CRISPR’s Promise to Revolutionize Medicine | Juliana Quattrochi | TEDxYouth@Lincoln

[Music]

[Music] my 12th birthday one the very first

my 12th birthday one the very first

my 12th birthday one the very first things I did after school was go to the

things I did after school was go to the

things I did after school was go to the pharmacy to pick up medication for my

pharmacy to pick up medication for my

pharmacy to pick up medication for my asthma analogies that included three

asthma analogies that included three

asthma analogies that included three inhalers one for every day one for why I

inhalers one for every day one for why I

inhalers one for every day one for why I got sick in one rescue inhaler one ball

got sick in one rescue inhaler one ball

got sick in one rescue inhaler one ball of allergy medicine and the dreaded

of allergy medicine and the dreaded

of allergy medicine and the dreaded nasal spray soon you and I won’t have to

nasal spray soon you and I won’t have to

nasal spray soon you and I won’t have to go the pharmacy at all

go the pharmacy at all

go the pharmacy at all we can stop diseases before they even

we can stop diseases before they even

we can stop diseases before they even start previous attempts to alter the

start previous attempts to alter the

start previous attempts to alter the human genome have been clumsy imprecise

human genome have been clumsy imprecise

human genome have been clumsy imprecise in all out difficult to use but not

in all out difficult to use but not

in all out difficult to use but not anymore the future of evolution is one

anymore the future of evolution is one

anymore the future of evolution is one engineered by humans not nature you

engineered by humans not nature you

engineered by humans not nature you don’t need to be a scientists understand

don’t need to be a scientists understand

don’t need to be a scientists understand science health decisions should be made

science health decisions should be made

science health decisions should be made with the public in a partnership this

with the public in a partnership this

with the public in a partnership this issue is not a policymakers issue it’s

issue is not a policymakers issue it’s

issue is not a policymakers issue it’s not scientists issue it’s not even a

not scientists issue it’s not even a

not scientists issue it’s not even a patient’s issue because this issue is

patient’s issue because this issue is

patient’s issue because this issue is really everyone’s issue so let’s take a

really everyone’s issue so let’s take a

really everyone’s issue so let’s take a step as a society towards this big scary

step as a society towards this big scary

step as a society towards this big scary risk as the international community

risk as the international community

risk as the international community tiptoes that’s towards that future it’s

tiptoes that’s towards that future it’s

tiptoes that’s towards that future it’s more important than ever to understand

more important than ever to understand

more important than ever to understand the possible outcomes of this situation

the possible outcomes of this situation

the possible outcomes of this situation the public needs to be aware of what

the public needs to be aware of what

the public needs to be aware of what choice they’re making and where that

choice they’re making and where that

choice they’re making and where that complete I assure you there will be no

complete I assure you there will be no

complete I assure you there will be no orange eyes or purple tails in our

orange eyes or purple tails in our

orange eyes or purple tails in our futures so I think this decision is

futures so I think this decision is

futures so I think this decision is quite positive and I hope you will too

quite positive and I hope you will too

quite positive and I hope you will too so what is genome editing genome editing

so what is genome editing genome editing

so what is genome editing genome editing is the modification of the genetic

is the modification of the genetic

is the modification of the genetic material DNA inside your cells when DNA

material DNA inside your cells when DNA

material DNA inside your cells when DNA copies itself it’s been making changes

copies itself it’s been making changes

copies itself it’s been making changes all the time and usually these don’t

all the time and usually these don’t

all the time and usually these don’t result in anything too drastic however

result in anything too drastic however

result in anything too drastic however one one mistake is made in 3.1 billion

one one mistake is made in 3.1 billion

one one mistake is made in 3.1 billion catastrophe can occur

catastrophe can occur

catastrophe can occur in the germline the portion of DNA

in the germline the portion of DNA

in the germline the portion of DNA passed from parent to child

passed from parent to child

passed from parent to child if there’s a mistake in that particular

if there’s a mistake in that particular

if there’s a mistake in that particular sequence we can cause sickle-cell anemia

sequence we can cause sickle-cell anemia

sequence we can cause sickle-cell anemia in athelia or even cystic fibrosis both

in athelia or even cystic fibrosis both

in athelia or even cystic fibrosis both new and innovative technology we won’t

new and innovative technology we won’t

new and innovative technology we won’t have to face these diseases any longer

have to face these diseases any longer

have to face these diseases any longer so before we get to what genome editing

so before we get to what genome editing

so before we get to what genome editing is let’s explore the basics of DNA DNA

is let’s explore the basics of DNA DNA

is let’s explore the basics of DNA DNA is made up of two sets of base pairs

is made up of two sets of base pairs

is made up of two sets of base pairs adenine pairs with thymine you can

adenine pairs with thymine you can

adenine pairs with thymine you can remember as a is and teens apples with

remember as a is and teens apples with

remember as a is and teens apples with trees guanine pairs the sizing chisme

trees guanine pairs the sizing chisme

trees guanine pairs the sizing chisme sees cars with garages all these base

sees cars with garages all these base

sees cars with garages all these base pairs connect together into larvae that

pairs connect together into larvae that

pairs connect together into larvae that then twists into double helix DNA

then twists into double helix DNA

then twists into double helix DNA resides in the nucleus the brain of the

resides in the nucleus the brain of the

resides in the nucleus the brain of the cell so how does genome editing work

cell so how does genome editing work

cell so how does genome editing work genome editing works with this new and

genome editing works with this new and

genome editing works with this new and promising tool called CRISPR which

promising tool called CRISPR which

promising tool called CRISPR which stands for quite a mouthful clustered

stands for quite a mouthful clustered

stands for quite a mouthful clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic

regularly interspaced short palindromic

regularly interspaced short palindromic who repeats what that really means is

who repeats what that really means is

who repeats what that really means is that CRISPR acts similarly to a virus to

that CRISPR acts similarly to a virus to

that CRISPR acts similarly to a virus to take control of the cell’s production of

take control of the cell’s production of

take control of the cell’s production of DNA

DNA

DNA once that cell produces more DNA CRISPR

once that cell produces more DNA CRISPR

once that cell produces more DNA CRISPR will go into the sequence cut through

will go into the sequence cut through

will go into the sequence cut through the double helix and remove the

the double helix and remove the

the double helix and remove the unnecessary DNA that’s causing the

unnecessary DNA that’s causing the

unnecessary DNA that’s causing the mutation from here the cell connects the

mutation from here the cell connects the

mutation from here the cell connects the two ends back together or adds an

two ends back together or adds an

two ends back together or adds an additional DNA to fix the mutation thus

additional DNA to fix the mutation thus

additional DNA to fix the mutation thus we’ve cured this disease as our

we’ve cured this disease as our

we’ve cured this disease as our scientists have explored this big

scientists have explored this big

scientists have explored this big possibility we’ve come up with some very

possibility we’ve come up with some very

possibility we’ve come up with some very pressing questions once the most

pressing questions once the most

pressing questions once the most prominent being what would this mean for

prominent being what would this mean for

prominent being what would this mean for us today as for now the healthcare

us today as for now the healthcare

us today as for now the healthcare debate wouldn’t even exist with this

debate wouldn’t even exist with this

debate wouldn’t even exist with this type of technology those most vulnerable

type of technology those most vulnerable

type of technology those most vulnerable to losing their health care due to

to losing their health care due to

to losing their health care due to chronic illness wouldn’t have to worry

chronic illness wouldn’t have to worry

chronic illness wouldn’t have to worry anymore

anymore

anymore while the sleepless night so apparent

while the sleepless night so apparent

while the sleepless night so apparent concern for the health of their child

concern for the health of their child

concern for the health of their child could be averted beyond portent

could be averted beyond portent

could be averted beyond portent hereditary disease we can find and

hereditary disease we can find and

hereditary disease we can find and remove risk factors for things like

remove risk factors for things like

remove risk factors for things like cancer parts of the population have a

cancer parts of the population have a

cancer parts of the population have a gene that allows them to be

gene that allows them to be

gene that allows them to be be resistant we could then spread this

be resistant we could then spread this

be resistant we could then spread this trait to everyone scientists before us

trait to everyone scientists before us

trait to everyone scientists before us have worked hard to map the genome in

have worked hard to map the genome in

have worked hard to map the genome in the human genome project but before that

the human genome project but before that

the human genome project but before that was just a bunch of A’s and T’s and G’s

was just a bunch of A’s and T’s and G’s

was just a bunch of A’s and T’s and G’s and seeds that meant nothing but now

and seeds that meant nothing but now

and seeds that meant nothing but now along a similar vein to the scientist

along a similar vein to the scientist

along a similar vein to the scientist before us it’s time to start putting

before us it’s time to start putting

before us it’s time to start putting data with meaning now citizens will be

data with meaning now citizens will be

data with meaning now citizens will be able to soon live more productive

able to soon live more productive

able to soon live more productive happier healthier lives doing what they

happier healthier lives doing what they

happier healthier lives doing what they love genome editing has been finding big

love genome editing has been finding big

love genome editing has been finding big solutions to problems we’ve been facing

solutions to problems we’ve been facing

solutions to problems we’ve been facing for millennia however genome editing

for millennia however genome editing

for millennia however genome editing also brings unique problems that demand

also brings unique problems that demand

also brings unique problems that demand innovative solutions manufacturers

innovative solutions manufacturers

innovative solutions manufacturers administrators and modders of genome

administrators and modders of genome

administrators and modders of genome editing will have massive powers over

editing will have massive powers over

editing will have massive powers over our lives and futures this can easily

our lives and futures this can easily

our lives and futures this can easily lead to discrimination where certain

lead to discrimination where certain

lead to discrimination where certain demographics lack access to genome

demographics lack access to genome

demographics lack access to genome editing what happens when only the rich

editing what happens when only the rich

editing what happens when only the rich can afford you know editing what happens

can afford you know editing what happens

can afford you know editing what happens when it’s in the hands of politicians to

when it’s in the hands of politicians to

when it’s in the hands of politicians to me making choices about your health what

me making choices about your health what

me making choices about your health what happens if we do nothing at all the

happens if we do nothing at all the

happens if we do nothing at all the risks of unequal access to genome

risks of unequal access to genome

risks of unequal access to genome editing are just as dangerous as the

editing are just as dangerous as the

editing are just as dangerous as the risks of orange eyes and purple tails

risks of orange eyes and purple tails

risks of orange eyes and purple tails there’s enormous resources required to

there’s enormous resources required to

there’s enormous resources required to be able to finesse the entire human

be able to finesse the entire human

be able to finesse the entire human society into one that’s been genome

society into one that’s been genome

society into one that’s been genome edited so we have to ask this question

edited so we have to ask this question

edited so we have to ask this question who pays for all this

who pays for all this

who pays for all this should it be democratic governments or

should it be democratic governments or

should it be democratic governments or private corporations the government

private corporations the government

private corporations the government would be able if it so chooses to

would be able if it so chooses to

would be able if it so chooses to subsidize genome editing then everyone

subsidize genome editing then everyone

subsidize genome editing then everyone would have the choice maybe one day in

would have the choice maybe one day in

would have the choice maybe one day in the future to decide whether they want

the future to decide whether they want

the future to decide whether they want their DNA and or not when scientific

their DNA and or not when scientific

their DNA and or not when scientific projects have been well funded we’ve

projects have been well funded we’ve

projects have been well funded we’ve reached the moon the Stars and into the

reached the moon the Stars and into the

reached the moon the Stars and into the sea now it is time to reach inside

sea now it is time to reach inside

sea now it is time to reach inside ourselves health is a universal human

ourselves health is a universal human

ourselves health is a universal human right that isn’t guaranteed and can be

right that isn’t guaranteed and can be

right that isn’t guaranteed and can be easily taken advantage of how far would

easily taken advantage of how far would

easily taken advantage of how far would you go to gain the resources necessary

you go to gain the resources necessary

you go to gain the resources necessary to change your own fate how far would

to change your own fate how far would

to change your own fate how far would you go to save the life of a loved one

you go to save the life of a loved one

you go to save the life of a loved one soon we won’t have to ask these

soon we won’t have to ask these

soon we won’t have to ask these questions any longer in the future it

questions any longer in the future it

questions any longer in the future it will be our decision as a whole not just

will be our decision as a whole not just

will be our decision as a whole not just scientists under when we undertake the

scientists under when we undertake the

scientists under when we undertake the editing of the human genome this is a

editing of the human genome this is a

editing of the human genome this is a choice for all of us to be making

choice for all of us to be making

choice for all of us to be making together I want you to sit down the

together I want you to sit down the

together I want you to sit down the table and talk to figure out exactly

table and talk to figure out exactly

table and talk to figure out exactly what do you see in our future because

what do you see in our future because

what do you see in our future because this is a real possibility how far is

this is a real possibility how far is

this is a real possibility how far is too far what qualifies to be edited

too far what qualifies to be edited

too far what qualifies to be edited because of this we really need to know

because of this we really need to know

because of this we really need to know where we stand and we need to have this

where we stand and we need to have this

where we stand and we need to have this conversation not just with ourselves not

conversation not just with ourselves not

conversation not just with ourselves not with our friends but with everyone

with our friends but with everyone

with our friends but with everyone because scientists can’t just make these

because scientists can’t just make these

because scientists can’t just make these decisions then they’re going to affect

decisions then they’re going to affect

decisions then they’re going to affect the entire population let’s make an

the entire population let’s make an

the entire population let’s make an investment in our future perhaps a

investment in our future perhaps a

investment in our future perhaps a future door of mine won’t have to face

future door of mine won’t have to face

future door of mine won’t have to face the same slow blindness through my great

the same slow blindness through my great

the same slow blindness through my great grandmother did our generation will go

grandmother did our generation will go

grandmother did our generation will go out this problem this just as hard as

out this problem this just as hard as

out this problem this just as hard as the last one went at it but with our own

the last one went at it but with our own

the last one went at it but with our own twist and DNA does not will not define

twist and DNA does not will not define

twist and DNA does not will not define us what will is our actions thank you

us what will is our actions thank you

us what will is our actions thank you [Music]