I can print YOUR DNA….literally!

I can print out your DNA, …literally

By: Doc Swagg

The marriage between science and technology gives birth to some very intriguing offspring. The human race has been in a constant quest to unravel what makes us human. This quest has led to the groundbreaking discovery of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is composed of a specific sequence of amino acids and bases called nucleotides. We have our own unique DNA that distinguishes us from other life forms, and then we have our specific DNA that makes me different from my best friend.

A new innovation to DNA sequencing is the use of 3D and 4D laser printers. Advances in science and technology have now made it possible to physically print DNA. Yes, we can actually print DNA. Scientist are now using 4D printers to load nucleotides in cartridges the same way that you may load black and colored ink into a Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, or Canon printer cartridges. The cartridges are definitely a lot more specialized but the concept is the same.

Sophisticated software allows digital sequencing of DNA that reveals the exact DNA pattern of a person OR organism. The computer then sends the sequence to the printer, and the nucleotides are generated in exact precision by the printer. The DNA is an actual physical copy of what was digitally generated.

Essentially there are two implications that people MUST consider as this technology gets incorporated into everyday use by individuals that can afford it, and institutions that will routinely use it.

Scenario #1

DNA is very personal and specific. An individual’s DNA is nature’s social security number. Our DNA is present in our saliva, hair, skin cells, blood, finger nails, semen, and countless other bodily products. Think about how DNA has freed individuals from jail and vindicated them from criminal cases. However, think about how individuals have staged crime scenes like Mark Fuhrman, tampered with evidence, or false rape allegations, and how some women have secretly used a man’s sperm to impregnate themselves. These illustrate real life schemes that people engaged in to achieve a predetermined nefarious goal. Now imagine a prosecutor that is hell bent on saving their law record/reputation or police chief that can lose his job on a landmark court case.

The Supreme Court already made it legal to take DNA of anyone arrested and accused of a crime. The ability to access this DNA database for a person and print their DNA is now possible. They can then print your DNA and plant it all over the evidence that is being reviewed in a courtroom exhibit. Imagine if Mark Fuhrman had OJ’s DNA spread all over the crime scene instead of an ill-fitted glove (OJ’s freedom teetered on glove size). DNA is considered as confirmatory evidence in court, but what if it’s compromised in a situation like I proposed?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/us/supreme-court-says-police-can-take-dna-samples.html?_r=0

You only need willing participants to make this happen, and we know money, sex, power, and racism will corrupt any man-made system. Think about how Rosewood was destroyed by a lie about a female getting raped. The enormity and extent of this is tremendous when you examine the possibilities. Think about where you shed your DNA on a daily basis. You go to restaurants, parties, social gatherings, gyms, schools, and your DNA is left all over drinking glasses, soda cans, pillows, airplanes, counters, bathrooms, salons, spas, barbershops, work environments,.…… must I go on?

My point is once this technology becomes ubiquitous, every individual is at risk for incrimination, and becomes a potential victim of technology. Crooked cops and investigators have paid people to lie on witness stands and falsely implicate innocent people. What if a cop paid your barber a few thousand dollars to keep your hair after a haircut, or your dentist after a cleaning?

Scenario #2

This is the scariest scenario to me because I work in the medical field. I routinely see infections that are resistant to antibiotics, and antiviral drugs. Let’s think about H1N1, HIV, Polio, or any virus or bacteria. Once we are able to sequence a virus or bacteria’s DNA/RNA, we can digitally generate it in a software program. Then we can load the specific nucleotides into the printer and print that particular virus.

We can take genes from other organisms and insert them into other organism, kind of how we are genetically modifying our foods. This means that we can hypothetically find the gene sequence for what makes a virus airborne, and insert that into HIV, and make HIV airborne. We then sequence that and print it out, and you can sneeze HIV onto somebody. This sounds far-fetched but this is exactly what they are doing. The Journal of Foreign Affairs published an article about this very issue, and international governments cite this as their number one issue of concern.

Journal of Foreign Affairs article (a must read): http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/140156/laurie-garrett/biologys-brave-new-world

Let’s take this one step further. Once a genetic sequence is digitized in software you can email it to someone in another country like a Microsoft Word document right? Thus this takes biological warfare to another level. If we can synthesize a lethal virus, digitally sequence it, and then email it across the globe, we have a HUGE problem on our hands. The recipient of the email in another country only needs a printer with that capability to start a deadly outbreak.

My thoughts

This is extremely serious, and I believe we’ve opened Pandora’s Box. Our only hindrance is M&M (morals and money). The scientific community and their financiers can’t allow this to become pervasive, and must have the strictest of moral integrity. Polio had been eradicated, but scientists in 2002 actually resynthesized the Polio Virus for “scientific research purposes”, and published their methodology (very irresponsible just to gain notoriety). We now have Polio popping up in Syria, Africa, and all over the Middle East.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/12/us/traces-of-terror-the-science-scientists-create-a-live-polio-virus.html

What are your thoughts on this? Are we going too far? I’ve attached some articles for your review and a video on this topic.

Sources