Explore the late 20th-century history and development of plant, animal, and human genetics in this collection of 135 documents. Included are samples of commentaries on these scientific developments from the scientists themselves, government departments, ethicists, religious leaders, and various interest groups. Students, teachers, and interested readers can use this valuable resource to trace the different arguments and concerns surrounding the controversial topic of genetic engineering. Arranged topically, and highlighting in particular the human genome project, which seeks to map the entire human genome, this valuable resource provides an excellent background for research and debate with its broad range of pro and con opinions.

The easy to use format allows the reader to focus on one particular aspect of genetic engineering or to compare and contrast the arguments presented in more than one area. The six different areas include: Animal Applications, Agriculture, The Human Genome Project, Issues in Research, Ethical Issues, and Cloning. The documents in each section, carefully selected to represent a wide range of positions, present samples of social, ethical, and religious commentary that have evolved due to developments in modern genetics as they relate to plants, animals, and humans. Such developments include the applications of these technologies to create transgenic crops, to patent animals, to provide gene therapy for humans, and to clone plants and animals, as well as possibly cloning humans. Shannon's volume will be a welcome resource for those looking to explore these issues from as many different angles as possible.

There are things that can be done and are done to life on earth (whether it be human, animal or plant life) which, even if they do not involve or produce any suffering, are still considered morally wrong by a large proportion of the public. Such things include changing the nature of living beings by means of genetic engineering in order to enhance their health, or, more likely with animals and plants, their utility, or impairing their ability to live autonomously, or unduly instrumentalizing them. Yet many scientists are puzzled about the unwillingness of the public to feel much enthusiasm about a technology that, in their view, promises great benefits to humans and does not seem to cause more harm to animals than other practices which most of us do not question at all. In this book Michael Hauskeller takes public fears seriously and offers the idea of 'biological integrity' as a clarifying principle which can then be analyzed to show that seemingly irrational public concerns about genetic engineering are not so irrational after all and that a philosophically sound justification of those concerns can indeed be given.

This book examines the making of human cloning as an imaginary practice and scientific fact. It explores the controversies surrounding both 'therapeutic cloning' for stem cell research and 'reproductive' cloning. The authors analyse the cultural production of cloning, how practices and representations play out in the global arena, and its transformation from science fiction to science practice. Case studies are used to illustrate key fore grounded issues:

• the image of the scientist, scientific expertise and institutions
• the governance of science
• the representation of women's bodies as the subjects and objects of biotechnology
• the constitution of publics, both as objects of media debate, and as their intended audience.

Drawing together the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge, with insights from media and cultural studies, this book offers a timely contribution to debates about the public communication of science and the status of scientific truth. This book will be a valuable companion to students on undergraduate courses in media studies, science communication, cultural studies, science and technology studies and sociology.

First published in 1982 . This report examines the application of classical and molecular genetic technologies to micro-organisms, plants, and animals. This book is one of the first comprehensive documents on emerging genetic technologies and their implications for society. The authors discuss the opportunities and problems involved, describe current techniques, and attempt to project some of the economic, environmental, and institutional impacts of those techniques. The issues they raise go beyond those of technology, utility, and economic feasibility. As we gain the ability to manipulate life, we must face basic questions of just what life means and how far we can reasonably-and safely-allow ourselves to go.

Nuclear Reprogramming: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition includes not only classic methods to perform nuclear transfer in different species but also several techniques to assess the early and late development of the reconstructed embryos, at the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic level. Over the past several years, many technical improvements have been made to improve somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) efficiency, all of which are reflected in the detailed chapters of this fully revised collection. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Nuclear Reprogramming: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition will be of interest not only to cloners but also to researchers concerned with studying the development of embryos.

Scientists have developed a featherless chicken designed to make industrial chicken production more efficient, while specially trained Pacific bottlenose dolphins are being deployed in the Persian Gulf to disarm mines and protect our Navy. Everyone knows Darwin's theory of natural selection, but what about his idea of artificial selection--how humans, not nature, rework natural organisms to meet our needs? Industrializing Organisms brings us to the threshold of the new field of evolutionary history--from the mobilization of war horses in the 19th century to today's engineered plants and manipulated animals.

Half of the 12 papers are research reports selected from the presentations to an international conference at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University on an undisclosed date. The others are reviews of literature on the same theme of advanced technologies in fisheries and marine sciences. Among the topics are gene transfer to germline and somatic tissues of

Genetically modified plants are currently causing controversy worldwide; a great deal has been written about their supposed environmental effects. However, the newspaper headlines and public debates often provide a level of reasoning akin to "this is your brain on genetically modified corn," which is to say, they exclude or exaggerate the actual scientific research on the impacts of these plants. Genetically Modified Planet goes beyond the rhetoric to investigate for concerned consumers the actual state of scientific research on genetically modified plants. Stewart argues that while there are indeed real and potential risks of growing engineered crops, there are also real and overwhelmingly positive environmental benefits.

Biogenetic resources - the critical biological and chemical materials that underpin so much of medicine, both modern and traditional, agriculture, and wider economic activity in so many fields - are at the centre of heated debate regarding their use, development, and ownership, and the issues of ethics and equity that impinge on all of these factors. This book is a comprehensive examination of the key issues, institutions and ideologies in this area, presenting definitions and explanations of the fundamentals of intellectual property rights (IPRs), biogenetic resources and traditional knowledge. It uses the insights from this to build a picture of how these factors interact in practice, bringing to the surface issues such as: the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, benefit sharing from the commercial use of biodiversity, biotechnological innovation and the transfer of technology, agriculture, food security, rural development, health and international justice. Part 1 describes the relevant international IPR laws, highlights the extent to which modern commerce depends on such resources, and traces the way in which modern IPR law has evolved to accommodate this dependence. Part 2 shows how stronger IPR protection in the area of life science innovation has given rise to controversies such as 'biopiracy', 'terminator' genes and genetic uniformity. Part 3 focuses on traditional knowledge, its nature, its importance, and the applicability of IPR-style protection. Part 4 covers the international negotiation and policy-making of the WTO, WIPO and CBD and the legislative initiatives of national governments of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Finally, Part 5 focuses on two developing country case studies - of India and Kenya - assessing whether they will be able to gain economic benefit from development of their natural resources within the current regulatory system and whether this will encourage the conservation and sustainable use of the resource base. With its multidisciplinary approach and breadth of coverage, this book will appeal both to those new to the subject and to those with professional and specialist interest, including students, academics, legal practitioners, government policy-makers and the private sector.

Scientists have developed a featherless chicken designed to make industrial chicken production more efficient, while specially trained Pacific bottlenose dolphins are being deployed in the Persian Gulf to disarm mines and protect our Navy. Everyone knows Darwin's theory of natural selection, but what about his idea of artificial selection-how humans, not nature, rework natural organisms to meet our needs? Industrializing Organisms brings us to the threshold of the new field of evolutionary history-from the mobilization of war horses in the nineteenth century to today's engineered plants and manipulated animals.

Stem cell research has been a problematic endeavour. For the past twenty years it has attracted moral controversies in both the public and the professional sphere. The research involves not only laboratories, clinics and people, but ethics, industries, jurisprudence, and markets. Today it contributes to the development of new therapies and affects increasingly many social arenas. The matrix approach introduced in this book offers a new understanding of this science in its relation to society. The contributions are multidisciplinary and intersectional, illustrating how agency and influence between science and society go both ways. Conceptually, this volume presents a situated and reflexive approach for philosophy and sociology of the life sciences. The practices that are part of stem cell research are dispersed, and the concepts that tie them together are tenuous; there are persistent problems with the validation of findings, and the ontology of the stem cell is elusive. The array of applications shapes a growing bioeconomy that is dependent on patient donations of tissues and embryos, consumers, and industrial support. In this volume it is argued that this research now denotes not a specific field but a flexible web of intersecting practices, discourses, and agencies. To capture significant parts of this complex reality, this book presents recent findings from researchers, who have studied in-depth aspects of this matrix of stem cell research. This volume presents state-of-the-art examinations from senior and junior scholars in disciplines from humanities and laboratory research to various social sciences, highlighting particular normative and epistemological intersections. The book will appeal to scholars as well as wider audiences interested in developments in life science and society interactions. The novel matrix approach and the accessible case studies make this an excellent resource for science and society courses.

The de novo fabrication of custom DNA molecules is a transformative technology that significantly affects the biotechnology industry. Basic genetic engineering techniques for manipulating DNA in vitro opened an incredible field of opportunity in the life sciences. In, Gene Synthesis: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to fabricate DNA . These include methods and techniques for the assembly of oligonucleotide, cloning of synthons into larger fragments, protocols and software applications, and educational and biosecurity impacts of gene synthesis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results in the laboratory. Thorough and intuitive, Gene Synthese: Methods and Protocols aids scientists in understanding all the different stages of a complex gene synthesis process, while refining their understanding of gene synthesis and determine what part of the process they can or should do in their laboratory and what parts should be contracted to a specialized service provider.

In today's world, we are witnessing simultaneous breakthroughs in reproductive technologies, genomics, and molecular biology. Advances in molecular genetic technology and understanding of the bovine genome have led to the development of tools that can be used to enhance profitability on cow-calf enterprises. Factors Affecting Calf Crop: Biotechnology of Reproduction provides a detailed compilation of current and forthcoming technology for managing reproduction in cattle.

The book discusses topics such as: approved techniques for controlling the estrous cycle in cattle; managing follicular growth with progesterone, estrogens, and prostaglandins; freezing, thawing, and transfer of cattle embryos; application of embryo transfer to the beef cattle industry; embryo transfer in topically adapted cattle; new factors affecting bull fertility; embryo collection and utilization technology, in vitro fertilization, somatic cell cloning, and genetic technologies; uses of real-time ultrasound; and sexed semen.

Over 25 leading animal scientists have combined their expertise to produce the first single-source reference that covers successful reproductive techniques that will, most likely, be the wave of the future. Expansive in scope, the book addresses current biotechnologies as they impact the production of beef cattle. Written at a level to appeal to the researcher, commercial producer, or student, Factors Affecting Calf Crop: Biotechnology of Reproduction presents you with a wealth of technologies applicable to animal agriculture.

This book combines an up-to-date summary of how best to genetically engineer viruses with an overview of basic virology. This unique combination makes it an invaluable research tool for virologists and molecular biologists seeking to exploit viruses for a range of applications. Written by highly respected authors, the book also provides comparisons to and guidelines for the use of viruses in difference applications.

The world's food production is undergoing a rapid and revolutionary transformation, but little is known about it and less is being done to question the wisdom of it. Within a very few years, much of what we eat will have been genetically engineered, without proper consideration of the issues of public health, consumer choice and ecological stability. Against the Grain argues that the consequences of this huge experiment could be catastrophic, and at the very least have been underestimated or ignored by the industries exploiting the new technologies. The authors have unearthed government and industry documents which show these new methods to be far from fail-safe or risk free. Comprehensively supported with facts and references, the book provides a full account of the science and technologies involved in producing 'transgenic plants'. It also explains the scale and speed of what is going on, and argues for full public accountability and control of new developments - before it is too late.

Few issues have aroused so much public attention and controversy as recent developments in biotechnology. How can we make sound judgements of the cloning of Dolly the sheep, genetically altered foodstuffs, or the prospect of transplanting pigs' hearts into humans? Are we 'playing God' with nature? What is driving these developments, and how can they be made more accountable to the public? Engineering Genesis provides a uniquely informed, balanced and varied insight into these and many other key issues from a working group of distinguished experts - in genetics, agriculture, animal welfare, ethics, theology, sociology and risk - brought together by the Society, Religion and Technology Project of the Church of Scotland. A number of case studies present all the main innovations: animal cloning, pharmaceutical production from animals, cross-species transplants, and, genetically modified foods. From these the authors develop a careful analysis of the ethical and social implications - offering contrasting perspectives and insightful arguments which, above all, will enable readers to form their own judgements on these vital questions.

Few issues have aroused so much public attention and controversy as recent developments in biotechnology. How can we make sound judgements of the cloning of Dolly the sheep, genetically altered foodstuffs, or the prospect of transplanting pigs' hearts into humans? Are we 'playing God' with nature? What is driving these developments, and how can they be made more accountable to the public? Engineering Genesis provides a uniquely informed, balanced and varied insight into these and many other key issues from a working group of distinguished experts - in genetics, agriculture, animal welfare, ethics, theology, sociology and risk - brought together by the Society, Religion and Technology Project of the Church of Scotland. A number of case studies present all the main innovations: animal cloning, pharmaceutical production from animals, cross-species transplants, and, genetically modified foods. From these the authors develop a careful analysis of the ethical and social implications - offering contrasting perspectives and insightful arguments which, above all, will enable readers to form their own judgements on these vital questions.

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring In this exploration of the concept of the gene, Jonathan Slack looks at the discovery, nature, and role of genes in both evolution and development. By explaining the nature of genetic variation in the human population, how hereditary factors were identified as molecules of DNA, and how certain specific mutations can lead to disease, Slack highlights how DNA variants are used to trace human ancestry and migration, and can also be used by forensic scientists to identify individuals in crime. He also explores issues such as the role of genetic heritability and IQ as well as the changes that occur in the genes of populations during evolution. An ideal guide for anyone curious about what genes are and how genetics can be put to use, this Very Short Introduction demonstrates the ways in which the gene concept has been understood and used by molecular biologists, population biologists, and social scientists around the world. This second edition has been fully updated and contains new sections on the CRISPR method for targeted genetic modification, on DNA profiling, and developments in our understanding of human ancestry using ancient DNA. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The title of this book derives from C. Wright Mills' classic The Sociological Imagination (Penguin, 1970), in which he sees the essential project of social science as the use of the imagination to 'grasp history and biography and the relations between the two in society'. This enables the social scientist to 'range from the most impersonal and remote transformations to the most intimate features of the human self'. Another of Mills' concerns was the relationship between 'the personal troubles of the milieu' and 'the public issues of social structure' and these are most acutely illustrated in human genetics, the most personal of the new technologies. The chapters in this volume address these issues through discussions of choice and informed decision-making, risks and hazards, the economic and political organization of new technology, and the public as well as the scientist's understanding of science. The methods used range from detailed ethnographies, through deconstruction's of text and action, to surveys and interviews.

Plant Breeding Reviews, Volume 24, Part 1 presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. The emphasis of the series is on methodology, a practical understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major crops.

The field of plant genetic engineering has arisen from the laboratory and into the market place as a technology to provide farmers and consumers with improved crops. 1996 marks a turning point as the first genetically engineered crops to control agronomically important pests are registered for commercial sale. In most cases it has taken over a decade to develop commercially viable products. This book serves both as an update of current technologies that have been proven successful for engineering insect tolerant crops and an overview of new technologies that are being pursued for the development of new genetically engineered crops in the future. The book includes an introductory chapter on the world wide importance of insect problems in crops and the advantages of genetically engineered crops over traditional breeding; reviews insect control principles that are being develpoed for genetically engineered crops; and provides an overview of many new areas that wil lead to new insect control agents in the next decade.

This practical resource offers a concise guide to the combined use of classical and molecular methods for the genetic analysis and breeding of fungi - presenting basic concepts and experimental designs and demonstrating the power of fungal genetics for applied research in biotechnology and phytopathology. Addressing each major topic in the manipulation and analysis of fungi, Fungal Genetics explains genetic processes...examines spontaneous mutations, mutation induction, and the isolation and characterization of mutants...discusses sexual and parasexual genetic analysis...details physical karyotypes and restriction fragment analysis...describes the organization of genetic material in fungal nuclei as well as meiotic and mitotic processes...compares genetic mapping techniques and breeding strategies...and more. Written by over 25 international experts representing nine countries and containing nearly 1000 bibliographic citations, Fungal Genetics is an indispensable reference for mycologists, microbiologists, phytopathologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, molecular and cell biologists, geneticists, botanists, plant physiologists and pathologists, microbial and fungal ecologists, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines.

Analysis of the structure and organization of the human genome is proceeding apace, bringing with it new insights into its function. This volume is a review of the relationship between structure and function in the human genome, and a detailed description of some of the important methdologies for unravelling the function of genes and genomic structures. Analysis of the structure and organization of the human genome is proceeding apace, bringing with it new insights into its function.

This is a review of what needs to be done to realize the potential of monoclonal antibodies. It assesses the competing technologies with advice on the best approach for a particular situation. Monoclonal antibodies have revolutionized immunology and are now promising to have a similar impact on clinical medicine. Recent developments should overcome many of the difficulties experienced in the past which has seen a great deal of talk about the therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies, but very little routine therapy.

This new edition explores current and emerging mutagenesis methods focusing specifically on mammalian systems and commonly used model organisms through comprehensive coverage and detailed protocols. Since the first edition, major advances and discoveries have made chromosomal mutagenesis a widely used technique and one that is available to any molecular biology laboratory, and this collection provides detailed protocols, case-studies, and reviews from thought-leaders in the field. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and fully updated, Chromosomal Mutagenesis, Second Edition aims to help speed scientific discovery and aid in the next advances in the field.