06/06/2018
FONDATION MAISON DU BRÉSIL
XXXVII Cycle de Conférences
06 Juin 2018 – Théâtre Lúcio Costa – 20h30
ABOUT LIFE, DEATH, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING: THE NEXT HOMO SAPIENS BATTLE AGAINST NATURAL SELECTION
Gabriel Eduardo de MATOS RODRIGUES – PhD student in Oncology (Institute Gustave Roussy) and Morphology (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro). Double degree. Scholarship – La Ligue Contre Le Cancer.
A timeless question in biology is how the genome translates into phenotypes giving rise to the endless forms of nature. It dates back to the first evidences that genes encode individual proteins and the seminal discovery of DNA’s three dimensional structure (Beadle and Tatum 1941, Watson and Crick 1953). Important further achievements in this field were possible after the generation of targeted DNA editing technics. By introducing, replacing or deleting genomic information in a targeted manner, we have started to understand the molecular mechanisms of how genomes govern form and function. These technologies have been helping us understand and treat diseases. During the past few years, the discovery of engineered nucleases, such
as CRISPR-Cas9, made genome editing easier, heating the discussions about the ethics of genetic selection and edition in humans. Here, I will summarize the new technologies of genome editing, highlighting its relevance for biomedical research and future challenges.