Work has officially begun on a highly debated project aimed at creating the building blocks of human life from scratch — an effort believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
Until now, scientific research in this area has been restricted due to concerns it could lead to the creation of “designer babies” or unpredictable genetic changes that could impact future generations.
However, the world’s largest medical research foundation, the Wellcome Trust, has now provided an initial grant of £10 million to launch the project, stating that it holds the potential to bring more benefit than harm — particularly by accelerating the development of treatments for many currently incurable diseases, according to the BBC, as reported by Gazeta Sinjali.
Dr. Julian Sale from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, who is part of the project, told the BBC that this research marks “the next giant leap in biology.”
“The sky is the limit. We’re aiming for therapies that will improve people’s lives over the years, leading to healthier aging and fewer diseases,” he said.
“This approach could help us create disease-resistant cells, which we could use to regenerate damaged organs — for example, the liver, the heart, or even the immune system.”
Despite the promising goals, critics are raising alarms. They fear this kind of research could open the door to unethical scientists seeking to create genetically enhanced or modified humans.
Dr. Pat Thomas, director of the campaign group Beyond GM, warned:
“We like to believe that all scientists work for the good, but science can also be repurposed for harm — or even for military goals.”
