Protective‑allele playbook for editing

Updated: 2025.10.07 14D ago 2 sources
A Harvard Church Lab list enumerates human gene variants that provide strong protections (e.g., HIV resistance via CCR5 −/−, lower CAD via PCSK9 −/−, prion resistance via PRNP G127V) and notes tradeoffs (e.g., West Nile risk with CCR5 −/−, unnoticed injury with pain‑insensitivity). By collating protective and ‘enhancing’ alleles across immunity, metabolism, cognition, sleep, altitude, and longevity, it functions as a practical target map for gene editing, embryo screening, or somatic therapies. — Publishing a concrete menu of resilience edits forces society to confront whether and how to pursue engineered resistance and enhancement, and to weigh benefits against biologic side‑effects.

Sources

A Boomer Geneticist's Approach to Human Enhancement
2025.10.07 90% relevant
The article explicitly discusses George Church’s list of 51 genes/alleles with large effects (e.g., disease resistance, endurance, prion resistance) and frames it as a blueprint for enhancement—exactly the 'protective‑allele' catalog proposed as targets for editing, embryo selection, or somatic therapies.
Protective alleles
2025.10.07 100% relevant
The Church Lab’s 'Protective and Enhancing Alleles' table (e.g., CCR5 −/−, PCSK9 −/−, APP A673T/+) with annotated benefits and risks.
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