In this blog post, we will examine the possibilities and technical and ethical issues surrounding gene editing technology and whether it can realize humanity’s long-held dream of a disease-free future.
All humans desire a disease-free future. However, this has never been achieved in human history. Humankind has been too vulnerable to disease, and longevity without illness has been an ideal that only exists in mythology. Even Qin Shi Huang, who once ruled the world, was unable to find the elixir of life that would grant him immortality. Although life expectancy has increased over time, it is still clear that humans will never be able to overcome disease.
Nevertheless, the quest for a disease-free future continues unabated throughout human history. In modern society, the elixir of life that will guarantee this future is called “science.” Medicine has studied the human body for a long time and has proposed various approaches to treating diseases. However, cancer still threatens human survival, and many genetic diseases are passed down from generation to generation, stigmatizing those who suffer from them. Given this reality, medical science seems to have reached its limits in recent years, with progress in overcoming disease stagnating compared to the past. However, humanity has not given up on its efforts to overcome disease. With medicine reaching its limits, the dream of a long and disease-free life has now entered the realm of engineering. Recently, gene editing technology has emerged as a means of overcoming disease in the field of engineering. Gene editing technology is a technology that modifies genes in a way that is beneficial to humans. Although it is highly justified as a means of overcoming diseases that cannot be treated by medicine, it has encountered much opposition to date. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss gene editing technology and its justification, as well as the arguments against it.
Just a few decades ago, the greatest achievement in engineering was simply confirming the existence of genes. However, simply understanding and identifying the structure of human genes was not enough to discuss the dream of a long and healthy life. More research was needed to achieve this. Thirty years later, scientists have reached the point where they can manipulate the genes of living organisms. Restriction enzymes found in microorganisms such as bacteria were able to cut out DNA containing genes. Restriction enzymes could cut out specific sequences of DNA, which made it possible to select necessary genes and remove unnecessary ones. However, restriction enzymes could only function in the genes of microorganisms and could not be used to edit human DNA. For this reason, scientists developed various technologies such as zinc fingers and TALENs that could be used on human DNA, but these were also unsuccessful.
However, in 2012, scientists broke through the deadlock in gene editing technology. CRISPR is a gene editing technology that can be used not only on human DNA but also on the DNA of almost all living organisms. CRISPR was discovered in 1987 as part of the genome of bacteria, and refers to a structure in which DNA sequences are repeated at specific intervals. This structure did not attract much attention at the time, but was rediscovered in 2012 by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. The Berkeley researchers discovered that a specific protein combined with CRISPR in bacterial cells finds and cuts out DNA that has penetrated from outside the cell. From this phenomenon, they confirmed the possibility of inducing CRISPR to cut out the intended DNA. Since then, gene editing technology using CRISPR has advanced significantly, and gene editing research has been conducted on various biological cells. In April of this year, gene editing research was conducted on human fertilized eggs, which was reported as the first attempt at human gene modification.
This is the gene editing technology that has emerged as the best means of overcoming modern diseases. Now, humanity has reached genetic engineering and holds the card of gene editing technology in its hand. Gene editing technology presents a new way of treating diseases that has not been possible until now through the modification of genes. There are two main methods: fertilized egg gene editing and in vitro treatment. If we divide the causes of human diseases into congenital and acquired factors, the above two technologies correspond to each factor. Both technologies demonstrate the positive effects and prospects of gene editing technology, which can be understood through detailed discussion of each.
Genetic editing of fertilized eggs is a technology that repairs genes present in human fertilized eggs before they develop. Congenital diseases are also known as genetic diseases, which are generally caused by the expression of disease factors recorded in the genes of the parents. Therefore, if the disease factors recorded in the genes are removed, genetic diseases will not occur. Gene editing technology is a means of removing these disease factors, and by selectively removing only the genes that cause genetic diseases from fertilized eggs, it is possible to reduce the possibility of genetic diseases occurring in future individuals.
In contrast to fertilized egg gene editing, in vitro treatment can address acquired diseases. Acquired diseases generally occur when the body is unable to respond properly to abnormal conditions that arise in the body. In such cases, there are two main approaches to treatment: one is to eliminate the cause of the abnormal condition, and the other is to induce the body to return to its normal state on its own. Medicine generally follows the first method to treat diseases. However, diseases that are fundamentally difficult to cure with modern medicine, such as cancer, require a second approach due to the risk of recurrence. Extracorporeal treatment can be applied to this by extracting specific cells, such as immune cells, from the body, modifying their genes, and reintroducing them to induce the body to overcome the disease spontaneously.
The technology that applies the gene editing described above shares the same goal of overcoming diseases that occur in our bodies. This secures the legitimacy of gene editing technology. However, despite these positive effects, there is still strong opposition to gene editing technology. This opposition can be summarized as technical and ethical issues, which must also be examined in order to confirm the validity of gene editing technology. First, the technical issues stem from the fact that gene editing technology, including CRISPR, is not yet perfect. Although experiments to edit genes have been successfully conducted, there have been no reports of successful modification of specific genetic traits. This suggests that there are technical issues that need to be addressed before gene editing technology can be used on a large scale, and it acts as a variable that introduces uncertainty into the technology’s ability to overcome diseases as intended.
In addition, gene editing technology is fundamentally controversial from an ethical standpoint. This can be summarized simply as concerns about the expansion of gene editing technology. Gene editing technology is not limited to the treatment of diseases, and if expanded, it could be used to modify all factors that are genetically determined in humans. This includes not only physical characteristics, but also various “innate traits” ranging from personality to intelligence. Ultimately, this could lead to social and ethical controversies in conjunction with the misuse of gene editing technology. If this technology is abused, humans could become uniform in appearance, with tall stature and good looks, and internally, with high intelligence and good personalities. Ultimately, this would result in the imposition of traits preferred by most humans, which could hinder the development of modern society that guarantees diversity.
However, research on gene editing technology must continue. The two issues raised above are the result of a short-sighted interpretation of gene editing technology. As described in the issues mentioned above, gene editing technology is not yet perfect. This in itself suggests the possibility of further development. Gene editing technology has already become the hottest topic in genetic engineering, and various studies on technical issues are underway. It took only 30 years from the discovery of genes to the modification of genes through genetic engineering. Similarly, it is likely that it will not take long for gene editing technology to be used to overcome diseases in earnest after undergoing repeated improvements.
In addition, improvements in technology will provide clues for overcoming ethical issues. A simple example of this is stem cell technology. Stem cell technology once sparked ethical controversy due to research using human fertilized eggs. However, as technology advanced, research expanded to use adult cells, which are free from ethical controversy. As such, in modern times, technologies related to life inevitably accompany ethical controversy. However, these are issues that arise in the early stages of technology application and are likely to be resolved as research continues. As gene editing technology is still in its early stages of research, if research is conducted with a focus on overcoming diseases while avoiding ethical controversies such as misuse of technology, it will be possible to avoid such counterarguments.
Ultimately, the essence of the problem returns to “technology.” In modern society, advances in science and technology have provided us with answers to many problems. All technologies have raised various questions and controversies during their development and advancement. However, humanity has experience in leading science and technology in a positive direction for itself. Humans develop through trial and error. Human disease is a fundamental problem that humanity must solve. Now that classical medicine has reached its practical limits, the need for gene editing technology is obvious. Although gene editing technology will likely be controversial during its development, there is no doubt that it is a weapon that can overcome diseases that medicine cannot cure.
In the history of humanity’s struggle against diseases that have been impossible to avoid, gene editing technology offers a new way forward. Although it tends to be dismissed as a mere wishful thinking amid controversy, the method has already been presented. Now, it is only a matter of time before the immediate challenges are resolved. Gene editing technology, which challenges the realm of God, will become a scientific weapon and promise that will open up a future free of disease for humanity.
