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Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists warn of 'catastrophic' risks as labs 'play God' with human DNA
Scientists have taken a bold and controversial step toward creating synthetic human DNA from scratch, a move some critics liken to 'playing God.' The research aims to unlock new treatments for autoimmune disorders, heart failure, viral infections, and age-related diseases. To do so, scientists are developing tools to build large, complex sections of human DNA in the lab and insert them into skin cells to observe how they function. The ultimate goal is to construct entire human chromosomes, a foundational step toward assembling a fully synthetic human genome. But the project has sparked ethical and safety concerns. Experts warn that the technology could have catastrophic risks, leading to biological weapons or genetically engineered 'designer babies.' 'The genie is out of the bottle,' said Professor Bill Earnshaw of the University of Edinburgh. 'If an organization with the right equipment decided to start synthesizing anything, I don't think we could stop them.' Dr Pat Thomas, a longtime campaigner on genetic ethics, added: 'While many scientists have good intentions, the science can be repurposed to harm, and even for warfare.' Every cell in the human body, except red blood cells, contains DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life. DNA is composed of just four chemical bases, known as A, G, C, and T. These letters repeat in countless combinations to form the code that shapes everything from eye color to disease risk. Over the next five years, teams from the University of Oxford, Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, and Imperial College London will collaborate to build and test synthetic DNA in the lab. Their short-term goal is to better understand how DNA influences human development, health, and aging. By constructing DNA from scratch, rather than editing existing strands, scientists gain unprecedented control to explore genetic function and test new biological theories. This research could help uncover how faulty cells trigger disease or lead to the creation of disease-resistant tissues and repair techniques for organs like the heart or liver. 'This is about developing therapies that will improve people's lives as they age, leading to healthier aging with less disease,' Dr Julian Sale of Cambridge's MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, told the BBC. Dr Sale added that the technology also allows researchers to explore the so-called 'dark matter' of the genome, the vast, little-understood regions of DNA that don't code for proteins but may play critical roles in cellular function. Professor Matthew Hurles of the Wellcome Sanger Institute said the work could revolutionize treatment by revealing why certain cells cause disease and how to fix them. While medical applications may still be years away, researchers say the work could eventually lead to breakthroughs like virus-resistant tissues, lab-grown organs, or advanced cell-based therapies. 'Building DNA from scratch allows us to test out how DNA really works and test out new theories, because currently we can only do that by tweaking DNA in existing living systems.' This approach may also lead to advances beyond the human genome. Philosophy professor Iain Brassington from the University of Manchester highlighted the potential for creating synthetic mitochondria, the cell's energy powerhouses, which could help women with inherited mitochondrial disorders have children without relying on egg donors. But Brassington also warns of serious consequences if the technology is misused. Lab-engineered bacteria designed to clean up oil spills or digest plastic, for example, could wreak havoc if released into the environment.
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)
Saudi Gazette
26-06-2025
- Health
- Saudi Gazette
Work begins to create artificial human DNA from scratch
LONDON — Work has begun on a controversial project to create the building blocks of human life from scratch, in what is believed to be a world first. The research has been taboo until now because of concerns it could lead to designer babies or unforeseen changes for future generations. But now the world's largest medical charity, the Wellcome Trust, has given an initial £10m to start the project and says it has the potential to do more good than harm by accelerating treatments for many incurable diseases. Dr Julian Sale, of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, who is part of the project, told BBC News the research was the next giant leap in biology. "The sky is the limit. We are looking at therapies that will improve people's lives as they age, that will lead to healthier aging with less disease as they get older. "We are looking to use this approach to generate disease-resistant cells we can use to repopulate damaged organs, for example in the liver and the heart, even the immune system," he said. But critics fear the research opens the way for unscrupulous researchers seeking to create enhanced or modified humans. Dr Pat Thomas, director of the campaign group Beyond GM, said: "We like to think that all scientists are there to do good, but the science can be repurposed to do harm and for warfare". Details of the project were given to BBC News on the 25th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project, which mapped the molecules in human DNA and was also largely funded by Wellcome. Every cell in our body contains a molecule called DNA which carries the genetic information it needs. DNA is built from just four much smaller blocks referred to as A, G, C and T, which are repeated over and over again in various combinations. Amazingly it contains all the genetic information that physically makes us who we are. The Human Genome Project enabled scientists to read all human genes like a bar code. The new work that is getting under way, called the Synthetic Human Genome Project, potentially takes this a giant leap forward – it will allow researchers not just to read a molecule of DNA, but to create parts of it – maybe one day all of it — molecule by molecule from scratch. The scientists' first aim is to develop ways of building ever larger blocks of human DNA, up to the point when they have synthetically constructed a human chromosome. These contain the genes that govern our development, repair and maintenance. These can then be studied and experimented on to learn more about how genes and DNA regulate our bodies. Many diseases occur when these genes go wrong so the studies could lead to better treatments, according to Prof Matthew Hurles, director of the Wellcome Sanger Insititute which sequenced the largest proportion of the Human Genome. "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 project's work will be confined to test tubes and dishes and there will be no attempt to create synthetic life. But the technology will give researchers unprecedented control over human living systems. And although the project is hunting for medical benefits, there is nothing to stop unscrupulous scientists misusing the technology. They could, for example, attempt to create biological weapons, enhanced humans or even creatures that have human DNA, according to Prof Bill Earnshaw, a highly respected genetic scientist at Edinburgh University who designed a method for creating artificial human chromosomes. "The genie is out of the bottle," he told BBC News. "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" Ms Thomas is concerned about how the technology will be commercialised by healthcare companies developing treatments emerging from the research. "If we manage to create synthetic body parts or even synthetic people, then who owns them. And who owns the data from these creations? " Given the potential misuse of the technology, the question for Wellcome is why they chose to fund it. The decision was not made lightly, according to Dr Tom Collins, who gave the funding go-ahead. "We asked ourselves what was the cost of inaction," he told BBC News. "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". A dedicated social science program will run in tandem with the project's scientific development and will be led by Prof Joy Zhang, a sociologist, at the University of Kent. "We want to get the views of experts, social scientists and especially the public about how they relate to the technology and how it can be beneficial to them and, importantly, what questions and concerns they have," she said. — BBC
Daily Tribune
11-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Lab-Grown Meat, Dairy, and Sugar Could Hit UK Markets Within Two Years
Lab-grown meat, dairy, and sugar could be available for human consumption in the UK within the next two years, as regulators seek to fast-track the approval process. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is exploring ways to expedite the authorization of lab-grown food products, which are cultivated from cells in controlled chemical environments. While UK firms have been at the forefront of this scientific advancement, many feel that current regulations have hindered their progress. The move to accelerate approvals aims to address concerns that British companies are falling behind international competitors, where regulatory processes are significantly quicker. Last month, the UK saw its first commercial sale of pet food containing lab-grown meat, a development that has sparked increased discussion on the potential for similar products to reach human consumers. Globally, Singapore became the first country to approve the sale of cultivated meat in 2020, followed by the United States in 2023 and Israel in 2024. However, not all regions are embracing the technology—Italy, along with the US states of Alabama and Florida, have imposed bans on lab-grown food. In response, the FSA is collaborating with experts from high-tech food companies and academic institutions to develop new regulations. The agency aims to complete the full safety assessment of at least two lab-grown food products as part of a two-year approval framework. However, critics argue that involving food companies in drafting the new regulations presents a conflict of interest. Pat Thomas, director of the campaign group Beyond GM, expressed concerns about industry influence, stating, "The companies involved in helping the FSA to draw up these regulations are the ones most likely to benefit from deregulation. If this were any other type of food product, we would be outraged by it." Defending the approach, FSA chief scientist Prof. Robin May emphasized that consumer safety would not be compromised. "We are working very closely with the companies involved and academic groups to design a regulatory structure that benefits innovation while ensuring food safety remains at the highest possible level," he told BBC News. Science Minister Lord Vallance dismissed concerns about deregulation, framing the changes as "pro-innovation regulation." He explained, "We are trying to align regulations with the needs of innovation and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication." Lab-grown foods are developed by growing plant or animal tissue from small cell samples. In some cases, gene editing is used to enhance specific properties of the food. Proponents claim that these products could be more environmentally sustainable and healthier alternatives to traditionally farmed foods. The UK government is keen to see lab-grown food firms flourish, hoping they will drive job creation and economic growth. Despite the country's strong scientific expertise in this field, regulatory delays have slowed commercial progress compared to other nations such as Singapore, the US, and Israel. One company eager for change is Ivy Farm Technologies, based in Oxford. The company has already developed lab-grown steaks using cells from Wagyu and Aberdeen Angus cows. Ivy Farm applied for regulatory approval to sell its steaks to restaurants early last year, but CEO Dr. Harsh Amin believes the two-year waiting period is a major obstacle. "If we can shorten that to less than a year while maintaining the very highest of Britain's food safety standards, that would help start-up companies like ours to thrive," Amin stated. With the FSA's new initiative underway, the UK may soon join the growing list of nations where cultivated food products are available to consumers, signaling a potential shift in the future of food production.
Saudi Gazette
10-03-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Lab-grown food could be sold in UK within two years
LONDON — Meat, dairy and sugar grown in a lab could be on sale in the UK for human consumption for the first time within two years from now, sooner than expected. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking at how it can speed up the approval process for lab-grown foods. Such products are grown from cells in small chemical plants. UK firms have led the way in the field scientifically but feel they have been held back by the current regulations. Dog food made from meat that was grown in factory vats went on sale in the UK for the first time last month. In 2020, Singapore became the first country to authorize the sale of cell-cultivated meat for human consumption, followed by the United States three years later and Israel last Italy and the US states of Alabama and Florida have instituted FSA is to develop new regulations by working with experts from high-tech food firms and academic says it aims to complete the full safety assessment of two lab-grown foods within the two-year process it is critics say that having the firms involved in drawing up the new rules represents a conflict of initiative is in response to concerns by UK firms that they are losing ground to competition overseas, where approvals processes take half the Robin May, the FSA's chief scientist, told BBC News that there would be no compromise on consumer safety."We are working very closely with the companies involved and academic groups to work together to design a regulatory structure that is good for them, but at all costs ensures the safety of these products remains as high as it possibly can," he critics such as Pat Thomas, director of the campaign group Beyond GM, are not convinced by this approach."The companies involved in helping the FSA to draw up these regulations are the ones most likely to benefit from deregulation and if this were any other type of food product, we would be outraged by it," she science minister, Lord Vallance, took issue with the process being described as "deregulation"."It is not deregulation, it is pro-innovation regulation," he told BBC News."It is an important distinction, because we are trying to get the regulation aligned with the needs of innovation and reduce some of the bureaucracy and duplication."Lab-grown foods are grown into plant or animal tissue from tiny cells. This can sometimes involve gene editing to tweak the food's properties. The claimed benefits are that they are better for the environment and potentially government is keen for lab-grown food firms to thrive because it hopes they can create new jobs and economic UK is good at the science, but the current approvals process is much slower than in other countries. Singapore, the US and Israel in particular have faster Farm Technologies in Oxford is ready to go with lab-grown steaks, made from cells taken from Wagyu and Aberdeen Angus firm applied for approval to sell its steaks to restaurants at the beginning of last year. Ivy Farm's CEO, Dr Harsh Amin, explained that two years was a very long time to wait."If we can shorten that to less than a year, while maintaining the very highest of Britain's food safety standards, that would help start-up companies like ours to thrive." — BBC
