Should we be experimenting with our genetic code?
- Ripley3131
- Posts: 72
- Joined: 20 Nov 2016, 15:08
- Currently Reading: reunion in death
- Bookshelf Size: 118
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ripley3131.html
- Latest Review: "Nightlord: Sunset" by Garon Whited
Should we be experimenting with our genetic code?
Personally, I think that mapping our DNA is okay and beneficial, but changing and altering it is ill advised.
- greenstripedgiraffe
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 836
- Joined: 22 Oct 2015, 10:47
- Currently Reading: The New Strong-Willed Child
- Bookshelf Size: 274
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-greenstripedgiraffe.html
- Latest Review: Swarm by Guy Morris
- Ripley3131
- Posts: 72
- Joined: 20 Nov 2016, 15:08
- Currently Reading: reunion in death
- Bookshelf Size: 118
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ripley3131.html
- Latest Review: "Nightlord: Sunset" by Garon Whited
- ramblinggnomes
- Posts: 34
- Joined: 17 Nov 2016, 08:37
- Bookshelf Size: 25
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ramblinggnomes.html
- Latest Review: "Audiobooks.com Book of your Choice" by Audiobooks
- MerryLove
- Posts: 96
- Joined: 10 Sep 2016, 17:23
- Currently Reading: A Court of Wings and Ruin
- Bookshelf Size: 117
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-merrylove.html
- Latest Review: "Coppers Journey" by Julius Green
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
- Diving doc
- Posts: 37
- Joined: 06 Dec 2016, 05:26
- Bookshelf Size: 13
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-diving-doc.html
- Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes
-
- Posts: 20
- Joined: 09 Dec 2016, 11:16
- Currently Reading: Eragon
- Bookshelf Size: 11
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-pookabooks.html
- Latest Review: "Audiobooks.com Book of your Choice" by Audiobooks
- heshma_m
- Posts: 27
- Joined: 09 Dec 2016, 06:33
- Bookshelf Size: 26
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-heshma-m.html
- captain-rina
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 14 Dec 2016, 20:02
- Currently Reading: City of Lost Souls
- Bookshelf Size: 16
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-captain-rina.html
- Jennifer Allsbrook
- Posts: 921
- Joined: 23 Jul 2016, 20:35
- Favorite Book: Nightlord: Sunset
- Currently Reading: An American Hedge Fund
- Bookshelf Size: 133
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jennifer-allsbrook.html
- Latest Review: Audible Book of your Choice by Amazon
As a teacher of Biotechnology, I believe that utilizing organisms, cells, and molecules such as DNA to create useful products and to solve problems of society is a useful endeavor. Genetic engineering has been occurring since the 1970's and the benefits outweigh the risks thus far. Human proteins created through recombinant DNA technology including insulin, human growth hormone, interferon, blood clotting factors and many more are being used to treat disease and ease suffering. The future of genetic engineering and genetic manipulation is entering a new era with tools such as the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. This protein and enzyme complex was discovered in bacteria as a kind of immune system. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was shown to be able to find specific sequences in the genome and alter or change the DNA sequence. This opens new doors that have never been explored before. This biotechnology was first described in the scientific literature in 2012, so it is in its infancy but the number of laboratories and companies jumping on the CRISPR band wagon is huge. If you have not heard about this before, I suggest you google it and educate yourselves. Gene editing is happening and will continue to happen. Ethical and moral considerations must be discussed and a future pathway for this science needs to be laid out. The implications for possible use and misuse are important considerations for society as a whole not just the scientists working in laboratories throughout the world. I will teach my students so that they are scientifically literate and can have educated conversations and make choices about this type of technology. Sorry for being long-winded but this topic is fascinating and most people do not realize how close gene editing in humans really is to being a reality.Ripley3131 wrote:I've asked myself this question many times, but in reading Roan it has resurfaced. I was wondering what others think about this.
Personally, I think that mapping our DNA is okay and beneficial, but changing and altering it is ill advised.
- Ripley3131
- Posts: 72
- Joined: 20 Nov 2016, 15:08
- Currently Reading: reunion in death
- Bookshelf Size: 118
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ripley3131.html
- Latest Review: "Nightlord: Sunset" by Garon Whited
- va2016
- Posts: 225
- Joined: 26 Dec 2016, 02:15
- Favorite Book: The Vatican Protocol
- Currently Reading: The Chauvinist's Guide to Modern Romance
- Bookshelf Size: 716
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-va2016.html
- Latest Review: The Mystery of the Hidden Cabin by M.E. Hembroff
people in the world, whom we can live happily with
as they are. Let nature do its work, and let's not
interfere with that.
- Zoey
- Posts: 36
- Joined: 21 Dec 2016, 21:44
- Currently Reading: Sharing Jesus
- Bookshelf Size: 28
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-modern-moses.html
- Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes
- Jennifer Allsbrook
- Posts: 921
- Joined: 23 Jul 2016, 20:35
- Favorite Book: Nightlord: Sunset
- Currently Reading: An American Hedge Fund
- Bookshelf Size: 133
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jennifer-allsbrook.html
- Latest Review: Audible Book of your Choice by Amazon
There is so much more to genetic manipulation than cloning. As I mentioned in a previous post, the CASPR/Cas9 system of gene editing is a huge area of research currently and is growing daily since its introduction in 2012. If you google it, you get over two million hits. To say that we shouldn't experiment with the genetic code ignores that fact that it is happening whether most average citizens are aware of it or not. Genetic manipulation has been happening in other organisms since the work of Boyer and Cohen in the early 1970's. It is now possible to go into specific cells at specific gene loci and change the DNA nitrogen base sequence. What is the future of this technology? What applications will arise and how will it be regulated? Those are the questions that need to be answered. It is too late to ask should we be doing it. That ship has sailed!Modern_Moses wrote:As a current Zoology student I believe that no, we should most certainly NOT be altering genetic codes. Cloning is real, though it is not as advanced as it may be in your typical sci-fy movie. Have you ever watched the TV Series The Walking Dead? So many things could go wrong with cloning. The more we experiment with it, the more realistic the idea of a zombie apocalypse becomes. Laugh if you so desire, while we scientists try to regain our footing with those of us too childish to see the danger. Thank you for reading
-
- Posts: 544
- Joined: 07 May 2014, 21:57
- Favorite Book: Gone With the Wind
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 86
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-acwoolet.html
- Latest Review: Touching Time by B. W. Haggart