Masters of Evolution: the Promise and Peril of Genetic Engineering

North City Tech Meetup presents a speaker on the very current topic of Genome Editing (Genetic Engineering) Monday, April 3, 7-9pm, Shoreline Library Meeting Room, 345 NE 175th, 98155.

Bryan Bartley will speak on: Masters of Evolution: the Promise and Peril of Cas9 / CRISPR Genome Editing:

After years of quiet, incremental discoveries in basic research labs, Cas9-CRISPR genome editing has suddenly burst onto the scene as a potential disruptor technology.

Genome editing gives human beings the ability to rewrite DNA with potentially important applications in biomedicine and agriculture such as engineering disease-resistant crops, controlling disease-carrying insects , and curing inherited genetic diseases by modifying embryonic germ cells.

In this talk, he will provide an introductory background to the basic principles of molecular biology necessary to understand how this technology works. In addition, he will briefly survey work in this area at the University of Washington and discuss the ethical implications of gene-editing technology. 

Like all technology, public engagement is critical to ensuring that genome editing technology is developed with appropriate ethical, social, and legal safeguards. Will we become masters of our own evolution? 

Or does the specter of eugenics lurk in the shadows?

Speaker Biography: Bryan Bartley is a PhD student of Bioengineering at the University of Washington. His current research interests is synthetic biology, manipulating the genetics of the bacterium E. coli for industrial applications. His background includes biomedical research in diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.

The North City Tech Meetup is a free meetup, usually the first Monday of each month at either the Shoreline or Lake Forest Park Library. This month’s event is Monday, April 3, 7pm at the Shoreline Public Library. The meetup is open to everyone. You may RSVP at the meetup page, and that is appreciated, but not required.


North City Tech Meetups follow an every-other-month schedule. One month they feature a speaker and alternate months are general discussions. They meet at either the Shoreline Library or Lake Forest Library depending on availability. Check out the Meetup site for each month’s topic.