David Liu on the Deadly Cost of Science Funding Cuts

Revolutionary Gene Editing Technologies

• 💡 Biochemist David Liu's lab developed base editing and prime editing, two exceptionally precise gene-editing tools.
• 🔬 Base editing uses CRISPR's targeting mechanism but rearranges atoms on one DNA letter to change it (e.g., A to G), without cutting the DNA.
• 🧬 Prime editing performs a "search and replace" on the genome, making and inserting new DNA segments, allowing for versatile small insertions, deletions, or single-letter swaps.

Life-Saving Clinical Applications

• ✅ Alyssa Tapley, the first human treated with a base-edited therapeutic for T-cell leukemia, had her cancer cleared and is alive today.
• 👶 A custom gene-editing drug was developed and administered to a newborn with a severe genetic disease in an unprecedented seven months, potentially curing the patient.
• 📈 There are at least 19 clinical trials using base and prime editing, with all readouts to date showing benefit to patients.

The Value of Basic Science Research

• 🚀 Basic science is essential for understanding how the world works and applying that knowledge to improve society, leading to life-saving medicines.
• 💰 Investment in science drives economic growth, enhances US competitiveness, and provides a highly multiplied return for every dollar invested.
• 🌱 It is crucial for training young scientists, who are the lifeblood of the entire scientific ecosystem.

The Crisis of Funding Cuts

• ⚠️ The Trump administration's funding cuts for universities and scientific institutions jeopardize the 80-year-old US system of government-funded basic research.
• 📉 These cuts lead to grants being terminated, researchers (including students and postdocs) being laid off, and a significant "brain drain" as international talent seeks opportunities elsewhere.
• 🇨🇳 The US risks losing its scientific preeminence, with more gene-editing clinical trials now occurring in other countries like China, despite US invention of the technology.

Call to Action for Public Support

• 🗣️ The speaker emphasizes that it is up to the public to reinforce the idea that investment in science yields immense societal benefits.
• 🎯 Increased public awareness of science's importance and the potential harm of funding cuts is crucial for a better path forward.
• 🤝 Supporting science is vital for maximizing the quality and length of human life and ensuring continued innovation.