Website Search
ID 15649
The controversy (pros/cons)
Description:
The controversy: With recombinant DNA, scientists had the means to manipulate living things. But could there be a danger in "playing God?" While some were thrilled by the potential of these new techniques to combat genetic diseases such as cancer, others saw cause for alarm over the possibility of unleashing bacterial monsters.
Keywords:
recombinant dna,genetic diseases,playing god,pros cons,controversy,monsters,scientists,cancer
This work by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.Related content:
- 15203. Public concern over genetic manipulation, Alexander Capron
- Alexander Capron, a lawyer and specialist in bioethics, talks about how fear of Frankenstein captured the public fancy.
- SOURCE: DNAi
- 15425. First reactions to the Human Genome Project, James Watson
- Nobel Laureate James Watson, the first director of the Human Genome Project, talks about his first reaction to the idea.
- SOURCE: DNAi
- 1713. Dog (Canis lupus)
- Man’s best friend is a valuable model organism for studying the genetics of complex traits. It is also an excellent model for researching numerous diseases requiring subtle phenotyping.
- SOURCE: G2C
- 15021. The moratorium letter regarding risky experiments, Paul Berg
- In 1974, scientists in the field of recombinant DNA drafted a letter calling upon "scientists throughout the world" to suspend certain types of studies until hazards could be assessed. Paul Berg talks about the "Moratorium Letter."
- SOURCE: DNAi
- 16995. New York Stories: Restriction Enzyme Analysis
- New York high school students interview Dr. Scott Lowe of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center about using restriction enzyme analysis in cancer research, then perform the experiment.
- SOURCE: DNALC
- 15422. The need for cutting DNA at specific points, James Watson
- James Watson talks about what was needed to read the genetic message.
- SOURCE: DNAi
- 16851. Biography 40: Michael Wigler (1947 - )
- Mike Wigler and his group were among the first to clone and characterize human oncogenes.
- SOURCE: DNAFTB
- 15334. A database of genomes, Robert Sinsheimer
- Robert Sinsheimer, then chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, brought experts together in 1985 to discuss the possibility of a Human Genome Project. He talks about his idea.
- SOURCE: DNAi
- 1712. Mouse (Mus musculus)
- Mice are small, easy to keep, and complete a generation in only ten weeks. They are also rather closely related to human beings.
- SOURCE: G2C
- 16461. Video 20: Matthew Meselson, clip 2
- The three models of DNA replication - semi-conservative, conservative, and dispersive - and whether bias played a role in designing/interpreting the experiment.
- SOURCE: DNAFTB
