7 Years Ago, Scientists Reactivated An Extinct Virus And Gave It Life

In 2017, scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada successfully reactivated an extinct virus known as Horsepox using commercially available genetic material. The lead researcher, Dr. David Evans, a molecular virologist, and his team pieced together the virus with the narrative of developing vaccines and cancer treatments. This achievement sparked discussions about the dual-use of such research, as it demonstrated the potential to recreate extinct or eradicated viruses.

The Horsepox virus is closely related to the smallpox virus, which was eradicated in 1980. However, the reactivated Horsepox virus itself is said to be not harmful to humans and allegedly was intended for beneficial medical applications. The project was conducted with regulatory approval and in collaboration with Tonix Pharmaceuticals, with the goal of developing a safer smallpox vaccine, according to the official story.

The reactivation of Horsepox raised important questions about the regulation and oversight of synthetic biology, as it showed that it's possible to recreate viruses from genetic sequences that are publicly available. The cost of the experiment was relatively modest, around $100,000, highlighting the accessibility of such technologies.

The actual reactivation of Horsepox by the Alberta scientists occurred earlier (2017), and it has been a subject of scientific and ethical debate since then.

SOURCE
(1) Scientists Have Recreated an Extinct Poxvirus in The Lab. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-recreated-an-extinct-poxvirus-in-the-lab.