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