The Gain-of-Function Research in Virology: Concerns, Risks, and Benefits

Abstract

Gain-of-function (GOF) research is biotechnological research that genetically modifies microbial gene products to enhance their biological function. The basic aim of this research is to elucidate the pathogenesis of infectious diseases, develop new vaccines and therapeutics, improve cancer treatments, and achieve specific goals by adding beneficial trait expression to the genome. Despite these significant potential benefits, GOF research can pose some important and serious biosafety risks. The main group of pathogens of concern in GOF research are respiratory viruses with pandemic potential. While laboratory accidents and ongoing discussions in recent years have raised important awareness that these studies should be carried out in high-safety laboratories, concerns about the results of these studies remain unclear due to the inadequacy or absence of mechanisms to prevent misuse for informal research, despite the strict controls in research funded by international organizations. The most important issue to be discussed is the need to establish regulations that ensure the sustainability of scientific studies and developments that can benefit humanity, as well as strict control or, if necessary, a moratorium on potentially risky research. Debates on the value, safety, ethics, and validity of GOF studies are still ongoing. In this article, it is aimed to examine the status of GOF research in virology, with examples from the current literature, together with benefit and risk perspectives.