Week 6-BioTech+Art

 Biotech is a topic that always brought me curiosity. Although I hardly take my time to research this subject, this week's topic was able to make me dive into it. Just like the majority of people, I am curious about any negative/positive effects that biotech can introduce. Biotechnology has a lot of controversies. One such controversy is genetically modified animals. These controversies can be eating such animals, releasing modified animals to the wild, or the fear of any disease from consuming of these animals. 



One subtopic that I leaned heavily on is animal genomes. In a process known as genetic engineering. In this process, the DNA sequence of a desirable trait is put on an organism. This can be done from a process known as microinjection, where the DNA is placed inside a sperm cell. This is important for farming purposes, as livestock can be chosen to have desirable traits, such as better meat. Also, this process replaced an older process to conceive desirable traits on livestock. Before, animals with the traits you wanted were mated with another animal with similar traits. The offspring would likely have the desirable traits. One may think that this process would only help regard to the farm. Mainly, this process is used to conduct experiments for the sake of health. Genetic engineering is used to create animals that are testable, to begin with. For example, the lab rats are trangenic, meaning they were engineered for the purpose to be tested on. 


Genetic engineering in experiments is also used to conduct an experiment. For example, utilizing cows to create human antibodies. Cloning is another process regarding animal genomes. In this process, any cell from an animal is used and inserted into an egg cell lacking a nucleus. When the two cells fused, the cell pretty much becomes a cone of the first animal. 



Genetic engineering and cloning have been involved in art. For example, creating flower hybrids to create beautiful-looking flowers. This was demonstrated by Edward Sricthen, who was capable of creating a personal garden by modifying plants.

“Cloning Fact Sheet.” Genome.gov, www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Cloning-Fact-Sheet#:~:text=How%20are%20animals%20cloned%3F,own%20DNA%2Dcontaining%20nucleus%20removed.

Javahippo, director. McDonald's Food Expirament. YouTube, YouTube, 12 June 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6us9kHHSNwk.

UCtelevision, director. Animal Biotechnology. YouTube, YouTube, 25 July 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIvAuwaf-o.

Uconlineprogram, director. 5 BioArt pt5. YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7zHIdsFS3A&list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&t=7s.

Uconlineprogram, director. 5 BioArt pt3. YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&time_continue=143&v=3EpD3np1S2g&feature=emb_logo.

CLONING AND ANIMAL WELFARE, Center for Food Safety, www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/302/animal-cloning/animal-welfare-258.

Why Do We Experiment on Rats and Mice for Human Research?, www.abc10.com/article/news/health/why-do-we-experiment-on-rats-and-mice-for-human-research/373516158.

Genetic Engineering, biologydictionary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/geneticengineering.jpg.

Comments

  1. Ani LessleyMay 9, 2021 at 9:16 PM

    It's crazy how far we have come in regards to science. Especially what you wrote about genetic engineering. One of my roommates just joined a lab involving genetic engineering, livers, and mice. To speak to the controversy part, listening to what she had to do in her training gave me insight to it. They are forced to both break the mice's necks as well as kill them with gas, occasionally just because so they are desensitized to it. It's hard to decide whether or not things like these are justifiable. - Ani Lessley

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