Mana% Power to SLanpe BiTis Own EiUologic BJestiIa~ - WiEk Society be Prepared to Use it Wise&? By Marshall W. Nirenberg, National Heart Institute New information is being obtained in the. field of biochemical genetics at an extremely rapid rate which will undoubtedly continue to increase within the foreseeable future. Thus far, this knowledge has had relatively little effect upon man, basically, because more information must be obtained before practical application will be possible. The tech- nical problems that must be overcome are for- midable, to say the least. However, when these, obstacles have been removed this knowledge will greatly influence man's future, for man then will have the power to shape his own biologic destiny. Such power can be used wisely or unwisely, for the betterment or detriment of mankind. I think it is fair to say that most biochemical geneticists work because the search for knowledge is an exciting creative adventure-much as an artist's or poet's exploration is creative. His pri- mary aim certainly is not that of creating powerful tools for society. However, the cumulative accre- tion of knowledge, bit by bit, does create such tools; thus the scientist has a responsibility which an eminent virologist, S&adore Lutia, has stated clearly and eloquently. Let me quote part of . Luria's statement: "The impact of science on human affairs im- poses on its practitioners an incseapable rcsponsi- bility. On the one hand, it crcatcs the urge to seek useful applications and to foster their pncml PCI ceptancc. On the other hand, it may mtroin the scientist from pursuing a line of research that is clearly leading to evil applications. Yet the prog- rcss of scicncc is so rapid, almost catastrophic, that it crcatcs an imbalance bctwcen the power it places in the hands of man and the social condb tions in which this power is cxcrtcd. Then ncithcr warnings of scientists, nor breadth of public in- formation, nor wisdom of citizens m!y eompcn- sate for inadcquacics of the institutional framework to cope with the new situations. This paper was presented by Dr. Nirenberg, Chief, Lab- oratory of Bi emical Genetics, National Heart Insti- -ssl tute, National Z itutes of He&h, at the Research Corporation Aw&d Dinner in New York, January 19, 1%7d Dr. Nirenberg r&ived the foundation's 1966 Award for h& pioneering experimenls on protein &y&he- rlr which led to a partial Nmkin# of' thi genetic code. "The scientist should cultivate his own alertness to prospective scientific developments that may suddenly add new powers to man. The scientific habits of skepticism and restraint, of curbing fan- tasy, and distrusting fancy, inhibit the scientist's effort to speculate on what the future may bring. He must, however, within the limited means at his disposal, prepare the public to cope with the fore- seeable consequences of advances he anticipates."' During the 1930s physicists realized that the release of nuclear energy was theoretically certain, but they doubted whether it would be of practical interest. Because of this uncertainty and the notion that scientists should mind their own business, physicists did little to inform society of what might come. When this power became reality society was unprepared, both intelketually and institutionally, to deal with it. The public understands to some extent the * recent developments in biochcmlcal genetics, but has only a vague notion of what may be cxpcctcd in the future, in spite of the efforts of many s&n- tists to inform the public about probable futum dcvclopmcnts. where do WC stand today? Tbc genetic longuapa now is known, and it sccnas ckar thnt most. if 1~34 all, hns d life on this planet use the same Ian- guagc with minor variatiom. Simple pctk rnc+ rogcs now CM bc syathcsid chcmkally. Cknctk surgery, applied to mkroorpniunr. is 8 rc~lily. Gcncs can bc prepared from one stmin of btirria and insertid into another whkh is then changed gcnctkally. Such changes are inheritoblo. Thus far, it has not been p&blc to program mam- malian cells in this way. What may be cxpcctcd in the future? Short but meaningful gcnctic messages will bc synthcsizcd chemically. Since the instructions will bc written in the language which cells understand, the mcssagcs will be used to program cells. Cells will carry out the instructions and the program may even be inherited. I don't know how long it will take before it will be possible to program cells with chemically synthesized messages. Certainly the experimental obstacles are formidable. However, I have little doubt that the obstacles eventually .' -will be overcome. The only ~question'is WHEN? Man% Power to Shape His Qwn Biologic Destlnly . . . (Continued from page I) If a poll were taken of a dozen knowledgeable investigators a dozen different answers probably would be obtained. My guess is that cells will be programmed with synthetic messages within twenty-five years. If effort along these lines were intensified, bacteria might be programmed within five years. The point which deserves special emphasis is that man may be able to program his own cells with synthetic information long before he will be able to assess adequately the long-term conse- I& uences of such bteratlons, NP~ Bei%+ ;Ae till `;ace `b ; 1N, J@$@i$ g+tl~), iLlI@, hpg before he can WSO~VQ the ethicnl and moral problems which will bo rcrlsed~ When fttttn bccomcs capable of instruct- 108 hl8 OWB CC~~S, he must refrain from doing so until he has sufficient wisdom to use this knowl- ~gef~r.theben&.tu&murrWn&~~P~ ~rhi;c,,~lmnwrriIl~~af:~nead'~do,sor isbecausethedeeisiomi ccmmnbg the application I of this knowkdge uItimately must be made by / society, and only an informed society can make SUChdCCiS~~~y.