"Scientists have created the world's first human-sheep chimera - which has the body of a sheep and half-human organs. The sheep have 15 per cent human cells and 85 per cent animal cells - and their evolution brings the prospect of animal organs being transplanted into humans one step closer. Professor Esmail Zanjani, of the University of Nevada, has spent seven years and £5million perfecting the technique, which involves injecting adult human cells into a sheep's foetus."
Source: http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=444436&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=
[I believe this was mentioned in the Colbert Report March 29th.]
The genome is indeed quite flexible. I do not think it will be too long (before developments in genetic engineering (specifically reprogenetics) will make it possible, if not a feasible, to alter genes in future generations of humans (through genetic engineering of the germline by in-vitro fertilization (IVF). (1) Of course, it would never be possible to create a designer baby, but certainly, it may become viable or even likely that parents will someday be able to alter some traits of their offspring.
(1) Silver, Lee, “Reprogenetics: third millennium speculation” (EMBO Reports, Vol 1 No. 5, 2000)
www.leemsilver.net/CNmedia/articles/00SilverEMBO.pdf
Francis S. Collins, who was head of the Human Genome Project, made a timeline of events regarding what we [humanity] will be able to do in genetics in his recently published book "The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief." I do not recall the timeline, but very significant advances may be made in the next 50 years.
He stated in 2001, "By the year 2010...successful gene therapy will be available for a small set of conditions....By the year 2030, I predict that comprehensive, genomics-based health care will become the norm, with individualized preventive medicine and early detection of illnesses by molecular surveillance; gene therapy and gene-based therapy will be available for many diseases." (2)
Implications? "Genetic information can be enormously valuable to patients and providers as it can guide early detection, intervention and prevention. But as President Bush recently noted, "this knowledge of the code of life has the potential to be abused. Employers could be tempted to deny a job based on a person's genetic profile." (2)
(2) http://www.genome.gov/10003482
Originally posted by YugaThis redefines the phrase ' A wolf in sheep's clothing'....
"Scientists have created the world's first human-sheep chimera - which has the body of a sheep and half-human organs. The sheep have 15 per cent human cells and 85 per cent animal cells - and their evolution brings the prospect of animal organs being transplanted into humans one step closer. Professor Esmail Zanjani, of the University of Nevada, has spent sev job based on a person's genetic profile." (2)
(2) http://www.genome.gov/10003482