First South African gene editing conference

The Wits School of Clinical Medicine, the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) will host this conference.

Advances in biotechnology have led to human genome editing and progress in artificial intelligence (AI) fuelling the fourth industrial revolution. With these advances gaining momentum promises for well-being at a level not previously imagined, emerge. This progress also raises ethical, legal and social considerations together with valid concerns that the law and ethics are lagging behind. Moreover, recent reports on abuse of these technologies have triggered disquiet. Genome editing involves precise additions, deletions and alterations to the genome. Basic science research in genome editing is already under way in laboratories globally. Clinical applications involving somatic (non-reproductive cells) are in the early stages and going forward there is great potential for the use of this technology in germline (reproductive) cells. What does this mean for us in South Africa and Africa as a whole?

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