New technologies in genetic research are clearing the pathway for effective treatment for genetic diseases and have dramatically increased the possibilities of helping plants and animals adapt to changing ecosystems.
The Promise Of Genetic Sequencing
As the cost of genetic research comes down and technological innovations skyrocket, genetic researchers are looking at advancing genetic therapies for humans and helping our ecosystems adapt to a changing planet. Dr. George Church, who leads Synthetic Biology at the Wyss Institute and is a professor of genetics at Harvard’s Medical School, discusses the real possibilities that lay in the not-too-distant future.
Unlocking Genetic Disorders
Dr. Maja Bucan, professor of genetics at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows how researchers are now discovering that some genetic diseases such as autism are caused by multiple gene mutations rather than just one. She discusses how researchers are uncovering the systems at work.
Ethics Of Gene Editing
The debate over gene editing has narrowly focused on the ethics of designing future children without genetic flaws. But Alta Charo, Emerita Professor of Law and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School challenges us to focus on the very real possibilities using of gene editing as a way to effectively treat genetic disease and increase our food supply without harming fragile ecosystems.
QED with Dr. B
QED with Dr. B, is a fun and informative science series, co-produced by WOSU Public Media and the Center for Science and Industry (COSI), that talks one-on-one with the scientists, engineers and innovators who are redefining how we interact with our world.
Watch the series online or on WOSU TV on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.