Key points from article :
UK researchers have launched a five-year project called the Synthetic Human Genome initiative to understand how human DNA works by building large pieces of genetic code from scratch and placing them into living cells. The effort is led by Prof Jason Chin at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, with teams from Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, Oxford and Imperial College London all taking part.
The scientists will begin by assembling sections of a human chromosome and testing them in skin cells, a practical way to see how each part of the code affects cell behaviour and to compare natural DNA with the synthetic versions. By mapping these effects, they hope to lay the groundwork for future treatments, such as cells that can survive immune attack or resist certain viruses, which could help people with autoimmune illnesses or long-term liver damage caused by infection.
A parallel at the University of Kent is examining the ethical questions raised by making human DNA in the lab, including possible environmental risks and issues linked to reproduction. Experts quoted in the article also note potential uses such as synthetic mitochondria to stop inherited disease.
