Category Archives: Human Genetic Engineering

TUMXUK, China In a dusty city in the Xinjiang region on Chinas western frontier, the authorities are testing the rules of science.

With a million or more ethnic Uighurs and others from predominantly Muslim minority groups swept up in detentions across Xinjiang, officials in Tumxuk have gathered blood samples from hundreds of Uighurs part of a mass DNA collection effort dogged by questions about consent and how the data will be used.

In Tumxuk, at least, there is a partial answer: Chinese scientists are trying to find a way to use a DNA sample to create an image of a persons face.

The technology, which is also being developed in the United States and elsewhere, is in the early stages of development and can produce rough pictures good enough only to narrow a manhunt or perhaps eliminate suspects. But given the crackdown in Xinjiang, experts on ethics in science worry that China is building a tool that could be used to justify and intensify racial profiling and other state discrimination against Uighurs.

In the long term, experts say, it may even be possible for the Communist government to feed images produced from a DNA sample into the mass surveillance and facial recognition systems that it is building, tightening its grip on society by improving its ability to track dissidents and protesters as well as criminals.

Some of this research is taking place in labs run by Chinas Ministry of Public Security, and at least two Chinese scientists working with the ministry on the technology have received funding from respected institutions in Europe. International scientific journals have published their findings without examining the origin of the DNA used in the studies or vetting the ethical questions raised by collecting such samples in Xinjiang.

In papers, the Chinese scientists said they followed norms set by international associations of scientists, which would require that the men in Tumxuk (pronounced TUM-shook) gave their blood willingly. But in Xinjiang, many people have no choice. The government collects samples under the veneer of a mandatory health checkup program, according to Uighurs who have fled the country. Those placed in internment camps two of which are in Tumxuk also have little choice.

The police prevented reporters from The New York Times from interviewing Tumxuk residents, making verifying consent impossible. Many residents had vanished in any case. On the road to one of the internment camps, an entire neighborhood had been bulldozed into rubble.

Growing numbers of scientists and human rights activists say the Chinese government is exploiting the openness of the international scientific community to harness research into the human genome for questionable purposes.

Already, China is exploring using facial recognition technology to sort people by ethnicity. It is also researching how to use DNA to tell if a person is a Uighur. Research on the genetics behind the faces of Tumxuks men could help bridge the two.

The Chinese government is building essentially technologies used for hunting people, said Mark Munsterhjelm, an assistant professor at the University of Windsor in Ontario who tracks Chinese interest in the technology.

In the world of science, Dr. Munsterhjelm said, theres a kind of culture of complacency that has now given way to complicity.

Sketching someones face based solely on a DNA sample sounds like science fiction. It isnt.

The process is called DNA phenotyping. Scientists use it to analyze genes for traits like skin color, eye color and ancestry. A handful of companies and scientists are trying to perfect the science to create facial images sharp and accurate enough to identify criminals and victims.

The Maryland police used it last year to identify a murder victim. In 2015, the police in North Carolina arrested a man on two counts of murder after crime-scene DNA indicated the killer had fair skin, brown or hazel eyes, dark hair, and little evidence of freckling. The man pleaded guilty.

Despite such examples, experts widely question phenotypings effectiveness. Currently, it often produces facial images that are too smooth or indistinct to look like the face being replicated. DNA cannot indicate other factors that determine how people look, such as age or weight. DNA can reveal gender and ancestry, but the technology can be hit or miss when it comes to generating an image as specific as a face.

Phenotyping also raises ethical issues, said Pilar Ossorio, a professor of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The police could use it to round up large numbers of people who resemble a suspect, or use it to target ethnic groups. And the technology raises fundamental issues of consent from those who never wanted to be in a database to begin with.

What the Chinese government is doing should be a warning to everybody who kind of goes along happily thinking, How could anyone be worried about these technologies? Dr. Ossorio said.

With the ability to reconstruct faces, the Chinese police would have yet another genetic tool for social control. The authorities have already gathered millions of DNA samples in Xinjiang. They have also collected data from the hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and members of other minority groups locked up in detention camps in Xinjiang as part of a campaign to stop terrorism. Chinese officials have depicted the camps as benign facilities that offer vocational training, though documents describe prisonlike conditions, while testimonies from many who have been inside cite overcrowding and torture.

Even beyond the Uighurs, China has the worlds largest DNA database, with more than 80 million profiles as of July, according to Chinese news reports.

If I were to find DNA at a crime scene, the first thing I would do is to find a match in the 80 million data set, said Peter Claes, an imaging specialist at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, who has studied DNA-based facial reconstruction for a decade. But what do you do if you dont find a match?

Though the technology is far from accurate, he said, DNA phenotyping can bring a solution.

To unlock the genetic mysteries behind the human face, the police in China turned to Chinese scientists with connections to leading institutions in Europe.

One of them was Tang Kun, a specialist in human genetic diversity at the Shanghai-based Partner Institute for Computational Biology, which was founded in part by the Max Planck Society, a top research group in Germany.

The German organization also provided $22,000 a year in funding to Dr. Tang because he conducted research at an institute affiliated with it, said Christina Beck, a spokeswoman for the Max Planck Society. Dr. Tang said the grant had run out before he began working with the police, according to Dr. Beck.

Another expert involved in the research was Liu Fan, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Genomics who is also an adjunct assistant professor at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

Both were named as authors of a 2018 study on Uighur faces in the journal Hereditas (Beijing), published by the government-backed Chinese Academy of Sciences. They were also listed as authors of a study examining DNA samples taken last year from 612 Uighurs in Tumxuk that appeared in April in Human Genetics, a journal published by Springer Nature, which also publishes the influential journal Nature.

Both papers named numerous other authors, including Li Caixia, chief forensic scientist at the Ministry of Public Security.

In an interview, Dr. Tang said he did not know why he was named as an author of the April paper, though he said it might have been because his graduate students worked on it. He said he had ended his affiliation with the Chinese police in 2017 because he felt their biological samples and research were subpar.

To be frank, you overestimate how genius the Chinese police is, said Dr. Tang, who had recently shut down a business focused on DNA testing and ancestry.

Like other geneticists, Dr. Tang has long been fascinated by Uighurs because their mix of European and East Asian features can help scientists identify genetic variants associated with physical traits. In his earlier studies, he said, he collected blood samples himself from willing subjects.

Dr. Tang said the police approached him in 2016, offering access to DNA samples and funding. At the time, he was a professor at the Partner Institute for Computational Biology, which is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences but was founded in 2005 in part with funding from the Max Planck Society and still receives some grants and recommendations for researchers from the German group.

Dr. Beck, the Max Planck spokeswoman, said Dr. Tang had told the organization that he began working with the police in 2017, after it had stopped funding his research a year earlier.

But an employment ad on a government website suggests the relationship began earlier. The Ministry of Public Security placed the ad in 2016 seeking a researcher to help explore the DNA of physical appearance traits. It said the person would report to Dr. Tang and to Dr. Li, the ministrys chief forensic scientist.

Dr. Tang did not respond to additional requests for comment. The Max Planck Society said Dr. Tang had not reported his work with the police as required while holding a position at the Partner Institute, which he did not leave until last year.

The Max Planck Society takes this issue very seriously and will ask its ethics council to review the matter, Dr. Beck said.

It is not clear when Dr. Liu, the assistant professor at Erasmus University Medical Center, began working with the Chinese police. Dr. Liu says in his online rsum that he is a visiting professor at the Ministry of Public Security at a lab for on-site traceability technology.

In 2015, while holding a position with Erasmus, he also took a post at the Beijing Institute of Genomics. Two months later, the Beijing institute signed an agreement with the Chinese police to establish an innovation center to study cutting-edge technologies urgently needed by the public security forces, according to the institutes website.

Dr. Liu did not respond to requests for comment.

Erasmus said that Dr. Liu remained employed by the university as a part-time researcher and that his position in China was totally independent of the one in the Netherlands. It added that Dr. Liu had not received any funding from the university for the research papers, though he listed his affiliation with Erasmus on the studies. Erasmus made inquiries about his research and determined there was no need for further action, according to a spokeswoman.

Erasmus added that it could not be held responsible for any research that has not taken place under the auspices of Erasmus by Dr. Liu, even though it continued to employ him.

Still, Dr. Lius work suggests that sources of funding could be mingled.

In September, he was one of seven authors of a paper on height in Europeans published in the journal Forensic Science International. The paper said it was backed by a grant from the European Union and by a grant from Chinas Ministry of Public Security.

Dr. Tang said he was unaware of the origins of the DNA samples examined in the two papers, the 2018 paper in Hereditas (Beijing) and the Human Genetics paper published in April. The publishers of the papers said they were unaware, too.

Hereditas (Beijing) did not respond to a request for comment. Human Genetics said it had to trust scientists who said they had received informed consent from donors. Local ethics committees are generally responsible for verifying that the rules were followed, it said.

Springer Nature said on Monday that it had strengthened its guidelines on papers involving vulnerable groups of people and that it would add notes of concern to previously published papers.

In the papers, the authors said their methods had been approved by the ethics committee of the Institute of Forensic Science of China. That organization is part of the Ministry of Public Security, Chinas police.

With 161,000 residents, most of them Uighurs, the agricultural settlement of Tumxuk is governed by the powerful Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a quasi-military organization formed by decommissioned soldiers sent to Xinjiang in the 1950s to develop the region.

The state news media described Tumxuk, which is dotted with police checkpoints, as one of the gateways and major battlefields for Xinjiangs security work.

In January 2018, the town got a high-tech addition: a forensic DNA lab run by the Institute of Forensic Science of China, the same police research group responsible for the work on DNA phenotyping.

Procurement documents showed the lab relied on software systems made by Thermo Fisher Scientific, a Massachusetts company, to work with genetic sequencers that analyze DNA fragments. Thermo Fisher announced in February that it would suspend sales to the region, saying in a statement that it had decided to do so after undertaking fact-specific assessments.

For the Human Genetics study, samples were processed by a higher-end sequencer made by an American firm, Illumina, according to the authors. It is not clear who owned the sequencer. Illumina did not respond to requests for comment.

The police sought to prevent two Times reporters from conducting interviews in Tumxuk, stopping them upon arrival at the airport for interrogation. Government minders then tailed the reporters and later forced them to delete all photos, audio and video recordings taken on their phones in Tumxuk.

Uighurs and human rights groups have said the authorities collected DNA samples, images of irises and other personal data during mandatory health checks.

In an interview, Zhou Fang, the head of the health commission in Tumxuk, said residents voluntarily accepted free health checks under a public health program known as Physicals for All and denied that DNA samples were collected.

Ive never heard of such a thing, he said.

The questions angered Zhao Hai, the deputy head of Tumxuks foreign affairs office. He called a Times reporter shameless for asking a question linking the health checks with the collection of DNA samples.

Do you think America has the ability to do these free health checks? he asked. Only the Communist Party can do that!

Read the rest here:
China Uses DNA to Map Faces, With Help From the West - The New York Times

Emerging medical research and cutting-edge technology will dramatically increase human life expectancy and quality of life in the near future, according to a recent fireside chat titled How Do We Make 100 Years Old Our New 60? hosted by Bob Reby, Ambassador of the Fairfield- Westchester Chapter of Singularity University and CEO of Reby Advisors, with special guest Sam Gandy, MD, Ph.D., a prominent internationally recognized expert in neurology and psychology.

Anyone interested in learning more about these medical breakthroughs may watch a video of the event for free on the Reby Advisors website: http://www.rebyadvisors.com/live-events-videos

Dr. Gandy, Chairman Emeritus of the National Medical and Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer's

Association shared new research on human stem cells, genetic codes and the complex hereditary nature of Alzheimers Disease, among other topics.

With regard to stem cell research, Dr. Gandy explained, Its possible now to restore sight and hearing in certain conditions. This was not possible before. These are people who were deaf and blind, doomed to being deaf and blind lifelong.

He continued, Stem cells are the primordial type of cell that can ultimately be differentiated or specialized to form any type of cell in the body. If you have a stem cell from someone, you can then recreate the heart cells or lung cells or brain cells that a particular person has. It can really [lead to] person-based medicine.

Reby also brought up the topic of CRYSPR Genome Editing, and the potential of this research to be used for both good and harm.

CRYSPR is basically gene editing, which means that you can go into the DNA and make changes, edits. If you want to eradicate genetic diseases, it's possible to use this technology to go into an egg, or a sperm, and correct the mutation. So, you could edit out a hereditary disease.

As futuristic as these advancements in medical technology and genetic engineering may be, finding the cure for some complex diseases, like Alzheimers, remains a major challenge.

Most people with Alzheimer's Disease, it's not that simple. The challenge is to find an intervention that we can use beginning in midlife that is safe and will prevent Alzheimer's. Some of the ways that we have of intervening now are not perfectly safe and would not be things that you'd want to give people for 50 years.

The fireside chat was the first event for the Fairfield-Westchester Chapter of Singularity University, a global learning and innovation community using exponential technologies to tack the worlds biggest challenges and build a better future for all.

According to Reby, future events will focus on artificial intelligence, robotics and other exponential technologies. He explained, The reason I like [Singularity University] is their faculty is made up of a lot of business owners, so theyre not just talking about it. Theyre doing it as well.

Community leaders, business owners and technology enthusiasts are encouraged to contact Reby

Advisors if they would like to participate in the Fairfield-Westchester Chapter of Singularity University.

To watch the video of this first event, go to: http://www.rebyadvisors.com/live-events-videos

View original post here:
Will We Live to Age 120? International Expert Weighs in at Danbury Event - HamletHub

(Photo : Photo by seligmanwaite on Foter.com / CC BY) Results of the new study show that some placental mammals like cows are more resistant to skin cancer compared to humans.

One of mammals' winning designs for survival is pregnancy and the ability to nurture its young inside the womb to be fully adapted upon birth. However, a new study shows that there are connections between the evolution of pregnancy and the spread of cancer among placental mammals.

PLACENTAL MAMMALS AND THE RISK OF CANCER

There are three types of mammals: the marsupials (those who develop their young in 'pouches'), monotremes (mammals that lay eggs), and placental mammals -- technically known as the eutherians -- or those that develop their young in the womb and facilitates the exchange of nutrients through an organ called placenta. Most mammal species, including humans, are classified under placental mammals, and this is where the connection between pregnancy and cancer starts.

It is observed that the placenta invades the uterus in a similar way a cancer cell invades tissues in its vicinity during metastasis. However, a study discovers that the high risk for cancer -- specifically skin cancer -- among placental mammals are not observed with bovines and equines even though they are placental mammals as well.

Scientists from Yale's Systems of Biology Institute analyzed the evolution of invasibility of the connecting stromal tissue, which affects both placental and cancer invasion.In a press releaseissued by Yale University, Gunter Wagner, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the university and the study's senior author explains, "Previous research has shown that cancer progression in humans includes the reactivation of embryonic gene expression normally controlling placenta development and immune evasion." He adds that the team would like to find out why melanoma may acquire in pigs, cows, and horses, but it will always be benign, unlike when it occurs in humans where it will almost automatically be malignant.

The study by Wagner and his team has beenpublished on Nature Ecology & Evolution--it focuses on the differences between cows and humans in terms of the rates of cancer cell division. The team worked with in-vitro models and gene expression manipulation to be able to identify genes that can affect the vulnerability of the human stroma when being invaded by cancer cells. This methodology is spearheaded by Dr. Kshitiz, a research associate at the university's Levchenko laboratory and a professor of Biomedical Engineering.

Based on the results of the study, the researchers behind this study modified a certain group of genes in human fibroblast cells to make it similar to the genetic profile in cow cells. These modified cells, in turn, showed strong resistance to melanoma when tested. The results also showed that these differences might be caused by species differences in resistance of stromal cells against invasion.

According to the study, the high risk of cancer among humans and the high level of metastatic potential of cancer in the species could be a consequence of some evolutionary compromise to have better fetuses for a higher chance of species survival.

The researchers, on the other hand, are optimistic about the results of this study. It was able to provide an insight into how to deal with cancer and how to make human cells more resistant to it. Gene modification could certainly lead to therapies to make tumors manageable.

Read more from the original source:
New Study Explains Connections of the Evolution of Pregnancy and Cancer - Science Times

OPINION: There's an old saying that paraphrases Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat: "If you don't know where you're going, any road will do".

Sir Peter Gluckman and Dr Mark Hanson include it intheir new book,Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation, which charts the 150,000 years of biological and cultural evolution that has made us such incredible innovators.

Since stepping down as the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor last year, Gluckman has been asking the big existential questions Can we deal with climate change? Will artificial intelligence surpass us? Are superbugs going to wipe us out?

As he was advocating for evidence-based decision making and informed public debate, we saw the rise of anti-science, alternative facts andTrumpism. Our ability to find consensus on the important issues seems to be diminishing.

READ MORE:* Why NZ should rethink rules on genetic modification* Testing standards were a hot meth* The high public cost of muzzling scientists

As Hanson, aprofessor of cardiovascular science at the University of Southampton, and Gluckman point out, we have harnessed technology to develop and thrive while other species live much as they did 10,000 years ago.

Still, every innovation has unintended consequences. The coal powering our dark satanic mills of industry deposited the carbon in the atmosphere that is now dangerously warming the planet.

Processing and preserving food created the energy-dense diet that is fuelling the obesity epidemic.

Hygiene and antibioticssaved lives but the side effects have been antibiotic resistance and autoimmune diseases.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF

Sir Peter Gluckman, pictured, and coauthor Mark Hanson want genuine, informed discussion on science-related issues.

We've effectively run a series of live experiments throughout history and got away with it.

The authors of Ingenious worry that now we face "runaway cultural evolution". The pace of change is so great, the problems so wicked, we risk blundering down a dead-end.

What's the answer? GluckmanandHansonwant a better way of making trans-national decisions on whether new innovations such as genetic modification and climate geo-engineering should be used.

They want genuine, informed discussion on science-related issues, more respect for science, an education system that produces critical thinkers.

This will take time we may not have.

History tells us that we will again needtechnology to solve the problems past technologies have created.

As the authors soberly put it:"In the balance hang our well-being, our social relationships, our health, our environment, our economies, our governments, and our planet."

Read this article:
In the balance hangs our well-being - Stuff.co.nz

DUBLIN, Nov. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Genome Editing Services Market-Focus on CRISPR 2019-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report features an extensive study of the current landscape of CRISPR-based genome editing service providers. The study presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain, across different geographical regions.

Currently, there is an evident increase in demand for complex biological therapies (including regenerative medicine products), which has created an urgent need for robust genome editing techniques. The biopharmaceutical pipeline includes close to 500 gene therapies, several of which are being developed based on the CRISPR technology.

Recently, in July 2019, a first in vivo clinical trial for a CRISPR-based therapy was initiated. However, successful gene manipulation efforts involve complex experimental protocols and advanced molecular biology centered infrastructure. Therefore, many biopharmaceutical researchers and developers have demonstrated a preference to outsource such operations to capable contract service providers.

Consequently, the genome editing contract services market was established and has grown to become an indispensable segment of the modern healthcare industry, offering a range of services, such as gRNA design and construction, cell line development (involving gene knockout, gene knockin, tagging and others) and transgenic animal model generation (such as knockout mice). Additionally, there are several players focused on developing advanced technology platforms that are intended to improve/augment existing gene editing tools, especially the CRISPR-based genome editing processes.

Given the rising interest in personalized medicine, a number of strategic investors are presently willing to back genetic engineering focused initiatives. Prevalent trends indicate that the market for CRISPR-based genome editing services is likely to grow at a significant pace in the foreseen future.

Report Scope

One of the key objectives of the report was to evaluate the current opportunity and the future potential of CRISPR-based genome editing services market. We have provided an informed estimate of the likely evolution of the market in the short to mid-term and long term, for the period 2019-2030.

In addition, we have segmented the future opportunity across [A] type of services offered (gRNA construction, cell line engineering and animal model generation), [B] type of cell line used (mammalian, microbial, insect and others) and [C] different geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and rest of the world).

To account for the uncertainties associated with the CRISPR-based genome editing services market and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three forecast scenarios, portraying the conservative, base and optimistic tracks of the market's evolution.

The research, analysis and insights presented in this report are backed by a deep understanding of key insights generated from both secondary and primary research. All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.

Key Topics Covered

1. PREFACE1.1. Scope of the Report1.2. Research Methodology1.3. Chapter Outlines

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. INTRODUCTION3.1. Context and Background3.2. Overview of Genome Editing3.3. History of Genome Editing3.4. Applications of Genome Editing3.5. Genome Editing Techniques3.5.1. Mutagenesis3.5.2 Conventional Homologous Recombination3.5.3 Single Stranded Oligo DNA Nucleotides Homologous Recombination3.5.4. Homing Endonuclease Systems (Adeno Associated Virus System)3.5.5. Protein-based Nuclease Systems3.5.5.1. Meganucleases3.5.5.2. Zinc Finger Nucleases3.5.5.3. Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases3.5.6. DNA Guided Systems3.5.6.1. Peptide Nucleic Acids3.5.6.2. Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides3.5.6.3. Structure Guided Endonucleases3.5.7. RNA Guided Systems3.5.7.1. CRISPR-Cas93.5.7.2. Targetrons3.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.6.1. Role of CRISPR-Cas in Adaptive Immunity in Bacteria3.6.2. Key CRISPR-Cas Systems3.6.3. Components of CRISPR-Cas System3.6.4. Protocol for CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.7. Applications of CRISPR3.7.1. Development of Therapeutic Interventions3.7.2. Augmentation of Artificial Fertilization Techniques3.7.3. Development of Genetically Modified Organisms3.7.4. Production of Biofuels3.7.5. Other Bioengineering Applications3.8. Key Challenges and Future Perspectives

4. CRISPR-BASED GENOME EDITING SERVICE PROVIDERS: CURRENT MARKET LANDSCAPE4.1. Chapter Overview4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Overall Market Landscape4.2.3. Analysis by Type of Service Offering4.2.4. Analysis by Type of gRNA Format4.2.5. Analysis by Type of Endonuclease4.2.6. Analysis by Type of Cas9 Format4.2.7. Analysis by Type of Cell Line Engineering Offering4.2.8. Analysis by Type of Animal Model Generation Offering4.2.9. Analysis by Availability of CRISPR Libraries4.2.10. Analysis by Year of Establishment4.2.11. Analysis by Company Size4.2.12. Analysis by Geographical Location4.2.13. Logo Landscape: Distribution by Company Size and Location of Headquarters

5. COMPANY COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS5.1. Chapter Overview5.2. Methodology5.3. Assumptions and Key Parameters5.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Competitive Landscape5.4.1. Small-sized Companies5.4.2. Mid-sized Companies5.4.3. Large Companies

6. COMPANY PROFILES6.1. Chapter Overview6.2. Applied StemCell6.2.1. Company Overview6.2.2. Service Portfolio6.2.3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook6.3. BioCat6.4. Biotools6.5. Charles River Laboratories6.6. Cobo Scientific6.7. Creative Biogene6.8. Cyagen Biosciences6.9. GeneCopoeia6.10. Horizon Discovery6.11. NemaMetrix6.12. Synbio Technologies6.13. Thermo Fisher Scientific

7. PATENT ANALYSIS7.1. Chapter Overview7.2. Scope and Methodology7.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Analysis7.3.1. Analysis by Application Year and Publication Year7.3.2. Analysis by Geography7.3.3. Analysis by CPC Symbols7.3.4. Emerging Focus Areas7.3.5. Leading Players: Analysis by Number of Patents7.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Benchmarking Analysis7.4.1. Analysis by Patent Characteristics7.5. Patent Valuation Analysis

8. ACADEMIC GRANT ANALYSIS8.1. Chapter Overview8.2. Scope and Methodology8.3. Grants Awarded by the National Institutes of Health for CRISPR-based8.3.1. Year-wise Trend of Grant Award8.3.2. Analysis by Amount Awarded8.3.3. Analysis by Administering Institutes8.3.4. Analysis by Support Period8.3.5. Analysis by Funding Mechanism8.3.6. Analysis by Type of Grant Application8.3.7. Analysis by Grant Activity8.3.8. Analysis by Recipient Organization8.3.9. Regional Distribution of Grant Recipient Organization8.3.10. Prominent Project Leaders: Analysis by Number of Grants8.3.11. Emerging Focus Areas8.3.12. Grant Attractiveness Analysis

9. CASE STUDY: ADVANCED CRISPR-BASED TECHNOLOGIES/SYSTEMS AND TOOLS9.1. Chapter Overview9.2. CRISPR-based Technology Providers9.2.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment and Company Size9.2.2. Analysis by Geographical Location and Company Expertise9.2.3. Analysis by Focus Area9.2.4. Key Technology Providers: Company Snapshots9.2.4.1. APSIS Therapeutics9.2.4.2. Beam Therapeutics9.2.4.3. CRISPR Therapeutics9.2.4.4. Editas Medicine9.2.4.5. Intellia Therapeutics9.2.4.6. Jenthera Therapeutics9.2.4.7. KSQ Therapeutics9.2.4.8. Locus Biosciences9.2.4.9. Refuge Biotechnologies9.2.4.10. Repare Therapeutics9.2.4.11. SNIPR BIOME9.2.5. Key Technology Providers: Summary of Venture Capital Investments9.3. List of CRISPR Kit Providers9.4. List of CRISPR Design Tool Providers

10. POTENTIAL STRATEGIC PARTNERS10.1. Chapter Overview10.2. Scope and Methodology10.3. Potential Strategic Partners for Genome Editing Service Providers10.3.1. Key Industry Partners10.3.1.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.1.2. Likely Partners10.3.1.3. Less Likely Partners10.3.2. Key Non-Industry/Academic Partners10.3.2.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.2.2. Likely Partners10.3.2.3. Less Likely Partners

11. MARKET FORECAST11.1. Chapter Overview11.2. Forecast Methodology and Key Assumptions11.3. Overall CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market, 2019-203011.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Regions, 2019-203011.4.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in North America, 2019-203011.4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Europe, 2019-203011.4.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Asia Pacific, 2019-203011.4.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Rest of the World, 2019-203011.5. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Services, 2019-203011.5.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for gRNA Construction, 2019-203011.5.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Cell Line Engineering, 2019-203011.5.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Animal Model Generation, 2019-203011.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Cell Line, 2019-203011.6.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Mammalian Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Microbial Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Other Cell Lines, 2019-2030

12. SWOT ANALYSIS12.1. Chapter Overview12.2. SWOT Analysis12.2.1. Strengths12.2.2. Weaknesses12.2.3. Opportunities12.2.4. Threats12.2.5. Concluding Remarks

13. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS

14. APPENDIX 1: TABULATED DATA

15. APPENDIX 2: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/78rwbq

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genome-editing-services-world-markets-to-2030-focus-on-crispr---the-most-popular-genome-manipulation-technology-tool-300966100.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

View original post here:
Genome Editing Services, World Markets to 2030: Focus on CRISPR - The Most Popular Genome Manipulation Technology Tool - P&T Community

Share

Share

Email

This article was originally published as an Essay in Advanced Healthcare Materials under the title A New Era for Cyborg Science Is Emerging: The Promise of Cyborganic Beings, by Gorka Orive, Nayere Taebina, and Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz.

Living flesh, hacked beyond known biological borders, and sophisticated machineries, made by humans, are currently being united to address some of the impending challenges in medicine. Imagine biological systems made from smart biomaterials with the capacity to operate like smart machines to regulate insulin production in diabetic patients, or cardiac patches that can monitor and release important biological factors, on demand, to optimize the mending of broken hearts. It sounds like something from the realm of science fiction; however, this big gap between the real world and the world of fantasy and fiction is slowly being bridged. This piece sheds a much-needed light on this emerging area, as this futuristic concept is gaining momentum, at a speed, that soon will ignite a paradigm shift in disease management and the healthcare sector as an entirety.

When Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline termed cyborg to conceptualize self-regulating extraterrestrial humans in 1960, they would have hardly envisioned the fast-track toward humanmachine symbiosis with increasing level of sophistication, wherein medical biomaterial prostheses replace missing organs and revive impaired senses.

The earliest evidence of humankinds ability to manufacture implants from biomaterials dates back to the Neolithic period. The ancient prostheses were mostly derived from natural materials including silk, wood, nacre, ivory, and various types of animal tissues to provide relief to those suffering from missing teeth, limbs, and bone-related disorders. As technology advanced, gold, silver, titanium, and various metallic alloys began to serve as implants, and today, scientists face the dilemma of which materials to use, as in recent years, the number of available options has increased with unprecedented speed. In particular, multifunctional biomaterials that are electrically, magnetically, and biologically active are being employed to develop even smarter and more effective implants. Auspiciously, some of these next-generation biomaterials can be incorporated directly into tissues and cells, which not only enhances the level of integration with the human body, but also fuels the development of more complex devices that can monitor, diagnose, and treat diseases.

More recently, this beautiful marriage between living matter and intelligent materials is anticipated to offer the prospect of hybrid living/inanimate systems that would have been mind-boggling just decades ago. These so-called cyborganic systems are bolstered by advances in cybernetics, cyborganics and bioelectronics, and represent a gateway to a brave new world, in which programmed tissues and biomaterial-like machineries can unite to serve as a wall-of-protection against age-related diseases. We believe that these systems possess the ability to hack human biology beyond the limits of known territories and into uncharted realms.

Indeed, this coordination has already lead to inspiring therapeutic applications including scaffold carriers for cell transplantation therapy and cell-loaded 3D cell-laden biomaterials for tissue engineering. In brief, 3D cell-laden biomaterials are porous, biocompatible materials incorporating living cells. The biomaterial serves to physically shield the cells from harm (e.g., host immune responses), while simultaneously enabling them to effectively carry out their outcomes by providing embedded cells with native like stimuli. Going 3D greatly sped-up the evaluations prior to animal or clinical trials and therefore, this is an important accomplishment in the pharmaceutical industry. Looking forward, this advancement could also dramatically advance the degree of sophistication of prosthetic interfaces and empower tissue implants even more. It seems hard to believe, but we are not that far away from actualizing this exciting era for humanity, wherein the fine line between human and machine ceases to exist.

In 2012, a series of milestone contributions from Harvard University led to a successful merger between electronic components and living tissues [see references 58]. The concept was termed cyborg tissues and created a media frenzy that sparked a wave of excitement regarding the prospect of regenerative medicine. In simple terms, a group of scientists propitiously developed a bioactive 3D microenvironment, able to electrically probe various important physicochemical and biological events throughout its porous interior. They accomplished this futuristic goal by simply embedding networks of biocompatible nanowire transistors within engineered tissues. To this end, they introduced, for the first time, macroporous, flexible and free-standing silicon-based nanowire scaffolds. Specifically, they incorporated these nanoengineered silicon wires into 3D cell cultures without disturbing their normal function and opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for detecting electrical signals generated by the cells within an engineered responsive tissue. This state-of-the-art platform was further applied to explore the effect of drugs on neural and cardiac tissue models and to distinct pH changes within muscle constructs. Since then, the cyborganic field and its application portfolio has been progressing rapidly and a growing number of groundbreaking proof-of-concepts have been developed in the laboratory both in the micro and macro scale. When looking at the microscale and the interaction between biomaterials and cells, one particularly interesting frontier is half-living and half-electronic devices, which can monitor the heartbeat, respond to various microenvironmental changes in the body, and record neurological activities in the brain.

Along these thoughts, Feiner et al. generated a cyborganic patch that can monitor, regulate, and stimulate cardiomyocytes incorporated into flexible, electronic silicon-based materials. Over time, the hybrid construct matures into an implantable patch in which living cardiac tissue and the electronic biomaterials are interwoven. The electronic nature of the construct makes it possible to remotely synchronize cardiac cell contraction and growth via electrical stimulation, and release drugs in a controlled manner. We note that the inclusion of a wireless feedback loop into this cyborganic cardiac patch could provide a basis for future self-regulating cell therapies that have the capacity to remedy a wide range of heart diseases by the controlled release of biologics, stimulation of cell growth, and electrical synchronization of cardiac function [see figure below].

More interestingly, the union of cyborganic systems and human-made genetic circuits in engineered cells is changing the face of the field. Shao and colleagues has recently reported a technological interface that allows wireless regulation of engineered cells functionality with an Android-operated smartphone. More specifically, a custom-designed home server was programmed to enable a smartphone to regulate insulin production by designer cells encapsulated within an electronic scaffold in diabetic mice via a far-red light (FRL)-responsive optogenetic interface. Looking forward, this is an elegant forerunner toward engineering a cyborganic feed-back loop that can sense deficiencies and deliver the needed biological stimuli to normalize critical situations within the body. However, building designer cells that can selectively fight against diseases such as diabetes might outweigh the risk of genetic manipulation, and thats why this brand-new technology must meticulously undergo safety tests, to verify that these genetically enhanced guards do not dangerously interact with healthy tissues and organs function. In theory, it is also possible to design cells that can release important factors for mental alertness, up-regulate the expression of mitochondrial enzymes in muscle cells and the secretion of various tissue growth factors; all through electromagnetic stimulations similar to the system developed by Shao et al. Therefore, the range of scientific possibilities offered by merging cyborganics and designer cells is truly enormous and could equip human beings with skill-sets to address a wide range of different scenarios.

As exciting as these works may seem, therapeutic efficacy of these systems is limited due to their invasiveness. One way to overcome this obstacle is to make the technology injectable, and an elegant forerunner toward this end was represented by Charles Lieber as syringe-injectable electronics. In simple terms, these biomaterial devices are composed of mesh-like electronic circuits that can contract and expand almost indefinitely. As a consequence, they are readily injectable and therefore can mitigate the implantation process, which usually requires either open or laparoscopic surgery.

Moreover, when it comes down to macroscale systems, a new frontier is represented by robotic implants. The latter can be implanted in the body for an extended period of time and interact with tissues to regulate fluid flow rates or tissue forces. In an intriguing application, robotic implants fabricated from stiff waterproof polymers were used for esophageal testing in swine via mechanostimulation. Results showed that the applied forces induced cell proliferation and lengthening of the organ while the animal was healthy and able to eat normally. Another interesting example of this synergistic approach was the development of a wireless closed-loop system, which was recently developed and enabled the monitoring and modulation of peripheral organ (bladder) functions in real-time by means of coordinated operation between a flexible strain gauge for feedback control and a proximal light source for optogenetic stimulation. Whats more, skin-mimicking electronics that sense and stretch are, as we speak, opening new doors to monitor vital signals for a relatively long period. Notably, in a recent study, a two-part electronic skin (e-skin), which softly integrates between human tissues and robotic material, enabled dynamic inter-skin communication through a wireless interface that could activate and control a robot as an entirety. Moreover, by bonding a pair of silicon-on-insulator wafers using adhesion layers of silica, created by calcination of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), scientists have designed an emerging class of bioresorbable electronic sensors that can monitor intracranial pressures in rats for over 25 days, with no side effects or immune reactions. In spite of these progresses, several challenges still remain for optimal clinical translation of this technologies, including the improvement of patient comfort, accuracy of the collected data as well as long-term functionality of the systems.

In summary, the era of cyborg science is evoking a significant excitement and enthusiasm given its potential medical implications, and the imaginations of potential cyborg-like humans might sound like sweet music to the ears of some readers; however, a number of obstacles still haunt this path. The survey of approaches presented here, albeit not comprehensively, aims to illustrate the broad spectrum of applications made possible by lab-monitoring, wearable and implantable cyborganic healthcare devices. One of their major consequences is the emerging field of precision health, by means of which, one is empowered to prevent their own diseases. The combination of cuttingedge cyborganic-integrated diagnostics and precision medicine may become one of the important backbones in the healthcare sector of the future. However, until then, much work lies ahead and several hurdles must be tackled. Durability, reproducibility and long-term biocompatibility, as well as robust data-analytics to accurately distinguish true from false positives are somebut not allof these challenges. Concurrently, considering the lack of comprehensive knowledge about the unique complexity of the human organism, and the unavoidable inductive risk, lying behind any engineering enterprise, the very question about the cost of the current paradigm shift from world-engineering to human-engineering seems ethically compulsory. Progress in the field may lead us to a new scenario, wherein the fine line between humans and machines may become essentially indistinguishable. Now the question is whether we really want to embrace this brave new world? Do we even have the right to transcend human biology on our own termsin the name of advancementand when do we have sufficient mastery to move into this uncharted territory without incurring unfavorable repercussions? These questions are of ultimate importance, particularly when the consequences are potentially fatal. The cyborganic technology might appear exciting upon first sight. However, this emerging field must be treated with a wary eye, as many of the suggested applications raise a number of ethical questions. These questions are unavoidable and must be carefully and critically evaluated by bioethics experts and laypeople alike to illuminate which is the most appropriate course for humankind.

The authors wish to thank Martin Fussenegger for his valuable insight and comments in this piece.

Adv. Healthcare Mater. 2019, 1901023

DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901023

Go here to see the original:
The Promise of Cyborganic Beings - Advanced Science News