ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jennifer Doudna - Biologist
Jennifer Doudna was part of inventing a potentially world-changing genetic technology: the gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9.

Why you should listen

Together with her colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier of Umeå University in Sweden, Berkeley biologist Jennifer Doudna is at the center of one of today's most-discussed science discoveries: a technology called CRISPR-Cas9 that allows human genome editing by adding or removing genetic material at will. This enables fighting genetic diseases (cutting out HIV, altering cancer cells) as well as, potentially, opening the road to "engineered humans."

Because some applications of genetic manipulation can be inherited, Doudna and numerous colleagues have called for prudent use of the technology until the ethics and safety have been properly considered.

Doudna is the co-winner of the 2018 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience, along with Emmanuelle Charpentier and Virginijus Šikšnys.

More profile about the speaker
Jennifer Doudna | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal>London

Jennifer Doudna: How CRISPR lets us edit our DNA

Jennifer Doudna: Como editar o ADN con CRISPR

Filmed:
2,870,405 views

A xenetista Jennifer Doudna co-inventou unha innovadora tecnoloxía para a edición xenómica, CRISPR-Cas9. Esta ferramenta permite facer cortes precisos nas cadeas do ADN, o que pode levar á creación de tratamentos para as enfermidades xenéticas... pero tamén pode usarse para facer ''bebés á carta''. Doudna explica o funcionamento de CRISPR-Cas9 e pídelle á comunidade científica unha pausa para debater as implicacións éticas desta nova ferramenta.
- Biologist
Jennifer Doudna was part of inventing a potentially world-changing genetic technology: the gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
A few years ago,
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Hai uns anos,
00:14
with my colleague, Emmanuelle Charpentier,
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canda a miña colega Emmanuelle Charpentier
inventei una nova tecnoloxía
para editar xenomas.
00:17
I invented a new technology
for editing genomes.
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00:21
It's called CRISPR-Cas9.
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Chámase CRISPR-Cas 9.
00:23
The CRISPR technology allows
scientists to make changes
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A tecnoloxía CRISPR permítelles
aos científicos facer cambios
00:27
to the DNA in cells
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no ADN celular, o que podería
00:29
that could allow us
to cure genetic disease.
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permitir curar enfermidades xenéticas.
00:33
You might be interested to know
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É interesante que saibades
que a tecnoloxía CRISPR
00:34
that the CRISPR technology came about
through a basic research project
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xorde dun proxecto de investigación básica
00:38
that was aimed at discovering
how bacteria fight viral infections.
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que buscaba estudar como as bacterias
loitan contra infeccións virais.
As bacterias teñen que enfrontarse
con virus na súa contorna,
00:43
Bacteria have to deal with viruses
in their environment,
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00:46
and we can think about a viral infection
like a ticking time bomb --
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podemos pensar nunha infección vírica
coma unha bomba de reloxaría.
00:49
a bacterium has only a few minutes
to defuse the bomb
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A bacteria ten só uns minutos
para destruír a bomba
00:53
before it gets destroyed.
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antes de que a destrúa a ela.
00:55
So, many bacteria have in their cells
an adaptive immune system called CRISPR,
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Así que moitas bacterias
teñen nas súas células
un sistema inmune adaptativo
chamado CRISPR
que lles permite detectar
ADN vírico e destruílo.
01:00
that allows them to detect
viral DNA and destroy it.
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Parte do sistema CRISPR
é una proteína que se chama Cas9
01:05
Part of the CRISPR system
is a protein called Cas9,
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que pode buscar,
cortar e degradar o ADN viral
01:09
that's able to seek out, cut
and eventually degrade viral DNA
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01:15
in a specific way.
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dunha forma específica.
01:17
And it was through our research
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E foi na nosa investigación para
01:18
to understand the activity
of this protein, Cas9,
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entender o funcionamento de Cas9,
cando vimos
que podíamos modificar a súa función
01:22
that we realized that we could
harness its function
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01:25
as a genetic engineering technology --
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coma una tecnoloxía de enxeñería xenética
01:28
a way for scientists to delete or insert
specific bits of DNA into cells
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un xeito de que os científicos
poidan borrar ou inserir
fragmentos específicos de ADN
en células cunha precisión incrible
01:35
with incredible precision --
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Isto ofrecería oportunidades
para facer cousas
01:37
that would offer opportunities
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01:39
to do things that really haven't
been possible in the past.
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que nunca serían posibles no pasado.
A tecnoloxía CRISPR xa se usou
para cambiar o ADN
01:43
The CRISPR technology
has already been used
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01:45
to change the DNA in the cells
of mice and monkeys,
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nas células de ratos e monos,
01:50
other organisms as well.
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e tamén noutros organismos.
Científicos chineses probaron
hai pouco que poden usar
01:52
Chinese scientists showed recently
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01:54
that they could even use
the CRISPR technology
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a tecnoloxía CRISPR para cambiar xenes
en embrións humanos.
01:56
to change genes in human embryos.
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E científicos en Filadelfia
probaron que podían usar CRISPR
01:59
And scientists in Philadelphia showed
they could use CRISPR
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02:02
to remove the DNA
of an integrated HIV virus
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para retirar o ADN dun virus VIH
02:07
from infected human cells.
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integrado en células infectadas humanas.
A oportunidade de realizar
este tipo de edición xenética
02:10
The opportunity to do this kind
of genome editing
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02:13
also raises various ethical issues
that we have to consider,
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tamén implica cuestións éticas
que temos que considerar
02:16
because this technology can be employed
not only in adult cells,
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porque esta tecnoloxía
non só se pode usar en células adultas
senón tamén en embrións de organismos,
02:20
but also in the embryos of organisms,
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incluíndo os da nosa especie.
02:23
including our own species.
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Así que, xunto cos meus colegas,
02:26
And so, together with my colleagues,
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convoquei unha conversa global
sobre a tecnoloxía que coinventei,
02:28
I've called for a global conversation
about the technology that I co-invented,
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02:33
so that we can consider all of the ethical
and societal implications
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para considerar
todas as implicacións éticas e sociais
dunha tecnoloxía coma esta.
02:37
of a technology like this.
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02:40
What I want to do now is tell you
what the CRISPR technology is,
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Agora quero contarvos
que é a tecnoloxía CRISPR,
o que pode facer,
02:45
what it can do,
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onde nos atopamos actualmente,
02:46
where we are today
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e por que penso que temos
02:47
and why I think we need to take
a prudent path forward
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que avanzar con prudencia
á hora de empregala.
02:50
in the way that we employ this technology.
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Cando os virus infectan unha célula,
02:55
When viruses infect a cell,
they inject their DNA.
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inxéctanlle o seu ADN.
02:59
And in a bacterium,
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Nunha bacteria, o sistema CRISPR
03:00
the CRISPR system allows that DNA
to be plucked out of the virus,
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permite arrincar o ADN do virus
03:05
and inserted in little bits
into the chromosome --
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e inserilo en anacos no ADN bacteriano.
03:09
the DNA of the bacterium.
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Estes anacos de ADN vírico
03:11
And these integrated bits of viral DNA
get inserted at a site called CRISPR.
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son inseridos na zona CRISPR.
03:18
CRISPR stands for clustered regularly
interspaced short palindromic repeats.
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CRISPR é en inglés "repeticións
palindrómicas cortas
agrupadas e regularmente
interespazadas".
03:24
(Laughter)
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Unha palabra moi longa, xa entendedes
03:25
A big mouthful -- you can see why
we use the acronym CRISPR.
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porqué usamos o acrónimo CRISPR.
03:28
It's a mechanism that allows cells
to record, over time,
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É un mecanismo que permite ás células
gravar ao longo do tempo
os virus aos que estiveron expostas.
03:32
the viruses they have been exposed to.
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03:35
And importantly, those bits of DNA
are passed on to the cells' progeny,
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E de xeito moi importante,
eses anacos de ADN
pásanselle á proxenie celular.
Polo tanto, as células están
03:40
so cells are protected from viruses
not only in one generation,
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protexidas fronte a virus
non só nunha xeración,
senón en varias.
03:44
but over many generations of cells.
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Isto permite que as células teñan
un rexistro de infeccións.
03:47
This allows the cells
to keep a record of infection,
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Como di a miña colega Blake Wiedenheft,
03:51
and as my colleague,
Blake Wiedenheft, likes to say,
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o locus CRISPR é un rexistro de vacinas
03:54
the CRISPR locus is effectively
a genetic vaccination card in cells.
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moi efectivo para as células.
04:00
Once those bits of DNA have been inserted
into the bacterial chromosome,
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Cando eses anacos de ADN
se insiren no cromosoma bacteriano
a célula fai una pequena copia
04:05
the cell then makes a little copy
of a molecule called RNA,
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dunha molécula, o ARN,
04:09
which is orange in this picture,
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en laranxa na foto.
04:11
that is an exact replicate
of the viral DNA.
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Que é una copia exacta do ARN vírico.
O ARN é un curmán químico do ADN.
04:16
RNA is a chemical cousin of DNA,
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04:18
and it allows interaction
with DNA molecules
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Permite a interacción con moléculas de ADN
04:22
that have a matching sequence.
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que teñan una secuencia 'correspondente'.
Eses anacos de ARN do locus CRISPR
04:25
So those little bits of RNA
from the CRISPR locus
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04:29
associate -- they bind --
to protein called Cas9,
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únense á proteína Cas 9,
04:33
which is white in the picture,
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en branco na imaxe,
04:34
and form a complex that functions
like a sentinel in the cell.
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e forman un complexo
que funciona como sentinela na célula.
04:39
It searches through all
of the DNA in the cell,
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Busca en todo o ADN
para atopar secuencias que corresponden
04:42
to find sites that match
the sequences in the bound RNAs.
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coas dos ARN unidos.
E cando eses sitios son atopados,
04:46
And when those sites are found --
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04:48
as you can see here,
the blue molecule is DNA --
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como podedes ver aquí
--a molécula de ADN é azul--
04:52
this complex associates with that DNA
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o complexo asóciase con ese ADN,
04:54
and allows the Cas9 cleaver
to cut up the viral DNA.
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e Cas9 pode cortar o ADN vírico.
05:00
It makes a very precise break.
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Fai un corte moi exacto.
Podemos pensar neste complexo
sentinela-Cas9-ARN,
05:04
So we can think of the Cas9 RNA
sentinel complex
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como un par de tesoiras
05:08
like a pair of scissors
that can cut DNA --
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que poden cortar ADN,
05:11
it makes a double-stranded break
in the DNA helix.
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facendo un corte na dobre cadea.
Este complexo é programable,
05:14
And importantly,
this complex is programmable,
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05:18
so it can be programmed to recognize
particular DNA sequences,
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pode ser programado para recoñecer
secuencias específicas de ADN
e facer un corte no ADN nese lugar.
05:24
and make a break in the DNA at that site.
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Démonos conta
05:27
As I'm going to tell you now,
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05:29
we recognized that that activity
could be harnessed for genome engineering,
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de que esa actividade
podía ser usada para edición xenómica,
para permitirlles ás células facer
05:34
to allow cells to make
a very precise change to the DNA
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un cambio moi preciso no seu ADN
no lugar onde se produce a rotura.
05:38
at the site where
this break was introduced.
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05:41
That's sort of analogous
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É parecido a usar un procesador de textos
05:42
to the way that we use
a word-processing program
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05:45
to fix a typo in a document.
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para corrixir un erro nun documento.
A razón pola que concibimos
usar o sistema CRISPR
05:49
The reason we envisioned using
the CRISPR system for genome engineering
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para edición xenómica é por que
05:54
is because cells have the ability
to detect broken DNA
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as células teñen a habilidade
de detectar ADN roto e reparalo.
05:58
and repair it.
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Cando una célula animal ou vexetal
05:59
So when a plant or an animal cell detects
a double-stranded break in its DNA,
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detecta una dobre rotura de hélice
no seu ADN, pode reparala,
06:04
it can fix that break,
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xa sexa por copia e pega
06:06
either by pasting together
the ends of the broken DNA
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dos extremos do ADN roto
06:09
with a little, tiny change
in the sequence of that position,
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cun pequeno cambio
na secuencia desa posición,
ou pode reparar a rotura
06:14
or it can repair the break by integrating
a new piece of DNA at the site of the cut.
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integrando un novo anaco de ADN
no lugar do corte.
Así que, se temos un xeito
06:21
So if we have a way to introduce
double-stranded breaks into DNA
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de introducir cortes na dobre cadea de ADN
en determinados lugares,
06:26
at precise places,
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06:27
we can trigger cells
to repair those breaks,
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podemos inducir as células
a reparar esas roturas por perda
06:30
by either the disruption or incorporation
of new genetic information.
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ou incorporación
de nova información xenética.
Así que, se fósemos capaces
06:35
So if we were able to program
the CRISPR technology
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de programar a tecnoloxía CRISPR
06:39
to make a break in DNA
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para facer un corte cerca
ou na posición dunha mutación causante
06:41
at the position at or near a mutation
causing cystic fibrosis, for example,
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da fibrose quística, por exemplo,
poderiamos inducir as células
a reparar esa mutación.
06:47
we could trigger cells
to repair that mutation.
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06:52
Genome engineering is actually not new,
it's been in development since the 1970s.
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A enxeñería xenómica non é algo recente,
comezou nos anos 70.
Tiñamos tecnoloxías para secuenciar ADN,
06:57
We've had technologies for sequencing DNA,
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07:00
for copying DNA,
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copiar ADN,
07:01
and even for manipulating DNA.
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e incluso para manipular ADN.
07:04
And these technologies
were very promising,
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E estas tecnoloxías eran moi prometedoras,
07:08
but the problem was
that they were either inefficient,
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pero tiñan como problema
a súa ineficiencia
ou dificultade de uso,
07:12
or they were difficult enough to use
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polo que moitos científicos non
07:14
that most scientists had not adopted them
for use in their own laboratories,
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as usaron nos seus laboratorios
07:19
or certainly for many
clinical applications.
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ou en ningunha aplicación clínica.
07:24
So, the opportunity to take a technology
like CRISPR and utilize it has appeal,
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A oportunidade de usar unha nova
tecnoloxía como é CRISPR
ten certo atractivo
07:32
because of its relative simplicity.
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debido á súa simplicidade.
Podemos pensar en técnicas de
enxeñería xenómica máis vellas,
07:35
We can think of older
genome engineering technologies
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07:38
as similar to having
to rewire your computer
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e comparalas con
ter que recablear un ordenador
07:42
each time you want to run
a new piece of software,
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cada vez que queiras probar un
novo software.
Pola contra, a tecnoloxía CRISPR
07:46
whereas the CRISPR technology
is like software for the genome,
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é como software para o xenoma,
xa que pode ser programado doadamente
07:50
we can program it easily,
using these little bits of RNA.
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usando estes anacos de ARN.
Así que, cando causamos
unha rotura de cadea dobre
07:54
So once a double-stranded
break is made in DNA,
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07:57
we can induce repair,
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podemos inducir a reparación
07:59
and thereby potentially achieve
astounding things,
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e obter resultados
potencialmente asombrosos.
Como poder corrixir mutacións
08:03
like being able to correct mutations
that cause sickle cell anemia
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que causan anemias falciformes
08:07
or cause Huntington's Disease.
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ou a enfermidade de Huntington.
Creo que as primeiras aplicacións
da técnica CRISPR
08:09
I actually think that the first
applications of the CRISPR technology
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terán lugar no sangue,
08:13
are going to happen in the blood,
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08:15
where it's relatively easier
to deliver this tool into cells,
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xa que é máis doado introducir
esta ferramenta nas células,
en comparación con tecidos sólidos.
08:20
compared to solid tissues.
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Hoxe, moitas das investigacións
en que se traballa
08:23
Right now, a lot of the work
that's going on
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08:26
applies to animal models
of human disease, such as mice.
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aplícanse sobre modelos animais
de enfermidades humanas,
coma os ratos.
08:30
The technology is being used to make
very precise changes
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Esta tecnoloxía úsase para facer
cambios precisos no ADN celular,
08:33
that allow us to study the way
that these changes in the cell's DNA
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que permiten estudar o xeito en que estes
cambios no ADN celular
08:38
affect either a tissue or,
in this case, an entire organism.
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poden afectar un tecido,
ou neste caso, un organismo.
No seguinte exemplo,
08:43
Now in this example,
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a técnica CRISPR usouse para
interromper un xene
08:44
the CRISPR technology
was used to disrupt a gene
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08:48
by making a tiny change in the DNA
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facendo un pequeno cambio
no ADN nun xene responsable
08:51
in a gene that is responsible
for the black coat color of these mice.
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da cor negra destes ratos.
Pensade que a diferencia entre os ratos
08:56
Imagine that these white mice
differ from their pigmented litter-mates
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brancos e os seus compañeiros
de camada negros
é debida soamente a un pequeno cambio
09:01
by just a tiny change at one gene
in the entire genome,
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nun único xene no xenoma enteiro.
E senón fora por iso serían normais.
09:05
and they're otherwise completely normal.
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09:07
And when we sequence the DNA
from these animals,
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Cando secuenciamos o ADN destes animais
comprobamos que o cambio no ADN
09:10
we find that the change in the DNA
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prodúcese exactamente
no sitio onde foi inducido
09:13
has occurred at exactly the place
where we induced it,
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mediante o uso de CRISPR.
09:16
using the CRISPR technology.
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Estanse facendo experimentos
con outros animais
09:19
Additional experiments
are going on in other animals
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que son útiles para crear modelos
09:22
that are useful for creating models
for human disease,
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de enfermidades humanas,
09:26
such as monkeys.
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como os monos.
09:28
And here we find
that we can use these systems
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E nestes vemos
que podemos usar estes sistemas
09:31
to test the application of this technology
in particular tissues,
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para probar a aplicación
desta técnica en tecidos específicos,
por exemplo, estudar como introducir
09:35
for example, figuring out how to deliver
the CRISPR tool into cells.
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o complexo CRISPR nas células.
09:40
We also want to understand better
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Tamén queremos entender mellor
como controlar a reparación do ADN
logo de cortado
09:42
how to control the way
that DNA is repaired after it's cut,
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09:46
and also to figure out how to control
and limit any kind of off-target,
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e aprender a controlar e limitar calquera
acción fóra dos lugares diana
09:51
or unintended effects
of using the technology.
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ou efectos non desexados
derivados do uso desta tecnoloxía.
09:56
I think that we will see
clinical application of this technology,
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Penso que veremos aplicacións clínicas
desta tecnoloxía,
probablemente en adultos,
10:02
certainly in adults,
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10:04
within the next 10 years.
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nos próximos 10 anos.
10:05
I think that it's likely
that we will see clinical trials
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Penso que é moi posible
que vexamos ensaios clínicos
e posiblemente terapias aprobadas
10:08
and possibly even approved
therapies within that time,
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nesa franxa temporal,
10:12
which is a very exciting thing
to think about.
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o que é moi emocionante.
10:15
And because of the excitement
around this technology,
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E debido á expectación
arredor desta tecnoloxía,
10:17
there's a lot of interest
in start-up companies
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hai moitos intereses
en empresas emerxentes
que foron creadas para vender
a tecnoloxía CRISPR,
10:20
that have been founded
to commercialize the CRISPR technology,
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e moitos capitalistas de risco
10:25
and lots of venture capitalists
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que invisten nestas compañías.
10:27
that have been investing
in these companies.
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Pero tamén temos que ter en conta
10:31
But we have to also consider
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que CRISPR pode ser usada
en mellora xenética.
10:32
that the CRISPR technology can be used
for things like enhancement.
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Imaxinade que poderiamos intentar
10:36
Imagine that we could try
to engineer humans
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facer enxeñería en humanos,
10:39
that have enhanced properties,
such as stronger bones,
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que teñen propiedades melloradas,
como ósos máis fortes,
10:44
or less susceptibility
to cardiovascular disease
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ou menor susceptibilidade
a enfermidades cardiovasculares
ou quizais teñan propiedades
10:48
or even to have properties
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10:49
that we would consider maybe
to be desirable,
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que consideremos desexables,
como diferente cor de ollos
10:52
like a different eye color
or to be taller, things like that.
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ou ser máis altos.
Humanos á carta, poderíase dicir.
10:57
"Designer humans," if you will.
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Neste momento,
11:00
Right now, the genetic information
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a información xenética
11:03
to understand what types of genes
would give rise to these traits
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necesaria para entender
que tipo de xenes producen
este tipo de características
11:07
is mostly not known.
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é na súa maior parte descoñecida.
11:09
But it's important to know
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Pero é importante saber
11:10
that the CRISPR technology gives us a tool
to make such changes,
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que coa tecnoloxía CRISPR
podemos facer eses cambios,
unha vez que saibamos esta información.
11:15
once that knowledge becomes available.
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11:18
This raises a number of ethical questions
that we have to carefully consider,
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Isto pon enriba da mesa cuestión éticas
que temos que considerar con coidado,
e por iso eu e os meus colegas
chamamos a una pausa mundial
11:22
and this is why I and my colleagues
have called for a global pause
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na aplicación clínica de CRISPR
11:27
in any clinical application
of the CRISPR technology in human embryos,
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en embrións humanos,
11:31
to give us time
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para deixarnos tempo para considerar
11:32
to really consider all of the various
implications of doing so.
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todas as implicacións
deste tipo de experimentación.
11:37
And actually, there is an important
precedent for such a pause
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E curiosamente,
hai un precedente importante
dunha pausa semellante
11:41
from the 1970s,
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nos anos 70,
11:42
when scientists got together
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cando científicos se xuntaron
11:44
to call for a moratorium
on the use of molecular cloning,
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para pedir unha moratoria no uso
da clonación molecular,
ata que a seguridade desa tecnoloxía
11:48
until the safety of that technology
could be tested carefully and validated.
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puidese ser probada coidadosamente
e validada.
11:55
So, genome-engineered humans
are not with us yet,
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Aínda non temos humanos modificados
xeneticamente entre nós,
pero isto xa non é ciencia ficción.
12:00
but this is no longer science fiction.
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12:04
Genome-engineered animals and plants
are happening right now.
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Animais e plantas con xenomas deseñados
xa existen actualmente.
12:09
And this puts in front of all of us
a huge responsibility,
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E isto suponnos unha
gran responsabilidade,
considerar coidadosamente
12:13
to consider carefully
both the unintended consequences
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as consecuencias non previstas
12:17
as well as the intended impacts
of a scientific breakthrough.
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e os impactos que queremos
nun descubrimento científico.
Grazas.
12:22
Thank you.
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12:23
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
(O aplauso remata)
12:31
(Applause ends)
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Bruno Giussiani: Jennifer,
esta é unha tecnoloxía
12:33
Bruno Giussani: Jennifer, this is
a technology with huge consequences,
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cunhas consecuencias importantes,
12:37
as you pointed out.
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como resaltaches.
12:38
Your attitude about asking for a pause
or a moratorium or a quarantine
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A túa decisión de pedir unha pausa,
moratoria ou corentena,
é incriblemente responsable.
12:43
is incredibly responsible.
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2020
Temos por suposto,
os resultados terapéuticos,
12:46
There are, of course,
the therapeutic results of this,
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pero tamén existen os non terapéuticos,
12:49
but then there are the un-therapeutic ones
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12:51
and they seem to be the ones
gaining traction,
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e estes últimos parecen ser
os que gañan máis atención mediática.
12:53
particularly in the media.
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Esta é unha das últimas
12:54
This is one of the latest issues
of The Economist -- "Editing humanity."
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publicacións de The Economist:
''Editando a humanidade''.
12:59
It's all about genetic enhancement,
it's not about therapeutics.
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3819
Só fala de mellora xenética,
non da parte terapéutica.
Que tipo de reacción recibiches en marzo
13:03
What kind of reactions
did you get back in March
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por parte dos teus colegas científicos
13:05
from your colleagues in the science world,
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2017
cando suxeriches ou pediches
13:07
when you asked or suggested
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que deberiamos tomar un descanso
13:09
that we should actually pause this
for a moment and think about it?
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e pensar no que isto comporta?
Jennifer Doudna: Os meus colegas,
13:13
Jennifer Doudna: My colleagues
were actually, I think, delighted
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penso, estaban realmente contentos
de ter a ocasión
13:16
to have the opportunity
to discuss this openly.
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discutir isto abertamente.
13:18
It's interesting that as I talk to people,
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É interesante que ao
falar coa xente,
xa sexan, colegas científicos ou outros,
13:20
my scientific colleagues
as well as others,
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hai moita variedade de puntos de vista.
13:23
there's a wide variety
of viewpoints about this.
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2310
Así que, claramente precisamos
13:25
So clearly it's a topic that needs
careful consideration and discussion.
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un exame detido e debate neste tema.
13:29
BG: There's a big meeting
happening in December
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BG: Planeades
unha gran reunión en decembro,
convocada polos teus colegas,
13:31
that you and your colleagues are calling,
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coa Academia Nacional de Ciencias
e outros.
13:33
together with the National Academy
of Sciences and others,
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Que pensas que sairá da reunión
a nivel práctico?
13:36
what do you hope will come
out of the meeting, practically?
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JD: Ben, agardo que poidamos expresar
13:39
JD: Well, I hope that we can air the views
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os puntos de vista
de diferentes individuos
13:41
of many different individuals
and stakeholders
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e partes interesadas
13:45
who want to think about how to use
this technology responsibly.
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que queiran pensar como usar esta
tecnoloxía de xeito responsable.
Tal vez non sexa posible chegar
13:49
It may not be possible to come up with
a consensus point of view,
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a un punto de vista consensuado,
pero polo menos poderemos entender
13:53
but I think we should at least understand
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a que problemas nos enfrontaremos
13:55
what all the issues are as we go forward.
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1972
con este avance.
BG: Outros colegas teus,
13:57
BG: Now, colleagues of yours,
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como George Church, por exemplo,
de Harvard,
13:58
like George Church,
for example, at Harvard,
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din que “os problemas éticos
14:00
they say, "Yeah, ethical issues basically
are just a question of safety.
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son basicamente cuestión de seguridade.
Probamos múltiples veces
14:04
We test and test and test again,
in animals and in labs,
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en animais e en laboratorios,
14:06
and then once we feel it's safe enough,
we move on to humans."
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e cando vemos que é o seguro abondo,
pasamos a humanos".
Así que esa é a outra liña de
pensamento,
14:10
So that's kind of the other
school of thought,
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14:13
that we should actually use
this opportunity and really go for it.
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que deberíamos coller esta oportunidade
e aproveitala.
E posible que a comunidade científica
se divida por isto?
14:16
Is there a possible split happening
in the science community about this?
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14:20
I mean, are we going to see
some people holding back
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Imos ver xente botarse atrás,
porque teñen preocupacións éticas,
14:22
because they have ethical concerns,
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e outros simplemente avanzando
14:24
and some others just going forward
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14:26
because some countries under-regulate
or don't regulate at all?
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porque algúns países lexislan
pouco ou nada.
JD: Ben, penso que
como en calquera nova tecnoloxía,
14:29
JD: Well, I think with any new technology,
especially something like this,
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especialmente algo deste tipo
vai haber puntos de vista moi distintos,
14:33
there are going to be
a variety of viewpoints,
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e creo que iso é comprensible.
14:36
and I think that's
perfectly understandable.
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Penso que nun tempo usaremos
14:39
I think that in the end,
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14:41
this technology will be used
for human genome engineering,
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esta tecnoloxía para
enxeñería xenómica en humanos,
pero facer iso sen analizar e debater
14:46
but I think to do that without careful
consideration and discussion
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14:50
of the risks and potential complications
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os riscos potenciais
non sería responsable.
14:53
would not be responsible.
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BG: Hai moitas outras tecnoloxías
e campos da ciencia
14:54
BG: There are a lot of technologies
and other fields of science
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que, como a túa, están crecendo
exponencialmente.
14:58
that are developing exponentially,
pretty much like yours.
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Estou a pensar en intelixencia artificial,
15:00
I'm thinking about artificial
intelligence, autonomous robots and so on.
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robots autónomos, etcétera.
Parece que ninguén,
15:05
No one seems --
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á parte do asunto
dos robots autónomos de guerra,
15:06
aside from autonomous warfare robots --
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15:08
nobody seems to have launched
a similar discussion in those fields,
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ninguén parece ter comezado un debate así,
neses campos, pedindo unha moratoria.
15:13
in calling for a moratorium.
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Cres que o teu debate poder servir
15:15
Do you think that your discussion may
serve as a blueprint for other fields?
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de precedente para outros campos?
JD: Ben, penso que é difícil
para os científicos saír do laboratorio.
15:19
JD: Well, I think it's hard for scientists
to get out of the laboratory.
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15:22
Speaking for myself,
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Incluso para min,
15:23
it's a little bit
uncomfortable to do that.
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é algo incómodo facer iso.
Pero realmente penso que
15:26
But I do think that being involved
in the genesis of this
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ser parte da xénese disto
ponnos, a min e aos meus colegas,
15:30
really puts me and my colleagues
in a position of responsibility.
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nunha posición de responsabilidade.
15:34
And I would say that I certainly hope
that other technologies
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E certamente,
espero que outras tecnoloxías
15:37
will be considered in the same way,
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sexan consideradas do mesmo modo,
15:40
just as we would want to consider
something that could have implications
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do mesmo xeito que considerariamos
algo con implicacións
noutros campos fóra da bioloxía.
15:43
in other fields besides biology.
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15:45
BG: Jennifer, thanks for coming to TED.
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BG: Jennifer, grazas por vir
ás charlas TED.
15:47
JD: Thank you.
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15:49
(Applause)
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JD: Grazas.
(Aplausos)

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jennifer Doudna - Biologist
Jennifer Doudna was part of inventing a potentially world-changing genetic technology: the gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9.

Why you should listen

Together with her colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier of Umeå University in Sweden, Berkeley biologist Jennifer Doudna is at the center of one of today's most-discussed science discoveries: a technology called CRISPR-Cas9 that allows human genome editing by adding or removing genetic material at will. This enables fighting genetic diseases (cutting out HIV, altering cancer cells) as well as, potentially, opening the road to "engineered humans."

Because some applications of genetic manipulation can be inherited, Doudna and numerous colleagues have called for prudent use of the technology until the ethics and safety have been properly considered.

Doudna is the co-winner of the 2018 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience, along with Emmanuelle Charpentier and Virginijus Šikšnys.

More profile about the speaker
Jennifer Doudna | Speaker | TED.com