mo4ch:>Gene editing: What is it and should we worry? | Mo4ch News

Gene editing is one of the most controversial scientific breakthroughs in modern history. This week a Chinese scientist was forced to pause a clinical trial amid global outcry over its ethical limits. But what is gene editing?RT takes a look at what exactly gene editing entails, why it could benefit people most at risk of disease – and how it could also spell the beginning of the end.What is gene editing?Gene editing is a relatively new technology that allows scientists to rewrite DNA by correcting ‘bad’ genes or adding new ones. It has been used to treat children that were predisposed to serious genetic illnesses or incurable cancer, as well as HIV patients.The Crispr-Cas9, invented six years ago, is the leading molecular tool in gene editing. It allows doctors to zone in on a specific region in a organism’s genetic code and effectively disable a gene.What are the pros and cons for our health?Of course, the excitement surrounding gene editing, and overarching pro in the debate, is it…