Communication Inquiry
Fall 2006
Instructor: John Enwright
Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering-
Separating Fact from Fiction
Course Description
Would you
believe that scientists have recently created a pig that carries a gene from a
jellyfish that makes the animal glow green? Ever since the domestication of plants and animals, humanity
has been manipulating the genetic makeup of the surrounding environment. As our understanding of genetics has
become increasingly sophisticated, so to have the ways in which we can
genetically alter the organisms around us. This course will examine the history of our attempts,
through genetics, to change the world, with particular focus on the many
techniques in molecular biology that have become commonplace over the last 30
years. We will not only examine the
science behind these technologies, but also discuss the ethical and moral
questions that have arisen because of these advances in science. An important goal of this course is to
be able to sort out fact from fiction, science from opinion, and to develop a
better appreciation for the varying points of view on genetic engineering. Among the topics we will cover are the
eugenics movement from the early part of the 20th century, the first
genetically-modified organisms created in the 1970s, recent advances in gene
therapy to cure human disease and the current debate over the use of transgenic
crops.
Links of
interest:
The
eugenics archive: A great website sponsored by Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratories on the history of eugenics.
Lots of great photos and historical articles.
The
stem cell debate: Articles on stem cells from the Boston Globe
NIH stem
cell information: Stem cell information from the National Institutes
of Health