On the Shelf at CCBC Libraries
CRISPR People by
What does the birth of babies whose embryos had gone through genome editing mean--for science and for all of us? In November 2018, the world was shocked to learn that two babies had been born in China with DNA edited while they were embryos--as dramatic a development in genetics as the cloning of Dolly the sheep was in 1996. In this book, Hank Greely, a leading authority on law and genetics, tells the fascinating story of this human experiment and its consequences. Greely explains what Chinese scientist He Jiankui did, how he did it, and how the public and other scientists learned about and reacted to this unprecedented genetic intervention.
Call Number: QH442 .G753 2021
The Code Breaker by
The bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs returns with a "compelling" (The Washington Post) account of how Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues launched a revolution that will allow us to cure diseases, fend off viruses, and have healthier babies. When Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade, she came home one day to find that her dad had left a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. She put it aside, thinking it was one of those detective tales she loved. When she read it on a rainy Saturday, she discovered she was right, in a way. As she sped through the pages, she became enthralled by the intense drama behind the competition to discover the code of life. Even though her high school counselor told her girls didn't become scientists, she decided she would. Driven by a passion to understand how nature works and to turn discoveries into inventions, she would help to make what the book's author, James Watson, told her was the most important biological advance since his codiscovery of the structure of DNA. She and her collaborators turned a curiosity of nature into an invention that will transform the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA. Known as CRISPR, it opened a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions. The development of CRISPR and the race to create vaccines for coronavirus will hasten our transition to the next great innovation revolution. The past half-century has been a digital age, based on the microchip, computer, and internet. Now we are entering a life-science revolution. Children who study digital coding will be joined by those who study genetic code. Should we use our new evolution-hacking powers to make us less susceptible to viruses? What a wonderful boon that would be! And what about preventing depression? Hmmm...Should we allow parents, if they can afford it, to enhance the height or muscles or IQ of their kids? After helping to discover CRISPR, Doudna became a leader in wrestling with these moral issues and, with her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier, won the Nobel Prize in 2020. Her story is an "enthralling detective story" (Oprah Daily) that involves the most profound wonders of nature, from the origins of life to the future of our species.
Call Number: QH440 .I83 2021
The Mutant Project by
An anthropologist visits the frontiers of genetics, medicine, and technology to ask: Whose values are guiding gene editing experiments? And what does this new era of scientific inquiry mean for the future of the human species? "That rare kind of scholarship that is also a page-turner." --Britt Wray, author of Rise of the Necrofauna At a conference in Hong Kong in November 2018, Dr. He Jiankui announced that he had created the first genetically modified babies--twin girls named Lulu and Nana--sending shockwaves around the world. A year later, a Chinese court sentenced Dr. He to three years in prison for "illegal medical practice." As scientists elsewhere start to catch up with China's vast genetic research program, gene editing is fueling an innovation economy that threatens to widen racial and economic inequality. Fundamental questions about science, health, and social justice are at stake: Who gets access to gene editing technologies? As countries loosen regulations around the globe, from the U.S. to Indonesia, can we shape research agendas to promote an ethical and fair society? Eben Kirksey takes us on a groundbreaking journey to meet the key scientists, lobbyists, and entrepreneurs who are bringing cutting-edge genetic engineering tools like CRISPR--created by Nobel Prize-winning biochemists Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier--to your local clinic. He also ventures beyond the scientific echo chamber, talking to disabled scholars, doctors, hackers, chronically-ill patients, and activists who have alternative visions of a genetically modified future for humanity. The Mutant Project empowers us to ask the right questions, uncover the truth, and navigate this brave new world.
Call Number: QH442 .K55 2020
Re-Creating Nature by
An exploration of the moral and ethical implications of new biotechnologies Many of the ethical issues raised by new technologies have not been widely examined, discussed, or indeed settled. For example, robotics technology challenges the notion of personhood. Should a robot, capable of making what humans would call ethical decisions, be held responsible for those decisions and the resultant actions? Should society reward and punish robots in the same way that it does humans? Likewise, issues of safety, environmental concerns, and distributive justice arise with the increasing acceptance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production nanotechnology in engineering and medicine, and human gene therapy and enhancement. The problem of dual-use--when a technology can be used both to benefit and to harm--exists with virtually all new technologies but is central in the context of emerging 21st century technologies ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to human gene-editing and brain-computer interfacing. In Re-Creating Nature: Science, Technology, and Human Values in the Twenty-First Century, James T. Bradley addresses emerging biotechnologies with prodigious potential to benefit humankind but that are also fraught with ethical consequences. Some actually possess the power to directly alter the evolution of life on earth including human. Specifically, these topics include stem cells, synthetic biology, GMOs in agriculture, nanotechnology, bioterrorism, CRISPR gene-editing technology, three-parent babies, robotics and roboethics, artificial intelligence, and human brain research and neurotechnologies. Offering clear explanations of these various technologies, a pragmatic presentation of the conundrums involved, and questions that illuminate hypothetical situations, Bradley guides discussions of these and other thorny issues resulting from the development of new biotechnologies. He also highlights the responsibilities of scientists to conduct research in an ethical manner and the responsibilities of nonscientists to become "science literate" in the twenty-first century.
Call Number: TP248.2 .B73 2019
Genetic Engineering by
As scientists continue to make genetic breakthroughs, society inches ever closer to confronting the stuff horror movies are made of. Cloning a mourned pet is simply strange, but the thought of human cloning is terrifying. Manipulating genes to reduce genetic disease is encouraging only until we consider the ethical implications of potentially creating a master race. Genetically engineering crops and animals can address many problems like disease, climate change, and world hunger, but altering the environment could have catastrophic results for Earth. Articles presenting these issues from persuasive points of view help readers understanding the controversies surrounding genetic engineering today. -- Publisher description.
Call Number: QH442 .G46 2017
Invasive Species
- Cane Toad
from the Australian Museum - Cane Toad
from National Invasive Species Information Center - Pacific rat: animal pest alert
from Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
Podcasts
- The CRISPR Revolution
from NPR - Threshold-Dependent Gene Drives in Wild Populations
from Bioscience Talks - Update: CRISPR
from Radiolab
American Chestnut Trees
- The Demise and Potential Revival of the American Chestnut
Sierra Club, February 25, 2021
Streaming Video
- TEDTalks: Juan Enriquez—The Age of Genetic WonderGene-editing tools like CRISPR enable us to program life at its most fundamental level. But this raises some pressing questions: If we can generate new species from scratch, what should we build? Should we redesign humanity as we know it? Juan Enriquez forecasts the possible futures of genetic editing, exploring the immense uncertainty and opportunity of this next frontier.
- Fighting Parkinson’s with Deep Sea Shrimp and CRISPRBioengineers are using a new gene editing system and glow-in-the-dark sea creatures to advance the fight against Parkinson’s disease.
CRISPR
- What are genome editing and CRISPR-Cas9?
from MedlinePlus - What is CRISPR?
from New Scientist
Gene Drive
- What is a Gene Drive?
from Live Science - CRISPR: Cas-9: Gene Drives
an animation from Wyss Institute showing how gene drives can be used to spread genetic alterations over a wild population
Databases
- Environment Complete This link opens in a new windowArticles about ecology, energy, natural resources, science, technology, law, public policy, and social impacts.
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new windowArticles on any subject. This is a good place to start.
- ProQuest Science DatabaseArticles on both the applied and general sciences like computers, transportation, and biology.
Organizations
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (CSIRO)
(formerly known as the Australian Animal Health Laboratory)
Online From CCBC Libraries
Mapping Humanity by
"A good companion for those with a science background interested in learning more about human genetics." --Booklist Thanks to the popularity of personal genetic testing services, it's now easier than ever to get information about our own unique DNA--but who does this information really benefit? And, as genome editing and gene therapy transform the healthcare landscape, what do we gain--and what might we give up in return? Inside each of your cells is the nucleus, a small structure that contains all of the genetic information encoded by the DNA inside, your genome. Not long ago, the first human genome was sequenced at a cost of nearly $3 billion; now, this same test can be done for about $1,000. This new accessibility of genome sequence information creates huge potential for advances in how we understand and treat disease, among other things. It also raises significant concerns regarding ethics and personal privacy. In Mapping Humanity: How Modern Genetics Is Changing Criminal Justice, Personalized Medicine, and Our Identities, cellular biology expert Joshua Z. Rappoport provides a detailed look at how the explosion in genetic information as a result of cutting-edge technologies is changing our lives and our world. Inside, discover: * An in-depth look at how your personal genome creates the unique individual that you are * How doctors are using DNA sequencing to identify the underlying genetic causes of disease * Why the field of gene therapy offers amazing potential for medical breakthroughs--and why it's taking so long * The fantastic potential--and troubling concerns--surrounding genome editing * The real impact--and validity--of popular personal genetic testing products, such as 23andMe * Details of how molecular biology and DNA are changing the criminal justice system * Facts you should know about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Throughout, in compelling, accessible prose, Rappoport explores the societal, ethical, and economic impacts of this new era. Offering a framework for balancing the potential risks and benefits of genetic information technologies and genetic engineering, Mapping Humanity is an indispensable guide to navigating the possibilities and perils of our gene-centric future.
ISBN: 1950665089Publication Date: 2020
Altered Inheritance by
A leading bioethicist offers critical insights into the scientific, ethical, and political implications of human genome editing. Designer babies, once found only in science fiction, have become a reality. We are entering a new era of human evolution with the advent of a technology called CRISPR, which allows scientists to modify our genes. Although CRISPR shows great promise for therapeutic use, it raises thorny ethical, legal, political, and societal concerns because it can be used to make permanent changes to future generations. What if changes intended for the good turn out to have unforeseen negative effects? What if the divide between the haves and have-nots widens as a result? Who decides whether we genetically modify human beings and, if so, how? Françoise Baylis insists that we must all have a role in determining our future as a species. The scientists who develop and use genome-editing tools should not be the only ones making decisions about future uses of the technology. Such decisions must be the fruit of a broad societal consensus. Baylis argues that it is in our collective interest to assess and steer the development and implementation of biomedical technologies. Members of the public with different interests and diverse perspectives must be among the decision makers; only in this way can we ensure that societal concerns are taken into account and that responsible decisions are made. We must be engaged and informed, think critically, and raise our voices as we create our future together. Sharp, rousing, timely, and thought-provoking, Altered Inheritance is essential reading. The future of humanity is in our hands.
Publication Date: 2019
Cane Toad Wars by
In 1935, an Australian government agency imported 101 specimens of the Central and South American Cane Toad in an attempt to manage insects that were decimating sugar-cane harvests. In Australia the Cane Toad adapted and evolved with abandon, voraciously consuming native wildlife and killing predators with its lethal skin toxin. Today, hundreds of millions of Cane Toads have spread across the northern part of Australia and continue to move westward. The humble Cane Toad has become a national villain. Cane Toad Wars chronicles the work of intrepid scientist Rick Shine, who has been documenting the toad's ecological impact in Australia and seeking to buffer it. Despite predictions of devastation in the wake of advancing toad hordes, the author's research reveals a more complex and nuanced story. A firsthand account of a perplexing ecological problem and an important exploration of how we measure evolutionary change and ecological resilience, this book makes an effective case for the value of long-term natural history research in informing conservation practice.
Publication Date: 2018
Human Genetics and Ethics by
Genes are the instructions for the growth and development of our bodies, however mutations in a person's genome can result in a genetic condition or disease. What are the dilemmas, risks and regulations associated with genetic testing and its related privacy and discrimination issues, gene patenting, and the prospect of human genetic enhancement? What are the ethical implications of gene therapies and gene editing (CRISPR)? Scientific progress, or playing God?
ISBN: 1925339661Publication Date: 2018
Online Articles
- New study finds that CRISPR/Cas9 leads to unexpected genomic changes
Phys.org, November 14, 2022 - How CRISPR rice could help tackle climate change
The Verge, June 22, 2022 - Better than CRISPR? Another way to fix gene problems may be safer and more versatile
Science, June 1, 2022 - Scientists Use CRISPR to Seriously Boost Tomatoes' Vitamin D Levels
Science Alert, May 28, 2022 - CRISPR Gene Editing Now Possible in Cockroaches
Sci-Tech Daily, May 17, 2022 - First Complete Human Genome Improves DNA Sequencing and Strengthens Genetic AnalysisSciTech Daily, April 7, 2022
- Researchers Are Closer to Creating Hypoallergenic Cats Using CRISPR Technology
Smithsonian, March 31, 2022 - FDA Approves First CRISPR Cows For Beef
Modern Farmer, March 23, 2022 - 5 questions for Elizabeth Kolbert on geoengineering, CRISPR, and modern environmentalism
from American Enterprise Institute (AEI), June 18, 2021 - A Biohacker Regrets Publicly Injecting Himself With CRISPR
Atlantic, February 20, 2018
