Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering is a field of Biotechnology that involves the direct manipulation of an organism's Genome using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.

History

The term "genetic engineering" was first coined by Jack Williamson in his science fiction novel Dragon's Island, published in 1951. The discovery of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, and the development of Recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s, paved the way for practical genetic engineering.

Techniques

Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine. Techniques like Gene Cloning, Molecular Cloning, and Polymerase Chain Reaction are used to manipulate the genetic material of an organism.

Applications

Genetic engineering has been used to produce a variety of products, from genetically modified crops, to genetically modified animals, to pharmaceutical products like insulin and human growth hormone.

Ethical Issues

The use of genetic engineering has raised numerous ethical issues, including concerns about the safety of genetically modified organisms, the impact on the environment, and the ethics of using genetic engineering to modify human beings.

See Also

• Genetically Modified Organism
• Genome Editing
• Gene Therapy
• Biotechnology

References

Genetic Engineering Resources
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