Genome editing more commonly known, as genetic engineering has being improving in leaps and bounds over the past three
years since the dramatic uptake and improvement of the crispr cas-9 system
Genome editing as a, new, field has different methods
Which give it a unique advantage compared to traditional disciplines such as mechanical engineering
A line for otherwise unsolvable problems to be easily resolved
There are many legitimate concerns around genetic engineering with a variety of resulting precautions but
We hope that you'll be open-minded enough to learn little, about genome editing before crossing off your potential solutions list
After all some of the great problems with 21st century
genome editing, is the only application that provides a solution
There are four major areas in which, we use contemporary genetic modification technique food medical industrial and research
Lets have a look at them
The current food shortage of the world has many people in developing countries
Desperate for nourishment, for themselves and for the families however current methods in place to mitigate this problem at insufficient one solution is the implementation
of genetic modification
editing the genomes of crops
Which are highly abundant and accessible in developing nations, such as rice to become better suited to feeding
people holds
Promising implications One example of genetic modification
of a crop in practice, is Asian rice
Which has been genetically modified to biosynthesize beta-carotene as an essential nutrient in the human diet
This product is called golden rice and provides beta-carotene for millions of people in developing countries
Allowing them to survive the current famine in developing nations, where these essential nutrients, are needed most
You may, have heard that bubble boy syndrome a genetic disability that compromises the immune system
Was cured through gene therapy a euphemism for genetic engineering with little to no repercussions
This was done many years before crispr cas-9
Was used for genetic engineering. With the use of crispr applications are coming in thick and fast in the medical area
Take t-cell modification the reconfiguring of antibody, makeup of these immune cells then injecting into the patient can
Be used to target cancer cells in such a, way that makes it a successful treatment of, otherwise advanced
Stage cancer possible in a short time, and with less, symptoms than traditional techniques like, chemotherapy
Current work on these systems involves reducing it's effectiveness because of negative effects of reducing cancer cell numbers at too great a rate
Have you, ever wondered how compounds produced only
by humans, can be sold over the counter, like insulin to help
Mitigate the symptoms of disabilities like diabetes without thinking it from actual humans an ethical nightmare
And sure to be expensive luckily genetic engineering, is here to save us from this dilemma, we can
Use genome editing to reprogram bacteria to produce fine chemicals like insulin at large scales that cannot be done using industrial chemistry
It will be possible to manually make in small quantities in the lab but such a process would require large amounts of expensive qualified labor
And specialist equipment
Luckily all we need, using genome editing is a seed bacteria and a warm vat of sugar and water
Genetically engineered. Cells can be used as micro factories to produce otherwise impossibly hard to manufacture and intricate molecules
With ease, cheaply, then rearrange them at a level impossible to do with other contemporary technologies
Imagine the freedom this could, bring to production
of new materials and nano-technologies in the future
Finally, some biological systems are quite enigmatic to studying without altering the genetics of the organism will be frankly almost impossible for anyone without near omnipotency
Genetic engineering has and will allow us to understand these systems and as the saying goes with knowledge, comes power
The new understanding of these systems will lay bare new, fields that could quickly become populated
with new applications
ranging over (at least) all of molecular biology
Thank, cure for cancer, eliminating the side effects of aging even allowing us to live more fulfilling meaningful lives without lifting a finger.
Humans approach problems through the lens of engineering
Governance, culture and information systems each of these approaches has merit in different facets of the sets of all problems
Take mechanical engineering this allows for the control of large forces it has a large cost for design and a large per unit cost it is useful
For extracting materials and transport, like cars
You'd be, hard pressed to move 120 kilometers an hour with the power of culture it's better at other things like enhancing the motivation of a
Population to be productive. Genome editing extends the lens of biology to unique field outside of the fields, chemical engineering for instance
Pervasive problems like famine require intensive and consistent application and supply it's
Like crafting the culture to make people run everywhere faster, cars are more effective
Cultures is the wrong tool for the job of motility likewise other engineering and cultural government and
Information systems are the wrong tool for the job of eliminating famine GMOs can. Be made to grow
In harsh conditions and provide all essential nutrients distributed once, then self proliferate to be shared
Suddenly the consistent problem falls to a one stop solution this is one problem of many which can
Be solved only by genome editing with our current technologies who knows how, much help it could provide towards the set if we allow it
Immunization is one irksome task that could be applied through invisibly small distribution systems but, we know how, easily that could be utilized for harm
Genome editing is a powerful tool. In the hands of a malevolent mastermind it can invoke
Suffering, to the first world countries in the hands of benevolent hero that can, bring forth a, new, age of prosperity
And lift millions from poverty. The invention of the steam engine presented such an advance in the past, it led to a mixed bag, but most
People would agree that, we are in a better time because of it. As technology progresses new, techniques much like
Genome editing will bring greater and greater potential for good and evil will, we grasp the potential or stagnant with our current technology?
That's over to you but without those risks, would there be footprints on the moon?
