CRISPR technology has already proven itself useful in treating various genetic disorders and to eliminate harmful organisms like malaria-carrying mosquitoes from the environment.
Biohackers – do-it-yourself scientists known for taking matters into their own hands – have taken to using gene editing technologies for personal gain. You might recall Josiah Zayner as a well-known example, who in 2017 used untested gene editing tech to lengthen his telomeres while livestreaming his experience on Facebook. And they’re not the only ones!
1. DIY CRISPR Kits
CRISPR is an extraordinary technology, but without proper precautions it can be potentially hazardous for students to work with. That is why this at-home kit allows them to experiment safely within the comfort of their own homes.
This kit consists of a microplate, tube with special growth media and plastic tube to transport samples as well as all of the tools required for conducting an experiment involving genome engineering. These tools include Cas9 gene editing tool, guide RNA (to direct CRISPR system to its proper destination), donor template DNA and an RFP gene for fluorescent detection – as well as instructions and protocols needed to conduct successful genome engineering experiments.
This kit’s aim is to give students an interactive learning experience that connects course concepts to an actual research project, giving them a feel for working in a laboratory environment while experiencing firsthand just how exciting and powerful new technology truly is!
At-home kits are so user-friendly, it allows students to begin conducting experiments independently! This could produce some very surprising outcomes – for instance, by altering combinations of gRNA and HDR included in their kit, students can experiment and assess which mutations are more efficient at cutting than others, and analyze effects like sequence length or GC content on cutting efficiency of tools.
One of the more popular uses for DIY CRISPR kits is for amateur scientists to engineer harmless bacteria or yeast to do things such as change color or smell or survive in harsher environments. However, these experiments only work on prokaryotic cells like bacteria or archaea or yeast (a type of eukaryotic cell).
Josiah Zayner, an internationally acclaimed biohacker with a Ph.D in biophysics and an engaging public persona known as a self-described biohacker with an affinity for self-experiments, took advantage of DIY CRISPR kits to attempt self-edite his genes for increased muscle mass using self-CRISPR kits available online. While his experiment ultimately failed, Odin provides mail order kits so people can conduct similar tests themselves at home.
2. CRISPR-Cas9 Injections
CRISPR-Cas9, short for “Crispr-Cas9,” is an innovative genome editing technique developed by scientists that allows them to edit the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extreme precision. Researchers have utilized CRISPR for drought resistance crops modification; treating genetic diseases; eliminating infectious organisms; as well as sharing in awarding Emmanuelle Charpentier the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2012 for their groundbreaking work on CRISPR (and becoming first women ever awarded it!). Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier even shared their award!).
This technology has also found applications in medicine. For example, it was used to replace beta-thalassemia genes in patients and correct color blindness mutations through genetic engineering techniques. Furthermore, lab rats became more resilient against infection using this approach while clinical trials have also involved humans receiving treatments using it for eye disease treatment.
While CRISPR has seen significant advances, some scientists remain concerned that its unregulated experiments and unethical uses by do-it-yourself biohackers will lead to unregulated experiments and unethical use. Some believe genetic engineering should only be practiced under supervision by licensed, trained scientists; while Josiah Zayner – founder of DIY biohacking movement ODIN – asserts that its potential life-changing benefits outweigh risks.
Zayner has developed a kit that allows people to conduct CRISPR experiments at home using CRISPRed DNA designed to silence myostatin genes that regulate muscle growth – in an attempt to build bigger muscles with greater muscle growth potential. His kits have caused controversy as this form of genetic engineering may put public safety at risk. For instance, Zayner personally experimented on himself using this form of genetic engineering – injecting himself with CRISPRed DNA meant to silence them; his intention being that this will allow him to build bigger muscles; however the FDA issued warnings to anyone planning similar attempts as this could potentially prove dangerous and even fatal!
Biohackers have also used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to extend telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that shorten as we age. BioViva provided an experimental telomere lengthening treatment without formal clinical trials that was praised as revolutionary by media outlets despite not actually working – its chief scientist later admitted that its CRISPR-Cas9 treatment did not extend telomeres in mice but may produce much less dramatic effects in human volunteers.
3. CRISPR-Cas9 Muscle Growth
At 2017 SynBioBeta conference, biophysicist Josiah Zayner surprised and fascinated researchers alike when he decided to inject himself with CRISPR-edited DNA so as to increase muscle size using CRISPR technology. Was he leading an innovative movement toward biohacking or signaling an open frontier of amateur experimentation on human biology?
Biohackers seek to democratize science by giving everyday people access to scientific methods of manipulation of their bodies and the natural world. Self-experimenters may be drawn in by personal medical data protection or accessing open-source medicine; but biohackers may also find pleasure in trying out emerging technologies like CRISPR that promise cure diseases or extend lives.
CRISPR/Cas9, the technology powering these DIY experiments, works by cutting DNA at specific locations with RNA guides and then replacing the edited gene with its original sequence. At University of California San Francisco’s lab, scientists created CRISPR-Cas9 to knock out myostatin genes which control muscle growth; then used this gene-editing tool on rabbit breeding programs where double muscle mass was achieved in these animals as opposed to wild-type rabbits.
CRISPR-Cas9 has also been leveraged by animal breeders to remove dangerous horns on dairy cattle and increase beef production, as well as increase skewing ratios from female to male for beef breeding purposes. Furthermore, its usage may even help make ham more delectable by increasing muscle development in pork.
Though CRISPR holds tremendous promise, many scientists see its misuse by biohackers as being dangerous. According to them, biohackers bypass institutional review boards (IRBs), which should oversee research for scientific validity and ensure all participants understand their rights and risks; without IRB oversight a poorly run trial could delay gene-based treatments by decades.
4. CRISPR-Cas9 Mosquito Suppression
CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has quickly become an effective do-it-yourself (DIY) option for biologists, with this DIY genome editing technology capable of quickly and accurately making point mutations, gene knockouts, tagging endogenous genes, altering epigenetic landscapes and altering gene expression within life cycles. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has also proven itself useful against parasites such as nematodes, fungi and insects like mosquitoes.
Biohackers, or DIY biologists who take advantage of CRISPR to perform genome editing experiments outside traditional labs, are using it as an instrument of artistic expression or simply for educational purposes. While some experiments aim to increase scientific literacy through education alone, others have more controversial motivations – many biohackers hold that the right to science is fundamental human freedom while others see genome editing as artistic expression or as a form of bodily autonomy protection. Others still find biohacking as a means around government red tape delays –
Biohackers have taken to using DIY DNA-editing kits for various projects. One notable instance is Josiah Zayner’s experiment using CRISPR/Cas9 to decrease his HIV count using CRISPR/Cas9. His success proved the accessibility and usability of CRISPR technology among people without professional training or resources.
Biohacking may seem tempting due to its potential, yet it should not be undertaken lightly. Without regulations in place, biohacking experiments may harm humans and animals through unintentional off-target effects and environmental contamination due to improper handling of genetic reagents. Furthermore, due to lack of testing standards or quality controls within this field users could receive inappropriate treatments or be exposed to unproven genome editing tools which pose health risks.
Biohacking poses several threats to both medical and agricultural industries, particularly through unfair competition. For example, an individual biohacker might develop unlicensed products to sell as alternatives to expensive pharmaceuticals that have strict regulations attached – this phenomenon can already be seen in India via sales of non-regulated Ayurvedic medicines with promises made without clinical studies being performed to demonstrate effectiveness.
