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Scientists in a race to create artificial life forms
Several teams of scientists have been working away at creating new life forms from artificial DNA. In Maryland, for example, one group has stitched together a chromosome and expects to transplant it into a cell next year, where it can direct the cell's activity. The swift advance toward creating new life forms in the lab has raised a host of questions around the pioneering companies likely to control the patents on the process as well as determining exactly what the possibilities are in a world where a scientist will be able to write a genetic program on their computer and then convert that into DNA. This is a far cry from the kind of minor genetic alterations that have become common in biotechnology. In this world, a genetic 'platform' can be used to create custom-designed DNA to create a host of new products.
- check out the report from the Washington Post
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Comments
By Anonymous | Posted 6:57pm | January 2, 2008
I think all science persons including myself need to take a step and consider what we are doing with artificial life.
Where are the technical controls from research and development to scale assimilation?
What will be the methods to ensure controls are in place and are effective when programming and testing artificial life?
Technology is great but, prudence is needed when programming and developing life on a different scale that we have no experience, no knowledge or wisdom in can be quite problematic.
By Anonymous | Posted 12:06pm | October 28, 2008
Do you mean all science persons, including yourself who is not one? Or are you including yourself in that category as well. If so, good luck with those grant proposals considering the grammar and writing skills you have displayed.
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