RE: Why will we reach the singularity?

From: Joao Magalhaes (joao.magalhaes@fundp.ac.be)
Date: Thu Mar 06 2003 - 11:24:38 MST

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    Hi!

    Robert, I understand how we can apply whole genome engineering to
    microbes--particularly since I'm a microbiologist. Yet I imagine that you
    want to do the same for humans. May I ask how? Or is it some sort of
    industrial secret. My reasoning is that for microbes we have dozens of
    genomes from which not only we can analyze what are the important parts,
    but also how to engineer a microbe's genome to suit our tasks--or even
    create a whole genome from scratch as I believe some scientists are trying
    to. My problem with engineering the human genome is that we need a lot more
    mammalian genomes. You mention we can "patch our genomes using
    intracellular bacteria". The idea is certainly exciting, and I sure hope
    you can make it real in a few years. But I can think of so many technical
    problems in the idea that I wonder how you will pull it off. Even so I wish
    you the best of luck.

    As for HIV, I'm sure we will eventually find a cure. My argument is that
    the pace at which developments at a molecular level have been made in the
    fight against HIV will not suffice if we are to find ways to cure aging
    within a reasonable future. They won't even suffice to cure cancer. So we
    need faster ways to gather data, interpret results, and develop effective
    interventions in medical science. You give a few examples of how things are
    shaping up and I certainly hope they do because the current pace of medical
    progress won't be enough.

    Finally, I'm totally in favor of a comparative genomics approach to study
    aging. As I mentioned in previous e-mails, I've been trying to publish an
    article on the subject for months now. Yet my approach is based on
    mammalian genomes, since I estimate several of these will be available long
    before we have, say, a turtle's genome.

    All the best.

    Joao



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