Gain-of-function experiments: time for a real debate

doi:10.1038/nrmicro3405

Review

. 2015 Jan;13(1):58-64.

doi: 10.1038/nrmicro3405. Epub 2014 Dec 8.

Gain-of-function experiments: time for a real debate

W Paul Duprex¹, Ron A M Fouchier², Michael J Imperiale³, Marc Lipsitch⁴, David A Relman⁵

Affiliations

¹ Boston University School of Medicine and the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
² Department of Viroscience of Erasmus MC Rotterdam, 3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
³ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
⁴ Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology and Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
⁵ Departments of Medicine, and of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, California 94305, USA; and at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.

PMID: 25482289
PMCID: PMC7097416
DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3405

Free PMC article

Review

Gain-of-function experiments: time for a real debate

W Paul Duprex et al. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2015 Jan.

Free PMC article

. 2015 Jan;13(1):58-64.

doi: 10.1038/nrmicro3405. Epub 2014 Dec 8.

Authors

W Paul Duprex¹, Ron A M Fouchier², Michael J Imperiale³, Marc Lipsitch⁴, David A Relman⁵

Affiliations

¹ Boston University School of Medicine and the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
² Department of Viroscience of Erasmus MC Rotterdam, 3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
³ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
⁴ Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology and Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
⁵ Departments of Medicine, and of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, California 94305, USA; and at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.

PMID: 25482289
PMCID: PMC7097416
DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3405

Abstract

According to the WHO, dual use research of concern (DURC) is "life sciences research that is intended for benefit, but which might easily be misapplied to do harm". Recent studies, particularly those on influenza viruses, have led to renewed attention on DURC, as there is an ongoing debate over whether the benefits of gain-of-function (GOF) experiments that result in an increase in the transmission and/or pathogenicity of potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs) are outweighed by concerns over biosecurity and biosafety. In this Viewpoint article, proponents and opponents of GOF experiments discuss the benefits and risks associated with these studies, as well as the implications of the current debate for the scientific community and the general public, and suggest how the current discussion should move forward.

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Conflict of interest statement

W.P.D., M.J.I. and D.A.R. declare no competing interests. R.A.M.F. receives research support for gain-of-function research from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the European Union. M.L. receives research funding for pneumococcal vaccine modelling projects from PATH Vaccine Solutions and Pfizer.

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References

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[1] Imai M, et al. Experimental adaptation of an influenza H5 HA confers respiratory droplet transmission to a reassortant H5 HA/H1N1 virus in ferrets. Nature. 2012;486:420–428. doi: 10.1038/nature10831. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Imai M, et al. Experimental adaptation of an influenza H5 HA confers respiratory droplet transmission to a reassortant H5 HA/H1N1 virus in ferrets. Nature. 2012;486:420–428. doi: 10.1038/nature10831. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Herfst S, et al. Airborne transmission of influenza A/H5N1 virus between ferrets. Science. 2012;336:1534–1541. doi: 10.1126/science.1213362. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Herfst S, et al. Airborne transmission of influenza A/H5N1 virus between ferrets. Science. 2012;336:1534–1541. doi: 10.1126/science.1213362. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Langlois RA, et al. MicroRNA-based strategy to mitigate the risk of gain-of-function influenza studies. Nature Biotechnol. 2013;31:844–847. doi: 10.1038/nbt.2666. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Langlois RA, et al. MicroRNA-based strategy to mitigate the risk of gain-of-function influenza studies. Nature Biotechnol. 2013;31:844–847. doi: 10.1038/nbt.2666. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Lipsitch M, Galvani AP. Ethical alternatives to experiments with novel potential pandemic pathogens. PLoS Med. 2014;11:e1001646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001646. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Lipsitch M, Galvani AP. Ethical alternatives to experiments with novel potential pandemic pathogens. PLoS Med. 2014;11:e1001646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001646. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Lipsitch M. Can limited scientific value of potential pandemic pathogen experiments justify the risks? MBio. 2014;5:5. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Lipsitch M. Can limited scientific value of potential pandemic pathogen experiments justify the risks? MBio. 2014;5:5. - PMC - PubMed

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Gain-of-function experiments: time for a real debate

Affiliations

Gain-of-function experiments: time for a real debate

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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