Curated Paper 2

Nathan Kingery
Professor Karpel
Biology 4500
Curated Paper 2

Brain, Gene Therapy, and Microbes

Science as we know it has been advancing at a breakneck pace. This is leading to many new and incredible discoveries and we are finding interconnections that we would have never thought were possible before. From this class specifically, I have gained an interest in the way everything is connected and has a balance to it. I have noticed how various fields of study are connected and that what we learn in each field is connected to other fields, and they constantly build off of each other to further expand our knowledge base. One area of study that we are constantly advancing our knowledge base on is the human body. It seems that with every passing week we find something new and exciting that could lead to helping us better understand our bodies and create a more healthy populous. Several of the more interesting interconnections that we have been discussing lately are the brain, gene therapy, and microbiomes and how they all go hand in hand.
The brain is a widely researched and studied part of our anatomy. There are many things that we don’t know about it, and maybe never will. The numerous different diseases that relate to the brain are one of the focal points of research. Specifically, degenerative brain diseases are something that I would like to understand more. I have had several of my family members be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and have seen how it affects them from year to year. My great grandpa was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when I was around seven years old and it was heartbreaking to see how he didn’t recognize me over time. We don’t know the exact cause of Alzheimer’s, but we believe it is linked to genetics, so potentially, with advancement of our knowledge in genetics and gene therapy we could eliminate, or at very least better treat or prevent, this disease.
Gene therapy is a relatively new field of study of research and there is still so much to learn and gain from it. When dealing with gene therapy there are so many different ethical implications behind it, and there isn’t always a clear cut answer on if it is something we should be poking around in. CRISPR is being implemented more and more into modern healthcare and so far the results have been mixed. If used properly, CRISPR could lead to the eliminations of many diseases we once thought had no cure. However, there most likely would be those who would wish to use this information and technology with malicious intent. There have been examples of people in the past that have sought to create a perfect race of human, and that shouldn’t be what CRISPR is used for. There is a distinction, however narrow, between treatment of an individual and crafting of a perfect human. As long as there are regulations in place and organizations that oversee the use of CRISPR to ensure that there isn’t any misuse of this technology, this is something that will greatly help healthcare and better the lives of millions. Gene therapy could even then be applied not only to humans but to livestock, agriculture, and even microbes.
Using gene therapy on microbes could produce some interesting results as well. Microbes play a significant part of our development, just as our genes do. This has been recently studied more and the findings of how we need certain bacteria in certain numbers in order to develop effectively is extremely interesting. We now know that microbes and microbiomes play a significant role in our development along with the development of other animals. Say if we were to genetically engineer some of these biomes in a way that there are different ratios of each bacterium to perform as a study, we could find the best community set that promotes healthy development. This is something that I would like to see studied further in the future and see what kind of result would come from it. These microbiomes are very fascinating and play a huge role in our lives. The study that we read about as a class with mice being kept in a pathogen free environment and then compared to mice that lived in a more natural environment was an eye opening view into this kind of research. To think that the pathogens we are exposed to when we are young directly impact our development and how we respond to stress as an adult is something that is worth more consideration and recognition. Before this class, I doubt that this is something that I would have ever found and read as in depth.
There are many more questions to think about when considering the brain, gene therapy, and microbes. There are even more ways in which they are connected that we still don’t know, but only time will tell what these connections are. To further connect this back to our class and its overarching theme, ayurveda even plays a role in these topics. The brain needs balance just as everything else does, an imbalance in the brain could be a cause for some brain diseases. Having balance in gene therapy is also needed as it needs to be utilized for treating humans not perfecting them. Finally balance is needed in your microbiomes to ensure proper development and to maintain a healthy body. The further we discuss in this class the more and more I realize why the theme of the class is ayurveda, and how important it truly is to have a balance in your life.