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Otago Daily Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Universities are in turbulent times
Universities must not forget their core business, Gareth Jones writes. Life is turbulent for universities worldwide. If it is not the doctrinaire antipathy towards universities shown by the United States government, it is lack of funding from governments in many other countries. The outright hostility between government and universities in the US is not commonplace in most other countries, and yet there are subtle forces at play that are creating ongoing concerns. It is increasingly common to encounter criticism of issues being researched, especially in the humanities, and the "woke" character of academic life and interests. No matter how vague this criticism may be, it is sufficient to justify governments downplaying the stature of universities and their role in society. Consider the experience of a very high-profile researcher and administrator in the United States. Francis Collins initially came to prominence for identifying the genetic cause of cystic fibrosis. He then led the Human Genome Project and served as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2009-21. He was closely associated with the research to find a vaccine against Covid-19 and advocated very strongly for use of vaccines once available. On his retirement from the NIH he returned as a researcher to the Genome Research Institute. However, in 2025 he resigned in despair at the wholesale withdrawal of research funds. Since then, Collins has spoken out eloquently against what appears to be a concerted effort to denigrate evidence-based science and its importance in providing a foundation for ongoing medical research. Although Collins' recent experiences lie largely in research institutes, they exemplify crucial issues for universities — largely in the US, but to a lesser degree in many other countries. Some people have a low view of research and scholarship, regarding them as a waste of time and money. They think academics are too liberal, not in touch with ordinary people and need the government to show them what research the country needs. Such was the rationale last year for shifting the focus of the Marsden Fund away from the humanities and social sciences towards STEM subjects (physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences). Whatever the justification for decisions like this, universities need to be aware of society's expectations. Very simply, universities are dependent upon governments for much of their funding, and while they regard themselves as autonomous, this is a circumscribed autonomy. There has to be respect on both sides, and trust has to be won. Governments and universities cannot exist without each other, no matter how much each may think otherwise. Universities do not have a right to exist, in much the same way that anatomy schools, that have been central to my academic life, do not have a right to dissect human bodies. They do so only with social licence that has been established over many years with strict ethical guidelines. Academic freedom is a much-debated aspect of university functioning that can be threatened and abused in many ways. It only exists within an environment that encourages creativity, innovative ideas and criticism of the status quo. It is the freedom to research interesting and on occasion contentious topics that sometimes tread on the toes of politicians, policy makers and even university authorities. It does not sit easily alongside managerialism and conformity. Its protection requires vigilance and acknowledgement that this freedom is to be earned and defended if it is to be retained. Consider the extreme example of Harvard University, which is being threatened in unimaginable ways by the Trump administration. In refusing to be cowed, its president expressed what universities aspire to be. "Seeking truth ... requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to ... acknowledge our flaws." Universities must be prepared to defend themselves and their contributions to society, to highlight the benefits of universities but also acknowledge their weaknesses. Their ability to adapt is crucial, which is why they have survived for many hundreds of years. This is only possible as they open themselves to the scrutiny of others and reform themselves. Academic staff are crucial in leading change and advocating for new perspectives. In my own disciplinary area, until the mid-20th century anatomists dissected unclaimed bodies of the dead in the absence of informed consent by relatives. It was anatomists themselves who led the way in overturning this practice by insisting that only donated bodies be used. Universities must never forget that their core business is research and educating domestic students. Unfortunately, lack of adequate funding drives dependence upon the income brought in by international students. Their presence brings in welcome cultural diversity as long as they are seen as more than income generators. Turbulent times can be productive if faced head on. But universities must continually re-invent themselves and strive to contribute to and enhance their communities. — Gareth Jones is an emeritus professor, anatomy department, University of Otago.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Are Trying to Rebuild Humanity From Raw Genetic Code
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: For decades, scientists have been building synthetic versions of viruses, bacteria, and yeast, but now U.K. scientists are setting their sights on the human genome. Building a synthetic genome would be much different than gene editing, which contains smaller edits to one's own genome. While a synthetic human genome could dramatically improve our ability to manage our health, it could also be a deadly weapon if used for nefarious purposes. The ethical duality of scientific discovery is nothing new. The most dramatic example is, of course, splitting the atom, which delivered a promising new energy source as well as weapons of mass destruction. A more recent example—the internet—was an unprecedented way to access the sum total of human knowledge, and it also became an insidious vector of mass misinformation. Now scientists are embarking on a new scientific journey, one that could bring unimaginable benefits for human health while also providing the tools for immense destruction. We're going to synthesize the human genome. Over the next five years, the Synthetic Human Genome Project (SynHG), funded by the world's largest medical charity Wellcome Trust (which was also a partner of the Human Genome Project completed in 2003), will work with scientists from Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, Oxford, and Imperial College London to build the foundational tools necessary to rebuild the human genome from scratch. This is different than gene editing, which typically involves much smaller changes to an organism's original DNA. 'With recent technological advances, the SynHG project is at the forefront of one of the most exciting areas of scientific research,' Wellcome's Michael Dunn said in a press statement. 'Through creating the necessary tools and methods to synthesize a human genome, we will answer questions about our health and disease that we cannot even anticipate yet, in turn transforming our understanding of life and wellbeing.' In an interview with the BBC, Julian Sale, a member of the Molecular Biology in Cambridge who is part of the study, said that a synthetic human genome could improve the lives of humans as they age. This focus on healthspan—improving the quality of life for the years we do have—over lifespan is something medical professionals have been urging for years, and a synthetic human genome could address a wide variety of maladies that impact our quality of life in old age. And then, there's the other side of the scientific coin. While a synthetic genome could help generate disease-resistant cells or repair damaged organs or the immune system in general, the technology could also be used as a highly efficient biological weapon if it fell into the wrong hands. That's why SynHG will also develop social science programs that will examine the technology's ethical, legal, and social implications. 'The genie is out of the bottle,' Edinburgh University genetic scientist Bill Earnshaw told BBC News. 'We could have a set of restrictions now, but if an organization who has access to appropriate machinery decided to start synthesising anything, I don't think we could stop them.' When it comes to synthetic biology, the genie has actually been out of that proverbial bottle for a while now. In 2002, scientists in the U.S. first synthesized a viral genome, and since then, scientists have increased genomic complexity by synthesizing a bacterium in 2008 and a yeast organism in 2017. Of course, the human genome is leagues beyond these simple synthetic reconstructions, which is why the project scientists estimate that it could take decades to complete. Hopefully that provides enough time for humanity to fully grapple with the implications of such a breakthrough and ensure that we don't accidentally create yet another weapon of mass destruction. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Gizmodo
29-06-2025
- Health
- Gizmodo
Scientists Launch Wild New Project to Build a Human Genome From Scratch
A team of UK-based researchers is going where no scientist has dared to go—writing artificial human DNA from scratch. They're hoping the project will answer fundamental questions about the human genome and transform our understanding of health and disease. But the research topic is, for obvious reasons, controversial. Scientists have largely steered clear of trying to create full synthetic human genomes, wary of propelling us into a dystopian, Gattaca-esque future full of designer babies. Now, the Wellcome Trust, the world's largest medical charity, has coughed up about $11.7 million (£10 million) to kickstart the Synthetic Human Genome Project (SynHG). The charity says that the benefits outweigh the risks. The technology, it says, could be used to create new medical treatments, like designer cell-based therapies and virus-resistant tissue transplantation. Jason Chin, a professor at the University of Oxford, will lead the project in collaboration with several other UK-based universities and research centers. Over the next half-decade, Chin and his colleagues hope to create the foundational tools, technologies, and methods to allow researchers to create genomes from scratch. 'The ability to synthesize large genomes, including genomes for human cells, may transform our understanding of genome biology and profoundly alter the horizons of biotechnology and medicine,' Chin said in a statement. The Wellcome Trust also contributed significant funds to the Human Genome Project, which was completed 25 years ago. Actually building a human genome from nothing is even more ambitious and is expected to take years, maybe decades. Chin's team recently synthesized the complete genome of E. coli bacteria, but that's small potatoes next to a human genome, which is roughly 700 times larger. 'If you think about the human genome, it's more than just a set of genes on a string,' Julian Sale, a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, told The Guardian. 'There's an awful lot of the genome, sometimes called the dark matter of the genome, that we don't know what it does. The idea is that if you can build genomes successfully, you can fully understand them.' The scientists' first step will be to create a full, synthetic human chromosome, which researchers plan to tackle in the next five to ten years. Unlike genome editing, which works on one or a handful of genes at once, genome synthesis allows researchers to alter DNA at a larger scale. It could help determine how large swaths of our DNA—including those we don't know much about—determine our health and characteristics. 'The ability to synthesize large genomes, including genomes for human cells, may transform our understanding of genome biology and profoundly alter the horizons of biotechnology and medicine,' Chin said in a statement. Some researchers worry that the ability to write human genetic code could give researchers a scary amount of control over human living systems. It could one day be used to create synthetic humans, biological weapons, or even creatures with human DNA, Bill Earnshaw, a genetic scientist at Edinburgh University, told BBC News. But he adds that the technology necessary to do those things is still pretty far off. The project is attempting to tackle the thorny ethical issues of creating a human genome head-on. The Wellcome Trust is funding a parallel research effort into the social and ethical issues of creating human genomes in a lab, led by Joy Zhang at the University of Kent. 'This technology is going to be developed one day, so by doing it now we are at least trying to do it in as responsible a way as possible and to confront the ethical and moral questions in as upfront [a] way as possible,' Tom Collins, senior research manager at Wellcome, told BBC News.
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
‘Super humans' fears as scientists aim to create first human genome in a lab
Synthetic Human Genome (SynHG) project sparks fears that rogue scientists could create enhanced 'super humans' in decades to come British scientists are launching a controversial project to create the first synthetic human DNA in a lab. While they insist there is no intention to create a full synthetic human, researchers from universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Kent, Manchester and Imperial College London aim to write the first human genome from scratch. Some fear that opening this area of research could lead to rogue scientists seeking to create enhanced 'super humans' in decades to come. The Synthetic Human Genome (SynHG) project is being led by the Wellcome Trust, the world's largest medical research charity, and aims to boost health and treat incurable diseases. Michael Dunn, research director at Wellcome said: 'Our DNA determines who we are and how our bodies work and with recent technological advances the SynHG project is at the forefront of one of the most exciting areas of scientific research. Through creating the necessary tools and methods to synthesise a human genome we will answer questions about our health and disease that we cannot even anticipate yet, in turn transforming our understanding of life and wellbeing.' A leading genetic scientist has warned that creating human genetic material could lead to enhanced humans or even creatures that have human DNA. Prof Bill Earnshaw, of Edinburgh University, told the BBC: "The genie is out of the bottle. We could have a set of restrictions now, but if an organisation who has access to appropriate machinery decided to start synthesising anything, I don't think we could stop them. If we manage to create synthetic body parts or even synthetic people, then who owns them. And who owns the data from these creations?" How will it work? The human genome is the genetic information that makes us physically who we are. It is made up of DNA which is contained in every cell in our body and carries the genetic information it needs to do its job. Between 1990 and 2003 an international team of scientists took part in the Human Genome Project (HGP) to identify all human genes and sequence the three billion DNA base pairs. Now this information means scientists could take our understanding on another giant leap by not just reading DNA - but creating it. The team behind it insist the work of the SynHG (Synthetic Human Genome) project will be confined to test tubes and petri dishes and there will be no attempt to create synthetic life. They will first build blocks of DNA to create a whole human chromosome which decide how our cells develop and repair themselves. By experimenting on these chromosomes scientists could learn why some DNA reacts a certain way and how to modify it. This could help tackle inherited diseases which occur when genes go wrong. Prof Matthew Hurles, director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: "Building DNA from scratch allows us to test out how DNA really works and test out new theories, because currently we can only really do that by tweaking DNA in DNA that already exists in living systems". The team hope to first create a fully synthetic human chromosome, which makes up approximately 2% of our total DNA. Professor Jason Chin, of Oxford University, will lead the SynHG project. He said: 'The ability to synthesize large genomes, including genomes for human cells, may transform our understanding of genome biology and profoundly alter the horizons of biotechnology and medicine. With SynHG we are building the tools to make large genome synthesis a reality, and at the same time we are pro-actively engaging in the social, ethical, economic and policy questions that may arise as the tools and technologies advance.' The Wellcome Trust cautions that building a complete synthetic human genome to help change and treat human health could take decades. Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, of the Francis Crick Institute, said the project could create 'synthetic cells that can be grown in a lab'. He added: 'If these were to ever be used in humans, it would be important to design them carefully so that they can't lead to tumours or produce novel infectious particles. I would urge incorporating a genetic 'kill switch' to eliminate them from any location in the body or at least to make them easy for the immune system to find and destroy. There is no suggestion to make synthetic humans. We have no idea how to do this and it is likely to be very unsafe.' Such research has been taboo until now because of concerns it could lead to designer babies or unforeseen changes for future generations. Sarah Norcross, Director of the Progress Educational Trust (PET), said: 'We must recognise that this sort of work is not without controversy, and that is vital for researchers and the public to be in communication with one another. The public must have a clear understanding of what this research entails, while researchers and funders must have a thorough understanding of where the public wants to go with this science.' Dr Tom Collins, research lead at Wellcome, told the BBC: "We asked ourselves what was the cost of inaction. This technology is going to be developed one day, so by doing it now we are at least trying to do it in as responsible a way as possible and to confront the ethical and moral questions in an upfront way as possible".
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Can we build human DNA from scratch? UK scientists say they've started working on it
In a quiet lab in the UK, a bold scientific experiment is taking its first steps: one that could fundamentally change how we treat disease, how we understand life, and how we define what it means to be human. With the backing of the world's largest medical charity, researchers are now working to build parts of human DNA molecule by molecule. For supporters, it's a moment of historic promise — a leap forward in the fight against incurable illnesses. For critics, it opens the door to dangerous ethical terrain, including the spectre of designer humans and synthetic life. The project is backed by a £10 million initial grant from the Wellcome Trust, as per BBC. The initiative — called the Synthetic Human Genome Project — aims to construct human DNA from the ground up, marking what scientists believe to be a world first. Dr Julian Sale of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, a lead researcher on the project, described it to BBC News as the next giant leap in biology. He said: 'The sky is the limit… We are looking at therapies that will improve people's lives as they age… to generate disease-resistant cells that can repopulate damaged organs, like the heart, liver, and immune system.' The project builds on the Human Genome Project, completed 25 years ago, which enabled scientists to read human DNA like a barcode. The new goal goes further: not just to read, but to build sections of DNA — and eventually entire chromosomes — from scratch. By assembling artificial chromosomes in the lab, scientists hope to explore how genes govern repair, development, and illness. The team believes this could help unlock new treatments for genetic disorders and age-related diseases. But the project has raised serious ethical concerns. 'We like to think that all scientists are there to do good, but the science can be repurposed to do harm and for warfare,' said Dr Pat Thomas, director of advocacy group Beyond GM, warning against potential misuse by rogue actors. Professor Bill Earnshaw, a genetics expert at Edinburgh University, echoed the fears: 'The genie is out of the bottle. We could have a set of restrictions now, but if an organisation with access to the right machinery decided to synthesise anything, I don't think we could stop them.' To ensure ethical checks, a dedicated social science programme will run in parallel, led by Professor Joy Zhang at the University of Kent. The initiative will seek input from sociologists, ethicists, and the public. Zhang said: 'We want to understand how people relate to the technology, how it can be beneficial, and what concerns or hopes they might have.' Wellcome's head of research programmes, Dr Tom Collins, acknowledged the risks but defended the organisation's decision to fund the work. Speaking to BBC, Collins said: 'We asked ourselves what was the cost of inaction… This technology is going to be developed one day, so by doing it now we are at least trying to do it in as responsible a way as possible and confront the ethical and moral questions upfront.' (With inputs from BBC)
