Biography of Craig Venter

Craig VENTER

1. His story

Craig VENTER was born on october 14, 1946. He is an american biotechnologist, biochemist, geneticist, and businessman.

After working as an associate professor, and later as full professor, at the State University of New York at Buffalo, he joined the National Institutes of Health in 1984.

Undisputed pioneer of genomics, inventor of ESTs and massive genomic sequencing, Craig Venter is described by his detractors as a maverick because of his sometimes brutal remarks.

On October 6, 2007 he announces the creation in the laboratory of an artificial chromosome of synthesis, first step towards the possible creation of an artificial life form.

In 2010, Craig Venter and his team publish in the journal Science the description of the creation of a cell with a synthetic genome. This is an important advance in the field of synthetic biology.

Before them, no one had been able to synthesize and assemble such a long sequence of DNA, or give life by this technique to what can be considered in a certain way as a new species.

In 2016 he and his team created a living organism with only 473 genes. For comparison, man has about 20,000.

It’s a man who manages to combine medicine and new technologies. He is determined to make medicine progress in the near future.

1. His future project : Attack of clones

Now Craig VENTER has a new amazing project, he wants to create real clones of humans  with a sample of DNA.

A crazy project yes, many scientists blame him for wanting to take himself for god.

So is he so megalomaniac ?

May not be that much, indeed that idea is rational from a purely medical point of view :

We all know that currently we lack organ and blood donations, so this future project could be tomorrow's solution against this shortage.

End of the eternal queues to be grafted, we will now be able to undergo a transplant without worrying about the lack of donor.

moreover, these clones will make it possible to do more experiments in research.

research will be done faster without the need for a volunteer.

obviously the question of ethics comes up because we must take into account the human aspect of these clones. so yes they will be created artificially. But but what if they present reactions and emotions ? Will not they be as human as you and me?

this is the question that could be debated in our current societies.

But to conclude imagine all possible uses to hold his own clone :

-        he could go to work in our place while we relax on the beach

-        do your shopping while sipping a coconut malibu on the terrace

-        or be a friend who will play with your hyperactive son

And you? what would you do with your own clone?

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