I just did a blog post today on the striking story of someone doing DIY CRISPR gene therapy on themselves. A question came to mind.
How long until someone does a DIY attempt to CRISPR themselves?
In the DIY gene therapy story, the person was injected with so-called “gain-of-function” viruses to try to reap health benefits. Doing DIY CRISPR on oneself could be attempted for loss- or gain-of-function of particular genes associated with certain health conditions or traits in specific cells or systemically.
It would be tremendously risky in that it could lead to severe disease or death.
However, it seems only a matter of time until we hear that someone did it DIY style. It is not a question of if, but rather when.
Hopefully they will not harm themselves.
I also hope that they would not do it on human embryos with the intent to make genetically modified human babies, but is there a clear obstacle to an attempt at that?
It seems that we may be experiencing the rare human event of living inside of a technological punctuated equilibrium in biomedical science.
Hang on tight.
How long before CRISPR is used not in-vivo but for knock off ex-vivo cell therapies?
Given the recent boom in CAR T cell research for cancer, could a clinic in somewhere like India offer to draw some blood, separate the T Cells, use CRISPR to insert the DNA for the chimeric antigen receptor, then reinfuse the cells?
Given the Glybera has a proposed cost of 1 million dollars, some people out there have got to be thinking about this? Looking at the chart Paul produced the other day (link) even the cheaper treatments are 35k. There has got to be some scope for intellectual property piracy even at this lower cost?
As a keen genetic horticulturist, my wife informs me that I just don’t have “green fingers” – is CRISPR the answer?
@Bob, a green thumb? Hmm, maybe with the GFP fluorescent green protein via genetic modification.
I am not the best about wearing gloves, and I handled several crispr plasmids the other week…
Hey Phil,
Maybe you are the first self-CRISPR-er, but by accident?
Paul