MATTER Magazine

In November 2018, emerging biotechnology became a topic of public debate when Chinese scientist He Jiankui presented an outrageous claim: he had used the genetic engineering tool CRISPR to impart HIV resistance in human embryos.

Discovered in bacteria as a mechanism to remove invading viral genes, scientists have since repurposed CRISPR as a tool for targeted genetic editing. In He’s case, it was used to alter CCR5, the gene used by a protein that HIV manipulates to enter cells, in the genomes of a set of twin girls so the virus could no longer exploit it.

Jiankui’s research was met with international backlash as scientists, journalists and laymen proclaimed it unethical. The case made its way into conversations around the globe and Exeter's campus was no different, as students and faculty alike came to terms with the impact and implications of this news.

Prep Madeline Murray looked to the future and contemplated her potential decision as a parent. "I think a lot of parents will feel like they don't have a choice but to genetically modify their children, just so they can compete [with those who have been modified],” she said.

But as Murray continued her train of thought, she began to consider other societal factors that could sway her decision. “If it was just up to me, I don't think I'd do it…but if I had to decide to put my kid at a serious disadvantage, or if there was a disease I could prevent with genetic modification and the success rate was going to be in my favor...I'd do what was best for the kid," she said.

Prep Grace Ding raised similar considerations. “Most people want the same thing: for their children to be healthy and happy,” she said. “But on the other hand, if...they can start altering their physical appearances and maybe even [their] brain structures, then that goes into a whole other realm of [whether] it is right to take away some of these personality traits or someone's flaws and imperfections.”

While prep Mana Vale acknowledged these concerns, she also deliberated possible circumstances where the use of genetic engineering would be highly beneficial. “I think [CRISPR] has a lot of potential—especially for treating cancer—but if it goes to the wrong hands, it could also have severe implications,” Vale said. “So as long as we have strict rules and regulations on CRISPR, I think it would be okay to use it.”

Upper Ayush Noori agreed, expressing that a complete ban would curtail scientific research. “There should be clear regulations on what can be done and what cannot be done...However, a moratorium on genetic engineering and editing in humans would, I think, stifle research,” Noori said.

Religion instructor Hannah Hofheinz voiced that the way to deeper understanding and effective evaluation of ethical issues in a rapidly changing world is through critical thinking. "It is only through complex systemic analyses that we will have a clearer understanding of the relevant ethical considerations," they said. "I hope that students at Exeter and beyond...will study [these ethical questions] with the intentionality and depth that any other aspect of the science is studied.”

Upper Alexander Kish reiterated the importance of careful consideration. "Before we can foray into this, we need to establish what people are trying to do and look at it on a case-to-case basis," he said. "I'm against a one-size-fits-all solution."

Many Exonians recognized the need to establish ethical boundaries without suppressing scientific advancement altogether. "The realm of ethics is philosophical, but the realm of medicine has tangible impacts on people’s lives,” Noori concluded. “So where there's medical necessity, we should forge ahead with caution but forge ahead nonetheless."

Human genetic modification is one of the many new decisions we will have to wrestle with in the near future. The concerns raised by Exonians and critics around the world are very real: the potential inequality between families that accept genetic modification and those who do not; the inevitably life-altering decisions parents will have to make on behalf of their children; the many complexities of the intersection between research, ethics and policy.