Are scientists playing to be God? This is perhaps one of the questions that pop up in a scientist's mind when they heard about Harvard University's secret meeting on human genome synthesis. The said hidden proposed project was under fire as it aims to create human life from scratch with the use of chemicals.
The Human Genome Project
At a closed-door meeting on May 10 at Harvard Medical School in Boston, it was revealed that scientists were reportedly planning to recreate a human genome. However, they would be using chemicals to fabricate all the DNA contained in human chromosomes.
The new project, initially called "HGP2: The Human Genome Synthesis Project" but was changed to "HGP-Write: Testing Large Synthetic Genomes in Cells," would be a follow-up to the original Human Genome Project that aimed to read DNA's three billion chemical letters sequence of human life. But according to New York Times, the latest human genome project would not be about reading instead, it would write the human genome by chemical synthesis.
What Is Synthetic Genomics?
Unlike genetic modification, the concept of synthetic genomics is qualitatively different compared to gene editing. Scientists would use chemicals to produce all the DNA contained in human chromosomes instead of patching a gene, Gizmodo reveals.
In addition, synthetic genomics relies on using the custom-designed base pair series of genes rather than the naturally occurring ones. Thus, geneticists wouldn't be constrained by the two naturally produced base pairs, opening more possibilities.
Human Genome Synthesis Project Sparks Controversy
The proposed human genome synthesis project, however, became controversial as it sparked both intrigue and concern in the life sciences community. In fact, some experts believed the prospect of creating human beings without biological parents but with the use of a synthetic human genome might be possible, just like in cloning.
Unfortunately, notable Stanford University scientist Drew Endy and Northwestern University bioethicist Laurie Zoloth slammed the secret human genome synthesis meeting at Harvard. According to Endy and Zoloth, the said project raised several ethical issues and moral implications, hence, such discussions should not happen in private gatherings, Fox News reports.
In an essay published in Cosmos Magazine, Endy and Zoloth wrote the possibility of human genome synthesis would trigger broader considerations. They also urged scientists to pursue the synthesis of less controversial and more useful genomes such as the real-time printing of plasmids, instead of synthesizing a human genome.
"For example, would it be OK to sequence and then synthesize Einstein's genome?" Endy and Zoloth wrote. "If so how many Einstein genomes would it be OK to make and install in cells, and who could get to make and control these cells?"
Organizers Defend Secret Harvard Meeting
Despite the criticisms, Harvard genetics professor George Church, who was one of the organizers of the meeting, defended the proposed human genome synthesis project. Church stressed the project is not focused on making a synthetic human but on creating cells and would not be limited to human genomes.
"They're painting a picture which I don't think represents the project," Church said.
Meanwhile, the delegates who attended the invitation-only meeting at Harvard included 130 scientists, lawyers, entrepreneurs and government officials from five continents. The primary goal of the meeting was to "synthesize a complete human genome in a cell line within a period of 10 years," The San Jose Mercury News notes.
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