Choosing the features of a baby as if they were the video game editor is something that has been explored in science fiction. Films like ‘The sixth day‘ either ‘Gattaca‘They have this implicit practice by manipulating genetic elements at pleasure in the Human cloning process. As usual, reality surpasses fiction and, a few weeks ago, the Nucleus genomics company launched Embryo, a software to compare embryos and that parents have All the information of your DNA.
From diseases that can develop to hair color, height … or intelligence.
ITV before existing. Embryo is a platform. It loads the DNA data without processing up to 20 embryos to elaborate a genetic profile with a luxury detail. They do not perform this sequencing, but obtain it from files provided by clinics of In vitro fertilization, or IVF.
What they do is apply polygenic prediction models (a technique that takes the variants in the genome to estimate the risk that a person develops a physical disease or feature) to offer parents a report in which both health and health features are evaluated.
Eliminating risks. According to the company, they can filter more than 900 hereditary diseases and more than 40 additional characteristics such as chronic diseases. Thus, parents can compare, classify and select the best embryos based on genetic profiles, filtering retail risk to subsequently perform IVF.
It They qualify As “the first genetic optimization software” and the truth is that the interface is the most striking because, at a glance, we have a lot of variants and elements with which to compare embryos, as well as a filter system to perform a faster search of the feature that interests us most.
Personalization in detail. But, as can be seen in the image, not only the diseases and the probability of developing others such as the Parkinson or the Alzheimer’sbut also physical features. Eye color, hair, the probability of being overweight and even cognitive capacity. Specifically, and as we can see in your paragraph of “questions and answers”, this is what allows you to see the database you create:
- Appearance and features: Eye color, height, hair color, male pattern and severe acne.
- Body and Physical Health: Body mass index (BMI), chronic pain, zurdera, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Women’s health: Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (SOP).
- Nutrition and metabolic conditions: Alcohol dependence, celiac disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Cardiac health: Coronary arteria disease or hypertension.
- Cancers: Breast cancer, male breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.
- Neurological and mental health: ADHD, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, insomnia, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Toc, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia and intelligence.
- Hereditary disorders: More than 900 hereditary diseases, including rare conditions such as cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis, if a complete genome file is loaded.
- Other conditions: Asthma, macular degeneration associated with age, restless legs syndrome and seasonal allergies.
The controversy. In these weeks after the launch, Embyo’s report and service has been considered a revolutionary element in assisted reproduction due to the wide range of options and details it offers.
But, although there are voices that defend it due to the role it can play in disease prevention, there are also critics They argue that selecting non -medical features, such as appearance or cognitive abilities, raises doubts and sows the seed of the marketing of embryonic selection.
The company’s response, of his CEO Kian Sadeghi, specifically, is forceful and quite aggressive. In it release released for the launch of the service, he affirms the following: “One more thing: some people believe you should not have access to what Nuleus Embyo allows you to do. Here is the thing: it is not your choice, but yours.”
The price. At the moment, Nucleus is only available In the United States, but there is a waiting list for the international launch, and although there are several tests that the company sells to have different types of information about our DNA, the Embryo Service that analyzes all the parameters we have spoken costs $ 5,999, such as Sadeghi confirmed to WSJ.
Limited guarantee. The idea is that technology is becoming more accessible as this service is implemented directly in the clinics offered by IVF, but for now, they sell “science as a superpower” and claim to have arrived to “change lives.” Now, $ 6,000 do not ensure that, when choosing everyone’s best embryo, things cannot happen in the future.
As they point out in their FAQ, “DNA does not mark destiny” and there is much that we do not know about how DNA shapes those who end up being. “Genetics can be a useful tool to choose an embryo, but it is not a guarantee,” they say. “In addition to genetics, environmental factors, lifestyle decisions and other factors significantly influence both the chances of a person developing a condition and who will become.”
And the truth is that, however ambitious it is Embyo, it is a technology that is not new and a few years ago we talk about how this practice I might have no real impact.
Images | Mynucleus
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