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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Genetic Engineering
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering is the technology of modifying the genetic material of a living being, by adding, removing or manipulating their genes, to make that organism acquire a desired new characteristic or ability.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Genetic-engineering-wheat.jpg USDA
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•Solve infertility, etc.
The aim is to find solutions to many problems or needs such as to:
•Fight against human diseases
•Increase food production
•Improve animal breeding
http://www.tetrasomy18p.ca/chromosome.jpg
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Genetic engineering is based on a technology called recombinant DNA. It involves taking a tiny bit of DNA containing the desired gene from one organism and splicing it into the DNA strand of another organism that thus takes on the new trait.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/resources/crops/ag546-1/helixes3.jpg
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Genetic Engineering give us the possibility of setting up
•animals and plants resistant to insects, diseases, etc:
Extended shelf-life tomato
Herbicide resistant crops: soya bean, potato, lettuce, etc.
Insect resistant cotton
http://agronomia.uchile.cl/webcursos/cmd/22005/fdiaz/
Queson.html
http://library.thinkques.org/C0118084/Benefits/Easier_Transportation.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-513956/GM-crops-lead-surge-weedkiller-use.html
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Golden Rice – with high level of Vitamin A
•Plants with increased vitamins and nutrients content:
•Drugs, human proteins and new materials expressed in milk:
Spider silk produced by goats used to make soft-body bullet proof vests http://www.abc.net.au/science/
news/stories/s461157.htm
http://www.atdforum.org/spip.php?article126
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•Modified microorganisms that could be used to:
ˉproduce new drugs and vaccines
ˉbiodegrade sewage, petroleum spill, waste
ˉ increase efficient mining and use of scarce minerals, etc.
Insulin produced by bacteria
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/img/biology/genetic-eng.gif
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Cloning living beings
Dolly was the first mammal that was cloned in 1997 using DNA from another sheep. It was made from two different sheep
Potential is virtually endless!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dolly_clone.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dolly_clone.svg
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-508887/Ethical-storm-scientist-man-clone-HIMSELF.html
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Human cloning
Human cloning might :
•facilitate ill children who need organ transplants to have a clone born to donate them
•help infertile or lesbian or gay couples to have children http://questgarden.com/
36/03/5/061014124630/index.htm
In 1998 Britain scientists said that it was acceptable to clone human material for medical puroses.
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Human cloning•help with treatments for brain damage and other important diseases.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3810825.stm
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
• Cloned man would become simply another man-made thing, whose ‘designer’ stands above. The cloned child will be dehumanized or have emotional problems.
• A dictator could finance a programme to breed humans with certain characteristics.
People against human cloning argue that is wrong because:
• It brings along the loss of identity, individuality and human diversity.
http://loveundefiled.blogspot.com/2008/08/human-cloning.html
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
• Cloning techniques are still very risky
• The cloned ‘materials’ destroyed would mean loss of human beings (Roman Catholics)
•Some changes will likely be passed down from generation to generation, thus are a permanent change to the human genome and nobody has the right to do that.
http://www.lifenews.com/bio944.html
http://pascalg.wordpress.com/
2007/12/18/gene-manipulation-the-
controversy/
http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/00774/en/images/clip_image001_0000.jpg
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Bill Clinton said
“Banning human cloning reflects our humanity. At its worst, this could lead to misguided and malevolent attempts to select certain traits, even to create certain kinds of children – to make our children objects rather that cherished individuals.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/377031.stm
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Most Americans state that:
•People mustn’t be treated as a means to obtain something.
•Using embryos to cure another person’s illness is to omit the “dignity” that everybody has.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/07/05/eveningnews/main514357.shtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/07/05/eveningnews/main514357.shtml
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•According to a CNN/Time poll of 1005 adults most Americans considered that cloning animals and particularly humans
was immoral and unacceptable.
•50% of those polled also said they would not be willing to eat fruits,
vegetables or animals resulting from cloning or genetic engineering techniques
Source: Gallup/CC/USA/Today 11/01
http://earthfirst.com/the-world-according-to-monsanto/
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•Genetic engineering represents a whole new world of questionable outcomes and possibly dangerous results.
•Some people state that genetic engineering is unnecessary, unnatural and therefore intrinsically wrong.
http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/
actionreports/node/20010
http://www.locavore.ca/?m=200805
http://realyfantastico.blogspot.com/2007/10/hoy-8-de-octubre-de-2007-acabo-de-leer_08.html
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•Other people fear that it could arise:
new uncontrollable diseases, allergies, antibiotic resistance, production of new toxins and more virulent viruses
freak animals
http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/intellect_and_entertain/but_what_do_we_call_him.htm
http://wiki.dickinson.edu/images/9/90/Gay.jpg
http://realyfantastico.blogspot.com/2007/10/hoy-8-de-octubre-de-2007-
acabo-de-leer_08.html
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
• Greenpeace and other NGO are concerned about the fact that animals could simply be seen as machines to be treated as people wish. The animals‘ dignity will be sacrificed for the supposed benefits to humans.
Long term adverse effects of environment: Problems for Biodiversity, concentration of Toxic Metals and poisons, etc.The possible devastation of Third World Agriculture due to genetically engineered crops.Unforeseen Problems (as it happened with CFCs)
•They also fear:
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/photosvideos/photos/say-no-to-
genetic-engineering-3
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•Some people think that Genetic engineering is a fact of life that has become indispensable, e.g. to produce human insulin, vaccines, etc.
•The development of genetic engineering will certainly lead to the control and improvement of our health and quality of life
•We would also be able to improve the genes of animals and plants so that these organisms can better serve the human race: increase crop yield, healthier and meatier animals, cheaper food to feed more hungry children.
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•For those in favour of Genetic engineering, it leaves the door open for endless enhancement of our species.
•It seems to be the answer to gaining the enhancements that would allow us to live longer, happier and healthier lives.
http://scq.ubc.ca/quarterly023/0203hall.html
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~fholmes/comic7.gif
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
•On the one hand everyone should have the right to chose -e.g. to eat genetically modified food or not- So we need clear information and knowledge.
•On the other hand, what gives an individual the right to make decisions that will affect generations to come?
•It seems as if we are putting a great deal of power into human hands. But humans could make mistakes.
http://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/gene_cutting.jpg
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
Each individual must decide for him or herself their stance on this issue, but hopefully you have come to understand that in order to do it we need enough knowledge and be fully aware that as citizens we should keep reflecting on it and asking the authorities to legislate and carefully control all this technology.
“By asking a novel question that you don’t know the answer to, you discover whether you can formulate a way of finding the answer, and you stretch your own mind, and very often you learn something new” Walter Gilbert, Nobel Price in Chemistry in 1980.
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Genetic Engineering: Introduction
• Don’t you think we would be happier if we were clones made to fit society's needs?
• Do you think we would be free if we were clones?
• Do you think our genes determine who we are?
Now, we would like to discuss:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1387/1472351215_d9fa63723a.jpg?v=0
