187. Rafael Añorga on CRISPR, Gene Editing, Bioethics, and the Future of Humanity

Rafael Añorga joins the show to talk biotechnology in the 21st century. Originally from Peru, he’s a CRISPR researcher at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. What is CRISPR? That's what we'll discuss during our conversation. The 20th century focused on physics. This century is focused on biology. People want to live longer, healthier, and happier. CRISPR is a gene-editing tool that allows us to remove certain DNA that causes diseases like Alzheimer’s or Down Syndrome. We are at the very beginning and there seems to be infinite possibilities. This is probably our wildest and most perspective-expanding episode so far.  What is possible with CRISPR? What is the timeline? What are the Bioethics? What does the future of the human race look like? Follow Rafael on Instagram @rafael_a1206