The topic of ‘human genetic engineering’ has been discussed in ethics literature for over a generation. However, it was only with the development of CRISPR-Cas9 technology that something akin to ‘human genetic engineering’, namely ‘human heritable genome editing’, has entered the realm of near-future technological feasibility. Consequently, the ‘human genetic engineering’ debate has been elevated from relative obscurity to a central and pressing issue in contemporary bioethics and biolaw.
I received two research grants for the period 2019-2021 to investigate the legal and ethical ramifications of heritable human genome editing. Here are some of our articles:
Culture and context: Why the global discourse on heritable genome editing should be broadened from the South African perspective. BioLaw Journal. 2021 (Authored with Bonginkosi Shozi and Tamanda Kamwendo).
The future of global regulation of human genome editing: A South African perspective on the WHO Draft Governance Framework on Human Genome Editing. Journal of Medical Ethics. 2021 (Authored with Bonginkosi Shozi, Tamanda Kamwendo, Julian Kinderlerer, Beverley Townsend and Marietjie Botes).
Human germline editing: Legal-ethical guidelines for South Africa. South African Journal of Science. 2020 (Authored with Bonginkosi Shozi, Julian Kinderlerer, Beverley Townsend and Marietjie Botes).
Procreative non-maleficence: A South African human rights perspective on heritable human genome editing. CRISPR Journal. 2020 (Authored with Bonginkosi Shozi).
CRISPR: Challenges to South African biotechnology law. South African Journal of Bioethics and Law. 2018 (Authored with Siddharthiya Pillay).
A comprehensive list of all my group’s research output on heritable human genome editing can be viewed here.
Donrich Thaldar 