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Would that Be Doping, or Just Perfect Genetics?

Aug 14, 2008

It's a good time to sit down with your kids, turn on the Olympics, and explain that you and your research buddies have ruined sports forever.

OK, that may be a little harsh, but it's the theme of this Discover article about how advances in gene therapy and genetic manipulation may ultimately change the concept of athletes. The story profiles H. Lee Sweeney, a scientist at U Penn who gets a continual stream of emails from coaches and athletes begging for a genetic boost. The story quotes Sweeney as saying, "It’s the natural evolution of medicine, and it’s inevitable that people will use it for athletics."

 

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