Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/9ac7f1c0-1468-4dc7-88dd-1370ead42371
Bioterror: the dangers of garage scientists manipulating DNA
The availability of gene-editing tools such as Crispr has led to an explosion of unchecked DIY experiments in self-built labs
Izabella Kaminska in London 16 hours ago
Sign up to myFT Daily Digest to be the first to know about Disease control and prevention news.
Paul Dabrowa does not know if it is illegal to genetically modify beer at home in a way that makes it glow. The process involves taking DNA information from jellyfish and applying it to yeast cells, then using traditional fermenting methods to turn it into alcohol. But he is worried that it could be against the law given that it involves manipulating genetic material.
“This stuff can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so I did that in an accredited lab,” he says, adding that he himself has only got as far as making yeast cells glow in a Petri dish.
For the most part Dabrowa, a 41-year old Melbourne-based Australian who styles himself as a bit of an expert on most things, prefers to conduct his biohacking experiments in his kitchen. He does this mostly to find cures for his own health issues. Other times just for fun.
Portrait of Paul Dabrowa, Australian biohacker, who modified his gut bacteria to lose weight
Australian biohacker Paul Dabrowa used faecal transplants to genetically modify his gut bacteria to lose weight © Ying Ang/FT
In recent years the community of hobbyists and amateurs Dabrowa considers his kin has been energised by the falling cost and growing accessibility to gene-editing tools such as Crispr. This has led to an explosion of unchecked experimentation in self-constructed labs or community facilities focused on biological self-improvement.
Despite a lack of formal microbiological training, Dabrowa has successfully used faecal transplants and machine learning to genetically modify his own gut bacteria to lose weight without having to change his daily regime. The positive results he’s seen on himself have encouraged him to try to commercialise the process with the help of an angel investor. He hopes one day to collect as many as 3,000 faecal samples from donors and share the findings publicly...
Bioterror: the dangers of garage scientists manipulating DNA
The availability of gene-editing tools such as Crispr has led to an explosion of unchecked DIY experiments in self-built labs
Izabella Kaminska in London 16 hours ago
Sign up to myFT Daily Digest to be the first to know about Disease control and prevention news.
Paul Dabrowa does not know if it is illegal to genetically modify beer at home in a way that makes it glow. The process involves taking DNA information from jellyfish and applying it to yeast cells, then using traditional fermenting methods to turn it into alcohol. But he is worried that it could be against the law given that it involves manipulating genetic material.
“This stuff can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so I did that in an accredited lab,” he says, adding that he himself has only got as far as making yeast cells glow in a Petri dish.
For the most part Dabrowa, a 41-year old Melbourne-based Australian who styles himself as a bit of an expert on most things, prefers to conduct his biohacking experiments in his kitchen. He does this mostly to find cures for his own health issues. Other times just for fun.
Portrait of Paul Dabrowa, Australian biohacker, who modified his gut bacteria to lose weight
Australian biohacker Paul Dabrowa used faecal transplants to genetically modify his gut bacteria to lose weight © Ying Ang/FT
In recent years the community of hobbyists and amateurs Dabrowa considers his kin has been energised by the falling cost and growing accessibility to gene-editing tools such as Crispr. This has led to an explosion of unchecked experimentation in self-constructed labs or community facilities focused on biological self-improvement.
Despite a lack of formal microbiological training, Dabrowa has successfully used faecal transplants and machine learning to genetically modify his own gut bacteria to lose weight without having to change his daily regime. The positive results he’s seen on himself have encouraged him to try to commercialise the process with the help of an angel investor. He hopes one day to collect as many as 3,000 faecal samples from donors and share the findings publicly...