# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Greg Fahy's self-experimentation successfully regrew the thymus, leading to the FDA-approved TRIIM trial being conducted by Intervene Immune, representing a significant advancement in regenerative medicine research.

• Research on "Genomically encoded analog memory with precise in vivo DNA writing in living cell populations" was discussed, highlighting techniques using recombinases to record information in living cells.

• A fundamental challenge in synthetic biology was identified: engineered microbes with synthetic components experience cellular stress and decreased fitness, creating selection pressure that eventually eliminates the synthetic elements through mutation.

• A concerning mechanism of brain aging was shared: the brain uses DNA base excision and repair to adjust neurotransmitter levels, which inevitably degrades neural DNA over time, as detailed in research on "Tet3 regulates synaptic transmission and homeostatic plasticity via DNA oxidation and repair."

• Technical discussions on DNA synthesis included debates about terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) efficiency compared to synthetic chemistry methods, and sources for fluorescent reversible terminators used in DNA sequencing.

• The Human Genome Project-write initiative (HGP-write) was referenced with links to fact sheets and FAQs, indicating community interest in large-scale genomic engineering projects.