NEW FRONTIER: ARTIFICIAL HUMAN DNA

A team of UK-based scientists has started work on developing technology to create the first synthetic building blocks of human life. It has the potential to transform our understanding of human health, opening opportunities to develop cell therapies. The research has been taboo until now because of concerns it could lead to designer babies or unforeseen changes for future generations.

Leap Forward

Many diseases occur when the genes go wrong. So the new research could lead to better treatments through genetic engineering.

Genetic Signature

Every cell in our body contains a molecule called DNA which carries genetic information that makes us who we are. The new project will allow scientists to create DNA from scratch.

Hope Beckons

"We are looking at therapies that will improve people's lives as they age... We are looking to generate disease-resistant cells we can use to repopulate damaged organs," says Dr Julian Sale who is part of the project.

Ethical Doubts

But critics fear the project opens the way for unscrupulous researchers seeking to create modified humans. "We like to think that all scientists are there to do good, but the science can be repurposed to do harm," says Dr Pat Thomas of Beyond GM. Source: BBC