Full genome sequencing

Ethical Issues in Genetic Screening for Breast Cancer: Patenting of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes Breast cancer affects over 508,000 women worldwide and almost 50-58% of cases result in death. It is the top cancer in women (WHO, 2017, p.2). Scientist Mary-Claire King discovered BRCA1, the gene mutation for causing breast cancer, in 1994. BRCA2 was discovered in 1995 (Park, 2014). Testing options have previously been limited due to gene patenting. A patient carrying BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 can reduce the…

Procreative Beneficence Definition Procreative Beneficence is a term coined by Julian Savulescu and is stated as, “Couples (or single reproducers) should select the child they could have who is expected to have the best life, or at least as good a life as the others, based on the relevant, available information” (Savulescu, 2001, 295). Breaking this principle down, it says reproducers should select a child that is likely to have the “best life.” The word, “should,” is explained by Savulescu to…

Are you for or against genetic tests on children? In the articles,”Why we Should Think Twice About Giving Genetic Tests to Our Kids,” and “Genetic Testing for Kids: Is It a Good Idea?” They both give multiple reasons why it is a bad idea to test kids genetics. The first reason is that adults and children may worry. The second reason is that you may find unknown information. The third reason is that if you get diagnosed it may be incurable. One of the main reasons it is a bad idea to…

Francisco-based company that last summer secured more than $100 million in hope to create the first “app store” for genetic information. Helix is a bet to the buyout firm Warburg Pincus, and Illumina, the leading manufacturer of ultrafast DNA sequencing machines. Genomes hold information about…

Deoxyribonucleic Acid is the molecule within human cells that holds all our genetic material (Genetics Home Reference, 2017). DNA can be found in all cells of the body except red blood cells and can be collected from hair follicles, blood, skin, bodily fluids, bone marrow, tissues etc (GHR, 2017). In criminal cases, DNA is used as evidence to prove whether a person was connected with a crime. If a person’s DNA is found at a crime scene, they become a suspect in an investigation. The use of DNA…

Maxam-Gilbert manual DNA sequencing method in 1976. This method uses chemical reactions to break glycoside bonds within the double stranded DNA, to create a single stranded DNA with a radioactive label on the 5’ end. The labeled substrate is then cleaved to create known endpoints and these fragments are run on a polyacrylamide gel using electrophoresis. The gel would then use…

interested me the most was the discussion on the dangers and benefits of human cloning and genetic engineering. In the discussion we saw two sides of an issue, Kenneth Kosik argued that there are a lot of risks involved in tinkering with the human genome. If we intend to move forward with it, he felt that we need to proceed slowly and cautiously. Robert Sapolsky, on the other hand, was making the argument that many of the dangers that are being commonly expressed, are typically being over…

Human Genetic Engineering: A Hero Discovery or a Society Divider? In 1997, the film Gattaca was created, which showed the public a futuristic idea of humans being able to edit and modify human genes to create “valid” humans as well as “invalids”. Today, this futuristic idea from 19 years ago has become a not so out of reach reality for society today. Human genetic engineering is the process of either adding improved DNA or deleting sections of a person’s DNA and then adding more efficient DNA in…

Future for Human Genetics People have been around long enough to know that everything changes (for the better or worse). Within the past few years, there has been a lot of debate over the scientific breakthrough of being able to modify the human genome. Many doctors and scientists have welcomed the idea with open minds while others are hesitant to become involved. Some see the dangers involved with the process while others see the endless possibilities coming out of this revolutionary discovery…

“Only my dogs will not betray me.” (Maria Callas). Dogs have been around for a very long time, since the beginning of mankind. They have been existing since 13000 B.C. in Central Asia. Before, humans feared these wolves, until they figured out that they ate their leftover foods that drew insects and protected them from the wild. Dogs descended from wolves and slowly evolved into the modern dog, for example, a tiny Chihuahua to a huge great dane. On the other hand, cats also have been around for…