Stem cells and genetic engineering Dylan Rebbeor

Objectives Should stem cells and genetic engineering be more or less restricted? What are stem cells and what is genetic engineering?- bioengineering Why are they so debated? What laws are in place? What are some examples of each?

What are stem cells? They are cells with the ability to turn into other types of cells First began in 1981 Used as a repair system Multi-potent and pluripotent Embryonic and induced

Pluripotent vs. Multipotent Pluripotent Only occurs naturally during pregnancy (blastula/ fetus) Many uses Multipotent Naturally occurs in the body (bone marrow- red blood cells) Used as repair system Only a few uses

Embryonic vs. Induced Embryonic Comes from the zygote (fetus) Pluripotent Induced Normal cells forced to become pluripotent stem cells

Nobel Prize Winners 2012 Award for physiology or medicine Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka Discovered a way to induce mature skin cells to become pluripotent stem cells

Arguments For Can induce cells to become stem cells Very useful-used in cell based treatments (transplants etc) Against Embryonic stem cells Against religion Why should government have to pay?

Laws President Bush issued an executive order (EO) that banned the funding of any embryonic stem cell research President Obama repealed this with another EO in 2009 Grants by NIH (National Institutes of Health)

Genetic engineering Began in 1989 The selection of certain desired traits- genetically modified organism Selective breeding- selection of desired traits through breeding over an extended period of time China’s one-child policy Unknown effects and designer children

One-child policy Only allowed one child per family Males considered more desirable in their culture Close to 100,000,000 males more than females

Arguments For Already happening and been done Production of a better product Against Unknown consequences Religion

Designer Children Made by genetic engineering People could choose how they want their kid to be (hair, eyes, smart, tall) Not used Genetic engineering mainly in agriculture and pharmaceuticals

Corn Lots of genetic engineering involved Resistant to herbicide More drought resistant More corn produced Bigger corn produced

Laws FDA- as long as it isn’t harmful and nothing can be proven that it is harmful it is allowed

Organizations Private organizations- provide funds, fight for research grants, aid labs involved with research International Stem Cell Forum Union of Concerned Scientists

Genetic engineering vs. Selective Breeding Genetic engineering Replacement of genes through bioengineering Selective breeding Selection of desired traits through breeding over an extended period of time

Is it ok to use a human cell line from an aborted fetus to make a drug to save someone’s life? What about making someone smarter or better-looking? Is it ok to create an embryo with the intent to use it for stem cells? What if the embryos were being disposed of anyway?

Read scientific objections Expand final question, add on include other questions if the fetus will be destroyed any way is it still ok to use it/? Is it ok to create an embryo in order to use it? What about making people smarter or better looking? Stop fidgeting with hands add more pictures/ examples