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Genetic Engineering
Hattie Black
Examples of GE
Genetic engineering has created a chicken
with four legs and no wings.
 Genetic engineering has created a goat
with spider genes that creates "silk" in its
milk.
 The GloFish is a patented brand of
genetically modified fluorescent zebra fish.
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What is GE?
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Genetic engineering is the alteration of
genetic code by artificial means.
Genetic engineering works because there is
one language of life: human genes work in
bacteria, monkey genes work in mice and
earthworms.
Tree genes work in bananas and frog genes
work in rice. There is no limit in theory to
the potential of genetic engineering.
Genetic engineering has been making
headlines since the technology first came
to the public's attention.
 The human body is not perfect. Some are
created with inherent faults and others
break down before their time.
 Genetic engineering has few limits except our imagination, and our moral or
ethical code.
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Gene Therapy
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Gene therapy is an experimental technique
that uses genes to treat or prevent disease.
Replacing a mutated gene that causes disease
with a healthy copy of the gene.
Inactivating, or “knocking out,” a mutated
gene that is functioning improperly.
Introducing a new gene into the body to
help fight a disease.
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Gene therapy is currently only being
tested for the treatment of diseases that
have no other cures.
Therapeutic Cloning
The aim of therapeutic cloning is to grow
nerve, muscles or cartilage to replace
worn out tissues.
 They take the genetic material from a cell
in an adult's body and fuse it with an
empty egg cell.
 With the right trigger, this new cell can
then be persuaded to develop into an
embryo.
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It is important because it would allow the
creation of perfect-match tissue.
 Scientists are very confident new nerve
cells can be transplanted into sufferers of
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
 New heart muscle could repair damaged
hearts.
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Genetic Engineering In Plants
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The use of Genetic Engineering on plants,
crops, and food has also created a great
debate among scientists and citizens.
Genetic engineering could create crops that
grow in desert heat, or without fertiliser.
However in terms of plants and crops,
Genetic Engineering can cause widespread
crop failure.
Human Cloning
Human cloning is a type of genetic
engineering, but is not the same as true
genetic manipulation.
 In human cloning, the aim is to duplicate
the genes of an existing person so that an
identical set is inside a human egg.
 Genetic engineering in its fullest form
would result in the child produced having
unique genes.
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Pro’s
Disease could be prevented by detecting
people/plants/animals that are genetically
prone to certain hereditary diseases, and
preparing for the inevitable.
 Animals and plants can be 'tailor made' to
show desirable characteristics.
 Genes could also be manipulated in trees for
example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce
the threat of global warming.
 Genetic Engineering could increase genetic
diversity.
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Con’s
Genetic diversity
 Dangerous in the wrong hands
 Nature is an extremely complex interrelated chain consisting of many species
linked in the food chain.
 Frankenstein Effect.
 Genetic engineering borderlines on many
moral issues.
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Christian Views
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Christian views are split.
Some Christians may believe that
biotechnologists are playing God.
"And God said, Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and
over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth."
(Genesis 1:26)
On the other hand, God gave us free will so
we could learn from the world.
Muslim Views
Muslim views are also split.
The Qur’an shows that Allah bestows many
gifts on mankind enabling them to discover
the mysterious nature around them and to
recognize the laws that control the universe.
 Some Muslims strongly believe that Allah is
the only creator for everything in this life.
 " It is He who created all things and
ordained them in due proportions. " (Qur'an,
25:2)
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