Glofish?

Hi again!

The subject I’m about to address is genetic engineering of genetic modification. A short definition is the direct manipulation of the organism’s genome. We can than speak of genetic modified organism’s (GMOs). I’m going to give you some short examples of these GMOs to give some kind of awareness that this is a current subject in our live.

Almost all GMOs who play an important role in the food industry are divided into 4 main groups: soya, corn, cotton and canola.Those 4 groups of crops are most likely to by insect or herbicide resistance. Sometimes those two properties are combined. This means that the genetic material of those crops has been modified so the resistance is developed against insects or herbicides. This can result into a faster growth of the crops which means more availability for import and export. This also means that the sweater you’re wearing now can been made of modified cotton.

Another example in the medical industry is gene doping. With the help of modulating gene expression, the athlete can enhance his athletic performances. This is an example of the abuse of modifying genes.

Maybe a funny example is the modification of the Zebrafish, the Glofish. These are only  publicly available in the United states as genetic modified animal.

Quote of the day: We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. – William Glasser

See you next time!

Jooske

reference: https://www.kuleuven.be/metaforum/docs/pdf/wg_5_n.pdf

Ebola takes over the world!

Hi everyone,

Today I am going to discuss the big issue that is hunting us for the past few months: Ebola in West-Africa.

In the beginning of this year they discovered an outbreak of Ebola in Guinea. Ebola is caused by a virus called the Ebola virus and can do great damage to human kind. Symptoms such as fever, headaches and pain kicks can quickly evolve into interior bleedings, liver inflammation, coma and most people eventually die. Ebola can be spread in all body fluids, so the contamination level is very high. Even the tiniest bit of saliva can infect the other person.

You might ask yourself: why has this subject to do with molecular technology and DNA/RNA? Well viruses need a host to propagate themselves. When they interact with another (human) cell, they inject their genetic material into the cell. Once entered the cell, the genetic material can be reproduced and the virus can replicate himself. When a virus can replicate itself, it means that it survived and can cause the damage that it want.

In comparison of my previous blog, replication of DNA/RNA or genetic material in general, can lead to severe things. But with a world so advanced as today there must be some kind of solution. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is already working on a vaccine against Ebola. Updates say the vaccine will be available this month (November). Let’s hope a lot of people will get some help soon!

Quote of the day: Freedom is the most contagious virus known to man – Hubert H. Humphrey

I hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Jooske