Genetic Engineering

Abitur 2014
Grundkurs Englisch (Fin/Groe)

Structure
Genetically Modified- food crops
Pros and cons
Attacks because of GM products

GM Crops Ten Years On:
Hope, Hype and Reality
Lessons for the future

Structure
Genetic Engineering on animals
Pros and cons
E. g. : glow-in-the-dark-rabbits

Structure
Human Genetic Engineering
Somatic-cell gene therapy
Concerns
Germ-line gene therapy
Concerns
Enhancement genetic engineering
Concerns
Eugenic genetic engineering
Concerns

Genetically Modified food/crops
Pros:
Can help feed the world
Reduce use of pesticides

Cons:
long-term consequences are unknown
Genetically Modified food/crops
Attacks because of GM products
Farmers had GM crops hacked away during night
by eco-terrorists
building that are used for work on agricultural
biotechnology are burned down

GM Crops Ten Years
Hope and Hype
Improve farmers income
Solve poverty

Predicted disaster
Global domination of agriculture by large corporations

Reality
Other farmers had bad experiences or were bypassed
altogether

GM Crops Ten Years
Lessons for the future


Genetic Engineering on animals
Pros
Creating new animals that produce more and
better meat
organs of transgenic animals can be transplanted
into human without being rejected by the normal
immune process
Xenotransplantation
Genetic Engineering on animals
Cons
Animals are mutilated and killed for these
experiments
Kept in abnormal condition

E. g. : glow-in-the-dark-rabbits

Video



Human Genetic Engineering

Somatic-cell gene therapy
Definition:
modifying the genes of particular person without affecting
the next generation
Concern:
- some people think it is unnatural, doctors playing God





Human Genetic Engineering

Germ-line gene therapy
Definition:
making change to the reproductive cells that will
affect future generations
Concerns:
- unknown risks
- discrimination of minority groups (Eugenics)

Human Genetic Engineering

Enhancement genetic engineering
Definition:
using germ-line gene Therapy to improve a person
rather than rectifying defects
Concerns:
- restores our natural design
- could lead to more diversity in human gene pool
Human Genetic Engineering
Eugenic genetic engineering
Definition:
using germ-line therapy to create a better race of
people
Concerns:
- misused for social, racial and political ends
- attacks freedoms and rights