A Silicon Valley startup, Nucleus Genomics, is offering a "genetic optimization" tool for parents to select their desired traits to breed so-called "super-babies."
The company's founder and CEO, 25-year-old Kian Sadeghi, believes that every single parent should have the right to choose the traits they want for their kids. These include height, weight, and even intelligence.
Genetic Optimization for Babies
In 2021, Sadeghi dropped out of the University of Pennsylvania and founded the company after being inspired by a cousin who had died of a rare genetic illness. He received support from investors and prominent tech entrepreneurs, such as Peter Thiel and Alexis Ohanian.
The Nucleus Genomics CEO said that the company has already helped thousands of families since its founding. He added that they give parents the "full range of insights there is to know" about their child.
Many genetic testing companies, such as Nucleus Genomics, say that DNA screening of embryos can prevent disease. They add that it also gives parents a unique ability to compare and choose traits that make up a healthier baby, according to CBS News.
Nucleus Genomics offers a program called IVS+ for the price of $30,000, which includes full DNA scans of both parents and up to 20 embryos that are conceived through in vitro fertilization. The results are then given in a user-friendly menu.
The startup screens embryo samples for more than 2,000 different traits and conditions, such as eye color, hair color, intelligence, and even acne, among others. It is also able to estimate genetic predisposition to medical conditions, such as depression, autism, and bipolar disorder.
Despite this, there are some people who were not too keen on the startup's work. One investor posted that the idea left him "nauseous." On the other hand, Eric Turkheimer, an American behavioral geneticist, described Nucleus Genomics and rival embryo-screening firms such as Orchid Health as "new eugenics companies," Sky News reported.
The Biggest Challenge
However, arguably the biggest challenge for the company's efforts is not about ethics, but about science. With Nucleus Genomics' offer of choice, the predictive ability of genetics fails to provide any conclusive guarantee.
More and more families are opting for IVF from the start of family planning, even if they are not struggling with the issue of infertility. They invest thousands of dollars into different types of children's health prospects to assess the potential risk of inherited diseases.
The global IVF industry is currently valued at $28 billion, and investment in women's health and IVF-related tech startups has increased last year. With the rapid pace of innovation and investment, the issue that has been created is in a regulatory and ethical manner, as per Fortune.
