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Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves
Imagine a future in which human beings have become immune to all viruses, in which bacteria can custom-produce everyday items, like a drinking cup, or generate enough electricity to end oil dependency. Building a house would entail no more work than planting a seed in the ground. These scenarios may seem far-fetched, but pioneering geneticist George Church and science writer Ed Regis show that synthetic biology is bringing us ever closer to making such visions a reality. In Regenesis , Church and Regis explore the possibilities—and perils—of the emerging field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms. Until now, nature has been the exclusive arbiter of life, death, and evolution; with synthetic biology, we now have the potential to write our own biological future. Indeed, as Church and Regis show, it even enables us to revisit crucial points in the evolution of life and, through synthetic biological techniques, choose different paths from those nature originally took. Such exploits will involve far more than just microbial tinkering. Full-blown genomic engineering will make possible incredible feats, from resurrecting woolly mammoths and other extinct organisms to creating mirror life forms with a molecular structure the opposite of our own. These technologies—far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction—have the power to improve human and animal health, increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span. A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, Regenesis is nothing less than a guide to the future of life.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
January 15, 2013
As a postdoc in a prominent synthetic biology lab, I picked up this book with great enthusiasm - particularly because George Church has been an important leader in our field.
In this work, Dr. Church provides a detailed perspective on the history of synthetic biology. To his credit, he does a good job demystifying the field - often separating science potential from science fiction. Moreover, Dr. Church does a great job explaining in layman terms some of the most important discoveries/milestones in our field; particularly the contributions of his lab.
But unfortunately, these strengths were also it's biggest detractors. I find the language distracting - at times implying the reader lacks scientific literacy. Unfortunately, the work also feels very biased - neglecting important contributions from leaders such as Frances Arnold, Adam Arkin, Jim Collins, Mike Elowitz, Jeff Hasty, Wendell Lim, Chris Voight and many, many others. Craig Venter gets a possibly unfair treatment as a subtle villain in the field. That said, it is an unrealistic expectation that such a book would adequately capture the status and future of synthetic biology, as the field is still rapidly evolving.
Overall, I find this to be a good book - though something I would only recommend to select individuals. It reads easy, but sometimes pushes future potentials too strongly. George Church is an incredible scientist, but I'm not sure if this is the best way to educate the public about the future of synthetic biology.
In this work, Dr. Church provides a detailed perspective on the history of synthetic biology. To his credit, he does a good job demystifying the field - often separating science potential from science fiction. Moreover, Dr. Church does a great job explaining in layman terms some of the most important discoveries/milestones in our field; particularly the contributions of his lab.
But unfortunately, these strengths were also it's biggest detractors. I find the language distracting - at times implying the reader lacks scientific literacy. Unfortunately, the work also feels very biased - neglecting important contributions from leaders such as Frances Arnold, Adam Arkin, Jim Collins, Mike Elowitz, Jeff Hasty, Wendell Lim, Chris Voight and many, many others. Craig Venter gets a possibly unfair treatment as a subtle villain in the field. That said, it is an unrealistic expectation that such a book would adequately capture the status and future of synthetic biology, as the field is still rapidly evolving.
Overall, I find this to be a good book - though something I would only recommend to select individuals. It reads easy, but sometimes pushes future potentials too strongly. George Church is an incredible scientist, but I'm not sure if this is the best way to educate the public about the future of synthetic biology.
September 23, 2013
Following a evolutionary timescale, the authors introduce you from the "greatest story ever", the story of the genome, all the way to synthetic genomics. Here are some points I found interesting and worth discussing among many other things you could find:
First of all, on the Late Hadean period you will be introduced on abiogenesis, is it possible that organic molecules can arise from inorganic molecules? Darwin knew, when he wrote On the Origin of Species, that he wasn't ready to answer this even though he did hypothesize about the primordial soup necessary for the arise of these complex molecules.
In the chapter of the Paleocene epoch, they introduce you to the evolution of the mammalian immune system, which is when it took place. This is the epoch that followed dinosaurs extinction around 65-55 myas. Now, with this approach on the immunology system they make an example of how the use of synthetic genomics could be applied on this era. For example, through inserting the lux gene from Vibrio fischeri into a newly engineered invasive organism inv+ E. coli gave the researchers a genetically resided bacterium that could distinguish among cells with different densities and selectively invade on higher density cells such as tumor or cancer cells. So eventually, genetically modified bacteria could be used for cancer treatments. I wonder what people terrified with GMO food products will think about the possibility of inserting a bacteria to treat cancer??? My advise: Don't tell them to avoid panic!
Another example of these modified bacteria is the possibility to alter E. coli to synthesize PYY (3-36), which is a peptide produced in mammalian colon cells responsible for satiety regulation. I find this fascinating, as obesity is one of the major health problems we are facing today.
Later on, making a stop on the Pleistocene period: the age of massive glaciation and global cooling you will read on Nuclear transfer cloning. What do you think on the possibility to bring back a Neanderthal or a mammoth??? One of the arguments mentioned is that this cloning can introduce new genes back into the pool of species for diversity. Remember that diversity is extremely important on the evolution of our species. Well, wouldn't this be against Natural selection or anti Darwinian??? If their genes were already eliminated by our gene pool why bring them back? What new abilities could this possibly offer to our species. It does sound pretty interesting though, it could definitely give us a better understanding of our and their past.
On the Neolithic period: Stone Age and the beginning of agriculture and the greatest transformation towards our civilization. In which he makes an analogy of artificial selection through the domestication of plants and animals with synthetic biology. First "domesticating" E. coli to produce insulin, EPO or monoclonal antibodies among other uses through gene modification. Later for production of biofuels, new drugs and GMOs and now on the phase creating synthetic genomic enterprises.
Well, I don't want to ruin or spoil your reading because there are many great topics I could endlessly keep on debating on this book and on every chapter you will definitely find something worth discussing or stop and give it a thought. Personally I love genetics and I like to imagine all the fascinating possibilities that synthetic genomics could give rise in our health and our environment. Will the rise of genetic engineering lead us to the development of a better species, perhaps a Homo sapiens 2.0???? and, are we really ready to face the challenges that genetic engineering can give us? I think we are. Of course, science will have to continue facing many challenges regarding ethics, humanism, religion, political and economical, but at the end science is about understanding our past and looking for our best options towards our future and our survival.
My recommendation: Read this book. It is well written and in a simple way anyone can understand and enjoy from the RNA era to an epigenetics epilogue, to give you an idea how genetics has and will continue to influence our lives.
First of all, on the Late Hadean period you will be introduced on abiogenesis, is it possible that organic molecules can arise from inorganic molecules? Darwin knew, when he wrote On the Origin of Species, that he wasn't ready to answer this even though he did hypothesize about the primordial soup necessary for the arise of these complex molecules.
In the chapter of the Paleocene epoch, they introduce you to the evolution of the mammalian immune system, which is when it took place. This is the epoch that followed dinosaurs extinction around 65-55 myas. Now, with this approach on the immunology system they make an example of how the use of synthetic genomics could be applied on this era. For example, through inserting the lux gene from Vibrio fischeri into a newly engineered invasive organism inv+ E. coli gave the researchers a genetically resided bacterium that could distinguish among cells with different densities and selectively invade on higher density cells such as tumor or cancer cells. So eventually, genetically modified bacteria could be used for cancer treatments. I wonder what people terrified with GMO food products will think about the possibility of inserting a bacteria to treat cancer??? My advise: Don't tell them to avoid panic!
Another example of these modified bacteria is the possibility to alter E. coli to synthesize PYY (3-36), which is a peptide produced in mammalian colon cells responsible for satiety regulation. I find this fascinating, as obesity is one of the major health problems we are facing today.
Later on, making a stop on the Pleistocene period: the age of massive glaciation and global cooling you will read on Nuclear transfer cloning. What do you think on the possibility to bring back a Neanderthal or a mammoth??? One of the arguments mentioned is that this cloning can introduce new genes back into the pool of species for diversity. Remember that diversity is extremely important on the evolution of our species. Well, wouldn't this be against Natural selection or anti Darwinian??? If their genes were already eliminated by our gene pool why bring them back? What new abilities could this possibly offer to our species. It does sound pretty interesting though, it could definitely give us a better understanding of our and their past.
On the Neolithic period: Stone Age and the beginning of agriculture and the greatest transformation towards our civilization. In which he makes an analogy of artificial selection through the domestication of plants and animals with synthetic biology. First "domesticating" E. coli to produce insulin, EPO or monoclonal antibodies among other uses through gene modification. Later for production of biofuels, new drugs and GMOs and now on the phase creating synthetic genomic enterprises.
Well, I don't want to ruin or spoil your reading because there are many great topics I could endlessly keep on debating on this book and on every chapter you will definitely find something worth discussing or stop and give it a thought. Personally I love genetics and I like to imagine all the fascinating possibilities that synthetic genomics could give rise in our health and our environment. Will the rise of genetic engineering lead us to the development of a better species, perhaps a Homo sapiens 2.0???? and, are we really ready to face the challenges that genetic engineering can give us? I think we are. Of course, science will have to continue facing many challenges regarding ethics, humanism, religion, political and economical, but at the end science is about understanding our past and looking for our best options towards our future and our survival.
My recommendation: Read this book. It is well written and in a simple way anyone can understand and enjoy from the RNA era to an epigenetics epilogue, to give you an idea how genetics has and will continue to influence our lives.
November 5, 2012
I found this book suffered from self-aggrandizing and minutiae which combined to make it a chore to read and understand. It felt that because the authors were involved with much of the material being discussed they focused on a level of detail uninteresting to that of a layperson. It resulted in uneven tone and scope between chapters. I did gain some understanding of synthetic biology and how research around it is progressing but overall I'd give book a pass.
February 11, 2013
Just when I was starting to feel a little self-conscious about my list so far being dominated by graphic novels and children's books, I managed to plow through this tome. Okay, that's an unfair characterization. At times, I was enraptured by this book. I delivered spontaneous lectures to my husband and my co-workers. I posted quotes on Facebook. I engaged in conversation with a cashier who took my money after I spent a lunch period reading voraciously. But to get to these amazing stories, to get to those turns of phrase that were so poetical and profound that I was moved to claim this book as a part of my personal gospel, there was a lot to plow through.
To say this book was uneven would be a master understatement. Church gave himself an ambitious structure -- telling the progress of synthetic biology as a parallel to the processes of natural evolution. It was a wonderful concept, and in the places where it worked it was brilliant. But in other chapters it was so clearly forced that I wished he hadn't bothered. I also found it strange where he chose to explain concepts in great detail (like the chirality of organic molecules) and where there seemed to be no attempt to explain at all (exactly how one obtains sequences of synthetic DNA -- something central to most of the enterprises in his book.) Finally, there are so many mentions of Church's own work, Church's various business start-ups and organizations that eventually it prompted some eye-rolling.
Why, with all this complaining, would I still give this book four out of five stars? Well, because the content is simply amazing. It is hard to walk away from this book and not be awe-struck at what mere mortals have been able to achieve with the tools of science, hopeful for the future, and even a mystical sense of connection with it all. There are amazing stories in here, of synthetic cyanobacteria that can synthesize diesel fuel from the sun, synthetic organisms that can sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in large quantities, scientists working to resurrect species from extinction, possible treatments for cancer, therapies that could render organisms immune to all viruses, and so much more -- an international competition inspiring college students on shoestring budgets to engineer possible solutions to an astonishing variety of problems.
Of course, there are ethical considerations in this work, and there are moments (especially in the very beginning), where Church is annoyingly starry-eyed. But what Church sets out to do here is to impress us with the audacity of his dream. (And how close much of it is to reality!) And I must admit, I'm walking away a little starry-eyed myself.
To say this book was uneven would be a master understatement. Church gave himself an ambitious structure -- telling the progress of synthetic biology as a parallel to the processes of natural evolution. It was a wonderful concept, and in the places where it worked it was brilliant. But in other chapters it was so clearly forced that I wished he hadn't bothered. I also found it strange where he chose to explain concepts in great detail (like the chirality of organic molecules) and where there seemed to be no attempt to explain at all (exactly how one obtains sequences of synthetic DNA -- something central to most of the enterprises in his book.) Finally, there are so many mentions of Church's own work, Church's various business start-ups and organizations that eventually it prompted some eye-rolling.
Why, with all this complaining, would I still give this book four out of five stars? Well, because the content is simply amazing. It is hard to walk away from this book and not be awe-struck at what mere mortals have been able to achieve with the tools of science, hopeful for the future, and even a mystical sense of connection with it all. There are amazing stories in here, of synthetic cyanobacteria that can synthesize diesel fuel from the sun, synthetic organisms that can sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in large quantities, scientists working to resurrect species from extinction, possible treatments for cancer, therapies that could render organisms immune to all viruses, and so much more -- an international competition inspiring college students on shoestring budgets to engineer possible solutions to an astonishing variety of problems.
Of course, there are ethical considerations in this work, and there are moments (especially in the very beginning), where Church is annoyingly starry-eyed. But what Church sets out to do here is to impress us with the audacity of his dream. (And how close much of it is to reality!) And I must admit, I'm walking away a little starry-eyed myself.
December 31, 2018
Torn whether this book is worth recommending or not.. the first two chapters were fine, then the book takes a bit of a downturn only to get pretty fun and engaging in the last two-three chapters.
The author, Dr. Church, seems like someone who is a deep thinker and prolific scientist in the field of synthetic biology. He understands his field well and is arguably very excited to talk about it to the masses. Yet, the book suffers in the middle because:
- he doesn't explain the university-level concepts in biology and chemistry needed to understand some of the scientific content in the book
- he focuses only on what he has personally been part of, almost to the point of coming across as a humblebrag
- rambles on in his quirky sense of humour about the goings-on in his field of research that seem really unrelatable as a non-academic reader
The kicker for me was when he spent 3-4 sentences explaining what photosynthesis was, a concept that is taught in science class in early high school, yet didn't stop to explain some of the much more complicated molecular biology and organic chemistry concepts that he casually refers to while explaining his research. It seemed like this book could use a good editor.
With that out of the way, I think he does a great break down of the different facets of synthetic biology through the different chapters; I thought the book's organization was pretty clever. Moreover, he is very realistic in addressing some of the downsides of experimenting with DNA in a lab setting and democratizing access to such technology to humanity at large. His thoughts on mitigating these problems were worth a read for me. This, having previously read the paper on Precautionary Principle by Taleb.
Overall, synthetic biology is an exponentially growing technology field that is not as appreciated as it should be, and reading this book is a good layperson survey of the relevant research in the field.
The author, Dr. Church, seems like someone who is a deep thinker and prolific scientist in the field of synthetic biology. He understands his field well and is arguably very excited to talk about it to the masses. Yet, the book suffers in the middle because:
- he doesn't explain the university-level concepts in biology and chemistry needed to understand some of the scientific content in the book
- he focuses only on what he has personally been part of, almost to the point of coming across as a humblebrag
- rambles on in his quirky sense of humour about the goings-on in his field of research that seem really unrelatable as a non-academic reader
The kicker for me was when he spent 3-4 sentences explaining what photosynthesis was, a concept that is taught in science class in early high school, yet didn't stop to explain some of the much more complicated molecular biology and organic chemistry concepts that he casually refers to while explaining his research. It seemed like this book could use a good editor.
With that out of the way, I think he does a great break down of the different facets of synthetic biology through the different chapters; I thought the book's organization was pretty clever. Moreover, he is very realistic in addressing some of the downsides of experimenting with DNA in a lab setting and democratizing access to such technology to humanity at large. His thoughts on mitigating these problems were worth a read for me. This, having previously read the paper on Precautionary Principle by Taleb.
Overall, synthetic biology is an exponentially growing technology field that is not as appreciated as it should be, and reading this book is a good layperson survey of the relevant research in the field.
July 28, 2013
Right out of the gate, I've got to say I didn't care for the layout. It seems a bit haphazard for my tastes. Also, the assumed level of the audience's knowledge on the topic seems to really jump around. Some things got simplified that really didn't need to be, while others were well over my head and had no explanation. Given the expertise of the author, I think this is probably a 'curse of knowledge' problem. There's probably not much he could do about it personally, but having it screened by a terribly uneducated person like me might have helped. Beyond that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I had only recently discovered that there was a diy bio-hacking movement when I started reading this. Now I feel much, much more up to speed with the state of the field, and it's great import. I'm amazed that some of the developments from this book ever got by me in the first place, since it seems like they would be big news (of the sort I pay attention to, at any rate).
The long and short of it is, read this book or in remarkably few years you're going to encounter some incredible and/or nasty surprises.
The long and short of it is, read this book or in remarkably few years you're going to encounter some incredible and/or nasty surprises.
October 22, 2012
This was a very odd book. It started with a couple of very detailed chapters talking about molecular structure that didn't seem all that relevant to the topic. But then gradually become less and less technical and more and more speculative. Hence the best chapters were the ones in the middle, talking about challenges of cloning extinct species or vaccines/treatments for viruses. Synthetic biology is pretty interesting stuff and will be become more and more relevant to daily lives, so this was a good book to catch up on the topic, as it has really advanced in the last decade. But it was hard to get around the ego of the author sometimes and his rather grandiose claims.
July 13, 2014
Bart: How would I go about creating a half-man, half-monkey-type creature?
Mrs. Krabappel: I'm sorry, that would be playing God.
Bart: God-schmod, I want my monkey man.
I picked up REGENESIS after reading a number of popular science articles on the promise of synthetic biology. The technological advances being made now are truly astonishing to me--Moore's Law famously has computer processing power doubling every 18 months; in comparison, the speed of DNA sequencing & synthesis improved tenfold every year from 2004 to 2011. In 2011, J. Craig Ventner created the first self-replicating cell with a synthetic genome. A DNA synthesizer that might have cost $100,000 in 1999 can be bought on eBay for less than five hundred bucks. Cutting edge projects can be done by high school students (through the annual International Genetically Engineered Machines--iGEM--contest) or by small companies that resemble Microsoft and Apple in the early days.
George Church, a professor at Harvard Medical School, is at the center of that; he's involved in the Personal Genome Project--which hopes to sequence 100,000 people and use the genetic information as a public resource for researchers. His biofuel company uses cyanobacteria to produce diesel; he projects that it could be produced on an industrial scale for $50/barrel, which would be tremendous if it actually pans out. He's pioneered the use of DNA to store data and help conceive of Obama's BRAIN initiative. You may have seen him on the Colbert Report, with a big Moses-style beard, brandishing a tiny dot of DNA that had 20 million copies of his book encoded within it.
In REGENESIS, George Church presents himself as the fun uncle of synthetic biology, enthusiastic about all sorts of far-out possibilities for genetic enhancement. We could engineered people out of 'right-handed' molecules rather than left-handed, for example, and thus make these 'mirror humans' immune to normal diseases of all kinds (and unfortunately unable to eat food that wasn't also made of 'right-handed' molecules). We could genetically engineer humans for immunity to all sorts of viruses (some people are already immune to HIV, for example, thanks to a beneficent mutation). He's even in favor of my favorite nutty idea, cloning Neanderthals to see what would happen. (After the hardback copy of this book came out, 300 women contacted him to volunteer themselves as surrogate mother to a Neanderthal child.) The power of this technology is really impressive, and when Church covers that it's fascinating.
In the great debate over bio-ethics, I generally fall on the 'I want my monkey-man' side of the equations. I am not particularly sentimental, I don't believe that you can't monkey with human nature (it's human nature to monkey with human nature) or that the present human condition is itself 'natural' in any meaningful way. But sometimes Church's attitude gave me the willies a little bit. When Church referred to E.Coli bacteria as 'tiny, obedient factories", I found that a little creepy. And while it's fascinating that you can genetically engineer a mouse with enough human DNA to make our antibodies interchangeable (and hence use the mice antibodies to help cure disease), the idea of a patented, proprietary species of mice also bothers me on some fundamental way. (This is a common reaction; you may recall George W. Bush decrying 'animal-human hybrids' in a State of the Union, and President Obama reported having 'real concerns' after the first cell with a synthetic genome was created.)
Unfortunately, the book is incredibly uneven. Some chapters of the book are very technical in ways that were hard for me to follow while other portions explain technical subjects with great clarity. Sometimes information is presented in a confusing way; a technical description of the replication of DNA shows up several chapters before the explanation of how that could be used to defeat viral infections. Other times Church seemed to be writing for a very small audience of geneticists, engaging internecine disputes with folks like J. Craig Ventner over things that I didn't entirely understand. And of course Church at times is flogging his own research and startups that he's started, and there I felt as if I had to take his arguments with a grain of slate.
Perhaps, given the speed at which the field is changing, it's just hard to write a book that summarizes where it's at and where it's likely to go. However, I think I would have much preferred an attempt by a popular science writer who wasn't so close to the subject he was writing about and who could get a measure of distance from it. Given its likely importance for the future, I think a book like that would be really valuable.
November 11, 2020
3.5 stars
There was a lot of food for thought. A lot of radical, eyebrow-raising food though. The book was divided into 9 chapters, and the beginning was a little overwhelming, kind of acting as a prologue, summarizing the whole book. The subsequent chapters were interesting to read, with engrossing experiments, anecdotes and musings. There were a few parts - regarding the business side of a venture - that went above my head, but also a few parts that I hungrily ate up, devouring the content!
So, all in all, it was not mind-blowing (due to my lack of interest in some of the topics raised), but the parts that did catch my attention, were written excellently.
There was a lot of food for thought. A lot of radical, eyebrow-raising food though. The book was divided into 9 chapters, and the beginning was a little overwhelming, kind of acting as a prologue, summarizing the whole book. The subsequent chapters were interesting to read, with engrossing experiments, anecdotes and musings. There were a few parts - regarding the business side of a venture - that went above my head, but also a few parts that I hungrily ate up, devouring the content!
So, all in all, it was not mind-blowing (due to my lack of interest in some of the topics raised), but the parts that did catch my attention, were written excellently.
November 6, 2022
تتبع الاكتشافات الحديثة في مجالات البيولوجيا المختلفة بناء على ترتيب التطور في العصور الجيولوجية للغلاف الحيوي...
كما أن هناك أقسام فيها حديث عن مراكز الابحاث والشركات الممولة(الوجه الاقتصادي للدراسات العلمية) ومدى تأثيرها ومجلات اهتماماتها... وحديث مطول عن الجانب الاخلاقي للتطبيقات في مجال الامراض وتطوير قدرات البشر واي نوع من التجريب على الجينات او استغلال الكائنات لخلق مواد او كائنات جديدة..
الكتاب ينقصه بعض المتعة
تعليق :
يميل العلماء والفلاسفة
الاخلاقيون عادة الى قسمين، الاول تشاؤمي لو صح التعبير، يميل لطرح المعضلات الاخلاقية والبحث في سلبيات ومخاوف تتلو اي تطوير لتقنية او اختراع، وذلك في سبيل التحسين والحذر .. وهم مفيدون جدا
كما نجد البناؤون التفاؤليون، الذين يحسنون تطوير وطرح الجديد والتجرؤ على التجريب..ومنهم جورج جرج استاذ وباحث في علم الوراثة ..
طرح جرج رؤيته لما اطلق عليه اسم (اعادة التكوين) في هذا الكتاب... اذ يرى من التطور عملية هندسية لها اعمدة رئيسية يمكن دراستها للتدخل وتغيير مسارها ...للوصول لانسان خارق يسبق كل الكائنات الممرضة بقفزات سريعة لا يمكن مواكبتها ،، وذلك بعكس كل جزيء في اجسادنا بحيث لا يتسنى الوقت للممرضات بأن تتطور وتدخل في اجسادنا !!
تبدو الامال العظيمة مثل هذه صعبة المنال طبعا ،، وقد تكون كذلك بالفعل .. لكن هذا الطرح الجريء هو ثمرة ابحاث ودراسات مبشرة بقدرة الانسان على امساك العصا من المنتصف،، ان يخرج من سباق التسلح التطوري اصلا ليكون متربعا على عرش كل الكائنات بالحصول على كل اسرار البيولوجيا التركيبية ..
يأخذنا جرج برحلة مطولة عبر العصور الجيولوجية السابقة منذ بداية العضوي الى يومنا هذا ،، ليبحث في تطور التركيبات في كل العصور للعثور على اطار واحد يجمعها كلها ،، لنفهم حرفيا كيف بدأ الخلق ثم نعيد تكوينه ..
طرح جريء تبعه مقالات وتعليق للفيلسوف ادوارد ريجز ليفصل في التداعيات الاخلاقية لهذه الادعاءات الكبيرة المرعبة ..
#اعادة_التكوين
كما أن هناك أقسام فيها حديث عن مراكز الابحاث والشركات الممولة(الوجه الاقتصادي للدراسات العلمية) ومدى تأثيرها ومجلات اهتماماتها... وحديث مطول عن الجانب الاخلاقي للتطبيقات في مجال الامراض وتطوير قدرات البشر واي نوع من التجريب على الجينات او استغلال الكائنات لخلق مواد او كائنات جديدة..
الكتاب ينقصه بعض المتعة
تعليق :
يميل العلماء والفلاسفة
الاخلاقيون عادة الى قسمين، الاول تشاؤمي لو صح التعبير، يميل لطرح المعضلات الاخلاقية والبحث في سلبيات ومخاوف تتلو اي تطوير لتقنية او اختراع، وذلك في سبيل التحسين والحذر .. وهم مفيدون جدا
كما نجد البناؤون التفاؤليون، الذين يحسنون تطوير وطرح الجديد والتجرؤ على التجريب..ومنهم جورج جرج استاذ وباحث في علم الوراثة ..
طرح جرج رؤيته لما اطلق عليه اسم (اعادة التكوين) في هذا الكتاب... اذ يرى من التطور عملية هندسية لها اعمدة رئيسية يمكن دراستها للتدخل وتغيير مسارها ...للوصول لانسان خارق يسبق كل الكائنات الممرضة بقفزات سريعة لا يمكن مواكبتها ،، وذلك بعكس كل جزيء في اجسادنا بحيث لا يتسنى الوقت للممرضات بأن تتطور وتدخل في اجسادنا !!
تبدو الامال العظيمة مثل هذه صعبة المنال طبعا ،، وقد تكون كذلك بالفعل .. لكن هذا الطرح الجريء هو ثمرة ابحاث ودراسات مبشرة بقدرة الانسان على امساك العصا من المنتصف،، ان يخرج من سباق التسلح التطوري اصلا ليكون متربعا على عرش كل الكائنات بالحصول على كل اسرار البيولوجيا التركيبية ..
يأخذنا جرج برحلة مطولة عبر العصور الجيولوجية السابقة منذ بداية العضوي الى يومنا هذا ،، ليبحث في تطور التركيبات في كل العصور للعثور على اطار واحد يجمعها كلها ،، لنفهم حرفيا كيف بدأ الخلق ثم نعيد تكوينه ..
طرح جريء تبعه مقالات وتعليق للفيلسوف ادوارد ريجز ليفصل في التداعيات الاخلاقية لهذه الادعاءات الكبيرة المرعبة ..
#اعادة_التكوين
December 26, 2012
There are many flaws: too many details about Church's many startups, abrupt switches between relatively technical biological language (for a non-biologist) and language appropriate in a mass market book.
In the end, though, these flaws are minor. Church is one of the biggest thinkers of our time, and his ideas are among the most important. We're at the start of a revolution in biology that could dwarf the computer revolution, and Church is among the leaders. If you're at all interested in where science is leading us, this book is essential reading.
In the end, though, these flaws are minor. Church is one of the biggest thinkers of our time, and his ideas are among the most important. We're at the start of a revolution in biology that could dwarf the computer revolution, and Church is among the leaders. If you're at all interested in where science is leading us, this book is essential reading.
April 25, 2021
George Church er gudfaren i den moderne genetikken. Vitenskapelig kreativ og intellektuelt kapabel, med et overblikk over en vitenskapelig disiplin som utvikler seg i et tempo som nærmer seg sinnsykt. Første menneskelige genom ble sekvensert i 2000. Første organisme med egen hjemmeside i genomet sitt: 2012. I 2021 har håndholdte apparater som kan lese DNA eksistert i flere år allerede.
Hva er målet? Å komme menneskeheten til gode. Ved å kurere sykdommer som tidligere har vært umulig (en sjelden mutasjon i genet CCR5 gjør 1% av befolkningen immune mot HIV. Hvorfor ikke gi det til alle?). Skape nye metoder for å lage hydrokarboner ved å modifisere cyanobakterier (de er fotosyntetisk mer effektive enn planter). Lista er så utrolig lang.
Vår evne til å forstå og manipulere levende systemer vil være et av dette århundrets mest transformative hendelser, med store konsekvenser (både gode og potensielt utslettende). Slik sett er dette en viktig bok.
Bestill den i DNA-format og les den med sekvenseringsmaskinen du selv foretrekker
Hva er målet? Å komme menneskeheten til gode. Ved å kurere sykdommer som tidligere har vært umulig (en sjelden mutasjon i genet CCR5 gjør 1% av befolkningen immune mot HIV. Hvorfor ikke gi det til alle?). Skape nye metoder for å lage hydrokarboner ved å modifisere cyanobakterier (de er fotosyntetisk mer effektive enn planter). Lista er så utrolig lang.
Vår evne til å forstå og manipulere levende systemer vil være et av dette århundrets mest transformative hendelser, med store konsekvenser (både gode og potensielt utslettende). Slik sett er dette en viktig bok.
Bestill den i DNA-format og les den med sekvenseringsmaskinen du selv foretrekker
March 25, 2023
George Church is a visionary, bordering on sci fiction- he is also an optimist. A distinguished academic professor on the industry interface looking forwards. This is not merely a synopsis of synthetic biology, it is also a manifesto for a future where we engineer genomes to solve our global health and environmental problems and enhance ourselves- dystopian or utopian it may sound. The book is selective and somewhat meandering in its coverage of the science perhaps reflecting the broad and scattered nature of George’s interests. The sections on mirror biology and even mirror people I found particularly thought provoking. Overall, I think the book sells the potential of synthetic biology and genome editing but perhaps oversimplifies some of the moral issues and underplays/underestimates the many technical challenges, as have many failed startups.
July 1, 2024
While Church is unquestionably brilliant, I won't be recommending this book to my friends.
It shows Church's creativity, ambition, and innovativeness - qualities commendable and inspiring!
But in that, it remains incoherent, unfocused, unstructured and rambly.
My conclusion is that I want to hear more of Church, but in a filtered manner: I want to listen to podcast episodes with him as a guest - a setting where the host can structure the beautiful creative chaos in his mind for him, cut him short, bring him back on track, ask follow-up questions, or push back where needed.
It shows Church's creativity, ambition, and innovativeness - qualities commendable and inspiring!
But in that, it remains incoherent, unfocused, unstructured and rambly.
My conclusion is that I want to hear more of Church, but in a filtered manner: I want to listen to podcast episodes with him as a guest - a setting where the host can structure the beautiful creative chaos in his mind for him, cut him short, bring him back on track, ask follow-up questions, or push back where needed.
November 24, 2015
This book started out great and got progressively worse and worse. The authors start by describing one of the most exciting results of genetic engineering, biodegradable plastic that was grown from genetically modified bacterial cultures and go on to describe the incredible potential of this field. Unfortunately the book then shifts tone and while still describing the potential for developing new materials, or improving healthcare, the authors, especially in sections seemed to be written by Church, become more self-aggrandizing and start dwelling on the umpteenth startup company that they started to capitalize on this potential. Similarly, while the book present ever more ground-breaking ideas, like changing the human genome to make humanity immune to viruses (!) the authors become more and more dismissive of genuine concerns about the societal ramifications of these technologies. Overall this book turned from an exciting window into the world of genetic engineering to one of bombastic predictions and obdurate hand-waving in the face of genuine concerns.
August 3, 2013
"Regenesis" is an amazing read that articulately describes the past and present of synth-bio research and the astonishing achievements of the innovative minds exploring it. In addition, it casts a cautious eye to the future, pointing out the break-throughs that are just around the corner and offers salient questions for what lies beyond.
The first chapters were a challenge, addressing the hard science of molecular biology and cellular anatomy, but they laid a foundation for the remarkable content yet to come. What I enjoyed most about it was the clear connection between the research, the people conducting it, and the cultural institutions that contributed or participated in its development.
From cover to cover, this was an excellent resource for anyone interested in building a comprehensive overview of the very real biology of the not-so-distant future that will quite literally transform our lives.
The first chapters were a challenge, addressing the hard science of molecular biology and cellular anatomy, but they laid a foundation for the remarkable content yet to come. What I enjoyed most about it was the clear connection between the research, the people conducting it, and the cultural institutions that contributed or participated in its development.
From cover to cover, this was an excellent resource for anyone interested in building a comprehensive overview of the very real biology of the not-so-distant future that will quite literally transform our lives.
September 15, 2015
A tough read, but worth the work
I usually read science books by science writers. This is a science book by a scientist, and thus it was hard for a lay person. I advise not being disheartened by the early chapters. Later chapters touch more on the possibilities and are far more comprehensible for those of us who went to school before they taught DNA. Synthetic biology is fascinating, and the fact that Church is one of the prominent people in the field makes it even more interesting,
I usually read science books by science writers. This is a science book by a scientist, and thus it was hard for a lay person. I advise not being disheartened by the early chapters. Later chapters touch more on the possibilities and are far more comprehensible for those of us who went to school before they taught DNA. Synthetic biology is fascinating, and the fact that Church is one of the prominent people in the field makes it even more interesting,
October 16, 2014
Interesting, but a little disappointing ..
Not scientific enough for those who know a little molecular biology; not general enough for those who don't.
A few thought-provoking insights, but not as ground-breaking as I thought it would be.
A collaborative effort by a scientist-writer and a layman-writer also made for a cumulatively awkward literary style.
Not scientific enough for those who know a little molecular biology; not general enough for those who don't.
A few thought-provoking insights, but not as ground-breaking as I thought it would be.
A collaborative effort by a scientist-writer and a layman-writer also made for a cumulatively awkward literary style.
October 4, 2021
A now dated look at the past and future of synthetic biology. I didn't care for how the book was laid out and organized and it's now very outdated with regards to new technology and new advances in the field.
May 26, 2020
Starting this book, I was hoping to gain new insights into the field of biotechnology. By picking up different pieces of knowledge, I consequently wanted to develop a basic understanding. In addition to that, it is the question of how future society may look like that excites me.
And it seemed very promising at first. G.M. Church integrated several interesting topics cunningly into the history of life on our planet. Therefore, we learn about the possibilities of genetic engineering through the lens of the past itself. Looking at the table of content, the author cleverly connected the current stages of development with historical episodes. In the beginning, we learn about the underlying biochemical principles by exploring the early development of cells millions of years ago.
Radical new opportunities, like recreating mammoths, are equally addressed as struggles and challenges regarding our health and well-being that occurred throughout history. Consequently, the author presents gene-therapy and other techniques as prone to solve these problems in the future.
By mapping the course of past industrial revolutions, he also embeds the only recent history of synthetic biology with its successes and dropbacks.
And here, I began to struggle with this book.
I really enjoyed how the author combined the distinct topics within an embracing theme. But over the course of the single chapters, I felt that he increasingly lost his focus. Especially the later chapters seemed overloaded. There were some scientific facts, personal experiences, and portraits of the academic community mixed repeatedly and without connection. In my opinion, he has framed a great overall scheme but then disregarded the reading coherency and merely stuffed everything that he could think of into the appropriate chapters. This frequently disrupted my reading flow and I was annoyed by the lack of connectivity.
Furthermore, I was appalled by many claims and conclusions that G.M. Church draws regarding what we should do in the future- basically about the moral of the story. There is one that troubles me above all else:
In the "epigenetic epilogue" the author distinguishes some complimentary developmental directions for future society, including the theme privacy vs. publicity. He points out that privacy is a very recent phenomenon, unfamiliar in past societies. Additionally, he compares us to computers and artificial intelligence and the key role of informational transparency, contradicting privacy. Influenced by the alludes and rhetoric questions the reader draws the conclusion that privacy is responsible for many problems in modern society.
However, in my opinion, privacy allows the individual to define himself. We all share a certain predisposition that is encoded in our genes and equips us with talents and weaknesses. But we are still (in many ways) free to choose our own destiny. And that means deciding which abilities to foster and which ones to disregard. Thus, it is our choices and our personal goals that define who we are.
But that also implies that we have to withdraw traits and habits from others that undermine who we want to be. On the other hand, if we allow that our genetic code, our operation manual, to be published, we will lose the freedom to define ourselves. Our abilities, written down in a four-letter-language, will limit our choices and diminish our freedom. Don't forget it is this opportunity- to choose who we want to be - that equips us with individuality and sets us apart from animals. So should we really trust biologists alone to draw the picture of future human beings?
And it seemed very promising at first. G.M. Church integrated several interesting topics cunningly into the history of life on our planet. Therefore, we learn about the possibilities of genetic engineering through the lens of the past itself. Looking at the table of content, the author cleverly connected the current stages of development with historical episodes. In the beginning, we learn about the underlying biochemical principles by exploring the early development of cells millions of years ago.
Radical new opportunities, like recreating mammoths, are equally addressed as struggles and challenges regarding our health and well-being that occurred throughout history. Consequently, the author presents gene-therapy and other techniques as prone to solve these problems in the future.
By mapping the course of past industrial revolutions, he also embeds the only recent history of synthetic biology with its successes and dropbacks.
And here, I began to struggle with this book.
I really enjoyed how the author combined the distinct topics within an embracing theme. But over the course of the single chapters, I felt that he increasingly lost his focus. Especially the later chapters seemed overloaded. There were some scientific facts, personal experiences, and portraits of the academic community mixed repeatedly and without connection. In my opinion, he has framed a great overall scheme but then disregarded the reading coherency and merely stuffed everything that he could think of into the appropriate chapters. This frequently disrupted my reading flow and I was annoyed by the lack of connectivity.
Furthermore, I was appalled by many claims and conclusions that G.M. Church draws regarding what we should do in the future- basically about the moral of the story. There is one that troubles me above all else:
In the "epigenetic epilogue" the author distinguishes some complimentary developmental directions for future society, including the theme privacy vs. publicity. He points out that privacy is a very recent phenomenon, unfamiliar in past societies. Additionally, he compares us to computers and artificial intelligence and the key role of informational transparency, contradicting privacy. Influenced by the alludes and rhetoric questions the reader draws the conclusion that privacy is responsible for many problems in modern society.
However, in my opinion, privacy allows the individual to define himself. We all share a certain predisposition that is encoded in our genes and equips us with talents and weaknesses. But we are still (in many ways) free to choose our own destiny. And that means deciding which abilities to foster and which ones to disregard. Thus, it is our choices and our personal goals that define who we are.
But that also implies that we have to withdraw traits and habits from others that undermine who we want to be. On the other hand, if we allow that our genetic code, our operation manual, to be published, we will lose the freedom to define ourselves. Our abilities, written down in a four-letter-language, will limit our choices and diminish our freedom. Don't forget it is this opportunity- to choose who we want to be - that equips us with individuality and sets us apart from animals. So should we really trust biologists alone to draw the picture of future human beings?
November 2, 2019
With a little bit of knowledge about genetics and molecular machinery, one can really get into the first part of this tome. Discussions of mirror life, virus-resistant humans, and a whole host of other potential benefits from recoding genes, will make one either excited or anxious about the possibilities.
The last third of the book loses a star as it recounts the recent history of synthetic biology, that has little analysis or discussion. It goes on and on, and nowhere.
I have deducted a star due to the sheer lack of exploration of the impact of synthetic organisms on ecosystems. George Church, being a reductionist, is myopic when discussing the environmental impacts of synbio organisms. A multidisciplinary perspective, with an understanding of the holistic impact of this new biotechnological revolution is needed. In short, a lack of ethics centered on the intrinsic value and rights of other species.
However, I added a star back as Church influenced my science fantasy novel, and laid a bedrock for future novels. So, thank you George Church.
The last third of the book loses a star as it recounts the recent history of synthetic biology, that has little analysis or discussion. It goes on and on, and nowhere.
I have deducted a star due to the sheer lack of exploration of the impact of synthetic organisms on ecosystems. George Church, being a reductionist, is myopic when discussing the environmental impacts of synbio organisms. A multidisciplinary perspective, with an understanding of the holistic impact of this new biotechnological revolution is needed. In short, a lack of ethics centered on the intrinsic value and rights of other species.
However, I added a star back as Church influenced my science fantasy novel, and laid a bedrock for future novels. So, thank you George Church.
December 1, 2024
I truly enjoyed reading this book! It was very compelling how Church tells the story of synthetic biotechnology alongside the history of life on earth - and wittingly so! But it has to be kept in mind that the author profits from the development of biotechnologies as a professor of genetics, he obviously has a rather moderate view on engineering genomes and other daring biotechnological manipulations of life. The economical factor of synthetic engineering was always mentioned - however, ethical concerns that come with harbouring genetic information of every human being or ownership over resurrected or cloned other-than-human beings were down played or not discussed at all. Although the health benefits seem to be great as Church did not fail to point out consistently, the question of control and power was not even raised. However, if you want to gain knowledge on the subject and the companies at play, I highly recommend this since it is written in a very knowledgable and humorous way.
May 12, 2022
A bit dated but quite an interesting topic. It is always a curious endeavour when you get to compare predictions in past publications to the events that transpired after. Especially after our most recent pandemic. Very science heavy but the author does well to break it down as best as possible.
December 31, 2020
Its a good read and really interesting technology wise. But I was looking for a book that would broaden my horizon as a Biomedical Student. Yet sadly this book is not really targeted for people already involved in the field as they explain all the basics of biology which was distracting and exhausting. So I wouldn’t recommend this to people already well-read in the field.
November 4, 2012
*A full executive summary of this book is available at: http://newbooksinbrief.com/2012/10/30...
DNA was only discovered about a century ago, and its structure remained a mystery until about half a century ago, but since this time our knowledge and understanding of DNA has grown immensely (indeed exponentially). What's more, this understanding has evolved to include not just an understanding of how DNA works, but also how it can be manipulated to help advance our ends. The most glaring example here is the phenomenon of genetically modified food. Though not without controversy initially (and some fringe opposition that lives on to this day), it is fair to say that genetically modified food was one of the major scientific advances of the 20th century. Over and above this, our understanding of DNA appeared to reach its most impressive manifestation with the successful sequencing of the human genome in the year 2000.
For the genetics professor and pioneering genetic engineer George Church, however, genetically modified food and the Human Genome Project are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential of genomics. Indeed, since the year 2005, the exponential growth rate in our ability to read and write DNA has increased from 1.5-fold per year (a rate that matches Moore's law), to the incredible rate of 10-fold per year (p. 243). This explosion in scientific and technological progress has resulted in dramatic advancements in the areas of biochemicals, biomaterials, biofuels and biomedicine. What's more, advancements in these technologies are but in their incipient stage, and the future of genomics promises to dwarf these initial achievements. In his new book 'Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves' George Church takes us through the developments that have occurred recently in the area of genomics, and also where these developments are likely to take us in the future.
When it comes to the current state of the field, manipulating DNA has already allowed us to produce organisms with new features, such as foodstuffs with novel properties, greater productivity and nutritional value, and resistance to pathogens. Over and above this, micro-species have been programmed to do such things as detect impurities in drinking water, produce electricity from waste-water (and purify the waste-water in the process), produce blood, produce vaccines, take pictures, and even store information. Indeed, the potential to use DNA as a store of information is already recognized to be the likely next leap in computer science, and is poised to initiate a revolution in informatics (just imagine storing all of the information in Wikipedia [in every language] on a chip the size of a blood cell, for a cost of $1 for 100,000 copies [p. 197]).
And, of course, the potential to manipulate genomes does not end with other species: it can also be extended to our own. Actualizing this potential is not far off, and includes such things as increasing intelligence, gaining full immunity to any pathogen (real or hypothetical), and dramatically extending the lifespan (if not removing mortality altogether).
In addition to manipulating genomes for the purpose of creating new biological features, the productive capacity of the genome can also be exploited to produce new substances and materials, such as chemicals, plastics, fuels, drugs, and vaccines. Successes in each of these areas has already been achieved, and the field is on the cusp of scaling-up these processes to an industrial scale. What's more, manipulating genes shows the promise of expanding the current repertoire of the building blocks of substances and materials to produce a whole new array thereof.
Church's book both is both invigorating and inspiring. However, it should be noted that the book is fairly technical throughout, and will only be easily-digested by a reader who already has a fairly deep understanding of the field. Having said that, an educated general reader equipped with a good amount of patience will have no trouble following the argument, and should learn a great deal in the process. A full executive summary of the book is available at http://newbooksinbrief.com/2012/10/30... A podcast discussion of the book will be available soon.
DNA was only discovered about a century ago, and its structure remained a mystery until about half a century ago, but since this time our knowledge and understanding of DNA has grown immensely (indeed exponentially). What's more, this understanding has evolved to include not just an understanding of how DNA works, but also how it can be manipulated to help advance our ends. The most glaring example here is the phenomenon of genetically modified food. Though not without controversy initially (and some fringe opposition that lives on to this day), it is fair to say that genetically modified food was one of the major scientific advances of the 20th century. Over and above this, our understanding of DNA appeared to reach its most impressive manifestation with the successful sequencing of the human genome in the year 2000.
For the genetics professor and pioneering genetic engineer George Church, however, genetically modified food and the Human Genome Project are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential of genomics. Indeed, since the year 2005, the exponential growth rate in our ability to read and write DNA has increased from 1.5-fold per year (a rate that matches Moore's law), to the incredible rate of 10-fold per year (p. 243). This explosion in scientific and technological progress has resulted in dramatic advancements in the areas of biochemicals, biomaterials, biofuels and biomedicine. What's more, advancements in these technologies are but in their incipient stage, and the future of genomics promises to dwarf these initial achievements. In his new book 'Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves' George Church takes us through the developments that have occurred recently in the area of genomics, and also where these developments are likely to take us in the future.
When it comes to the current state of the field, manipulating DNA has already allowed us to produce organisms with new features, such as foodstuffs with novel properties, greater productivity and nutritional value, and resistance to pathogens. Over and above this, micro-species have been programmed to do such things as detect impurities in drinking water, produce electricity from waste-water (and purify the waste-water in the process), produce blood, produce vaccines, take pictures, and even store information. Indeed, the potential to use DNA as a store of information is already recognized to be the likely next leap in computer science, and is poised to initiate a revolution in informatics (just imagine storing all of the information in Wikipedia [in every language] on a chip the size of a blood cell, for a cost of $1 for 100,000 copies [p. 197]).
And, of course, the potential to manipulate genomes does not end with other species: it can also be extended to our own. Actualizing this potential is not far off, and includes such things as increasing intelligence, gaining full immunity to any pathogen (real or hypothetical), and dramatically extending the lifespan (if not removing mortality altogether).
In addition to manipulating genomes for the purpose of creating new biological features, the productive capacity of the genome can also be exploited to produce new substances and materials, such as chemicals, plastics, fuels, drugs, and vaccines. Successes in each of these areas has already been achieved, and the field is on the cusp of scaling-up these processes to an industrial scale. What's more, manipulating genes shows the promise of expanding the current repertoire of the building blocks of substances and materials to produce a whole new array thereof.
Church's book both is both invigorating and inspiring. However, it should be noted that the book is fairly technical throughout, and will only be easily-digested by a reader who already has a fairly deep understanding of the field. Having said that, an educated general reader equipped with a good amount of patience will have no trouble following the argument, and should learn a great deal in the process. A full executive summary of the book is available at http://newbooksinbrief.com/2012/10/30... A podcast discussion of the book will be available soon.
March 19, 2023
A SUMMARY, WITH MANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE
Geneticist George Church wrote in the Prologue to this 2012 book, “biological organisms [can] be viewed as a kind of high technology, as nature’s own versatile engines of creation … with appropriate changes to their genetic programming, they could be made to produce practically any imaginable artifact… Synthetic biology and synthetic genomics, the large-scale remaking of a genome, were attempts to capitalize on the facts that biological organisms are programmable manufacturing systems., and that.. small changes in their genetic software … can effect big changes in their output.” (Pg. 4) He continues, “at least at the microbial level, nature has been redesigned and recoded in significant ways. Genomic engineering will become more common, less expensive, and more ambitious and radical in the future as we become more adept at reprogramming living organisms, as the cost of the lab machinery drops… the question was not so much what they can be made to do but what they can’t be made to do.” (Pg. 7)
He notes, “An additional benefit of engineering a sweeping multivirus resistance into the body is that it would alleviate a common fear concerning synthetic biology---the accidental creation of an artificial supervirus to which humans would have no natural immunity.” (Pg. 9)
He states, “the answer to the question… Can a synthetic chemical copy itself and evolve without help from living systems?---is a resounding yes… shape and function can be altered radically with just a few changes that nevertheless yield a selective advantage at each separate age.” (Pg. 32)
He acknowledges, “Attempts to build a synthetic cell have not been entirely successful… A truly synthetic cell is one that we create ourselves, , from the ground up. This could be a new form of living matter fabricated out of pure ingredients. Such a cell might tell us something about the original cells that arose at the dawn of life on earth… Nevertheless, successfully creating a synthetic cell would represent a key advance in the understanding of living processes. For life, like a machine, cannot be understood simply by studying it and its parts, life, to be understood, must also be put together from its parts.” (Pg. 51-52)
He suggests, “Genome engineering will allow us to become ever more diverse, enhancing our prospects for survival. We are already extending the bodily properties of our species in several different ways. For example, we are making attempts to improve our health, lengthen our life span, and boost our immune system and disease resistance, among other things. We can also adapt to a very high and very low population densities as occurs in space exploration… One of the primary errors of eugenics was the search for an optimal genetic specimen…. One of the main lessons that we learn from nature is that species that are lowest in diversity are most vulnerable to extinction. Consequently I am proposing a vision of maximal genomic diversity.” (Pg. 59)
He observes, “The list of genes that scientists have discovered grows by the day: there are genes for cystic fibrosis, skin cancer, lung cancer, and on and on. Other genes control height, weight, and a host of other traits… Undoubtedly, some people will object to modifying the human genome in this way on a variety of grounds: moral, philosophical, political, religious, aesthetic---and let’s not forget just plain emotional grounds… Objections to new technologies … typically peak as the technology is poised to spread among early adopters but doesn’t yet work well. Then, once the technical bug are ironed out, the high moral ground can invert… with respect to human longevity, how many of us really want the status quo prolonged?” (Pg. 85)
He says, “Cancer-seeking stealth bacteria and humanized mammals for monoclonal antibody production show that genomic engineering can improve human health. Still, these two technologies are mopping-up operations, interventions employed only after a disease occurs. A better application of synthetic genomics would be to prevent diseases from every occurring by altering the human genome, directly reengineering ourselves to higher levels of health, hardiness, and disease resistance.” (Pg. 119)
He explains, “The most obvious reason for resurrecting extinct species is to attenuate, even partially, the wave of mass extinction that is currently taking place… If the continuing loss of countless species is a tragedy, then the introduction of effective countermeasures, and the increase in species diversity that will accompany them, can only be viewed as a benefit.” (Pg. 140)
He points out, “increasingly, some of the world’s most imaginative, significant, and potentially even the most powerful biological structures and devices were now coming not from biotech forms or from giant pharmaceutical companies, but from the ranks of university, college, and even secondary school students, who were doing it mainly in the spirit of advanced educational recreation. Proof of the power and allure of redesigning life.” (Pg. 201)
He notes, “More than three thousand human diseases are known to be caused by a specific gene or a combination of them… we can now pinpoint, with literally atomic accuracy, the molecular basis of many human pathologies. For many such cases, we are reaching a major goal, in the reduction of health and disease states to their ultimate physical foundations in the human genome… Thus the importance of the Human Genome Project as well as that of its latter-day descendent, the Personal Genome Project.” (Pg. 204-205)
He continues, “The original goal of the Personal Genome Project (PGP) was to sequence the genomes of 100,000 volunteers at no cost to them, and to publish the results on the Internet along with the individual’s personal data, even down to their picture. Of course, any such plan immediately raises privacy issues… The solution was to accept into the program only people who… consider that the benefits to society outweigh the risks…” (Pg. 211)
He asks, “Is cloning a possible route to immortality? Overy twenty species of animals have been cloned… Some of the clonings are routine procedures with a clear agricultural benefit. Cloning is sometimes viewed as dangerous, but many new technologies go through a phase in which they are actually unsafe, and the technology is banned at least locally. This is often followed by a phase in which the public demands the technology… A similar progression may be occurring with regard to cloning… One of the most common objections people make about the prospect of human immortality is the unintended consequences of overpopulation. They also worry about long-lived individuals taking away jobs from younger people…” (Pg. 221)
He explains, “The term ‘transhuman’ … [means] above or beyond… The transhuman occupies an intermediate state between a normal biological human and one of the posthuman variety, a being whose capabilities so far outstrip those of ordinary, everyday mortals as to constitute a new and separate species… transhumanism … (sometimes symbolized as H+) has been taken seriously enough by some as to warrant attention and criticism… [Francis Fukuyama] imagined that transhumans, with their heightened powers, better health, better looks, smarter minds, and longer life spans, would claim comparably outsize rights for themselves. But … there is already a wide variation in talents among members of the human race…” (Pg. 227-228)
He concludes, “we need to get at least some of our genomes and cultures off of this planet or trillions of person-years of work will be lost. We cannot assume that there is anyone at the other end to receive our radio broadcasts---or to replace us if we die… This effort to colonize space will benefit from engineering radiation resistance, low gravity resistance, and other such properties into our genome.. [But] we still have questions… Why and how will we teach our robotic or H+ descendants about emotions or morality? Which brings us back to the question, What SHOULD we do?... Hopefully this story … lays out a recipe (a genome) for a bold recoding of nature that emphasizes diversity and safety.” (Pg. 252-253)
Although at times this book may be too ‘technical’ for some readers, it will be of great interest to those studying genetic engineering and related topics.
Geneticist George Church wrote in the Prologue to this 2012 book, “biological organisms [can] be viewed as a kind of high technology, as nature’s own versatile engines of creation … with appropriate changes to their genetic programming, they could be made to produce practically any imaginable artifact… Synthetic biology and synthetic genomics, the large-scale remaking of a genome, were attempts to capitalize on the facts that biological organisms are programmable manufacturing systems., and that.. small changes in their genetic software … can effect big changes in their output.” (Pg. 4) He continues, “at least at the microbial level, nature has been redesigned and recoded in significant ways. Genomic engineering will become more common, less expensive, and more ambitious and radical in the future as we become more adept at reprogramming living organisms, as the cost of the lab machinery drops… the question was not so much what they can be made to do but what they can’t be made to do.” (Pg. 7)
He notes, “An additional benefit of engineering a sweeping multivirus resistance into the body is that it would alleviate a common fear concerning synthetic biology---the accidental creation of an artificial supervirus to which humans would have no natural immunity.” (Pg. 9)
He states, “the answer to the question… Can a synthetic chemical copy itself and evolve without help from living systems?---is a resounding yes… shape and function can be altered radically with just a few changes that nevertheless yield a selective advantage at each separate age.” (Pg. 32)
He acknowledges, “Attempts to build a synthetic cell have not been entirely successful… A truly synthetic cell is one that we create ourselves, , from the ground up. This could be a new form of living matter fabricated out of pure ingredients. Such a cell might tell us something about the original cells that arose at the dawn of life on earth… Nevertheless, successfully creating a synthetic cell would represent a key advance in the understanding of living processes. For life, like a machine, cannot be understood simply by studying it and its parts, life, to be understood, must also be put together from its parts.” (Pg. 51-52)
He suggests, “Genome engineering will allow us to become ever more diverse, enhancing our prospects for survival. We are already extending the bodily properties of our species in several different ways. For example, we are making attempts to improve our health, lengthen our life span, and boost our immune system and disease resistance, among other things. We can also adapt to a very high and very low population densities as occurs in space exploration… One of the primary errors of eugenics was the search for an optimal genetic specimen…. One of the main lessons that we learn from nature is that species that are lowest in diversity are most vulnerable to extinction. Consequently I am proposing a vision of maximal genomic diversity.” (Pg. 59)
He observes, “The list of genes that scientists have discovered grows by the day: there are genes for cystic fibrosis, skin cancer, lung cancer, and on and on. Other genes control height, weight, and a host of other traits… Undoubtedly, some people will object to modifying the human genome in this way on a variety of grounds: moral, philosophical, political, religious, aesthetic---and let’s not forget just plain emotional grounds… Objections to new technologies … typically peak as the technology is poised to spread among early adopters but doesn’t yet work well. Then, once the technical bug are ironed out, the high moral ground can invert… with respect to human longevity, how many of us really want the status quo prolonged?” (Pg. 85)
He says, “Cancer-seeking stealth bacteria and humanized mammals for monoclonal antibody production show that genomic engineering can improve human health. Still, these two technologies are mopping-up operations, interventions employed only after a disease occurs. A better application of synthetic genomics would be to prevent diseases from every occurring by altering the human genome, directly reengineering ourselves to higher levels of health, hardiness, and disease resistance.” (Pg. 119)
He explains, “The most obvious reason for resurrecting extinct species is to attenuate, even partially, the wave of mass extinction that is currently taking place… If the continuing loss of countless species is a tragedy, then the introduction of effective countermeasures, and the increase in species diversity that will accompany them, can only be viewed as a benefit.” (Pg. 140)
He points out, “increasingly, some of the world’s most imaginative, significant, and potentially even the most powerful biological structures and devices were now coming not from biotech forms or from giant pharmaceutical companies, but from the ranks of university, college, and even secondary school students, who were doing it mainly in the spirit of advanced educational recreation. Proof of the power and allure of redesigning life.” (Pg. 201)
He notes, “More than three thousand human diseases are known to be caused by a specific gene or a combination of them… we can now pinpoint, with literally atomic accuracy, the molecular basis of many human pathologies. For many such cases, we are reaching a major goal, in the reduction of health and disease states to their ultimate physical foundations in the human genome… Thus the importance of the Human Genome Project as well as that of its latter-day descendent, the Personal Genome Project.” (Pg. 204-205)
He continues, “The original goal of the Personal Genome Project (PGP) was to sequence the genomes of 100,000 volunteers at no cost to them, and to publish the results on the Internet along with the individual’s personal data, even down to their picture. Of course, any such plan immediately raises privacy issues… The solution was to accept into the program only people who… consider that the benefits to society outweigh the risks…” (Pg. 211)
He asks, “Is cloning a possible route to immortality? Overy twenty species of animals have been cloned… Some of the clonings are routine procedures with a clear agricultural benefit. Cloning is sometimes viewed as dangerous, but many new technologies go through a phase in which they are actually unsafe, and the technology is banned at least locally. This is often followed by a phase in which the public demands the technology… A similar progression may be occurring with regard to cloning… One of the most common objections people make about the prospect of human immortality is the unintended consequences of overpopulation. They also worry about long-lived individuals taking away jobs from younger people…” (Pg. 221)
He explains, “The term ‘transhuman’ … [means] above or beyond… The transhuman occupies an intermediate state between a normal biological human and one of the posthuman variety, a being whose capabilities so far outstrip those of ordinary, everyday mortals as to constitute a new and separate species… transhumanism … (sometimes symbolized as H+) has been taken seriously enough by some as to warrant attention and criticism… [Francis Fukuyama] imagined that transhumans, with their heightened powers, better health, better looks, smarter minds, and longer life spans, would claim comparably outsize rights for themselves. But … there is already a wide variation in talents among members of the human race…” (Pg. 227-228)
He concludes, “we need to get at least some of our genomes and cultures off of this planet or trillions of person-years of work will be lost. We cannot assume that there is anyone at the other end to receive our radio broadcasts---or to replace us if we die… This effort to colonize space will benefit from engineering radiation resistance, low gravity resistance, and other such properties into our genome.. [But] we still have questions… Why and how will we teach our robotic or H+ descendants about emotions or morality? Which brings us back to the question, What SHOULD we do?... Hopefully this story … lays out a recipe (a genome) for a bold recoding of nature that emphasizes diversity and safety.” (Pg. 252-253)
Although at times this book may be too ‘technical’ for some readers, it will be of great interest to those studying genetic engineering and related topics.
November 28, 2016
Imagine a world where micro-organisms are the mainstay source for petroleum and clean biofuel, humans are genetically altered and impervious to things like HIV and TB--even the existence of mirror organisms spawned from increasing the number of amino acids and proteins. While it sounds like stuff right out of a science fiction movie Regis and Church provide insight into how the seemingly impossible can be achieved through synthetic biology. Beginning with a history of the evolution of genomics, Church highlights how technology has essentially created an exponential boom in the genomics field enabling scientists to sequence DNA at an unprecedented pace and more importantly--match structure to function of our genes. I thought the stance that some scientists believe evolution has altogether halted was interesting to include--their perspective on how we as humans can now harness the power to control evolution is daunting to think about. Throughout the book there are a ton of ethical questions that come up and you can almost see their ideas moving toward a GATTACA-type world. Based on the information and some of the ongoing research mentioned in this book, it looks like we are outpacing Moore's law and will be interesting to see where the next 10-20 years will take us.
June 6, 2016
A fascinating tour of past and current developments in synthetic biology, heavy on speculation about where all of this will eventually lead. The author is an active researcher, and so we get an insider's perspective, although the personal descriptions of research projects can sometime feel a bit self-aggrandizing. Some of the passages detailing lists of companies doing active research were a bit tedious, but then that serves to demonstrate how seriously people are taking synthetic biology. I have a personal bias in favor of GMO and related technologies, and hope that I live long enough to see benefits of personalized medicine, or better yet anti-aging and gene-replacement therapies, but like anything this far on the edge of science, its very difficult to predict what will really happen. In any case, the future will be interesting, and this book gives some glimpses into the many possibilities.
September 20, 2019
the book is part semi-scientific (just enough to establish a vocabulary and build on), part historic things that happened in the field, part speculation and part humblebragging. It’s not bad and can be quite informative but it also feels quite a bit dry.
August 18, 2017
This author wants "an extremely adventurous female" to help him clone a Neanderthal . Science approaching sci fi.
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