The Potential of Human Genetic Engineering

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Technology is advancing at an unbelievable pace. Just 50 years ago it was impossible to fathom the advances in technology that we have made so far from hand held computers to virtual reality games. New advances in technology have also led to the ability to alter god’s work itself. The human genome project has been able to map the whole human genome. Naturally the next step was to research which genes led to which traits and diseases. Using this information it would be natural that researchers would want to find out if one could alter a person’s genes through genetic engineering in order to enhance certain abilities such as intelligence, physical appearance, and other such characteristics, and while genetic engineering in humans is quite controversial because of the potential rise of “designer babies”, as a tool, genetic engineering could serve the human race in a very positive way. If doctors were able to locate the genes which cause genetic diseases in humans as many have already done, we could potentially, through genetic engineering, rid the human race of genetic disease and make sure that all humans get off to the same genetic start. This will insure that every baby born is not hindered in their ability to grow and develop by a genetic disease, giving every child an equal opportunity to experience life to the fullest extent.
Genetic engineering is not a new field; in fact the first genetically modified organism was created in 1973(Balivet et al., 2005). Genetic engineering in humans however is a very new science. A form of genetic engineering called “cytoplasmic transfer” was first used in the 1990s and the first child conceived using this technique was born in 1997(Taylor, 2012). The process of cytoplasmic transfer...

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...for genetic engineering. Retrieved from http://www.sciencegroup.org.uk/ifgene/history.htm
Clapper, R. (2013, April 9). Human genetic engineering: A very brief introduction. Redorbit. Retrieved from http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112819269/human-genetic-engineering-a-very-brief-introduction/
Hanna, K. E. (2006). Germline gene transfer. National human genome research institute. Retrieved from http://www.genome.gov/10004764
Smith, K. R., Chan, S., & Harris, J. (2012). Human germline genetic modification: Scientific and bioethical perspectives. Archives of medical research, 43, 491-513. Retrieved from http://www.arcmedres.com/article/S0188-4409(12)00244-5/fulltext
Taylor, R. (2012). World’s first genetically-modified babies born, or were they. Lifenews. Retrieved from http://www.lifenews.com/2012/07/02/worlds-first-genetically-modified-babies-born-or-were-they/

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