• Question: Do you think religion interferes with science sometimes?

    Asked by HK to Carmen, Daniel, Laura, Noel, Steph on 16 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: Noel Carter

      Noel Carter answered on 16 Mar 2015:

      Yes sometimes. For example the churches have made a great deal of fuss about three parent children in mitochondrial therapy for treatment of a set of diseases called inborn errors of metabolism. What they have missed is that the DNA in mitochondria are very similar from person to person unlike our cellular DNA. I personally find it immoral that they would block a technique that would relieve such pain and suffering.

    • Photo: Carmen Denman

      Carmen Denman answered on 16 Mar 2015:

      I do. But I think in general the public often doesn’t fully understand what science is trying to change or innovate or improve – and that is partly scientists fault for not being smart enough to get our research across in an accurate way that the every day person can understand easily (rather then letting journalists write stories about our research, which they might get the story wrong or blown out of proportion).

      Cheers.

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