In the short decade and a half since scientists decoded the first human genome, there has been an explosion of biotechnological discoveries that may fundamentally change how we think about biology, humanity, and even life itself. We are seeing the beginning of synthetic biology, where one day, printing life may be as easy as typing on a computer and pressing enter. We can now read the entire genome of the baby even while in the womb through a simple blood draw. Genome editing is the latest hot topic as scientists, ethicists, and policy makers scramble to consider the implications. In this tumultuous time, is there a role for biblical faith to join in the conversation? If so, what wisdom can a thousands year old text, arguably the original book of life, teach us?

Dr. Cheng-Ho Jimmy Lin, MD, PhD, MHS, is the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), Oncology at Natera (NASDAQ: NTRA), where he is leading the development of new diagnostic technologies for cancer. Prior to this, he led the clinical genomics program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the NIH as well as working on pioneering research at Johns Hopkins and Washington University in St. Louis. He has published in top academic journals, such as Science, Nature, and Cell, and has been featured in media outlets, such as New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Washington Post, and the Financial Times.

Dr. Lin’s TED Talk can be viewed here.