Book Reviewed: The Mutant Project: Inside the Global Race to Genetically Modify Humans, by Eben Kirksey

Reflections on recent advances in gene surgery to create modified human babies This is a nicely written book which focuses on current biomedical advances that allows medical professionals to tinker with Mother Nature. Applications of gene editing has tremendous potential in the pharmaceutical industry largely driven by economic interest. Academics are persuaded to get involved for the name, fame, and fortunes that rollout from this venture. But activists, sociologists, and ethicists are pushing back. The author narrates the discussions he had with leading figures in this growing field and offers insight into scientific developments in human gene editing and associated ethical issues. There are profound questions about how people may choose to alter their own DNA. If everyone uses these tools and achieve unimaginative dreams, to grow big muscles or have blonde hair with blue eyes and great figure, the humanity will be stripped of character and biological diversity. In November 2018, when a Chinese scientist named, Jiankui He created the first human genetically edited twin girls. He used their parents' sperm and eggs, and to protect the children from the HIV, since the father is HIV-positive, he used the CRISPR technique to edit the genes, and after fertilization created the HIV-free embryos. It was as initially praised as a major scientific advancement. But following scrutiny on how the experiment was executed, He received widespread condemnation and three-year jail term. The author narrates his discussions with leading figures in this field that includes; Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna (2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery CRISPR genome editing), Biochemist Gregor Wolbring, Biologist Jiankui He, physicist Michael Deem, Feminist Studies Professor Donna Haraway of UCSC, Harvard geneticist George Church, Historian Ben Hurlbut, HIV researcher Jay Lalezari, HIV-patient advocate Jay Johnson, artist Tamara Pertamina, and several members of transgender community and HIV activists. The book reads flawlessly and offers an insight into what is happening in the emerging world of human gene surgery.