The biological foundation of living organisms, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), carries the genetic information for the structure, growth, and reproduction of all known life. Even before the discovery of DNA, or its purpose for that matter, humankind has had influence over the genomes of other forms of life through selective reproduction. Without the knowledge of genetics it was discovered that by breeding the two fluffiest sheep of a flock, fluffier sheep would be produced. As with plants, by selectively planting food that was preferred for its size, taste, or color, manipulation over a natural plants genetic structure was performed. However, it was not until the 1950 's that the purpose for DNA and its influence on living beings was discovered.
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Inherited genetic diseases could also be cured through the means of altering the subjects genomes, however genetic screening has also shown potential as to ensure that an embryo days after conception does not contain a gene deemed harmful to its existence. Yet, despite having the potential solutions to many life endangering or crippling diseases, it is important to recognize that genetic technology holds a global influence on humankind and it is important decide whether the benefits that it may provide demand further development of this technology despite the sacrifices that will be made both ethically and culturally.
The developments of modern medicine has made significant progress in the treating and curing of several diseases but still has various drawbacks. The task of treating a contagious disease across an entire population is difficult to say the least but the cost in both money and resources would be great. With the development of genetic technology a new solution may be possible. Instead of finding ways to treat a disease as it appears, genetic …show more content…
Genetic experiments have proven to be complex, expensive, and time absorbing, and among other issues, inefficient. These factors have made genetic technology a slim alternative for future medical practices. However, a recent major discovery that has proven to be simple, effective, cost efficient, and timely may provide greater incentive to explore genetic modification as a future medical procedure. Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat, or CRISPR, and CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas 9) was discovered as an adaptive immune system in bacteria that alters the DNA of its host in order to prevent future attacks from viruses. CRISPR/Cas9 have been found to be programmable, allowing simple alteration of DNA to living things. In conducting experiments to compare CRISPR/Cas9 to two other methods of genome editing, Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) and Transcriptor Activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) when tested on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), Zhonggang Hou et al. found that "the CRISPR-Cas system offers a much simpler and more user friendly design . . . this system 's ease of use will make gene targeting in hPSCs, once considered a difficult project, a routine laboratory technique" (15649). Hou et al. noted how the simple and highly efficient gene-targeting system will have a tremendous impact on personalized regenerative
Inherited genetic diseases could also be cured through the means of altering the subjects genomes, however genetic screening has also shown potential as to ensure that an embryo days after conception does not contain a gene deemed harmful to its existence. Yet, despite having the potential solutions to many life endangering or crippling diseases, it is important to recognize that genetic technology holds a global influence on humankind and it is important decide whether the benefits that it may provide demand further development of this technology despite the sacrifices that will be made both ethically and culturally.
The developments of modern medicine has made significant progress in the treating and curing of several diseases but still has various drawbacks. The task of treating a contagious disease across an entire population is difficult to say the least but the cost in both money and resources would be great. With the development of genetic technology a new solution may be possible. Instead of finding ways to treat a disease as it appears, genetic …show more content…
Genetic experiments have proven to be complex, expensive, and time absorbing, and among other issues, inefficient. These factors have made genetic technology a slim alternative for future medical practices. However, a recent major discovery that has proven to be simple, effective, cost efficient, and timely may provide greater incentive to explore genetic modification as a future medical procedure. Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat, or CRISPR, and CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas 9) was discovered as an adaptive immune system in bacteria that alters the DNA of its host in order to prevent future attacks from viruses. CRISPR/Cas9 have been found to be programmable, allowing simple alteration of DNA to living things. In conducting experiments to compare CRISPR/Cas9 to two other methods of genome editing, Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) and Transcriptor Activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) when tested on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), Zhonggang Hou et al. found that "the CRISPR-Cas system offers a much simpler and more user friendly design . . . this system 's ease of use will make gene targeting in hPSCs, once considered a difficult project, a routine laboratory technique" (15649). Hou et al. noted how the simple and highly efficient gene-targeting system will have a tremendous impact on personalized regenerative