Last week we started our unit on DNA...one of my favorites. Starting the unit with a look at the structure of DNA and DNA replication, I thought it only right to start this week with a blog post about breakthroughs in DNA research.
1. First, a Human-Pig Hybrid with pig lungs that filter human blood...
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/human-pig-hybrid-embryo-chimera-organs-health-science/
2. New life forms made with synthetic DNA?
Scientists have modified the E. Coli bacteria to "create organisms with wholly unnatural attributes and traits not found elsewhere in nature." Will this lead to new life forms?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jan/23/organisms-created-with-synthetic-dna-pave-way-for-new-entirely-new-life-forms
3. A look into the human genome by looking at a shared defect.
Scientists think that the human genome is divided up into TADS--like mini neighborhoods of DNA with their own rules and regulations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/science/dna-tads.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FDNA%20(Deoxyribonucleic%20Acid)&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection
4. Finally, in honor of Valentiens day, saliva...its not just for kissing anymore.
If you are interested in DNA testing, you can do research into to either mail DNA testing kits or going to a laboratory for DNA testing. Should you choose this option, I would like you to copy and past the address of the site that you used to do your research at the end of your blog post. What did you learn? Why would someone want to do DNA testing? Is it expensive?
So for this week you have four options to choose from. In your scholarly paragraph, please state which option you picked. Then summarize the article. What did you learn? What is your opinion? How could this be a positive advancement for science? What could be the drawbacks? Since you are studying Frankenstein right now, can you make any connections to the book? Be sure to write this paragraph with proper techniques I might share them with your English teachers.
DNA Testing
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2013/04/25/health/national-dna-day-tests/
I read the article 5 cool things DNA testing can do. This article explained how from one simple DNA test you can find out many useful things, including things that could save your life. Besides finding your ethnicity and Family tree, a DNA test can determine many things about you and your health. DNA testing can help you figure out what disease you will prone to be getting (like cancer) and if your child will have deformities. I used to think DNA testing was cool because you could find out your family history, but today I learned it can have many more benefits than that. I did some research on 23andme, a company that offers DNA testing and the cost is 100-200 dollars. Yes it is expensive, but if you want to know if you have the gene or chance for a hereditary disease than it could save your life.
Kathleen, I agree that DNA testing is worth the cost to find out if you have the genetic markers for deadly diseases such as Alzheimers and certain cancers, This research could save thousands of lives and it should be more widely advertised to give more people the chance to see if they might have these diseases before it is to late.
DeleteI completely agree, this is a small price to pay if you are catching fatal diseases early on, especially because if you can treat things like cancer early, it will be less expensive because the removal process will be shortened.
DeleteI read “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms”. It talked about a study where scientist modified E coli microbes so that they will be able to program how the microbes work and behave. The goal is to create bugs that can make different proteins which can be used to treat different diseases. I think that the creations of new life forms is interesting but weird at the same time. I think it’s great that we’ll be able to treat diseases but what I’m wondering is how this will affect our daily life. Will there just be mutated bugs everywhere? Will it have an effect with other bugs? And what will the outcome be if this were to be one on a human?
ReplyDeleteI read this article too and I agree that it is both weird and interesting. It's weird to think that this is possible to "make DNA" for new life forms and it kind of scares me like what if something did go wrong even though scientists have said that it's not possible.
DeleteI like how you incorporated questions because it's interesting to think about how close we are to medical breakthroughs but your questions made me think of the outcome of it all.
DeleteThis is so interesting how they are using bugs to help cure diseases now, and totally agree that it's kinda weird how mutated bugs might just be walking around!
DeleteThe way that you incorporated those questions at the end made me think about them too. Would there be mutated bugs everywhere is the question that sticks out to me. Maybe that would be a good thing to look into.
DeleteI agree with you. I think that it is definitely great that we will be able to better treat disease, but how will genetically modified bugs affect the rest of nature?
DeleteI read “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms” which talks about how E coli microbes have been modified to carry an expanded genetic code. The scientists want to make bugs that churn out new proteins that can be used to create drugs to treat a lot of diseases and the same technology could create new material. The new microbe was created by selecting the E. coli bacterium, modifying it with new synthetic DNA bases (X and Y), and then the new proteins are created. I think this is cool because the scientists are becoming closer and closer to new ways to modify DNA. Someday they will probably figure out how to choose your child’s genes (I think you already can but maybe a more common way) or some sort of cloning technique. This could be a positive advancement for science because it will really change our world if new life forms start being created. But it could also be very negative because it may not work out as planned or the new species could turn out strange and act strange. This whole idea relates to the book Frankenstein because it is all about creating new life just like Victor Frankenstein's idea of finding the elixir of life. He reanimated a dead body and already knew how to bring it to life. Maybe someday the scientists will figure out a way to do that.
ReplyDeleteI read Human- Pig Hybrid Created In The Lab- Here Are The Facts. I learned that they have created the first successful human-animal hybrids. Also that there are two ways to make a chimera; one way is to introduce the organs of one animal into another (very risky), because the host’s immune system may cause the organ to be rejected. And the other is to begin at the embryonic level, introducing one animal’s cells into the embryo of another and letting them grow together into a hybrid. I believe this is a great new step in our societies advancement. There is so much more we could do with it and although it could get scary by maybe one day making clones and such but this can also help a lot of people. This could help people because in the article it said that every ten minutes, a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every day, 22 people on that list die without the organ they need. Although this could help us a drawback would be that in order to introduce human cells into the pigs without killing them, they had to get the timing just right. Which means that if the timing isn’t just right some of the tested victims didn't survive. Also I am not reading frankenstein in english class.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/human-pig-hybrid-embryo-chimera-organs-health-science/
That is so cool that doctors are able to do things like this to help save humans' lives!
DeleteThis is like Frankenstein because Dr. Frankenstein is putting human parts together and creating a life which could save other people's lives just like using pigs organs for humans
DeleteI agree with you that there are both risks and positives to transplanting animals' organs to humans in need.
DeleteI agree with your opinion about how it could be scary and also beneficial.
DeleteI read National Geographic’s “Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab-Here are the Facts”. The article mentions chimeras: organisms that contain cells from two different species. The chimera they mention the most is a human-pig mix. It stated that doctors are injecting human cells into pigs to see if they can create organs that humans can use. Although the research isn’t far enough to the point to where humans could be taking the chimera’s organs, it is definitely extraordinary. If/When the research gets to the point to where the chimera’s organs are usable by humans, it would drastically affect the millions of people waiting for organ transplants, as they could easily get organs from these chimeras, instead of waiting on a human donor. This would drastically decrease the fatalities of those who are in need of organs.
ReplyDeleteThe connection that I can make between Frankenstein and this article is that both creatures (referring to the chimera and the creature in Frankenstein) are made of many things. In the creature’s case he is made up of many different parts from different humans, while the chimeras are made up of different cells from two different species of animals.
The article I read was quite different but it sounds like the scientists in both have similar goals
DeleteI read the article about organisms created with synthetic DNA. Scientists have added what they call an X and a Y base in addition to the C, G, A, and T bases. They added these bases to the e-coli organism in hopes that it would create new life forms to be used for better drug creations. I learned that this type of technology is possible. I think this sounds like a good idea if it can lead to new drugs to help people, that would be the benefit. A big drawback would be if it were possible for this new organism to somehow become deadly as the movie Jurassic Park is mentioned. Although scientists said that this could never happen because the X and Y are created and put into the organism so there’s no way for it to just come up with them.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is also very interesting. I feel as though they need to be really careful because there could be many detriments that could be products of adding and modifying the bases.
DeleteI read the article “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms.” I believe that this could lead to new life forms, but I’m not sure if it is necessarily a good idea. The article is about how some scientists have been studying the genetic code of bugs and if they could change it, while being successful (keeping the bug alive). I learned that in order to change these genetic codes the scientists had to keep all if the same molecules in the DNA, they could change them around but if they took X away, then the bug would die. I think that this is a very very cool concept that I have read about before. We have been changing DNA for so long regarding things like cancer or other illnesses, but I personally believe that this could get out of hand extremely quickly. Take Victor Frankenstein for example, he wanted to cheat death by altering life itself. Which is very similar to what these scientists are trying to do. If they discover how to alter DNA then they can make it so that all animals (including humans) are all “perfect” beings. Which in turn would in turn challenge the ecosystem, leading to more problems.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms.” In the article it spoke about Floyd Romesberg and his team of scientists, and what their scientific work was in terms of creating a synthetic DNA. They took a strand of an E. coli bacterium’s DNA and genetically modified it with new synthetic DNA bases X and Y. In doing this, the modified bacterium has an expanded genetic code which could potentially be used to make proteins for medicines in the future. It wasn’t perfect at first but through trial and error they finally made it work. At the moment the only thing the synthetic bases do is survive in the microbes, but they have hopes in the future of creating microbes that will carry multiple artificial DNA bases and that will lead to the concept of semi-synthetic living systems that could be engineered to perform specific functions. I believe this could lead to the advancement of better medicine and cures for diseases. On the other hand, it could possibly turn into something bad and some incurable disease could accidentally be created. In comparing this article to what I’ve read of Frankenstein, this reminds me a lot of when Victor had found how to give life to lifeless matter. He had figured out the secret to giving inanimate creatures animation and in turn made a monster. Hopefully in the future, the same outcome that Victor got won’t be the same for today’s scientists and their new discoveries.
ReplyDeleteHonestly you'd think since they're scientists they'd be really smart about their decisions and that they'd have learned about history and how it stupidly repeats itself because people are so stubborn and bigheaded sometimes. Don't get me wrong I can see their reasoning, but let's be honest here, since when has playing with nature ever ended well?
DeleteThe article I chose to read is The Guardians "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms." The article further explains scientist's research into using DNA as a way to create new life forms. One of the scientist's many ambitious goals is making a bug that can churn out various different proteins to be harvested and used to "treat a range of diseases." They also intend to make a stable form of semi-synthetic life. I learned that, due to the research by these before mentioned scientists, there is a way to make new synthetic life using DNA. This most definitely would be an impressive feat but creating new life could be a dangerous thing to dabble in and should most definitely be take within care and a healthy amount of caution. On one hand, it could most certainly be an advancement in science if we could accomplish more than just make the synthetic bases do more than just survive in the microbes. However, it is a subject we need to be careful while experimenting but I believe that it is in good hands and we will have a good grasp on whatever the repercussions could be.
ReplyDeleteDr. Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's novel uses a scientific study called galvanism create life. He locks himself in to study primarily galvanism and finding a way to create new life, his focus isn't exactly DNA though. Although, what scientists are doing in this modern era isn't all that far off to what Victor had succeeded at in Mary's novel. Modern scientists are trying to genetically rewire and make synthetic life forms to aid mankind while Victor tried to find "the elixir of life." Both innovations would aid mankind in an unimaginable way, except Victor was repulsed by his creation and found he had made a terrible mistake, he even ran from his monster upon it's reanimation. I think that what the scientists in the article are doing today won't have nearly as bad, or unwanted, of an outcome.
For this week’s blog post I chose the article “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms”. The article stated that all life is made up of a DNA code of the same four letters (A, T, G and C), but scientists are adding two more letters (X and Y) to E Coli microbes. Their point in doing this is to make the bugs produce new proteins which can potentially cure diseases after being harvested and turned into drugs. These organisms cannot be found anywhere else in nature and can create new life forms and functions. I think that this is positive for the advancement of what can be done with DNA because scientists now know how to alter DNA’s bases to cure all sorts of diseases that would not have been cured before.
ReplyDeleteI find it really interesting how they are adding new letters, X and Y, and I think this could really be a game changer for future genetic engineering.
DeleteI agree with you. I think it's good that we're using our knowledge of DNA to cure diseases.
DeleteI read the article ‘Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms’. In the article it talks about adding two new molecules; x and y. Now instead of 4 DNA bases, these bugs or microbes have 6. These bugs are created to provide new proteins that can eventually be turned into treatments for multiple diseases. I think this is could be a good thing for treating diseases and curing things like cancer. There is a chance that these extra molecules, once these organisms can reproduce and keep x and y without help, could then get into other organisms and could mess up genetic material and what we know DNA as today. In Frankenstein, the scientist is trying to recreate new life out of parts of old life when it backfires on him which is what scientists are doing new and it could also backfire or it could succeed and we may become a healthier, stronger species.
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy how they are able to modify the bases.I agree that scientists should be careful and know the effects before they commit to something this big.
DeleteI read the article "A Family’s Shared Defect Sheds Light on the Human Genome". The article was about a family who had a rare genetic deformity where their thumb and index finder were attached to eachother called syndactyly. It affected 10 of the extended family members and some note that they often were looked down upon by the town and other family members for it. The deformity affects a DNA molecule called TADS which is topologically associating domains and the TAD boundaries dictate the rules of genetic engagement. Scientists are researching the TADS to try to find and explanation and cure for the deformity. My opinion is that it is positive for scientists to be researching TADS because they are fairly unknown so the more you learn about them the more able we are to prevent or know the root cause of the deformities. The more scientists research, the closer we are to coming to a medical breakthrough and that is good for society even though it is different. This reminds me of how in Frankenstein, Victor was fascinated with the unknown just like scientists are currently.
ReplyDeleteScientists are making some remarkable progress in genetics. I agree that they should continue researching TADS and be sure to educate people on the issue so that people are not considered "weird" for having this genetic mutation.
DeleteI read “Human- Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab-Here Are the Facts” by National Geographic. I learned that scientists have now found a way to create the first successful human-animal hybrids. Thus, making it possible to grow human cells In a non human organism. And there are two ways to make this happen. First, to introduce the organs of one animal into another, but this is a risky option. The second, is to introduce the animal’s cell into the embryo of another, which is less risky. This makes me see how much science has improved over the years and I think this is something that can save many lives if worked on and expanded even more. This could be a positive advancement for science because this process when finished will be able to produce human organs that can be used for people in organ failure, which 22 people a day die from. The drawback is that if not done right, this experiment can kill the specimens that are being tested on. The connection I can make to the book “Frankenstein” is that Victor has a scientific mind and wants to make a difference by creating life from taking body parts of dead humans, and using them to create a whole new life. And with this, the scientists are using other organisms to create life from them, and using them as a place to start. In both, the goal is to find the way to make a new life.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/human-pig-hybrid-embryo-chimera-organs-health-science/
I read the article “Human-PIg Hybrid” and learned about the new developments in genetic modification, mainly pertaining to how these breakthroughs could be used to save organ transplant patients around the world. The article talks of how scientists have genetically modified pigs lungs so they can filter and oxygenate human blood. Meaning that they could be placed in a human's body and they would not be rejected by it, instead they would prosper and save the life of the patient. The article talks not only of this incredible achievement but also of the work they are doing to insert human DNA into pig embryos thus creating human-pig hybrids called chimera. By continuing this line of research they hope to eventually be able to grow human organs inside of pig hosts. Much like they did by growing rat organs inside of mice bodies. They were able to transplant these healthy rat organs from the mouse into a sick rat fully healing it. These advancements are a huge step in the right direction towards saving the lives of millions of transplant patients. If we are able to grow our own organs indie of animal host then the waiting lists for organs would grow so much shorter. However this would most likely be very costly meaning few would actually get these organs. Also the animals would probably have to be specifically raised for one person using their DNA to create the perfect match and it would take time for each animal to grow. Never mind the cost of housing and properly caring for each one. All in all I believe this is an incredible idea with unheard of rewards but it will take a lot of work to turn this fantasy into a feasible reality for all.
ReplyDeleteMy connection to Frankenstein is between that of Frankenstein's monster and the chimera. Frankenstein's monster is constructed of many different human parts that would not normally sustain life, similarly, the chimera is constructed of two types of mammal cells that would not normally meet or prove compatible enough to sustain life. But, with the power of science these two creatures were shaped in just the right way that both live and even prosper destroying the walls of what we believed science was capable of.
I agree that both were created with good intentions but unfortunately it ended badly.
DeleteI totally agree that this is a great accomplishment for the scientific community that will have many amazing rewards. Interesting connection, I never really thought about how much of a scientific breakthrough creating the monster was
DeleteThe article I read is Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab-Here Are the Facts. Scientists have announced that they have created the first human-animal hybrids. Man cells can be introduced into non-human organisms. Every ten minutes a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants, and on that list, 22 people die every day without getting the organ they needed. The scientists are figuring out how to grow custom organs inside animals instead of relying on a donor. There are two methods to make a chimera. One is to introduce the organs of one animal into another (very risky) and the other is to introduce one animal’s cells into the embryo of another and letting them grow together. Scientists must use scaffolds to make sure the organs grow in the right shapes and the patients must go through painful procedures to kick off the process. The scientists found out that to introduce human cells into pigs without killing them, the timing had to be just right. The embryos ended up surviving and the next step is to figure out whether it’s possible to increase the number of human cells the embryos can tolerate. In my opinion, I think this will really help out the heavy load of people waiting for an organ while their lives are on the line. If we do get thi to work it will decrease the amount of deaths each day. But it might be risky to try. If you think it is worth it, then you can take the risk!
ReplyDeleteThe article “Organisms created with synthetic DNA paves way for entirely new life forms” sheds light on US scientists’ research to create modified microbes with the goal of eventually being able to engineer drugs to fight a variety of diseases. In the research, E-coli microbes have been successfully modified so that scientists can program how those microbes work and behave. This finding provides a foundation on which scientists hope to grow bugs that can produce resourceful proteins. With these proteins, scientists believe they will be able to create new drugs that can combat many different diseases. I’ve always been fascinated with the manufacturing process of physical products. This article expands that fascination showing how the same processes can be successful with unnatural science. I think the efforts and goals of the study’s scientists echoes those of Victor in Frankenstein. Both go where others haven’t, pushing scientific and nature’s boundaries to the extreme. Both possess epic curiosity, seeking knowledge and exploring how to create a perfect version of something completely unnatural. Oddly interesting how the driving forces of the study closely mirrors Frankenstein despite the 200 years between them.
ReplyDeleteI read this article too, and I found it interesting how the scientists are able to create important drugs to treat diseases, just from a bug. If they can do that, what else can scientists do?
DeleteI also read this article and I am wondering if scientist can create big changes just from a bug, what else can they do?
DeleteFor this week’s blog post, I chose to read A Family’s Shared Defect Sheds Light on the Human Genome by Natalie Angier. After reading, I’ve learned multiple new things about genetic defect, more specifically about syndactyly. Syndactyly is when the thumb and index fingers are fused together which can occur on one or both hands. In the particular case mentioned in the article, ten members of a clan were affected by this genetic defect. This family is taking part in a study conducted by Dr. Mundlos among other colleagues of his to discover the origin and development of limb malformations. Researchers cannot yet determine a way to prevent syndactyly or have found a surgery in which this can be corrected. This mutation affects the recently discovered topologically associating domains or referred to as TADs; which is a design feature of the DNA molecule. Hopefully, by continuing studying TADs, there’s hope to find the structure of the human genome. For the past 50 years, DNA has been looked at as similar to a computer code, but now researchers are realizing there’s more to the genome than just the protein codes. My opinions is that it's important to continue to progress in the studies of DNA to develop acts and measure that can be taken to prevent and cure these genetic defects; as in the article Dr. Mundlos stated a father would not hug his daughter, in fact he avoided her.
ReplyDeleteI’ve chosen option 4, DNA testing. Doing a DNA test is a great way to find out what your hereditary is and discover distant relatives and ancestors, it could also be used to see what diseases you may be prone to getting. I find DNA testing extremely fascinating, it’s amazing what scientists are able to do now in this day and age. I personally have ordered a DNA kit from 23&me. I am taking this test to figure out what I am basically. Am I irish or Native American, etc.? This is my purpose for using the DNA kit. From the instructions given to me, I am to not to eat or drink anything for thirty minutes. Then I am to spit into a tube(it’s actually a lot of spit needed), close the funnel on top of the tube, and screw on the cap. Finally you must seal it and send it back in the mail. I also found this article that talked what kind of genetics you may inherit from your ancestors. You receive 50% of DNA from each of your parents which in turn, inherited 50% of DNA from their parents. They provide a chart of random letters, as a family tree. Half of the letters go into the next generations and so forth. It’s a basic example to show how DNA is passed down. And it’s so interesting to see what’s passed down to you and what others in your family’s generation may inherit. Since we are all different two siblings DNA test could be a bit different. Overall, the fact of doing a test and seeing what you’re made up of is really exciting and I’m excited for my results.
ReplyDeleteHere’s the article: https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2014/03/05/understanding-patterns-of-inheirtance-where-did-my-dna-come-from-and-why-it-matters/
I read “Organisms Created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms.” In the article, it explains how scientists are adding synthetic DNA into e coli to create entirely new life forms. These life forms were genetically engineered by scientists to do anything, from creating new types of life, to synthesizing new types of proteins. To avoid risk, the scientists have a built in fail safe to ensure that these modified e coli can’t survive outside of the lab. The author also says that some people are hesitant to support these ideas. They say that terrible things could happen if the bacteria managed to survive on their own. They believe that by explaining what they are doing, they will get rid of the fear of the unknown. I learned about the new doors this study could open. Bacteria that can generate energy/make new type of materials? The possibilities are endless. In my opinion, as long as the correct precautions are taken, it's okay to do this. Given the rewards of these experiments, I think that it's worth it to pursue these new ideas. I also think that it's really cool and interesting. I never new that you could program bacteria to do things like this. Just think of the possibilities. Of course there will be some drawbacks such as the risk of these experiment backfiring. Personally, I think these risks sound minimal, given the fact that safety precautions were taken. Currently I am not reading the book Frankenstein, but I still know a bit about the story. I think that it is similar to this subject, just because in both instances new life forms are being created. Also, in both instances scientist are aspiring to do the impossible.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that we can now make new species using DNA, I really like what you typed.
DeleteI read the article Organisms Created with Synthetic DNA Pave Way for Entirely New Life Forms. It explained that scientists have modified E coli microbes to carry genetic material, that will allow them to control how the microbes work and behave. They did this by adding 2 more letters (X and Y) to the original 4 letter code (A, T, G, and C). Their goal is to create bugs that can make different kinds of proteins, which can be used to make drugs to treat different diseases. I think this could lead to advancement in medicine and finding cure for diseases, but we must be careful with how far we take this. Scientists have a tendency to take their research too far, just like Victor Frankenstein did. Although he is fictional, Frankenstein possesses many traits we still see in scientists today. Pushing the boundaries of science and nature to the extreme, and constantly seeking knowledge about how to create a “perfect” being. It’s interesting how this need to learn and create never fades away, even after 200 years.
ReplyDeleteI agree on how you said sometimes scientist have a tendency to take somethings too far, I also liked your connection to Frankenstein.
DeleteI chose to read the article, Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the lab- here are the facts. The article talked about chimeras, which are animal hybrids, and how they could affect the human race and is it would affect us positively or negatively. For the most part scientists think that they will have a positive effect on the human race because they can implant the human genomes into animals so they could have human organs so that humans that need a transplant can get the organ faster. They also already created a pig-human hybrid that lived for 4 weeks. I learned just how much more we are learning and working on. I think that it is not a bad thing. I would think that it would benefit for a lot of people. The drawbacks could be a lot of backlash from people who do not agree with the idea of genetically modifying an animal just for the use of a human even though there are plenty of animals in the world and they are constantly reproducing.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms." In this article it talked about how researchers are focusing on the bugs that make new kinds of proteins and eventually that protein can turn into drugs that can treat many diseases. I learned that the steps to create the new microbe are first, bacteria's DNA is selected, then the DNA gets modified, and lastly, the synthetic DNA base creates brand new proteins. I think that having this advantage in science will help people all around the world with diseases. This could be a positive advancement for science because finding something new in science especially in DNA furthers peoples understanding on the human body which is always a good thing. However the drawbacks could include some sort of side effect like it might get rid of disease but it also might cause one as well. A connection to the book Frankenstein is Victor (the main character) is creating something unknown to the world and that is what scientist are doing today with the exploration on DNA.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab- Here are the Facts from National Geographic I learned that every 10 minutes someone is put on the national list for an organ transplant and on average everyday 22 people die because they didn’t get the organ they needed. Scientists are now one step closer to fixing this problem through the creation of chimeras (an organism with cells from two different species). A team at the Salk Institute lead by Jun Wu have been researching how to grow human organs inside animals to save people that are in need of organs. Currently they are working on growing human organs within pigs however, at this point what they have already created couldn’t be put in a human because it wouldn’t take, but all progress is good progress. People are sceptical of the idea because having organs that are half human- half animal is hard for people to wrap their heads around and some believe they shouldn’t mess with the nature of things. I think improvements like this are important, scientific advancements that can save millions of people's lives is something that people should certainly spend their time figuring out.
ReplyDeleteI chose the first option, and I personally cannot believe the things science is trying to achieve at this point in history.To begin creating organs and even creatures out of cells is incredible, and clearly has its benefits to the well-being of society. However, there should be limits to the things we do with this newfound technology. Creating organs to supply humans with necessary needs is a more than appropriate use of DNA technology to help humans live longer. However, Humans should beware the prospect of creating new life and should be conscious of what experiments are being performed and when. Creating life itself should not be a responsibility residing with any mortal on earth, for only God should dictate when beings are given life. When Frankenstein attempted to create life, not only was his own depleted, but things went horribly wrong, and his creature quickly became a monster. I believe supporting life and prolonging death is justified and beneficial, but creating life and cheating death is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that some of the newfound technology should have limits. Some of the things scientists can do are absolutely amazing.
Delete#3
ReplyDeleteI read the article,¨A Family’s Shared Defect Sheds Light on the Human Genome¨ and I just to start off by saying that I didn even know that this defect had anything to do with with DNA. Essentially, these mutations ¨affect a newly discovered design feature of the DNA molecule called topologically associating domains, or TADs.¨ This genome is divvied up into a series of manageable neighborhoods with strict nucleic partitions between them. Many of the diseases that occur, included fused fingers, are due to many protein and gene mishaps. This is very relevant to what we are learning now because we are talking about protein synthesis and how DNA works in our body. Again, I had no idea that diseases and mutations such as this have to do with DNA. It also makes me wonder what else is possible to happen to people who have this type of DNA problems.
I read the article “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms” by the Guardian. It is an article that describes how scientists have been able to modify the genetic code of E coli to have two completely synthetic bases to go with the 4 natural ones. This breakthrough science is planned to be used to create proteins which could then be made into medicine. My opinion is that this is a great step forward for science and could possibly save lives if the medicine can be created. While there are risks associated with this the scientists have taken steps to cause the bacteria to be reliant on the laboratory to live, so if it somehow got out, it would die. The doctors assured the public that this is not going to end up like Jurassic Park as they feared. In relation to Frankenstein this is a real life example of the artificial, unnatural life created by Victor Frankenstein, but I don’t think this bacteria will run around killing people like Frankenstein’s monster, and the scientists seem unlikely to abandon their creation.
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ReplyDeleteI read the article about the Pig-Human lung hybrid. What I have learned in this article is that we as humans, we can now use other species DNA to benefit ourselves with our needs. Now, when someone has a bad organ and needs a new one, they do not have to wait as long to get a donor because we can use other species organs! That is so cool to me. It will be very beneficial for us in the future.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think that this will be beneficial because you don't have to wait as long to get a new organ.
DeleteI chose to read option 2. The article talks about how scientists modified E Coli Microbes. They modified the organisms so they could try and control how they behave. Although they’re modified to not be able to produce outside the lab, the scientist in charge still gets asked if he’s seen Jurassic Park. In the movie the the scientists that cloned the dinosaurs ultimately lose control of them and cannot contain them. Something similar happens in Frankenstein when Victor brings the creature to life and then cannot control it. It worries me that something similar could happen to people today if we are not careful. While I think that in some instances genetic modification could be helpful, it is definitely something we must make sure we can control.
ReplyDeleteFor this week's blog post, I chose option 1. Scientists have figure out how to genetically modify animal organs to be compatible with humans. So far their tests have been successful but the risk is so high that this will not work that it will require further testing. What I learned is that the reason animal organs were not compatible with humans is because they can't pumped the same type of blood. My opinion is that although this is an amazing scientific breakthrough that can save many lives,it can also harm many. We can not rush into this such as Frankenstein, we need to think, is the risk truly worth it? This could be a positive advancement in science on many different levels. If this is successful, then it opens up a whole new field of genetic testing, it also furthers the medical field just as equally. Some drawbacks could be the cost of some lives and plenty of years down the drain.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you is the risk really worth it for something so small
DeleteI read the article "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms" It explained how scientists are modifying E coli microbes to carry genetic material and these will help control how the microbes behave and work. They started with their original Nitrogen Bases A, T, G, and C and added x and Y to the mix. Adding X and Y was an experiment to see if certain bugs can produce different proteins which will be used to create cures for diseases. This could lead to a major step in science and I believe that it's great that there are people who really want to better and explore the unexplored. Of course, like any experiment we must consider all the variables and their outcomes. We shouldn't take these experiments and explorations so lazily there can be no mistakes for error and unfortunately some scientists don't bother to think about the effects of all these risky experiments. Everyone deserves a shot at the truth without there being consequences to follow.
ReplyDeleteI watched and read the article about the pig organs and how they can lead to a huge breakthrough in science. There are two ways to complete this procedure, adding a complete organ from a pig to a human, or using embryos from that organ and minipulating it in order for it to grow inside of humans. This is very risky, but once they have the timing just right, it may be huge for people on the extensive organ donor list considering 22 people die a day from not receiving a organ.
ReplyDeleteThe article I chose was about a Pig Hybrid that had been created in a lab. We have successfully made a human-animal hybrid, and there are two ways that scientists are able to create a chimera. The first way is to insert one organism’s organs into another, but this is risky as the body may reject the organs completely. A second way to begin with an embryo, and insert another organism's cells into it so that they may grow together. With all the advancements we have been making, I feel that there is great potential for this branch of science, and I hope that we will someday be able to active use these strategies in everyday lives more often. There is a big amount of potential, and with these tools at our hands the possibilities are seemingly endless. With that said, there is an air caution. This science can be unpredictable, and we must be prepared for any worst case scenario that may come with genetic engineering. All in all, these advancements will be extremely beneficial since many people are in need of organ donations, but many will be left waiting and may never receive the organ they are in need of.
ReplyDeleteFrankenstein’s creation, like these genetically engineered animals, was crafted from multiple sources and has many physical traits from various people. The chimera was made out of different cells, while the creature had different physical body parts.
I read the article : "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms". It explains how they have genetically modified certain microbes by adding more letters to the original letter code. I liked how the movie "Jurassic Park" was mentioned, because it was also a movie about genetic modification. It was used to compare how scientists genetically modify organisms. This reminds me of how Victor Frankenstein created a monster using different parts from other human beings, while the new modified E. Coli also has different letters added to it.
ReplyDeleteI read and watched the Article And Video by National Geographic. The article demonstrated how now scientists can modify and produce body parts that work for different organisms, by modifying the DNA. They said that people in need of organ doaners can now rely on maybe some organs being grown in pigs. This is very important! It can help save lives and it shows how far science has come. It is kind of like Frankenstein because they are able to take body parts and put them to life on different organisms.
ReplyDeleteI read the second option. The article talks about how scientists have changed E Coli Microbes. They change the organisms so they could try and control how they behave. Although they’re modified to not be able to produce outside the lab, the scientist in charge still gets asked if he’s seen Jurassic Park. In the movie the the scientists that cloned the dinosaurs ultimately lose control of them and cannot contain them which as we know doesn't go so well. Also Frankenstein when Victor brings the creature to life and then cannot control it and he ends up wandering all over the town and even killing some people. It worries me that something similar could happen to people today if we are not careful with all our new technology. Genetic Modification could be helpful but could cause more harm.
ReplyDeleteOrganisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms
ReplyDeleteThis is the article that I read I learned that scientist are making new organisms by adding different genes to them they are X and Y. So that they can get new proteins or desired materials from the new organisms. After reading this article I believe that creating new species is wrong because you are going against mother nature and creating a new species and as proven in the book Frankenstein this can have dire consequences. Another example of what can happen is the movie Jurassic Park. Overall I think that making new species is going against mother nature and creation it is unnatural.
I choose to read the article organisms created with synthetic DNA pave the way for entirely new life forms. This article was about scientists adding 2 new nitrogen bases called x and y to DNA and how they could engineer something into what they want so they can almost control how things operate and behave. My opinion about this is it is very interesting that we are at the point in science almost where we can control living things entirely by changing their DNA.This could lead to many involvements in science changing how many animals and any other living things are engineered and how they act. Although we have tested this on animals and such trying it on humans is another story. Genetically changing how they are engineered and how they act could end badly and be a scary result, we do not know if it is safe. Currently my English class is not reading Frankenstein but this connects to him because Dr. Frankenstein genetically engineered a new monster.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about the shared human genome between multiple members of one family. They are said to have the condition syndactyly. This causes two of your fingers to be fused together in one or both hands. It was said in the article by the family that they felt excluded or outcastes by other friends and even their own family members that don't have the problem. Scientists though have now been able to trace that the problem leads back to genetic defects. This has lead to a new feature of DNA molecule called topologically associating domains. What I found to be a big takeaway from this is that now with TAMs scientists can look at information that can help them pick out different diseases or mutations. Researchers also are able to see what some of the glitches are in genes that cause some of these diseases.
ReplyDeleteEvery ten minutes someone goes on the list of people waiting for organs. And every day 22 people die without the organs they needed. To solve this problem scientist are experimenting with pig and human tissues in an effort to combine the two and make hybrid organs that could be used to help people on the waiting list. Scientist call these hybrids chimeras, an organism containing cells from two different species. Think of angels, those are mythical chimeras with human and bird like traits. This is a major breakthrough but their are still problems that need to be solved, like humans containing too much pig tissue or humans immune system rejecting the foreign tissue or organs. It may take years to solve but the scientist are on the right path with a good start. I personally think it's a good idea if it's used in organs and everything is accounted for for the patient's survival, but why pigs? Couldn't we have done monkeys who have much more shared traits than pigs share with us. We are able to save lives if this goes right but you never quite know how different people will react with these hybrid organs and who will reject them all together. This kind of connects to frankenstein where humans are trying to play god and putting things together that might not go together or work together. No matter what scientist do there will be consequences, good or bad. Just like in frankenstein, he tried to play god with creating life, and it had consequences.
ReplyDeleteI read the article on the new York times about syndactly, or webbing on someone's fingers or toes. As a scientist, I'm fascinated at the fact that this can happen to the human body.
ReplyDeleteAs a person, I find it pretty weird that such a thing could happen. I find it petty interesting, because it exemplifies evolution.
I read the article about how a family's shared defect sheds light on the human genome. The family have a common genetic defect that causes their thumb and index finger on either one or both hands to be fused together. This is called syndactyly. Scientists have traced back through their ancestry to find out what the leading cause of this defect was. They are workings towards figuring out the origin and development of limb deformations. While reading this article I felt very sad and appalled when I read that somebody's own father would not hug or embrace them because of their physical deformity. I hope that in the future, scientists can figure out cures or surgeries that would help fix these sorts of problems and that people will learn to be more accepting of one another.
ReplyDeleteI did the fourth option and chose to do some research into DNA Genetic Testing. I went to 23andme.com, because I actually saw an advertisement for them when I was watching TV last night. According to the website, there are two main options for DNA testing. The first one is $99 ancestry service, and then a $199 Health and Ancestry service that allows for a even more comprehensive and detailed reports. Some of the benefits of DNA testing the website listed were carrier status for and women wanting to have babies, being able to identify how your DNA relates to your health, and how your DNA affects the traits that make you you. Overall, it seems like DNA testing is pretty detailed and interesting, but I'm not sure if it is worth the $99-199 it could cost.
ReplyDeleteI read "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms". I learned about how scientists are changing DNA bases and creating new synthetic DNA to make new genetic codes. This will be used develop microbes that can create new cures for diseases. These organisms have specific amount of y and x molecules that help build their unique genetic code. Some have asked the team of scientists multiple questions on what would happdn if the microbes were to escape and breed. They said that because the x and y molecules are so specific there couldn't be offspring. I feel that the creation of these super microbes is kind of scary and dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI believe they can be beneficial if used responsibly.
DeleteI read the article about ¨Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms.¨ In this article, they talk about how scientists within the U.S. have genetically modified E. Coli to carry bases X and Y, not just the basic four. With continuous trial and error, they were successful in passing on the X and Y among the E. Coli. This is a great scientific breakthrough, this could begin the era of making entirely new life forms. But, humans having the ability to make a new life form just doesn't seem natural. If we are able to create new life forms, we could make them have beyond human capabilities allowing more opportunity. But, if the ability to make something more perfect becomes reality, who knows how human nature will cause people to use that kind of “power”.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about the human-pig chimera and the new scientific fact that we may now be able to use cells from humans and other animals to create custom organs for people waiting for an organ transplant. My personal thoughts as a scientist is that this is an important development for the future of organ transplants, like ground-breakingly important, besides the group which made the human-pig chimera, another group announced that they had “Genetically engineered a rat to grow a mouse’s pancreas, and then successfully used those cells from that pancreas to suppress diabetes in mice.” Both of these breakthroughs mean that it is at least possible to make tissues of another animal’s cells work inside of a different animal. What does this mean for organ transplants? Well currently organs have to come from human donors (of which the pool is relatively small) and if they are vital organs like a heart, or lungs, they can be extremely hard to acquire as the donor has to be dead in order to transplant them. It also doesn’t help that finding a match is terribly difficult and even if you can find one the waiting list for organs is incredibly long.
ReplyDeleteAnd that is the reason why scientists are trying to grow human organs in other animals, so that it could be a perfect match to the organ that the patient needs.
I chose to read the article A Family’s Shared Defect Sheds Light on the Human Genome. This article is about a defect that runs in a family called syndactyly. This is a rare deformity where the thumb and the index finger are fused together. Because of this, the family said they felt like outcasts to their friends and even family members who weren’t affected.
ReplyDeleteI read the article on syndactly. This is when your skin webs together where it otherwise should not. As a scientist, I find it very interesting how a mistake can happen that leads to two fingers being conjoined and it leads me to wonder how that happens.
ReplyDeleteI read the article Organisms created with synthetic DNA. I learned that science is at the brink of a revolution that can lead the way to programmed cells and viruses. I believe that creating artificial organisms is wrong but this new field could save many lives.
ReplyDeleteI choose to do research on DNA testing. I used the site www.ancestry.com . I learned from this that by just sending in a small sample of of your saliva they can find several people with matches to your DNA. In this test you can find out who your 4th cousin in based on your results. I think that is awesome to find out about relatives you never had. This test can also tell you about what you are and where your relatives are from. This kit cost about 100$ which is pretty expensive but i think it is well worth it to find that information about you and your relatives.
ReplyDeleteFor this blog post, I chose to read about the human genome. The New York Times article, about how a family who wanted to know why some of their members suffered from syndactyly, a mutation in which two fingers, mainly the thumb and index finger, are joined together on one or both hands, they were able to discover TADs or topologically associating domains and that changes in them result in different possible mutations. The article also talked about how DNA is stored in a cell, and how they affect the outcome of how the cell behaves and if it has a mutation. I learned that mutations are tiny little changes in how the nucleotides lined up in DNA. I found it very interesting that how the information stored stored in a cell and the tiny little changes that are possible affect the appearance and action of cells. Advancements in the knowledge of genomes would be very influential for finding out why things are the way they are in the human body and how we can possibly “undo” the genetic mutations that are found in cells. Drawbacks could include the fact that people may use this knowledge negatively and instead of reversing mutations, cause more. I personally did not find any connections to Frankenstein due to the fact that there was no information about DNA when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein so the information relating to the genome was basically unrelatable.
ReplyDeleteI read the first article and learned about scientists creating new life with DNA. They used microbes that can hold DNA bases. I believe this is a double-edged sword. A positive thing that comes from this is the technological advancements. But this could be bad in the hands of enemies. We should make sure this is used appropriately and not abused. I don't believe this connects with Frankenstein much outside of the science.
ReplyDeletei agree, this could be a major advance in science but in the wrong hands it could cause a lot of havoc
DeleteI read the article "Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab—Here Are the Facts". It explains how we can genetically modify pig lungs with human genes to oxygenate human blood. As a scientist i think this is ground breaking because now we can help many people in need of transplants get the parts that they need, but personally i think this is kind of cool and creepy at the same time. Also it could be bad if this information got in the wrong hands because people could use this for bad. I did not find any connections to Frankenstein because Frankenstein was made fully back to life and this is just one body part.
DeleteI read the article "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms" by theguardian. It talks about how scientists have found out how to create synthetic DNA strands. Their first example of their new organisms was shown back in 2014, however these were sickly and soon died out, similar to the discovery of electricity, but not being to harness the new found abilities. These synthetic bases cannot survive in anything bigger than the microbes. Their next endeavour is to have the microbes read extra genetic material.
ReplyDeleteLike our discussion in English class a few days ago, it is more a question of ethics, whether it should be done more than if it can be done. Creating life could be a dangerous thing, expemplified by Mary Shelly's book, Frankenstein.
I read the article "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms". This article talks about the fact that scientist have found a way to create artificial DNA strands. The first new organisms made with this synthetic DNA were sickly and died soon. These DNA strands can not survive when they are lager than a microbe. personally I believe that this is a breakthrough because we could someday make organisms that are going to die out and replenishment populations.I cannot relate this to Frankenstein since I am not in honors English.
ReplyDeleteI read the article, "Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms". In the article it explains the advancement in creating organisms that have not existed, the difference would be two new synthetic bases x and y. These new bases would help control and prevent anything from being unsafe. Until now I had not contemplated the possibility new life being created with synthetic bases. In Frankenstein we learned that hubris in humans causes them to tamper with the ways of the world, this always causes disastrous things to happen. The scientists expect x and y to prevent these events but since they are synthetic and new they could be multifarious causing a plethora of mistakes to occur. Risking the rest of the world to this is something I do not agree with, even if for the good. Although it seems harsh to dismiss the idea together, it is important to ask what the line between betterment for the world and hurting the world. Without a distinct line between good and bad, and isolation of the information of synthetic bases, anyone could use science for selfish reasons.
ReplyDeleteI read the article Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab—Here Are the Facts. The article talks about how animals can create human organs that many could use instead of having to wait for a donor. Though I believe that this sounds good I think that science is going to far and is making Frankenstein seem more and more like it's genre should be changed from science fiction to realistic fiction. I believe that it is wrong to create life just so it's organs can be given to another. I think we are trying to play God or are speeding up evolution evolution unnaturally fast and eventually run into a problem similar to the Theseus's Paradox as at what point will a human become an animal is it when they first revive an organ, when they are less than 50% human or when they have no original human organs in them? I do think that scientist need to slow down or at least keep their finding private or soon we will run into a time when we are creating perfect babies and living long past what any human should.
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms." It is an article that describes how scientists have been able to change the genetic code of E coli. This breakthrough science is planned to be used to create proteins which could then be made into medicine. My opinion is that this is a pretty good step forward for science and could possibly save lives if the medicine can be created. There are risks associated with this the scientists have taken steps to cause the bacteria to be reliant on the laboratory to live, so if it somehow got out, it would die. In relation to Frankenstein this is a real life example of the man made life created by Victor Frankenstein, but I don’t think this bacteria will run around killing people like Frankenstein’s monster, and the scientists seem like they know what they're doing so it's unlikely something that drastic could go wrong.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "Human-Pig Hybrid Created in the Lab-Here Are the Facts." I though it was extremely fascinating that they could put human cells in an animal and they were able to survive. I feel like the possibilities are endless with this discovery. It mention how they could build custom organs in an animal like a pig, and use them for people that need organ transplants instead of having to wait for a real donor which doesn't happen very often. The article talks a lot about chimeras which are organisms that contain cells from two different species. I think its pretty cool how this was like a mythical legend created by god a long time ago, and now we are creating these organisms our selves. In my opinion this is a huge scientific discovery and i'm excited to see where it will lead in the future.
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