An Introduction To Genetic Engineering Life Sciences And The Law

The moral, social, economic and legal issues raised by work in the life sciences are immense. These include the legal issues that concern the use and abuse of genetic information. This book is an introductory survey of the relations between the life sciences and the law.

An accessible introduction to genetic engineering, including recent developments in bioethics, sequencing technology and genome editing.

The author presents a basic introduction to the world of genetic engineering. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

In 2001 the Human Genome Project announced that it had successfully mapped the entire genetic content of human DNA. Scientists, politicians, theologians, and pundits speculated about what would follow, conjuring everything from nightmare scenarios of state-controlled eugenics to the hope of engineering disease-resistant newborns. As with debates surrounding stem-cell research, the seemingly endless possibilities of genetic engineering will continue to influence public opinion and policy into the foreseeable future. Beyond Biotechnology: The Barren Promise of Genetic Engineering distinguishes between the hype and reality of this technology and explains the nuanced and delicate relationship between science and nature. Authors Craig Holdrege and Steve Talbott evaluate the current state of genetic science and examine its potential applications, particularly in agriculture and medicine, as well as the possible dangers. The authors show how the popular view of genetics does not include an understanding of the ways in which genes actually work together in organisms. Simplistic and reductionist views of genes lead to unrealistic expectations and, ultimately, disappointment in the results that genetic engineering actually delivers. The authors explore new developments in genetics, from the discovery of "non-Darwinian" adaptative mutations in bacteria to evidence that suggests that organisms are far more than mere collections of genetically driven mechanisms. While examining these issues, the authors also answer vital questions that get to the essence of genetic interaction with human biology: Does DNA "manage" an organism any more than the organism manages its DNA? Should genetically engineered products be labeled as such? Do the methods of the genetic engineer resemble the centuries-old practices of animal husbandry? Written for lay readers, Beyond Biotechnology is an accessible introduction to the complicated issues of genetic engineering and its potential applications. In the unexplored space between nature and laboratory, a new science is waiting to emerge. Technology-based social and environmental solutions will remain tenuous and at risk of reversal as long as our culture is alienated from the plants and animals on which all life depends.

"Proceedings of the Third National Symposium on Genetics and the Law, held Aprril 2-4, 1984, in Boston, Massachusetts. Co-sponsored by the American Society of Law and Medicine and the Boston University Schools of Medicine, Law, and Public Health"--Title page verso.

Little more than a decade ago, in the early 1980s, the term 'genetic engineering' was hardly known outside research laboratories. By now, though, its use is widespread. Those in favour of genetic engineering - and those against it - tell us that it has the potential to change our lives perhaps more than any other scientific or technological advance. But what are the likely consequences of genetic engineering? Is it ethically acceptable? Should we be trying to improve on nature? The authors, a biologist and a moral philosopher, examine the implications of genetic engineering in every aspect of our lives. The underlying science is explained in a way easily understood by a non-biologist, and the moral and ethical considerations that arise are fully discussed. Throughout, the authors clarify the issues involved so that readers can make up their own minds about these controversial issues.

Concise, clear, affordable textbook for undergraduate biotechnology, genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry courses.