The Realities of Gene Editing with CRISPR I NOVA I PBS

CRISPR gene-editing technology is advancing quickly. What can it do now—and in the future? The revolutionary gene-editing tool known as CRISPR can alter, add, and remove genes from the human genome. The implications are immense: It could help eliminate illnesses like sickle cell disease and muscular dystrophy, and could even allow us to alter the genes of future generations of humans, leading to so-called designer babies. But will this ever really happen? Medical journalist and pediatrician Alok Patel investigates the current state of CRISPR—starting with a bull calf named Cosmo. Patel discovers how scientists edited Cosmo’s genome so he would produce more male offspring, and what that means for humans. In conversation with scientists, artists, and ethicists, Patel explores what kind of gene editing is actually possible right now—and what we should be thinking about when we consider manipulating human traits and, ultimately, the human experience. PRODUCTION CREDITS: Hosted by Dr. Alok Patel WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY Caitlin Saks EDITED BY Robert Kirwan ASSISTANT EDITOR Jay Colamaria CAMERA Arlo Pérez UC DAVIS FIELD DIRECTOR / CAMERA Zachary Fink ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS Ana Aceves Christina Monnen Arlo Pérez Jay Colamaria PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Lorena Lyon INTERNS Jessie Hendricks Samuel Lipsey AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE / ENGLISH INTERPRETER Adam Bartley ANIMATION Edgeworx Studios ADDITIONAL ANIMATION 2K-12 Studios Mitch Butler MUSIC APM ONLINE EDITOR AND COLORIST David Bigelow AUDIO MIX Chris Anderson ARCHIVAL MATERIAL AP Archive Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Getty Images He Jiankui Lab / CC BY Penn Medicine Pond 5 Storyblocks SPECIAL THANKS Mike Baylis -- Assisted in the set up of a remote interview, at no cost. Isaac Plant -- Reviewed script and graphics for scientific accuracy, at no cost. Elizabeth Delgado -- Reviewed script and graphics for scientific accuracy, at no cost. Dr. Samira Kiani -- Reviewed script and graphics for scientific accuracy, at no cost. Dr. Kim Thornton -- Interviewed but did not include in the final film, at no cost. Participants: Françoise Baylis Teresa Blankmeyer Burke Karmella Haynes Xavier LaPlante David Liu Bret McNabb Liana Novoa Alok Patel Ariana Pelaez Brianna Sapienza Niaz Uddin Alison Van Eenennaam Image credit: (DNA helix) © WGBH Educational Foundation