WADA to develop test to detect 'gene tweaking'

Imagine you're a cheater and you want to rearrange your DNA so as to increase your VO2 max, or perhaps tweaking your genes to overly produce the PEPC-K enzyme like that freak mouse I blogged about? [Link]

WADA is on to you and within 5-years; according to Dick Pound, WADA will have a test that will discover the extent of such gene "doping." Here is a snippet from the article:

"..."We are working with them (scientists) to have a non-invasive (test) ready by the time these techniques are being used," Pound said, telling the paper he was convinced scientists would make genetic manipulation an option for athletes in five to six years. ..." [Link]

My take is that gene tweaking won't work. Sure you may get immediate results but our internal systems are so complicated and so harmoniously aligned that any agitation will either alter or off set any number of important cellular processes. Natural selection has had 4-million years to make us the way we are, I predict that 'gene doping' may turn athletes into brands of Blade Runner 'replicants' or super humans; but to quote a central character from the Ridley Scott film regarding the consequences of creating such 'uber-people', "The candle that burns twice as bright only lasts half as long."

Below is a scene from an animated movie illustrating how complicated a simple white blood cell is. If you want to see something quite remarkable check out the animation, Cellular Visions: The Inner Life of a Cell at the Studio Daily website. [Link]

The animation just illustrates some of the processes involved as to how a white blood cell works. A cell is as complicated and as industrious as a large metropolitan city with just as much 'business' going on therein. To alter just one process therein could create a domino effect of tragic proportions.