A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution

Chapter 7 examines the growing concerns about CRISPR technology’s potential applications in human genetic modification between 2014 and 2015, particularly focusing on germline editing. Doudna and Sternberg trace the evolution of these concerns and the scientific community’s response to them.

The chapter opens in spring 2014, approximately two years after the publication of their groundbreaking Science paper on CRISPR’s gene-editing capabilities. The authors describe how CRISPR technology had rapidly spread through the scientific community and beyond. While many scientists maintained their focus on laboratory work, Doudna began experiencing increasing anxiety about the potential misuse of the technology, particularly regarding human germline editing.

A pivotal moment occurred when Sam Sternberg, then a PhD student in Doudna’s lab, met with a biotech entrepreneur (identified only as “Christina”) who proposed using CRISPR to create the first “enhanced” human baby. This encounter crystallized Doudna’s concerns about CRISPR’s accessibility and potential misuse. The authors note that while such genetic modification proposals might have seemed like science fiction earlier, CRISPR had made them technically feasible.

The narrative then shifts to examine historical precedents for genetic manipulation. Doudna and Sternberg discuss key developments in reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and three-parent IVF.