Genetic Engineering Multi-Modal

Project
Created by: William Beard and Aaron Ballard
UWRT 1104
Overview of Genetic Engineering and Sub-topics
What is genetic engineering, gene splicing, and the effects on our society?

Genetic engineering in Animals

Genetic engineering in Plants

Genetic engineering in People

What is Genetic Engineering?
Genetic engineering is when engineers use various gene editing tools in order to
modify a living thing with the intention of improving its ability to function from a
day to day basis. Often seen to improve efficiency in production or quality of life
within our society.
Genetic Engineering in Plants
In agriculture, engineers often seek to improve the yield, survivability, and efficiency
of plants. All of these factor not only to commercial growth in agriculture, but also
to human quality of life. Plants are modified to be able to:

Survive intense environmental conditions such as drought, intense heat or cold

Grow faster, consume less water, and less fertilizer
Improve their yield, by modifying them to put more energy into the fruit of the
plant than other parts
Have better natural defenses to bugs and other vermin
Downfall to Genetically Engineering Plant-life
Decrease in Human Quality of Life Caused by Commercial and Health Complications:

Allergies to plant-life caused by genetic alterations

Lack of labeling within American stores
Growth of antibiotic resistance due to genes containing these substances
Constant dispute in society through religious concerns caused by alterations to
nature

Decrease in Wild-life Quality of Life:

Negative impact on natural wild-life food chains and degradation of small and large
scale ecosystems
Controversy Due to G.M. Plant-life
Much of the controversy irradiating from G.M. Plant-life was caused by flashy news
coverage at a time when research searching for downsides to these organisms was
very early in production; and thus has died off significantly.

Most concerns in modern society stems from the lack of labeling of said organisms in
American markets. While in Europe all the crops and foods stemming from usage of
genetic modifications are labeled (GM) [Wax]; America continues to do opposite,
which labels food as (Non-GM) [Food & Water].
Genetically modified plants have more foliage to increase growth and efficiency of energy
usage. Photography: Graphic by Julie McMahon
Genetic Engineering in Animals
Most genetic engineering in animals is for commercial use, whether that be for food
or pets otherwise unobtainable in nature; but can also benefit society through new-
found medical procedures which shortens the organ donor waitlists.

Increase in Quality of Living for Humans Through Commercial Usage

Increase production of meat without increase in food intake

More desired and odd outward appearance for commercial use [See Glo-Fish]

Increase in Quality of Living for Humans Through Medical Application

Bettering human quality of life through shortening organ donor wait-lists

[Zhang]
Downfall to Genetically Engineering Animals
Decrease in Human and Animal Quality of Life Through Health and Ethics:

Genetically modified animals often suffer from various health impacting

conditions that shorten their lifespan significantly [Food & Water]
Imperfect methodology leads to unwanted mutations in animals
More prone to diseases and bacterial infections later treated through
modifications in later generations genes and antibiotics, this, when consumed
by humans, becomes an attribute to the growing issue of antibiotic resistance.
Controversy Due to G.M. Animals
Many people believe that the genetic alteration of animals to be unethical due to the
various health impacts that this usually causes the animals to suffer from. Due to
this, a lot of support is placed against the modification of animals, causing
progressive research to suffer.

Claims are often made that the consumption of genetically modified animals cause
health impacts such as reduced hormonal production, lessened disease resistance,
and increased allergic response.
Genetically modified zebra danio, neon tetra, and tetra.
Photograph: Graphic from Julia Cowells Research Blog
Genetically modified salmon (larger) compared to farm salmon (smaller) both
at 18 months. Graphic: photography from Wall Street Journal
Genetic Engineering in Humans
Genetic engineering in humans seeks to improve lifespan, remove genetic conditions,
and improve immune system functionality. This can show benefits to economy
through creating a whole new industry and to human quality of life. Researchers
plan to accomplish this through:

Genetically modifying sperm, eggs, and embryo to remove any genetic flaws
that could later lead to health complications [Connor]
Improve the accuracy of cell replication to essentially prevent aging
Improve the body's ability to identify and fight off diseases and improve lifespan
[Warwick]
Modify genes to get desired physical traits for aesthetic, health, or other reasons
Downfall and Controversy to G.M. in Humans
Decrease in Human Quality of Life Through Religion, Ethics, and Health

Extreme ethical controversy over whether or not the modification of humans is

morally right or wrong
Many religious groups claiming it to be objectively wrong or evil

Decrease in Human Quality of Life Through Economic Disparities in Class

Capitalistic fear that wealthier groups of people will use human modification to
make their offspring have more apropos traits and abilities to inherently
promote success and growth without promoting ideals to hard work, later
causing the lower economic class larger struggle in career competition, thus
further increasing the gap between different economic classes [Simmons]
The genetic modification of a human egg using Crispr editing tool. Graphic:
photograph by MIT.
Genetic Engineering in Medicine
Genetic engineering has wide applicability in the medicinal field because it is able to
manipulate several fields, many of which seen previously seen as unattainable due to
natural limitations, some of which being:

The spread of disease in insects by increasing their resistance to parasites

[Pekoc]
Creating better cultures of disease curing microorganisms that are stronger
Genetically modifying other animals (pigs currently) to be able to grow human
organs that can be used for transplants [Zhang]
Modifying the nature and functionality of stem cells to be able to replicate and
replace missing or non-functioning parts of the human body
Controversy Due to G.M. Medicine
There is fear that by modifying animals that spread disease to be resistant to
parasites and release them into the wild, that there will be negative ecological impact
due to unknown mutation that causes them to have increased survivability beyond
what was expected.

The alternative fear of G.M. in medicine is that the new medicines produced can
cause other problems themselves for human health. This when combined to the
already pre-existing controversy over the benefits v.s. negatives of medicine only
compounds the issues.
Downfall to Genetic Engineering in Medicine
Decrease in Human Quality of Life Caused by Health Complications

Constant decrease in antibiotics value to society due to growing resistances

caused by overproduction, saturation of pharmaceutical markets, and later,
overprescription to consumers

Decrease in Human Quality of Life Caused by Ethical Concerns

Questioning within society to values of animal life in relation to human life and
intersection of said concerns to religious values
Bacteria evolving drug resistance on an enormous petri dish, become able to survive in higher
and higher concentrations of the drug. Graphic: photography by Harvard Medical School.
Genetic Engineering in Production
Genetic engineering has a role in the generation of power due to the modification of
various microorganisms to be able to produce desired materials such as:

Bioplastics that can have a variety of functionality in construction of products

Biofuels that can be mixed with, or replace gasoline entirely
Take waste that is produced by power plants and convert it into a useful or
nontoxic byproduct
Better be able to target biofilms in water treatment plants and produce cleaner
water faster [Williams]
Downfall of Genetic Engineering in Production
Decrease in Human Quality of Life Caused by Economic Swing

Economic shift away from oil production

Loss of jobs from oil production

Decrease in Human Quality of Life Caused by Education Accessibility

Entirely new job market for gasoline and bioplastic production that has a higher
education requirement for workers
Controversy Due to G.M. in American Industry
Economic shift within society, while gradual, is a difficult task for many of the
working class caused by the need to adapt to the new job market requirements.
Currently displayed by the resistance to changing to cleaner fueling habits in the
constantly declining coal industry.

The economic resistance in the said case is being caused by the disparity between
low education requirements at entry-level work and high education requirements and
constant push for innovation to enter a cleaner fuel industry.
Genetically modified Ralstonia eutropha in an isobutanol solution of its
own production. Graphic: photograph by MIT.
Genetic Engineering in the Environment
Genetic engineering has a place in the health of the environment by being able to
solve problems such as:

Taking carbons out of the atmosphere and converting them into useful alcohols
[Chandler]
Acting symbiotically with coral reefs to help revive the ecosystem that is failing
due to environmental change [Frontiers]
Modifying invasive species to be non-invasive or to destroy themselves to stop
from toppling environmental balance
Modifying plants to be better at preventing erosion
Controversy of G.M. in the Environment
There is lots of fear over the release of genetically modified organisms into the
environment due to the inability to easily plan for all of the different radical events
that could occur upon its release. The inability to plot environmental impact is the
reason these organisms remain out of the environment. [Burrows]
Bleaching coral reef due to environmental change killing off symbiotic
relationship with plant life. Graphic: photograph by SPACE.
Works Cited
[Food & Water]: GMO Food: An Overview. Food & Water Watch, 26 June 2016, [Food & Water]
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/sites/default/files/rpt_1601_gmo101-update2-web2.pdf
[Wax]: Wax, Emily. Genetically engineered foods. Medline Plus, A.D.A.M., 14 Aug. 2016,
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002432.htm.
[Zhang]: Zhang, Sarah. Genetically Engineering Pigs to Grow Organs for People.
The Atlantic, The Atlantic Monthly Group, 10 Aug. 2017,
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/08/pig-organs-for-humans/536307/
[Connor]: Connor, Steve. First Human Embryos Edited in U.S. MIT Technology Review, MIT, 26 July 2017,
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608350/first-human-embryos-edited-in-us/
[Simmons] Simmons, Danielle Ph. D. Genetic Inequality: Human Genetic Engineering. Scitable, Nature Education, 2008,
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetic-inequality-human-genetic-engineering-768
[Warwick]: University of Warwick. Cells programmed like computers to fight disease. Science
Daily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170918093340.htm
[Pekoc]: Pekoc, Ken. Disease resistance successfully spread from modified to wild mosquitoes. National Institutes of Health,
www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/disease-resistance-successfully-spread-modified-wild-mosquitoes
Works Cited Continued
[Chandler] Chandler, David. Teaching a microbe to make fuel. MIT News,
http://news.mit.edu/2012/genetically-modified-organism-can-turn-carbon-dioxide-into-fuel-0821
[Frontiers] Frontiers. A super-algae to save our seas? Genetic engineering species to save coral. Science
Daily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170720095111.htm
[Burrows] Burrows, Leah. Safely releasing genetically modified genes into the wild.
Harvard University,
www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2017/08/safely-releasing-genetically-modified-genes-into-wild