Genetic engineering facts

What are some interesting facts about genetic engineering, and why it is important?

• The first genetically modified animal was created in 1973. ...
• Genetically engineered things are actually all around us. ...
• Some of the most common genetic engineering test subjects are mice and zebrafish.

1. What are some good things about genetic engineering?
2. Where has genetic engineering been used?
3. What do genetic engineers do?
4. How genetic engineering is done?
5. Who invented genetic engineering?
6. How has genetic engineering improved our lives?
7. What is bad about genetic engineering?
8. Is genetic engineering good or bad?
9. How does genetic engineering affect the economy?

What are some good things about genetic engineering?

Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are increased crop yields, reduced costs for food or drug production, reduced need for pesticides, enhanced nutrient composition and food quality, resistance to pests and disease, greater food security, and medical benefits to the world's growing population.

Where has genetic engineering been used?

In medicine, genetic engineering has been used to mass-produce insulin, human growth hormones, follistim (for treating infertility), human albumin, monoclonal antibodies, antihemophilic factors, vaccines, and many other drugs. In research, organisms are genetically engineered to discover the functions of certain genes.

What do genetic engineers do?

A genetic engineer is a type of scientific professional who specializes in working with genetics in animals, plants and humans. Genetic engineers might work in a research lab creating new genetic variants of plants that produce food or they might work as a genetic counselor for humans with rare genetic diseases.

How genetic engineering is done?

Genetic engineering is accomplished in three basic steps. These are (1) The isolation of DNA fragments from a donor organism; (2) The insertion of an isolated donor DNA fragment into a vector genome and (3) The growth of a recombinant vector in an appropriate host.

Who invented genetic engineering?

1973 Biochemists Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen develop genetic engineering by inserting DNA from one bacteria into another.

How has genetic engineering improved our lives?

Several works have been done on genetic engineering with major focus on its importance ranging from increasing plant and animal food production, diagnosing disease condition, medical treatment improvement, as well as production of vaccines and other useful drugs.

What is bad about genetic engineering?

The purely social and political dangers of genetic engineering include the possibility of increased economic inequality accompanied by an increase in human suffering, and the possibility of large-scale eugenic programmes and totalitarian control over human lives.

Is genetic engineering good or bad?

Benefits of genetic engineering

Improve crop yields or crop quality, which is important in developing countries. This may help reduce hunger around the world. Introduce herbicide resistance, which results in less herbicides being used, as weeds are quickly and selectively killed.

How does genetic engineering affect the economy?

The GM IR traits have mostly delivered higher incomes through improved yields in all countries. Many farmers, especially in developed countries, have also benefited from lower costs of production (less expenditure on insecticides). The gains from GM HT traits have come from a combination of effects.