Changing the Human Story with CRISPR-Cas9 | Elaine Shults | TEDxCU

CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary genetic editing tool that will change the way we think about genetic editing in humans. CRISPR-Cas9’s immense influence begs a number of difficult questions: How does this technology work? What can it be used for? And how do we start weighing the ethical implications in a responsible way? The answers to these questions are hardly black and white. With CRISPR, we are now being challenged to embrace the gray.
Elaine Shults graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in Biochemistry and three minors in Dance, Leadership Studies, and Chemistry. She was a member of the Presidents Leadership Class, where she served as a Senior Staff Member and a Course Fellow. She grew up in North Carolina and now serves as the Director of Development for Lit Without Limits, a non-profit that aims to provide girl mentoring groups with women empowerment-themed literature and corresponding curriculum. She also volunteers with Rocky Mountain Riding Therapy, a Boulder-based organization that offers horse riding lessons to people with disabilities. Elaine completed her senior honors thesis by purifying the Cas9 protein, which is required for the genome editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Her future includes taking time to travel, working with Bioscience policy, and eventually attending law school.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@jeanfernandez5397]

This TED talk was very illuminating over the topic of genome engineering. These complex social, mental, physical and ethical situations will arise. As with everything in our world/reality, there is a dualistic property to any variable, even at the atomic level (electrons & protons) or (light & darkness). She executed this presentation!

[@imanbtabar1059]

CRISPR needed a new TED talk by a user after the one by the inventor. Great talk.

[@francoismorin8721]

Wow nice presentation. Hard notions made easy to grasp.

[@atheistleopard2484]

Good job, sweetie!!! I can't wait to get a hold of a CRISPR-Cas9 'kit', one day soon. I was born to be a scientist. CRISPR is now and forever going to revolutionize biochemistry, and let's hope for the best with this! We can and will(IMO) say good bye to cancer, auto-immune disorders, myocardial infarctions, cerebral accidents, achondraplasia, trisomy 21, fetal hydrops, and a host of other 'ailments' our species suffers from. Science is the magic without the placebo God attached IMO ! ! !

[@arunm83]

Modern science is a magic which puts masses into a coma state where he becomes completely oblivious to divine order. The root cause of all these disorders is us.. we solely are responsible for any type of deviations in all the divinely ordained natural processes. And on top of that we are going to edit our gene to suit to avoid the damage caused by our own systems causing corruption and problems on earth. This will be a complete mess. Satan Promises Allah Four Things PROMISE 1: I will lead them astray. ( Al Quran: 4:119) ... PROMISE 2: I will give them false passions and desires. (Al Quran: 4:119) ... PROMISE 3: I will command them and they will slit the ear of cattle. (Al Quran: 4:119) ... PROMISE 4: I will command them and they will change the creation of Allah SWT. ( Al Quran: 4:119)

[@rahulpaul2976]

Mam is it possible to change skin color genetically?

[@rkthampumicrobiology76]

Excellent presentation and use full work for viral disease

[@sangershoffner6768]

Great talk!

[@brainpowerhub6750]

I'd share my genetic information with her.

[@toddkyler534]

*facepalm

[@jordygaatjeniksaan2666]

i hope it works give people the brains and the muscles and better healing for wounds and diseases I hope everybody gets it peace !!!

[@amazingnamed]

It is not a moral choice anyone will make, it is a matter of time. We will start by curing simpler genetic diseases and go from there.

[@kristinaschneider455]

Anyone watched it with subtitles? They don't really get the CRISPR part so they just make Christmas out of it, it's pretty hilarious :D "Christmas is gonna change the world"!

[@sexybeast7728]

you can't argue with that statement, can you? haha

[@higreentj]

The creative force of life is random copying errors , some are good, some are bad. By editing our genome we would end a lot of suffering.

[@flameshana9]

Yeah, because humans never make errors or mistakes, or do things for the wrong reason. Designer babies could never happen, no way.

[@higreentj]

flameshana9 Evolution is mindless,ruthless,and extremely creative. It is not our friend. Damaging mutations accumulate, especially in the Y chromosome, which would eventually lead to our extinction. We are amazing and I want us to survive. Gene editing would help us to survive.

[@dantan1249]

nature makes more

[@steelcash]

Tj Green Some of us are amazing. I don’t know that I am, but some of us surely aren’t. We could eliminate shortcomings too. Why wouldn’t a parent guarantee a child superior intelligence if they could do so safely? It’s a no brainer.

[@JYJ772]

I think she makes some mistake rolling slides in unexpected timeline. besides that it was flawless.

[@marcianopadilla3404]

It is exactly when it is dubbed forbidden fruit the challenge begins.Its potential will eat at the establishment until its full potential is realized and unleashed to the highest bidder.

[@eileentoh7160]

I hope the payoff will really be great in the future !

[@shawnburnham1]

5:00

[@maniacalo2901]

People's feelings dont matter, anyone can do what they please when and where they do so, i agree that to use this technology for anyhthing but beneficial changes should not be allowed but as history dictates, it will happen anyway, great benefits will come from it aswell.

[@higreentj]

It looks like we can use CRISPR to reverse aging. By changing a cell to a stem cell then back rejuvenates the cell.

[@fallinginthed33p]

Now all we need to do is to make genetic modification cheaply available for everyone on the planet, to reduce the occurrence of severe inherited diseases and to extend life.

[@andreasstuermer8101]

raboox9 It already is. Google the Odin. They sell the tools which many corporations don't ship to individuals

[@shawnburnham1]

6:00

[@Patriot93933]

We need to live in a world without military armies......

[@odilonduartetergilene3277]

Elaine uso agencias eletrônicas Agua e inspeções agencia ja existente fiscais socorro estas acoes defesa civil sobre tempo Emcaper fusao análises areas espaços

[@redwatch.]

Edith Keeler must live.

[@AA-zy7lt]

It’s ridiculous that the governments around the world doesn’t support research like this and rather spend it in military

[@mr_brown5974]

If making designer babies DOES NOT screw anything up in the baby and it's progeny then what the heck's wrong with it? imo changing your babies traits to make him/her look better, more attractive in the future isn't bad.

[@ngawangdheden7277]

Waqar Ansari it can lead to eugenics and does not help discrimination at all. however, I do support is use for strictly treating horrifying diseases

[@andreasstuermer8101]

Ngawang Dheden Eugenics means killing people with "bad" genes. Gene therapy is helping someone overcome a diseased mutation. It's quite the opposite if you think about it?

[@ngawangdheden7277]

Andreas Stuermer I'm talking about the ethicality of allowing the use of CRISPR. As you know, it has the ability to edit genes and if this kind of technology falls into the wrong hands, its misuse will have devastating effects for generations to come. you'd need really tight and foolproof regulations to prevent that sort of mishap. and btw, eugenics is about improving the genetic quality of humans so I don't think it's limited to killing people.you could possibly make humans with enhanced and desired qualities by editing their genes. this could lead to discrimination against people who can't afford such technologies.

[@andreasstuermer8101]

Ngawang Dheden I dont know what you mean. You act as if CRISPR was a magic wand. It is incredibly difficult to make bacteria produce biofuel, leave alone making virusses any stronger than natural virusses without them losing their cloak and being visible to the immune system

[@ngawangdheden7277]

Andreas Stuermer well, one can always contemplate the possibilities, considering how much gene technology has advanced in the last century.

[@amazingnamed]

Embrace the grey, eat your heart out conspiracy buffs :D

[@toddkyler534]

no current proof of progress or truth. all these scientist get paid the big bucks and get nothing done....

[@amazingnamed]

Todd Kyler what makes you say that?

[@JennWest-Liberty]

I say- if I use my DNA to repair or change my body- who is government to tell me no?!?!

[@ngawangdheden7277]

Jenn Patriot because one small error can be inherited by your offsprings etc and possibly further affect the whole species in the future if that error in non-therapeutic

[@JennWest-Liberty]

Ngawang Dheden excellent point!

[@fallinginthed33p]

Ngawang Dheden But you could also get dangerous mutations just by sitting around and getting zapped by anything from UV rays to cosmic rays. In the near future we'll be able to prevent debilitating genetic diseases and extend life by reducing the effects of aging. I say bring on the future.

[@andreasstuermer8101]

Ngawang Dheden If everyone has access to the tools, everyone can correct their mutations. Every genetic mutation can be reversed

[@ngawangdheden7277]

Andreas Stuermer I believe we may have the tool but we don't have the "manual" yet. we can't be sure about changing which genes will have what effect. Taking this kind of action needs a lot of research and precision because it affects the whole species and more. If we knew what to do, exactly which genes to edit out or put in, sure, I'd support it. I wouldn't want someone to suffer when the cure is already there. it's just that gene therapy is a relatively new technology and we need much more research and knowledge to make sure it's efficient. would you want someone to edit your genes when it could possibly botch up your DNA and leave you with a horrible genetic disease? we just need time and more research and tests to make sure we follow the right step. and I do fully support research of gene therapy, I just don't think it's ready to be put into clinical practice yet.

[@tinmuffin2738]

I like genetic engineering but all I can do Is to buy a microscope. DNA is freaking small you know

[@andreasstuermer8101]

Tin Muffin You don't need no microscope. If you wanna get into it, get a kit from the Odin. It's 150$ and you can crispr some bacteria

[@atheistleopard2484]

maybe, if we use CRISPR, we can genetically enlarge the dna so it'll be like candy-size lol.

[@abigailsockeye1586]

Not a bad looking dude

[@danielengland5]

She is reading something. Notice how her eyes constantly dart to the left and her voice wavers as if she is unsure.

[@atheistleopard2484]

Naturally. She still pulled it off like a boss, though.

[@shazadkhaliq]

I’d share my genetic info with a more than a few times 😂

[@imas1239]

Very scerry subject and the analyze results not far from what the future will be .

[@victoriak1219]

Horrible public speaking.

[@atheistleopard2484]

wow, you sound pretty pessimistic. "VICTORIA".