The New Gene Mutation Technology

The New Gene Mutation Technology

The gene drive is the new powerful technology that has been discovered to have a unique effect by changing the species gene pool during reproduction and has led the scientists to investigate on it with much care.

The above technology was named gene drive by Harvard University scientist who said that it gives the ability for one to alter the genes found in wild organisms. This has been supported by Dr Kenneth Oye who is also a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He supports this idea of gene drive with his words that gene drives cheat and play a game. He further explains his points that gene drive usually bias the inheritance which has a big effect on the odds of the genes being passed which normally become very high.

The scientists have largely also appreciated the great possibilities of the above technology. This new technology of the gene drive is said to help in:

  • Preventing the mosquitos ability to spread malaria
  • It may be used to disorient the life cycle of ticks which then helps in spreading of Lyme disease

You might just think that gene drive will help only combat malaria, forget about that, Dr Oye says that many diseases like dengue and yellow fever and even the west Nile Virus.

Since this technology has the ability to cause a whole change in the population of the entire global scale, scientists have approached it with much care. It has thus received wide talk in the whole world with the Harvard group asking for clarification and assurance of the wisdom and safety of this technology before proceeding. Dr Oye says,” Ethically I think it’s an open and shut case. Aslam dunk. That if you’re going to be taken actions that potentially affect the world, the world has a little voice in this”.

Moreover, the scientists still remain silent on the risk and negative effects related with the technology. According to the scientists, they believe that incase the above technology fails to live to up to the expectations set, then it could imply a total disaster of the whole species and the unknown gene re-mutations spreading cross -species. Kevin Esvelt who is a leader in the research group believes that this technology will only be a success if it is used wisely. Failure to use it in the best possible way would result in a total harm.

Fortunately, the scientists have an alternative option in case the first plan fails to work as required. This plan B seems to be awesome since it will only but revert the whole state in to the original state it was. However, Esvelt warns that the repair is not absolute. This is to mean that not all the conditions shall be reversed. This real now calls for good precaution to be taken.

This gene drive technology has widely spread and hit the waves internationally. The United Nations has already met and discussed the importance and effects of the gene drive. Dr Oye says that technology majorly captured interest in the Malaria -affected regions. He says that the reaction given in the Geneva from the biosecurity experts who are normally the hardest people to convince was really positive which makes it way out for this technology.

The creators of this technology have said that it is not yet complete but only in the development stages, however, scientists George Church says that field trials could be launched. This technology will grow very fast. He further adds that, they would soon be doing key tests on four different organisms in the following years.

Summary

The new gene mutation technology is the soon to be launched technology that will majorly help in curbing malaria disease. This new powerful technology devised by the scientists has already begun to hit the waves with the United Nations already reviewing it. It has been said that although it is seen as being of great help, failure to use it correctly can result in a big disaster.

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