The Wire with Caeden

Crispr is a gene editing technology that is revolutionising science at an incredibly fast pace.

Some of its most exciting applications are the ability to tweak genes of eggs, sperm or embryos to alter human life - cosmetically, or more importantly to eradicate disease causing genetic mutations that parents can pass on, such as cystic fibrosis, breast or ovarian cancer.. A group of US Scientists at the Oregon Health and Science University have published a report where CRISPR has been used to correct a genetic mutation linked to a heart disorder called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in human embryos. This understandably has a huge range of implications and raises a number of questions of ethics and law. Harry spoke with Dr Jeanne Snelling, research fellow in bioethics and health Law at the University of Otago, on these potential implications and just whether this kind of procedure would succeed or at all be possible in New Zealand.

This Thursday Harry Speaks to Dr Jeanne Snelling, research fellow in bioethics and health Law at the University of Otago on a recent US study in which scientists used CRISPR a genetic modification tool to edit human embryos, removing mutations linked to heart conditions. Harry also speaks with newly appointed Labour Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis on Labour’s new direction. We have Eva Sherwood, Oracle Account Executive and NZTech Board person on NZ tech’s campaign to bring more women into the tech industry. Ben Speaks to Senior Economist at NZIER, Christina Leung on traffic congestion. Ben also speaks with the CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora, Lance Norman on 'synthetic cannabis'. And Harry speaks to the Mental Health Foundation’s chief executive Shaun Robinson on the launch of their new website to bring awareness and assistance to those affected by suicide bereavement.

Big data is becoming increasingly more prevalent and contentious in contemporary society - almost anybody can access mass analytics and information data about almost anything put on the internet (if they know where to look). A panel event tomorrow night at AUT is taking a critical look at this phenomenon, intending to discuss the impacts that big data can have on policy making and businesses in the coming years. Producer Will spoke to panel host Rod Oram ahead of tomorrow night.

‘I Know What You Did Last Summer: Risks/Opportunities of Big Data’ takes place at 5:30pm on the 3rd of August at AUT’s Sir Paul Reeves Building. Admission is free.

Allan Blackman joins us again for Dear Science this week. We talk about a study linking increased failure rates at university with cannabis use; we look at Stuart Nash's (questionable) plan to replace chlorine in water with ozone; finally, we finish with how researchers have been inspired by slug goo in their development of a new surgical wound adhesive.