PORT HADLOCK — The first of two free lectures on gene science is set for Wednesday.
Rod Mitchell will speak at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock. Seating is limited, so attendees are urged to arrive early.
In this first presentation, Mitchell will discuss CRISPR — Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats —which could make it possible for enormous control and altering of the genetic makeup of organisms, including human embryos.
CRISPR allows humans to change or alter genes with great precision and ease in both human and other species.
Attendees can participate in a discussion of its potential uses and ethical implications surrounding its use.
On Nov. 9, Mitchell will discuss gene drive alterations: adding, disrupting, or modifying genes, including some that reduce reproductive capacity and might cause a population crash.
Mitchell earned his doctorate at Oregon State University and taught secondary and college level classes for 42 years.
He is an emeritus board member of Port Townsend Educational Foundation and was a Fulbright Scholar to Iran, where he developed a national biology lab, and to Sri Lanka, where he initiated a forestry research program.
For more information about this program, visit www.jclibrary.info or call 360-385-6544.
