Comparing and Contrasting Genetically Modified Foods and Genetic Technology for Health
By Rita Debbaneh
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Genetic engineering has affected many aspects of present-day life, especially in health and agriculture. Thanks to leaps and bounds in research, scientists are able to modify agricultural crops in order to make up for vitamin deficiencies, or use genetics to determine the best drug or prevention for a disease. The technology for the modification of these two vastly different fields are roughly the same, but carry their own differences as well.
Staying healthy is a necessity in today's world, and genetic factors have begun to play a significant roll in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases. The Human Genome Project, a 13 year endeavor, aimed to sequence all the base pairings in the human body, and in doing so was able to gain a better understanding of genes in sicknesses, making advances in biotechnology and pharmacogenomics. Scientists are able to give patients the best drug to their disease, depending on their genes. There are also more efficient ways to diagnose, treat, and stop illnesses.
Different =
Genetic engineering has affected many aspects of present-day life, especially in health and agriculture. Thanks to leaps and bounds in research, scientists are able to modify agricultural crops in order to make up for vitamin deficiencies, or use genetics to determine the best drug or prevention for a disease. The technology for the modification of these two vastly different fields are roughly the same, but carry their own differences as well.
Staying healthy is a necessity in today's world, and genetic factors have begun to play a significant roll in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases. The Human Genome Project, a 13 year endeavor, aimed to sequence all the base pairings in the human body, and in doing so was able to gain a better understanding of genes in sicknesses, making advances in biotechnology and pharmacogenomics. Scientists are able to give patients the best drug to their disease, depending on their genes. There are also more efficient ways to diagnose, treat, and stop illnesses.
In genetic engineering, a new form of technology, called Inheritable Gene Modification, is slowly coming to light. As an embryo, the genes of the organism can be modified. Right now, only the sex of the child can be chosen, but there will be more options down the road.
When there is a faulty cell, with a defective gene, which can produce bad proteins and start illnesses, scientists can insert a carrier virus, called a vector, with enhanced DNA, to replace the gene. This can modify any shortcomings, and eradicate disease, even though this genetic therapy is expiremental right now.
GMO crops can serve for many purposes, whether to make up for nutritional values or produce a natural pesticide. Ethanol is the second-leading corn product in the U.S, and as a GMO, it can produce 67% more energy. Scientists alter its genome, or genetic makeup, for this to take place. If a country is suffering economically and can't import food, while not having suitable land for planting crops, GMO crops can be modified in order to be hardy and provide the nutrition the country's inhibitants. Or if a main food staple has a vitamin deficiency, these crops can be modified to provide the vitamins need, all in all making it healthier.
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