Medical Science. Warm up Questions If your heart gave out, could they replace it with another? If your heart gave out, could they replace it with another?

Medical ScienceMedical Science

Warm up QuestionsWarm up Questions

If your heart gave out, could they If your heart gave out, could they replace it with another?replace it with another?

If there was no other heart on hand, If there was no other heart on hand, could they grow you a new one?could they grow you a new one?

Could there be an exact copy, a clone Could there be an exact copy, a clone of you, out in the world?of you, out in the world?

Can you genetically engineer plants Can you genetically engineer plants and animals and combine their genes and animals and combine their genes to form new “super organisms” like to form new “super organisms” like they do in sci-fi movies?they do in sci-fi movies?

Medical Science Medical Science AdvancementsAdvancements

We will be looking at a variety of We will be looking at a variety of med-science advancements today med-science advancements today

They may seem crazyThey may seem crazy They may seem impossibleThey may seem impossible They may even scare you. (They They may even scare you. (They

should)should)

Organ DonationOrgan Donation

Taking out a defective organ and Taking out a defective organ and replacing it with another person’s.replacing it with another person’s.

The organ must be a “match” for the The organ must be a “match” for the patient. patient. (usually based on blood (usually based on blood type, body proteins or genetics) type, body proteins or genetics) or it or it will be rejected by the body.will be rejected by the body.

Organ DonationOrgan Donation

Some organs can be donated while Some organs can be donated while still alive. Kidney, liver, skin, small still alive. Kidney, liver, skin, small intestine, pancreas.intestine, pancreas.

All other organs must be collected All other organs must be collected after the donor’s death.after the donor’s death.

Can you transplant a brain into Can you transplant a brain into another body?another body?

Health ImplicationsHealth Implications

Living longerLiving longer Saving livesSaving lives Advancing medical scienceAdvancing medical science

Some organs and tissues can even Some organs and tissues can even be grown in a lab, taking the donor be grown in a lab, taking the donor out of the equation. How far can we out of the equation. How far can we take that?take that?

Social/Economic Social/Economic ImplicationsImplications

Selling organs for big $$$Selling organs for big $$$ Stealing organs Stealing organs (you hear about that (you hear about that

in Mexico)in Mexico) Black market organ trade.Black market organ trade.

If multiple patients need one,If multiple patients need one,

who gets the organ????who gets the organ????

Gene TherapyGene Therapy

Replacing faulty or absent genes to Replacing faulty or absent genes to “cure” genetic disorders.“cure” genetic disorders.

Viruses are designed to target DNA Viruses are designed to target DNA and insert new genes into adult body and insert new genes into adult body cellscells

This is extremelyThis is extremely

difficult to developdifficult to develop

H ImplicationsH Implications

Treating incurable diseases.Treating incurable diseases. Stopping genetic conditions before Stopping genetic conditions before

they developthey develop

What side effects could there be?What side effects could there be?

S/E ImplicationsS/E Implications

Can you “improve” genes that aren’t Can you “improve” genes that aren’t defective?defective?

At what point are you no longer At what point are you no longer yourself?yourself?

If your genetic code is being If your genetic code is being

fundamentally changed, fundamentally changed,

are they still your genes? are they still your genes?

CloningCloning

Creating an exact duplicate of an Creating an exact duplicate of an organismorganism

How to:How to: Remove the nucleus from an egg and Remove the nucleus from an egg and

replace it with the nucleus of an adult replace it with the nucleus of an adult cell.cell.

Implant that cell into the uterus.Implant that cell into the uterus. Clone should grow like a normal babyClone should grow like a normal baby

CloningCloning

Many animals have been cloned.Many animals have been cloned. Human cloning is illegal Human cloning is illegal (that (that

doesn’t mean it isn’t happening doesn’t mean it isn’t happening somewhere)somewhere)

Any animal that undergoesAny animal that undergoes asexual asexual reproduction produces a clone reproduction produces a clone (plants do this a lot)(plants do this a lot)

CloningCloning

Grafting – implanting part of a plant Grafting – implanting part of a plant to a “host” of another species so the to a “host” of another species so the new part grows on it.new part grows on it.

This is how Macintosh apples are all This is how Macintosh apples are all grown.grown.

HIHI

Making clone for medical reasons Making clone for medical reasons /experimentation./experimentation.

Clones would be a great source for Clones would be a great source for organs.organs.

SEISEI

Having a clone for spare parts.Having a clone for spare parts. Cloning political figures Cloning political figures and replacing and replacing

themthem Mass producing humans Mass producing humans with desirable with desirable

traits – making an army?traits – making an army?

How can you know that you are in fact How can you know that you are in fact unique…unique…

TransgenicsTransgenics

Genetically engineering a Genetically engineering a zygotezygote to to have more desirable traits.have more desirable traits.

Genes from other organisms are Genes from other organisms are implanted into the zygote to change implanted into the zygote to change its’ DNA.its’ DNA.

This is often called This is often called SplicingSplicing

TransgenicsTransgenics

Have you encountered Transgenics?Have you encountered Transgenics?

If you have eaten any corn or soy in If you have eaten any corn or soy in the past decade, you probably have.the past decade, you probably have.

TransgenicsTransgenics

What kind of transgenics are out What kind of transgenics are out there?there?

Fire breathing lions?Fire breathing lions? Flying humans?Flying humans?

No, it’s much more mundane…No, it’s much more mundane…

TransgenicsTransgenics

11stst – Flavr Savr Tomato – Flavr Savr Tomato 22ndnd – Monsanto Round-UP ready – Monsanto Round-UP ready

canola/corncanola/corn 33rdrd – Pest resistant crops – Pest resistant crops 44thth - Golden rice - Golden rice 55thth – food plants that produce vaccines – food plants that produce vaccines 66thth – livestock with more growth – livestock with more growth

hormonehormone 77thth - Glofish - Glofish

HIHI

No one knows the risks of eating No one knows the risks of eating transgenic foods.transgenic foods.

Altering the genes can change the Altering the genes can change the plants in unseen and unpredictable plants in unseen and unpredictable ways.ways.

What happens when we get to the What happens when we get to the stage of engineering humans???stage of engineering humans???

SEISEI

Vegetarians – implanting animal genes Vegetarians – implanting animal genes into plantsinto plants

Companies owning genes – Companies owning genes – yes, they yes, they GMO’s they have created are now GMO’s they have created are now OWNED. If you are caught growing their OWNED. If you are caught growing their crops without legal documentation, you crops without legal documentation, you will be sued for ALL YOU ARE WORTH.will be sued for ALL YOU ARE WORTH.

Owning parts of the human genome. Owning parts of the human genome. (That doesn’t even make sense, but it’s (That doesn’t even make sense, but it’s happening!)happening!)

SEISEI

Controlling the market with a Controlling the market with a superior “product”superior “product”

90% of all corn in the US is 90% of all corn in the US is Monsanto designed corn. They Monsanto designed corn. They control the corn market completely. control the corn market completely. No one else can compete.No one else can compete.

SEISEI

Human competitiveness – everyone will Human competitiveness – everyone will want their kids to be the want their kids to be the fastest/strongest/smartest.fastest/strongest/smartest.

People who can pay for their children to People who can pay for their children to be engineered will become “superior”be engineered will become “superior”

How far can we take human How far can we take human engineering?engineering?

SEISEI

What about engineering other animals?What about engineering other animals?

KFC Boneless chickens?KFC Boneless chickens? Bags of orange juice growing on plants?Bags of orange juice growing on plants? Plants growing organs or meat?Plants growing organs or meat? Maple trees that run pharmaceuticals Maple trees that run pharmaceuticals

instead of syrup in their stems.instead of syrup in their stems. Margaret Atwood’s Chik-ee-nobsMargaret Atwood’s Chik-ee-nobs

SEISEI

Is there any limit to where this Is there any limit to where this technology will take us?technology will take us?

Worst of all.Worst of all.

What if we implant human genes What if we implant human genes into our food products?into our food products?

Yes… it’s happenedYes… it’s happened

As You Can SeeAs You Can See

Transgenics are reallyTransgenics are really

reallyreally

reallyreally

CRAZYCRAZY