THE HUMAN MICROBIOME: Technologies
Technologies
Applying Research to Human Health
With research being done about the human microbiome, scientists can begin to apply their findings to current issues using biotechnology. The following page covers some of the technologies and why they are being used. If you would like to learn about the ethics of using biotech with the microbiome, go to the biotech part of the ETHICS page.
Contents of This Page:
Gene Editing
Gene editing or the CRISPR technology has to do with manipulating the genes in a cell. Scientists are begining to use this technology in order to control and maintain the microbiome of humans. This means that they are working with bacterial and microbial cells as opposed to human cells. [40]
How CRISPR Works:
Briefly, CRISPR is a technology founded by scientists at UC Berkeley. It is a group of melecules that is able to locate a specific part of DNA, cut it out, and replace it with a piece of DNA that is needed. [42] This allows desirable traits to be engineered. Involving the microbiome, CRISPR can allow genes to be turned of and kill masses of bacteria in order to help us (eg. stop infection or disease). [40]
Economic and Social Impact:
CRISPR and gene editing is somewhat new so most information about it is still research. Because of this, the technology has not been implemented in everyday life and is very expensive. In the future, the main beneficiary of gene editing is parents or people rich enough to afford personalizing the genes of DNA or the microbiome for their children. Poor people would be discriminated against because they don't have the money. They would be left out in making sure that their future children are immune to certain diseases. This could potentially cause a heirarchy of people that are "better" than others [46]
Fecal Transplants
When scientists realised that the gut microbiota can be a factor that causes infections like Clostridium difficile infections or diseases like Chron's disease, they turned to fecal transplants. This can be done through procedures like colonoscopy, endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or enema.
How do they work?
Fecal transplants work by first finding a donor with a healthy gut microbiota (healthy bacteria). The donor's fecal matter is transplanted into the patient. Good bacteria replaces the bad bacteria.
Antibiotics do not always work because of antibiotic resistance. Sometimes, the antibiotics kill most of the beneficial bacteria in the colon or part of the gut; this causes the harmful bacteria to overpopulate and outnumber the beneficial ones. A fecal transplant replaces the beneficial bacteria.
Info: [41]
Economic and Ethical Impact:
There is approximately $4.8 billion in health care costs every year for C. difficile infections. With the new technology, the U.S. can save up to $121 million yearly. Fecal transplants are much cheaper and more effective than the old treatment (vancomycin). [47]
Fecal transplants require donors. Donors get paid for their stool sample. There are stict guidelines in becoming a donor because of safety. They have to go through strict test and screening process. [47]
Probiotics
If your body does not have the vitamins or bacteria that it needs, probiotics are the easiest method to getting that bacteria. Probiotics come from food like yogurt, milk, cheese, and supplement pills. Besides helping your gut, the right diet can reduce acne, manage autism (specific foods), fight harmful bacteria, and have many more benefits. [43]
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Economic Impact:
Probiotics not only help human health, but save money for countries. For example, according to France statistics, using probiotics could save 2.4 million CRTI-days (common respiratory tract infections), 291,000 antibiotic courses and 581,000 sick leave days. Overall, the country could save €14.6 million. [48]