What are designer babies?:
-A designer baby is a baby that is genetically modified.
-You can select what genetic makeup you would like for your baby using biotechnology.
-Gene therapy can be used to create your dream baby.
-Therapy is using techniques to treat or cure a disease.
-Enhancement is the process of specifically selecting which traits you want.
Customize Your Baby:
You can modify:
-Gender
-Appearance
-Intelligence
-Disease
-Personality
The technique:
Human genetic engineering has not yet been completed, but will happen in our lifetime.
There are some methods to genetically modify humans which are already out there, and more techniques are being developed.
Processes such as modification of genes of a gamete or somatic cell.
The human gene project has mapped out 20,000-25,000 human genes already.
They know the effect of each gene and are researching how they interact with each other and how they are affected by the environment.
Research still needs to be done so they can figure out which genes code for which traits.
For example, one sequence of genes can determine a person's intelligence, what disease they are immune to, and even their appearance.
Some methods include germline engineering (changing of gametes and genes passed on to offspring), and somatic cell engineering (The changing of human cells to treat or cure a disease).
Current uses:
Nuclear transfer, which is the ability remove the nucleus from a zygote and replace it with the nucleus of another egg cell.
Potential Uses and Benefits:
-The potential benefits and uses are
-Reduces risk of genetic diseases and can prevent disease completely.
-More athletic people.
-Better looking people.
-Increased life span
-Parents will be able to design the ‘Perfect Family” that they imagine, there will be no disappointments or surprises.
Harms and Controversies:
If the process is not done carefully, the embryos can be terminated
People say we should not try to “Play god”.
People say that they will like their children no matter what.
The poor will not be able to afford the enhancements so their children will stay at the bottom of the social scale, meanwhile the wealthy will be able to customize their baby and remain on top in intelligence, athletics, etc.
References:
Michael Catalano. (2012). The Prospect Of Designer Babies: Is It Inevitable?.
Retrieved from http://pitjournal.unc.edu/article/prospect-designer-babies-it-inevitable
Jack Hanson. (n.d.). Designer Babies.
http://www.futureforall.org/bioengineering/designer-babies.html
Claire Maldarelli. (2016, February 23). Are We Ready For Designer babies?
http://www.popsci.com/are-we-ready-for-designer-babies
Isobel Yeung. (n.d.) The real, scary, and potentially amazing future in which you design your own offspring.
http://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/a18453/crispr-cas-9-gene-editing/
