Centuries of inbreeding have left many dog breeds with a severely limited gene pool, and this lack of genetic diversity is to blame for disorders like brachycephaly in bulldogs, hyperuricemia in dalmations, and cardiomyopathy in boxers.
[David] Ishee is a breeder from rural Mississippi who’s on a mission to change all this.…
You’d think that to tweak the genome of an animal, some serious training and education would be necessary—maybe a post-graduate biology degree or several years working in the lab of a large genetics company.
But in a prime example of both the democratization and demonetization of technology, Ishee taught himself to do genetic engineering right in his own backyard shed, using a kit and some DNA he ordered online.
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In Ishee’s opinion, genetic engineering and selective breeding aren’t all that different. “CRISPR doesn’t allow us to do anything we couldn’t do before. It’s just a bit easier, cheaper and faster,” he said. “Breeding gives you a lot less control and fewer degrees of freedom. But as far as the ethics is concerned, you’re doing the exact same thing.”
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“When you think about genetic engineering, you think of PhDs in white coats working in multi-million-dollar labs. The idea of a dog breeder in rural Mississippi doing genetic engineering in his shed is insane. But that’s how you know you’re in the future, right?”
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Would You Want a Dog That Was Genetically Engineered to Be Healthier?
