This project related to DNA can revolutionize medical science.
London: UK scientists have started an experiment that can not only change the treatment of human diseases, but can also decide how we understand life. The world’s largest medical charity, Welcome Trust has given an initial funding of 10 million pounds (about Rs 106 crore) for this project. The project is named Synthetic Human Genome Project, which aims to make human DNA from the beginning. Scientists claim that this is the first of its kind in the world.
What is this project?
25 years ago, the Human Genome Project opened the way to read human DNA like a barcode. Now this new project is going one step ahead of it to make parts of DNA, and perhaps the future in the future, trying to create the entire chromosome from the beginning. DNA occurs in every cell of our body and it contains 4 basic elements A, G, C, and T repeatedly in different combinations. These elements make us physically. The first goal of this project is to make big DNA blocks, so that scientists can understand how our genes control the body and what causes diseases.
Dr. Julian Cell, lead researcher at Cambridge’s MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, told BBC News, ‘Our destination is very high. We want to make such therapies that improve people’s lives, especially in old age. We want to create disease -fighting cells, which can recover damaged organs such as liver, heart or immune system.
Why is it so special?
Professor Matthew Hurlls, director of the Welcome Sanger Institute, says that making DNA from the beginning will help us understand how it actually works. He said, ‘Many diseases occur when there is something wrong in the gene. By creating DNA, we can do a new theory test and find new remedies. ‘ In this project, the work will be in the test tube and dish, that is, its aim is not to make artificial life. Welcome Trust says that this project can bring new treatment rapidly for incurable diseases. For example, it can create cells that can fight the disease and fix the damaged organs. This discovery can revolutionize diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Questions arising on morality
But this project has also raised many moral questions. Some critics say that this technique may be dangerous when it falls in the wrong hands. Dr. Pat Thomas, director of an organization called Beyond GM, warned, “We think that all scientists work for goodness, but this science can also be used for evil or war.” Professor Bill Arnshaw, a genetics expert at Edinburgh University, said, “Now this genie has come out of the bottle. We may make rules now, but if an organization decides to make anything with the right machinery, it will be difficult to stop it. His talk further strengthens the possibility of making ‘designer babies’ or artificially better human beings.
Trying to maintain morality
In view of these concerns, a special social science program is also being run along with the project, which is being led by Professor Joy Jhang of Kent University. He says, “We want to understand how people can see this technology, how can it be beneficial for them, and what their worries or expectations are.” The program will consume the opinion of sociologists, ethics experts and common people. Dr. Tom Collins, head of Research Programs of Welcome Trust, told BBC, ‘We asked ourselves what would happen if we do not do it? This technique will be made someday. So we are doing it with responsibility right now and facing moral questions from the beginning.
What will change when the project is successful?
This project can not only bring revolution in medical science, but will also decide how we see human life in future. But at the same time the question also arises whether we are ready for such technology? Will society and governments be able to control it? At the moment, this experiment is in its early stage, and scientists say that its aim is to improve human life. But as Professor Arnshaw said, “Jinn is now out of the bottle.” Now it depends on us how we use this technique.
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