...Sivapatham, a Ph.D. in stem cells and model systems, discusses the pros and cons to genetic modification and the potential it has to cure life-threatening genetic diseases. The article addresses the basis of how genetic modification works and the process it undergoes in order to produce successful results. It demonstrates the purpose of a genome editing function called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and how it was discovered to be the most efficient and effective form of genetic modification. In addition, it touches on the ethical perspectives of genetic modification in humans; moreover, it talks about the potential misuse of the technology including modifying physical traits, athletic capabilities, or cosmetology....
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...The genetic modification and splicing of genes in living organisms such as plants, microorganisms, animals and food has become a widely controversial topic among many farmers, health consultants, and the general population. These new breeds or organisms have created an immense separation in the food industry, basically splitting people onto sides of organic or non organic. Organically grown and non modified foods have become its own genre of products and are rising in popularity against their modified versions, which have ruled the food industry for the last 10 years. There are many environmentally safe and healthy ways for genetic modification can expand into other crops and foods without harming the animals, plants, or environment. These...
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...Human Genetic Modification In discussions of human genetic modification (HGM), or human genetic engineering, one controversial issue has been the different points of view of this method. On one hand, scientists and medical professionals argue that HGM is the door to the future; a future where everything will be genetically possible; it will be a big step for science and a leap forward that will help eliminate many diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and HIV. On the other hand, sociologists argue that HGM will be socially bias. Moreover, others maintain that genetic modification is intended only to create the perfect human. My personal view is that I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I agree that HGM will have a huge impact in this world, and it will eliminate many epidemics we now have. On the other hand, I still insist that HGM could have some risk factors that still need to be observed and studied; also...
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...With the growing of scientific and technological advances today, it should come as no surprise that designer babies have now become a possibility. The term designer baby refers to how certain attributes of a baby can now be modified to our perceived advantage to create a perfect child. This, of course, is absurd, as these modifications will create ethical issues relating to fairness, harmful consequences, and morality human rights and justice, the dignity of an individual, issues of morality, religion, No baby has the option whether it wants to modified or not. For this reason, changing the genetic build of a baby is unfair and shameful. In the article "8 Most Notable Pros and Cons of Designer Babies” the author writes, "A baby will have...
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...| Should parents screen for desirable genetic traits in their offspring? | | | | | | Critical Thinking 11 June 2012 Final Project As technology advances and scientists carry on with everyday research in medicine, a new way of life is created. With simply a test tube and perfectly selected genes a family can welcome their designer baby to the world with open arms. Should parents screen for desirable genetic traits in their offspring? Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) also known as a designer baby is a genetic modification that is used to alter anything from gender to disease, even appearance, personality, and IQ. The Oxford Dictionary defines the term 'Designer Babies' as "a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics." According to Wall Street Journal, “PGD is a technique whereby a three-day-old embryo, consisting of about six cells, is tested in a lab to see if it carries a particular genetic disease. Embryos free of that disease are implanted in the mother's womb. Introduced in the 1990s, it has allowed thousands of parents to avoid passing on deadly disorders to their children.” Are you willing to pay the price to have this perfect child? Many do not but the few that do, fully support it. Despite the limited amount of knowledge and awareness of the potential threats that are to be had by going...
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...it is shared along the dinner table and have food as the topic of the night. Basically, food is the demand and supply which runs the world: be it in the developed country where food is made even luxury and be it in the developing country where food is seen as a staple for survival. Since the total acreage planted is no longer increasing, unless new production technology is adopted, such an increase in demand that is unmatched by an increase in supply in the world food market will raise food prices and lead to food shortages, especially in underdeveloped countries. At the same time, many people are troubled by the idea of messing with nature, and say they don’t want their meals turned into “frankenfoods.” They are worried that taking genetic material from one organism and putting it in another could not only unhinge the ecosystem, but threaten people’s health, including...
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...Gene Therapy is a relatively new form of treatment, targeted at those who suffer from various debilitating Genetic disorders. It is an advanced type of medicine, and one that is still being trialled, so, at the moment, it is only being used as a last resort in the treatment of certain patients. The aim of Gene Therapy is to give people who have certain genetic malformations the opportunity to combat these, without having to submit to dangerous surgeries or strong drugs. This is a remarkable medical discovery, and holds the ability to heal many illnesses that we label as terminal, like AIDS, cancer and Cystic Fibrosis, increasing sufferers quality of life, if not eliminating the disease entirely. In context, there are 350 million people around...
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...assume you will not eat it or even thought that you have never bought any food containing that. You will be surprised how many people have bought or have eaten something that has been genetically modified. With that being said majority of the food we eat now has been or have ingredients that have been genetically modified. Now you have to ask yourself if you know what genetically modified food was, would you still eat the things you do knowing it was modified? When you hear genetically modified, the first thing I think about is an oversized tomato or a giant pumpkin of some sort. That is the complete opposite because by definition, genetic modification is the manipulation of DNA by humans to alter the essential make up of plants and animals. Genetically modified organism is define as organisms that the genetic material have been altered that did not come naturally, another terminology for this is called modern biotechnology or gene technology. This is usually used to crop plants that is created for human and animals to consume the most recent molecular biology techniques. There are about four crops that make up for almost all of the genetically modified crops grown. The certain plants have been genetically modified to improve specific traits which include higher tolerance to...
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...we are playing “God” with human evolution. (Cite – Pro/Con) The notion being science should be left out of childbirth, childbirth is a natural event and has been from the beginning of time. While this may true and childbirth should not be left to science, science is sometimes necessary to intervene when it comes to natural events. “People say we should not go against nature, but that’s illogical because every time we cure a disease we go against nature” (Schishor, Simonet, Canaon) Just because an event is natural or unnatural does not make it right or wrong, rather, the purpose behind the intervention should be the focus. (b) Social Fears: The most problematic social concern opponents...
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...Designer babies Since the discovery of DNA in the late 1950's, the possibility of genetic modification of animals and plants has become a reality. The term designer baby refers to the genetic modification of the child in its early fetal life. The world of genetic modification has long moved on from the days of Dolly the Sheep. How is a designer baby created? * An embryo is created by in-vitro fertilization (IVF). * A single cell is removed from that embryo within the first 5 days of its creation. * The cell is genetically tested. * The parents decide whether to discard the embryo or implant it in the mother's womb. Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project (HGP) was the international, collaborative research program whose goal was the complete mapping and understanding of all the genes of human beings. All our genes together are known as our "genome." The Human Genome Project started in the 1980s as an organized effort to provide the information researchers need to understand the genetic basis of all disease. GINA is the first major federal law to come out of the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications portion of the Human Genome Project. This law made sure that people were treated fairly when it came to getting a job and stuff like that even if they had a disorder or disease Literature review Mark Hughes, a pioneer of the PGD process and director of Genesis Genetics Institute says, “It’s technically feasible and it can be done,” adding that “no...
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...particular organisms and the growth of twins from a solitary fertilized cell. However, now with the advanced biological technology, artificially recreating the process of animal cloning is a possibility. Pros and Cons: Some cons of the animal cloning process are a large percent of cases, birth defects occur like animals being born with two faces. Sometimes...
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...Human Genetic Engineering Society presents a large issue within the scientific world in terms of genetic engineering, weighing the pros and cons from both scientific and moral perspectives. Genetic engineering for humans, more commonly referred to as “designer babies”, strikes a debate between those who believe that genetic engineering is unethical versus those who believe that designer babies are moving the human race towards a better future. The moral platform that society has raised us as well as scientific research in puts an obvious answer in our hands- that genetic engineering is more dangerous and detrimental for humans rather than beneficial. To argue my thesis, I will thoroughly present both the scientific evidence and psychological perspectives that express the overall morality and ethics of this issue. Rahul Thadini’s article “The Public Should Avoid Designer Baby Technology” will assist my arguments within my report, as Thadani expresses useful scientific and moral points that focuses on the harm that genetic engineering would add to humans’ posterity. Using Thadani’s points, I question what people claim to be the benefits of genetic engineering. If we are able to use genetic engineering to cure diseases as well as disable the genes that trigger them, then how would our genetic diversity be kept as such a diverse group, considering the fact that our genetic diversity is what keeps humans at less risk for such health issues? In a more ethical and moral light, how...
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...and future hunger controversy is what inspired biotechnology and genetic engineering. The hopes of solving the food problem of this world’s growing population has brought about the genetic engineering or genetically modified crops in farming. Even though some proponents that genetically modified foods could be beneficial to the world, to include taste and quality, and resistance to disease, the truth is yet to be recognized unequivocally. There are thousands of questions to be answered and further research to be done. Public awareness is equally necessary and the reality of food and crop engineering and distributing is also yet to be complete. This paper will examine if the consumption of genetically engineered foods is good for human health, the agriculture and the world’s food supply, genetically engineering involving nature, the positive and negative aspects, and the food security and alternatives. II. Human Health a) Public Awareness b) Taste c) Promises III. Agriculture and Food Supply a) Pollution of crops b) Does more or less need to be done with genetic modification c) Too much or too less will cause hunger IV. Nature a) Will species be harmed? Will land be harmed? V. Positive and Negative Effects a) Pros b) Cons VI. Food Security/Alternatives a) Alternative Routes b) Organic Farming VII. Conclusion There are great alternatives to genetic engineering; there will always be surplus requirements. The nation...
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...Human Genome Project Website Evaluation We are humans and we all eat. But have you ever wondered what’s in that banana you’re eating? Is it really just a simple banana that grew on a tree? Or is it perhaps something much, much more complex? It’s 2013 and a big debated issue is argued on genetically modification of food and organisms. The Human Genome Project (HGP) helps people understand and identify what exactly genetically modified food and organisms are (GMO). Publications and webpages on this site were created by the U.S. Department of Energy Genome Program's Biological and Environmental Research Information System and all other materials were provided by “third parties” and not created by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Human Genome Project started in 1990, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health, and completed their research in 2003. This thirteen-year study was designed for people to understand what genetically modified organisms are. “The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but rapid technological advances accelerated the completion date to 2003” (Human). When one first enters the site, they can see there are many tabs at the top of the page and side margins directing one to other specific research done by HGP. Along the top of the page, the site provides tabs that explain information on a more in-depth description of genes and what exactly is going on in the microbiology essence, for those who wouldn’t quite...
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...Supersize Your Child?-Summary In the essay Supersize Your Child by Richard Hayes, the author is explaining the pros and cons of genetic engineering. Hayes starts off the essay by giving examples of what could happen if you genetically engineer your child; you could make them attractive, give them photographic memories, or even ensure they have a life span of up to 200 years. The author makes this all sound very attractive to the reader. He also assumes that the reader wants this for their children; the parents want the children to be the best of the best. Throughout the beginning of the essay Hayes gives examples of the progress we have made as a whole in the genetic engineering field. He explains that Science magazine reported that the 5-HTT gene reduces the risk of depression. It can also help depression after stressful events. He then goes into detail about how in 1993 the University of California at San Francisco biochemist Cynthia Kenyon had discovered a gene called DAF-2 that made nematode worms live four weeks instead of their normal two week life span. Hayes then goes into testimony that states if we do genetic engineering that we will mess up the natural selection process. Professor Lee Silver from Yale University also goes into detail and talks about how if we do this genetic engineering the genetic engineered people will be at the top of the classes, running things like politics and large corporations; while the ‘regular’ people would be lower class and working...
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