Lecture: Genes, Genomes and the Future

Konstantin Severinov, a molecular biologist, will explain the current scientific advances in genetic diseases and their treatment, and will also discuss prospects for creating people with specific characteristics through genetic editing. Severinov is an outstanding lecturer who conveys complex concepts in an engaging way. The lecture will cover questions such as: how DNA influences our lives, the possibilities of CRISPR-Cas in creating ideally healthy people, the future of gene editing in medicine and society, and the ethical aspects of this technology. The potential for genetic “engineering” of people and the boundaries that science must not cross will also be discussed. At present, there is active debate about applying CRISPR, but an unresolved issue remains: scientists still don’t know which changes in the genome will produce the desired results—such as altering appearance or mental abilities. The future will show whether we can understand this and how necessary it will be.