Genetics

engaging and thought-provoking scientific research publication of Living with Our Genes by Dean Hammer and Peter Copeland, the main concept explored is concerned with the idea of the environment or genetic make-up being the deciding factors in each and every individual’s personality. A concept such as genetic makeup, seems to be the definitive and decisive factor in the eight specified sub-topics explored throughout book, which are thrills, worry, anger, addiction, sex, thinking, hunger, and…

I. Summary I read the NYT articles called: DNA and Mutations, Down syndrome, and Ethics Questions Arise as Genetic Testing of Embryos Increases. To summarize all of the readings, I believe it would be essential to start with the DNA and Mutations article. In the article DNA and Mutations, scientists have found two different genetic occurrences in multiple individuals bodies called, mosaicism and chimerism. Chimerism involves a single organism who contains genetically distinct cells, which most…

us as people get closer to our ancestral past, which is somewhat pointless due to the fact we have no true meaningful connections to these pasts. But to also help us grasp a better understanding of what lies within us health wise, whether it be a genetic trait such eye color or ones risk for developing a type of defect. The company’s mission statement says it all in fact, “We are a mission-driven company with big dreams of using data to revolutionize health, wellness and research. We want to…

contains a full genetic program that gives that individual their own genetic identity. This contributes to genetic testing and how individuals can be identified today. One of the first known DNA identifications was in India in 1193 where Jai Chand, a great Indian monarchy, was destroyed by Muhammad’s army and Jai Chand, Raja of Kanauji, was murdered and he was then identified by his false teeth (Balachander, Babu, Jimson, Priyadharsini, & Masthan, 2016, p. 3). Ever since then, genetic…

insights into genetic coding upon which today’s multi-billion dollar biotechnology industry is founded. It laid the groundwork for other scientific achievements, including modern forensics and the mapping of the human genome. All of this is thanks to Watson and Crick, and their groundbreaking discovery of “the master molecule of life” (Dahm, 2011, p. 327). Genetics Before the Discovery Before Watson and Crick’s breakthrough, in the early 1950’s, scientists used the term…

humans have altered the mustard weed to specifically grow broccoli, cauliflower, and kale over thousands of years and now we are able to accelerate this process through genetic changes in plants but also in animals, particularly humans. Enriquez continues to explain how humans have used genetic altering (replacing specific genetic code causing disease) and how this is integrated into every human's life (genetically modified food and materials). Enriquez's purpose…

“GATTACA” is a movie that is set in the “not-so-distant” future where genetic engineering and DNA are used for discrimination and determining one’s fate just minutes after they are born with just a prick to their heel and a blood sample. When Vincent Freemen was born naturally (without the use of genetic engineering and DNA modification) his sample showed that he had a 99% chance of acquiring a congenital heart defect. His life expectancy was estimated at 30 years of age. With Vincent’s…

have paved the way to new scientific achievements, such as genetic engineering. This involves the manipulation and change of genetics in a living organism by changing its DNA (Morris 137). This new type of engineering has led to the modification of crops, finding cures for genetic diseases, and even the cloning of animals, which could eventually lead to humans. Although this seems like the answer to most of our problems, the topic of genetic modification has caused controversy in politics and…

having a child with a life-threatening disease, and will possibly have a child who will have outstanding athletic ability. The question is, how ethical is it to be able to genetically select specific traits for your child? Individuals believe that genetic selection of children will help eliminate…

I believe epigenetic marks are inherited and not completely erased. Research has shown that many epigenetic marks remain, and genetic information is passed from one generation to the next, this process is called epigenetic inheritance. The science of epigenetic inheritance goes against conventional wisdom that “that inheritance happens only through the DNA code that passes from parent to offspring” (Epigenetics and Inheritance, 2016). Basically, it means that the historical experiences from…