Bielich 1

Alexis Bielich

Mrs. Harris

English 4 CP

23 October 2017

With Progress Comes Controversy

The CRISPR is an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic

Repeats. This tool is used to alter DNA and genetic functioning. For example, if there is a mother

that is addicted to opioids then scientists could remove the addictive genetic function with the

CRISPR. Once you change the genetic instructions of the DNA, you change the person itself.

The CRISPR could also change the color of a childs hair and eyes by just re-arranging or

removing genomes in the DNA, With this ability to remove DNA and altering humans, we then

possess an immense power of playing God. With this progress in science, CRISPR raises much

controversy.

The CRISPR could change evolution as we know it. With this, there is inevitably good

and bad. Changing the DNA of a fetus that has been diagnosed with a debilitating disease is

good; however, changing human DNA to a super human DNA is not. Altering to this degree just

as Doctor Moreau would genetically splice humans and creating human animal hybrids. Or how

Victor Frankenstein created a whole new life by using parts from dead bodies. Moreau, Victor,

and the CRISPR replace the natural way of creating life and evolve the genetics and use of man.

The CRISPR has shown immense progress in small animal test subjects by helping the

immune system attack cancer cells, Researchers have genetically engineered immune cells and

improved the ability of these cells to kill cancer cells in mice. The cells were modified to express

proteins on their surfaces called chimeric antigen receptors (CARS), which enabled the cells to
 Bielich 2

recognize and attack cancer cells that expressed the corresponding antigen (NCI Staff, 1).

Although research shows that the CRISPR may cause unwanted side effects, which could create

hundreds of unwanted mutations into the genetic material of any lifeform. Researchers from

Stanford University, Columbia University, and the University of Iowa conducted the research on

the lifeforms. These predictive algorithms seem to do a good job when CRISPR is performed in

cells or tissues in a dish, but whole genome sequencing has not been employed to look for all

off-target effects in living animals. (CRISPR-Cas9) We as humans cannot predict these

mutations in a fetus until it is too late and should not be overlooked. Just as in Frankenstein,

Victors arrogance shows that he will overlook the consequences of playing God and creating

new life and instead looks more to the praise of his scientific discovery, I succeeded in

discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing

animation upon lifeless matter (Shelley 37).

Playing God and altering human life did not turn out well for either Moreau or

Frankenstein. Although they both displayed progress, in the end it turned out to be destructive.

With the CRISPR, science should take heed. Even though it could possibly save a life, there is a

tremendous amount of controversy and should be heavily regulated. Altering our biology opens

doors for complications and catastrophic error.

Works Cited

CRISPR Gene Editing Can Cause Hundreds of Unintended Mutations. Columbia University
 Bielich 3

Medical Center, 30 May 2017,

newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2017/05/30/crispr-gene-editing-can-cause-hundreds-

of-unintended-mutations/.

Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw.

(Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720.

https://Doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, et al. Frankenstein, or, The modern Prometheus. Signet Classics,

2013.

Wells, H. G. The island of Doctor Moreau. Tutis Digital Pub. Private Ltd., 2007.