The History of Gene Therapy
In today’s society, the demand for perfection is strong. Imagine the possibility that you could choose the traits your child would possess. As technology increases, eventually humans could be able to create the ‘perfect’ child, with a ‘perfect’ behavior by replacing one gene with another. Vision the possibility that diseased or mutated genes could be replaced, ridding the world of hereditary diseases. In order to do this, technology must be increased in the area of gene therapy. Gene therapy has come a long way in its short existence.
Genetic enhancement of humans may someday be possible, following the successful completion of the Human Genome Project. According to an article in New Statesman (v. 127) by Caroline Daniel, the Human Genome Project is an ‘international scientific collaboration’. The project was started in 1990. More than two billion Pounds, was funded by the European public. The United States is the main country in favor of this research. Organizations such as the National Institute of health and the US Department of Energy are among those in favor.
Though this research might sound promising and exciting, much more needs to be learned about genes and the composition of DNA. DNA is a double helix with nearly three billion chemical letters of genetic text, located in more than one hundred thousand different genes. The difficult part is not identifying each individual gene, but rather to figure out how each gene works, their reactions to disease and response to the environment. The Human Genome Project’s goal is to sequence every human gene before the year 2005, and surprisingly it is right on schedule. In late 1997 50,000 genes had been mapped. Originally, the th...
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In closing, though the science of gene therapy has only been around for just more than a decade much progress has been made. Through this research, helpful information about genes and diseases, what links them, and how to cure them, is being uncovered. As long as gene therapy is used solely for the purpose of curing disease, or helping the overall health of mankind, then I am not against it. This is a new technology that someday could help extend the average life span of human beings. Man-kind could really benefit from this research. As the days pass, we are making progress in this field. Only time can tell when genetic disorders will be unheard of.
Works Cited
Adelman, Ken. “Changing who we are.” Washingtonian v. 35 no. 11 (2000): 25-28.
Daniel, Caroline. “Human Genetics: the dinner-party guide.” New Statesman v. 127 (1998): page 30.
Women bring unique skills and techniques to policing such as: compassion and understanding during undesirable and traumatic incidents. Although, women do not possess the muscles or physical strength as the male officers, they do have effective invaluable interpersonal skills. Females are viewed as threats by their male peers. Women face prejudice, peer bullying, and sometimes sexual harassment during their career in law enforcement (Criminal Justice School Info, 2014). The male officers believe that women have unfair advantages when it comes to getting promotions or advancements. In actuality, a lot of women in law enforcement are afraid to apply for higher positions due to fear of maltreatment by the male officers. Women who work in law enforcement often feel as if they must “prove themselves” beca...
Atticus Finch is a very essential character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. He is not only the father on Jem and Scout, but he is also defending Tom Robinson. Along with all of the obstacles and challenges that Atticus faces he is still an exceptional role model for the children. He also overcomes the diversity of Negroes and whites that is displayed during his time by standing up and fighting for Tom Robinson and his triumph in court against Bob Ewell. Lee presents Atticus Finch as understanding of Tom Robinson, caring with the children, and calm throughout the Tom Robinson trial.
Lubet, S. (May, 1999). “Recontructing Atticus Finch” Michigan Law Review, 97(6). Michigan Law Revia Association. Retrieved on Mach 12, 014, from http//jstor.org/stable/1290205
... fight the disease. It is crucial that regulation be a necessary component of gene therapy research and applications. In hopes that the government can regulate and can receive this treatment, not restricting it to people that has serious genetic diseases. Gene therapy will change the field of medicine from what it is today. As scientist discovers more genes and their functions, the potential of this treatment is limitless. Though gene therapy is an auspicious treatment choice for numerous diseases (including inherited disorders, some types of cancer, and certain viral infections), the procedure remains precarious and is still under study to make sure that it will be safe and effective. Thus government regulators and scientist must take a lead role in adopting a practical approach to address these issues and determining the correct procedures for dealing with them.
Just as there are different types of people who look at one glass of water and describe it as half full or half empty, the public has many different views on the future of our society. Gene therapy is also a glass that can be viewed in different angles – different perspectives. Some say it has great potential to shape the ideals of our future, while others believe it signifies intolerance for disabilities, imperfections that supposedly deplete from a person’s interests, opportunities and welfare (quoted by Peter Singer, xviii). This global issue has brought people with different opinions in the open, arguing their views using history, morality and foresight.
In law enforcement, discretion is left up to each police officer to make responsible and reasonable decisions on situations while in the field. A police officer will have no choice but to use discretion in certain situations and make decisions on what type of force or punishment is necessary for the situations. Many people in the society always believe that police officers can make any decision they wish to at any time while working. This is very wrong because there are situations whereby a police officer or even the chief of police has no other choice, but to follow the law in making decisions. The role of the police administrator is double challenging because, he/she must determine how best to use discretion as well as encourage or dissuade discretion by subordinate members ...
In police-invoked law enforcement police initiate action against crimes that usually do not have victims (Wilson, 1968).
Discretion is defined as the authority to make a decision between two or more choices (Pollock, 2010). More specifically, it is defined as “the capacity to identify and to document criminal and noncriminal events” (Boivin & Cordeau, 2011). Every police officer has a great deal of discretion concerning when to use their authority, power, persuasion, or force. Depending on how an officer sees their duty to society will determine an officer’s discretion. Discretion leads to selective enforcement practices and may result in discrimination against certain groups of people or select individuals (Young, 2011). Most police officer discretion is exercised in situations with individuals (Sherman, 1984).
“. The average policeman and police chief thought of policewomen as a fad and considered their entry into the police field an unjustified excursion into social work. They thought of punitive functions and not preventative ones as the duty of police. No real concerted opposition to policewomen arose in the United States (unlike Great Britain), but rather the attitude prevailed that women had to prove themselves good police officers which they most likely could not do.” (Horne, 1975)
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior, to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, and the struggle between blacks and whites. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and single parent in a small southern town in the 1930's, is appointed by the local judge to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping a white woman. Friends and neighbors object when Atticus puts up a strong and spirited defense on behalf of the accused black man. Atticus renounces violence but stands up for what he believes in. He decides to defend Tom Robinson because if he did not, he would not only lose the respect of his children and the townspeople, but himself as well.
Since its inception, gene therapy has captured the attention of the public and ethics disciplines as a therapeutic application of human genetic engineering. The latter, in particular, has lead to concerns about germline modification and questions about the distinction between therapy and enhancement. The development of the gene therapy field and its progress to the clinic has not been without controversy. Although initially considered as a promising approach for treating the genetic of disease, the field has attracted disappointment for failing to fulfil its potential. With the resolution of many of the barriers that restricted the progress of gene therapy and increasing reports of clinical success, it is now generally recognised that earlier expectations may have been premature.
“You never really understood a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around it.” Atticus Finch is a man of extreme integrity. He, as both a lawyer and a human being, stands up for his democratic beliefs and encourages his children to stand up for their own, though they may stand alone. Harper Lee showed how far respect went in To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus defended Tom Robinson in his rape trial. He did not think twice about being ridiculed by th...
Even though the odds go against him, Atticus Finch bravely stands up to his beliefs and morals. Furthermore, he
Gene therapy has been a very controversial issue since its origin in 1990 when A four-year old girl became the first gene therapy patient. She has adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency, a genetic disease which leaves her defenseless against infections. Gene therapy involves substituting normal genes for the genes associated with a disease or disorder otherwise altering a person’s genetic makeup. Each gene has a specific code for what it is supposed to do. So, on top of our genome, we have a complex epigenome. These epigenomes consist of all kinds of different markings. The genes themselves are not altered when epigenetic effects occur; however, their effect is altered. Gene therapy can be categorized in to two different types—somatic cell therapy and reproductive cell also referred to as germline therapy. Somatic cells involves targeting
Gene therapy represents a promising tool to cure or dramatically transform the life of a child that has been handed a genetic death sentence. Can we reshape humans into entities that are free of disease, and revolutionize genetic disorders into nonexistence? The answers are within our reach, when manipulating the genetic code of organisms, or engineering entirely new organisms, promises to alter the way we relate to the natural world. Thus, gene therapy is the transfer of genetic material into cells of tissues to prevent or cure a disease by either replacing a mutated gene with a healthy copy, or inactivating the mutated gene, and introducing new genes. By administration of DNA rather than a drug, many different diseases are currently being investigated as candidates for gene therapy. These include cystic fibrosis, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases such as cancer and AIDS. This new foundation of unprecedented prospects should be preceded with caution, and should only be used in the developmental treatments of diseases to avoid abuse.