple mendelian genetics. If you remove a damaged gene you need to keep gene pool clean. Other option is to keep removing damaged gene faster than it can spread withing population. That way you might reach a similiar effect by complete elimination of damaged gene from population.

[MichaelF]

Its much more complicated. Its simple mendelian genetics. If you remove a damaged gene you need to keep gene pool clean. Other option is to keep removing damaged gene faster than it can spread withing population. That way you might reach a similiar effect by complete elimination of damaged gene from population.

Mendelian Genetics breaks down, as a guide (obviously, it still functions mechanically), when you can control what is inherited.

This is actually true (as opposed to true on the individual, family, level) when the technology reaches a saturation point where everyone who isn't morally/philosophically opposed (or dirt poor) can employ it. At that point, the population genetics are gamed in such a way that the people with lingering genetic defects don't influence the pool of those who don't have them, as even mixed couples will more often than not* employ genetic medicine to protect their kids.
It's essentially the genetic version of herd immunity that crops up with vaccines. If enough of the population gets vaccinated, there simply isn't enough of a substrate for the virus to spread.

This is already being done, with Jewish populations that have concerns about Tay-Sachs, with partners being screened for the (autosomal recessive) gene and advised of their compatability (incompatible persons each having the recessive gene, dooming likely offspring). Right now, all this does is prevent and lower the rate of homozygosity.
There is also PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) where ova are fertilized in vitro and screened for the genes, with healthy zygotes being implanted in the mother, as in regular IVF.
In the future, such people will have the option of having the gene replaced in their offspring (in vitro, or possibly in utero).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preimplantation_genetic_diagnosis



*-the implication being that at least one partner has no objection to such treatments.