Lulu and Nana
The Worlds First Genetically Engineered Babies
In the latest instalment of “Orphans of Apollo”, Christian Larsson visits the lab where Isaac and Ling have been conducting their clandestine research in genetic engineering. They want to demonstrate what they have achieved with the hope they can work with Larsson. Revealing their work to an outsider comes with some risk, although Isaac is confident Larsson shares their beliefs.
My intention with “Orphans of Apollo” [link] is first that it is an enjoyable story, but I also want to explore some ethical and moral boundaries. Inspiration for part of this came from the real-life story of Lulu and Nana, the first genetically edited human babies. Their creation marked a turning point in genetic science and posed significant ethical questions.
He Jiankui, a biophysics researcher at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, led the controversial experiment. He announced in November 2018 that he had used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of twin girls, Lulu and Nana, to confer resistance to HIV by disabling a gene called CCR5, which HIV uses to enter human cells.
He Jiankui’s work was conducted in secret, and its announcement took the scientific community by surprise. The experiment aimed to prevent the twins from contracting HIV from their father, who is HIV-positive, although the father’s HIV was under control through standard antiviral therapy.
CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a powerful tool that allows scientists to make precise changes to DNA. This technology’s potential seemed limitless, promising cures for genetic diseases and enhancements for human capabilities. However, He Jiankui’s experiment crossed a line, applying it to human embryos and bringing them to term. The CRISPR system was originally discovered in bacteria, where it functions as a type of immune system, enabling bacteria to recognise and cut the DNA of invading viruses.
The CRISPR-Cas9 system, the most commonly used form of CRISPR, consists of two key components:
The Guide RNA (gRNA):
This is a short synthetic RNA composed of a “scaffold” sequence necessary for binding to the Cas9 protein and a “spacer” sequence that defines the target DNA sequence to be edited.
The Cas9 Protein:
An enzyme that acts as molecular scissors, capable of cutting DNA at a specific location determined by the guide RNA.
When the guide RNA finds its target within the DNA, the Cas9 protein makes a precise cut in the DNA. This break can be used to disable a gene by disrupting the DNA sequence, causing the gene to become nonfunctional. Or it can repair a gene by providing a new piece of DNA that the cell uses to repair the cut, effectively inserting or correcting a genetic sequence.
The births of Lulu and Nana were initially seen as a scientific triumph, but quickly sparked an outcry over the ethical implications. Concerns about consent, the long-term effects of genetic modifications, and the potential for a new era of eugenics dominated discussions.
The scientific community and the public reacted with shock and condemnation. Leading scientists decried the experiment as unethical and premature, citing the unknown risks and the violation of ethical standards. The Chinese government swiftly responded, sentencing He Jiankui to three years in prison and imposing a substantial fine for conducting illegal medical practices. This controversy highlighted the need for stringent regulations and ethical guidelines in genetic research. It also underscored the potential dangers of unchecked scientific ambition.
At the time I began to first conceptualise writing a space colonisation science fiction novel, I played around with different ideas in my head. I wanted to write a “hard sci-fi” novel, where the science is as real as possible. One of the challenges with space exploration is our human bodies, evolved to live here on our pale blue dot. So I decided to use the idea of genetic engineering to solve some of the hard problems around biology, so I could get on and think about the space travel parts. However, the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be interesting to include the moral and ethical questions around genetically engineering human embryos. Thus, the basis of “Orphans of Apollo” was formed.
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