Dangerous gain of function research

The term “gain of function” applies to the functional consequences of changes in the genetic makeup of an organism. Such changes can be harmless, or even beneficial. They can occur naturally, when organisms mutate and evolve.

But experiments to deliberately induce mutations are increasingly done in laboratories. In that context, gain of function generally refers to attempts to confer greater transmission and/or virulence to a virus. Supporters of such research argue it promises to help us be better prepared for pandemics. They acknowledge risks, but argue these can be managed by the use of highly regulated secure laboratories. Others maintain that the potential risks are simply too high and this type of research should be banned.

Paul Berg was a biochemist who shared the 1980 Nobel Prize. Berg’s early work focused on modifying the SV-40 virus, known to be involved in tumour growth. Berg abandoned an experiment, inserting SV-40 into a bacterium, out of concern that the newly created organism might infect humans, causing cancer. For the next few decades, scientists navigated the complex ethics and developing technology around gene splicing, under increasingly secure conditions to limit foreseeable biohazard risks.