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Spencer Pote's Major Accomplishments

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“It’s a joke about the letters in DNA; like, it’s A, C, T and G, and they made every CAT into a cat head.” The first thing you notice in Spencer Pote’s office is the giant fluorescent-colored poster on his desk; it contrasts heavily with the dark brown of the wood and the grays of the carpet and cabinets. “I’m a big fan of cats. I’ve had them since I was a baby, and I’m going to have them until I die.” If someone didn’t know who Spencer Pote was, they would probably assume he was a quirky high school teacher. However, with a quick scan of the wall it becomes evident Pote is different; a PhD from University of Chicago in Human Genetics cozies up to a picture of Pote’s husband, which rests right above a photo of Pote being awarded the Edward …show more content…

Genéticus, a non-profit organization founded by Pote, has now reached it’s one-million landmark of treatments over five locations near the U.S.-Mexico border. With Genéticus, Pote has pioneered the way gene therapy works in the modern world, setting precedents of altruism and accessibility through his non-profit organization. All information that Genéticus distributes is bilingual, and there is no fee for an initial consultation with a geneticist. The main goal of Genéticus is to remove the risk of devastating genetic diseases in the embryo of Hispanic children through genetic engineering. However, the biggest achievement that Pote himself created was his work in epigenetics and the demethylation of genes in embryos. During intensely stressful times, the levels of cortisol will increase within an individual. When this occurs, methyl groups simultaneously accumulate on the genes responsible for the cortisol production, making it easier for RNA transcribe the gene by loosening the DNA’s coil. If these individuals have children, the amount of methyl groups on the genome will be carried over to the next generation, increasing the risk of them having anxiety and mood

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