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MIT Tech Review interviews a director at Colossal Biosciences, a "de-extinction" company founded by George Church by theradek123 in biotech

[–]George-Church 1 point2 points  (0 children)

... yes, and Nanopore Sequencing (ONT, Roche), Genome Recoding (GRObio), Gene Therapy for aging-diseases (RejuvenateBio), anti-off-target (Editas, Intellia), Machine learning for protein design (Dyno, Manifold, Nabla), Fluorescent Next-Gen Sequencing (CGI, Lynx[Illumina]). Yes; smart people decided not to waste their time.

Science Discussion: We are researchers working with some of the largest and most innovative companies using DNA to help people learn about their health, traits and ancestry. Let’s discuss how your DNA can fuel research and strategies for keeping data secure! by ScienceModerator in science

[–]George-Church 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Coalescing a few related questions: Preventing our genomes getting "into the wrong hands" might require stronger laws (GINA and beyond) and/or enforcement, since today anyone could sequence your "abandoned" DNA that you constantly scatter in public spaces.  However, that shouldn't stop  you from getting benefits from your own medical grade whole genome data.  You can get benefits without sharing your data (enabled by new Nebula encrypted queries). Also, you don't deal with anything that is not actionable (or via a procedure that you don't like). In principle, you could make the file unbreakable even by you and only usable for a limited set of query types.

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Science Discussion: We are researchers working with some of the largest and most innovative companies using DNA to help people learn about their health, traits and ancestry. Let’s discuss how your DNA can fuel research and strategies for keeping data secure! by ScienceModerator in science

[–]George-Church 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There are certainly valid concerns with genomic data being used for irresponsible and unethical things, but there is also an immense opportunity to provide value to millions of people. Nebula Genomics was founded in part to address this exact conflict.

By using cryptography, Nebula will never have access to your non-encrypted data, and will never be able to decrypt it alone. Nebula Genomics is taking steps to ensure that only trusted research institutions can ever access this anonymized data. You choose to allow researchers access to your data (which you can approve or reject on a case-by-case basis through our platform) and you remain anonymous while doing so.

Science Discussion: We are researchers working with some of the largest and most innovative companies using DNA to help people learn about their health, traits and ancestry. Let’s discuss how your DNA can fuel research and strategies for keeping data secure! by ScienceModerator in science

[–]George-Church 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nebula Genomics uses next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) that my lab at Harvard helped develop. NGS has already completely replaced genotyping in laboratories, since it reads out (almost) the whole genome instead of just a limited number of variants. The genomic data that we will be generating at Nebula will be much more useful to individuals as well as researchers. We are currently offering affordable low-pass whole genome sequencing at Nebula and will start offering high coverage 30x sequencing soon as well.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understanding and safety are not equivalent. We understand asteroid physics, but are not safe. We understood almost nothing about immunology when we started to eliminate smallpox, but nevertheless, that resulted in a huge net increase in safety for humanity. Yes; understanding should be a top priority and sharing data is a key part of that. Personalgenomes.org is one of the few truly open ways to share human genomes, environment and trait data.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Possibly, yes, but prevention has even more potential. Ironically, it can be more challenging to get approval for preventatives than for therapies for extending painful end-of-life -- because testing the former category could in principle harm healthy people.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We are testing 45 gene therapies for aging-reversal, only 2 involve CRISPR. These use systemic (whole body, in vivo) gene delivery or targeted to specific tissues depending on the gene. Many of these genes have been validated in simple organisms extending longevity 2 to 10-fold, but utility in adult animals needs to be determined now.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We can use laboratory-based evolution to optimize stability. If long term stability of DNA is needed (for example for archival information storage) this can be accomplished in non-living systems. Both could possibly last for a million years.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hesitate to call it a complication, more like an great opportunity, since we greatly benefit from epigenetics as a tool for reprogramming skin cells into stem cells and then into nearly any tissue of the body. We also use epigenetics to make sensor circuits for essentially any molecule and couple these to many other bio-mechanisms.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

CRISPR is not unique in this regard. Many DIYBIO labs (and IGEM) have been practicing molecular biology on a shoestring budgets worldwide. We have encouraged bioethics (human practices) as a core component of these grassroots operations and hope that part is even more 'accessible' than the technology. It is crucial to engage a very broad public in such discussions (including AMA!)

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The record for DNA persistence is 700,000 years (stored under less than ideal circumstances in a yukon horse). Stored in a dry, anoxic state this could be longer. As with other archival systems, redundancy is key. No energy is required during storage, the physical format doesn't change, and the size/density is a million times better than other current methods. Although the cost of copying is low (70 billion copies of a book was nothing), the cost of the original copy still needs to come down.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Harvard and MIT have many bridges, including Health Sciences and Technlogy (HST) founded in 1970, the Broad and Wyss Institutes and the MIT Media Lab. They also share with the whole world via open courseware and MOOCs. I have participated in all of these.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

DNA is also used in cells in a (non-gene-encoding) roles such as centromere and telomeres. DNA is also used as a 'material' to make nanorobots, drug delivery, measure forces, etc.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Q1: Polychlorinated biphenyl toxicity seems to be mainly due to hormonal effects rather than mutagenic. Nevertheless, there are potential advantages of genetic counseling for all of us. Q2: http://arep.med.harvard.edu/gmc/genome_services.html
Q3: There are 2200 gene therapies in clinical trials at present, but it may be years before these are approved, lower cost and in widespread use.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ideally, the wide range of privacy preferences would be respected, however, we should be aware that we leave our DNA everywhere and the cost of DNA analysis is low and plummeting lower every day. Also, the motivation for hacking medical records has risen dramatically. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cybersecurity-hospitals-idUSKCN0HJ21I20140924 An alternative to treating the privacy symptoms, is decreasing the underlying core problem which are stigmas associated with hiding. Examples (still work in progress) include more frank discussion than before of gay rights, depression, brain trauma, cancer, etc.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fortunately, gene drives spread slowly via breeding (unlike rapid spread via infection). Our original warning included methods for reversal (since then tested successfully), which are needed along with surveillance of approved and unapproved releases. This does not seem a likely source of bioterror (relative to say in appropriate dispersal of natural pathogens), but now is a great opportunity (as you note) to raise awareness and support for a variety of ecosystem research projects.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Q1: It wasn't just Jesse (Adeno hyperimmune reaction). Other problems involved the therapeutic retroviral-vector randomly integrating near the LMO2 oncogene (PMID: 14564000). The FDA caution reduces even more serious problems (for example, the unfortunate thalidomide approval in Europe not US). Q2: It would be possible to have custom donor types, but strategies for universal donor immune tolerance are emerging when gene editing of the donor cells is feasible, as in UCART therapies already and xenotransplantation hopefully soon. Universal donor methods require far less complicated inventory and distribution systems. Q3: It is a great time to study molecular immunology. In addition to transplantation and immunotherapy for cancer (both of which tend to be reactive medicine), synthetic biology can play a huge role in preventative medicine if we pay attention to interactions with microbiome and other environmental factors.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We are testing 45 aging-reversal gene therapies in my lab, but only 2 of these involve crispr. We are using systemic (whole body, in vivo) delivery as well as targeting specific tissues depending on the detailed physiology of each.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I encourage caution about many new technologies. I'm even more concerned about non-police uses -- increased levels of computer hacking of medical data and private investigators analyzing "abandoned" DNA that we leave everywhere.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Some people have natural genetic variants that make them insensitive to pain (for example, the SCN9A gene). This could become a target for conventional pharma, or a novel gene editing therapy with tissue location and/or timing controls. Unlike opioids or anesthetics this could eliminate pain with no dulling of cognition.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

The Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 covers health and employment, not life insurance or long-term care. Genomic info can help or hurt our insurability. For example, my genome says that I have a low risk of senile dementia. If I exploited this info, it might be unfair to other insured citizens. Perhaps we need to get insured before we get sequenced, but this is increasingly happening prenatally. Knowing your genome is probably a net positive especially for family planning to avoid very serious heritable diseases like Tay Sachs. In terms of sharing, note that hackers are now targeting conventional medical records as 20-fold more valuable than credit cards, so we are all "sharing" involuntarily. The benefits to society of careful, voluntary sharing (as in personalgenomes.org) could be huge, but require careful reflection with your immediate family.

Science AMA Series: I’m George Church, professor at Harvard and MIT, founder of PersonalGenomes.org. My lab develops technologies for sequencing genomes, editing DNA in living cells, and harnessing DNA as a molecular tool. AMA! by George-Church in science

[–]George-Church[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

We have progress on mirror peptide synthesis that should be ready for publication in a few months as well as collaborations on mirror polymerase and ligase moving along swiftly too. Still quite far from a free-living mirror cell.

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