1. Genetic engineering

2. Table of contents Humans - Stem cell research
- Cloning (therapeutic and reproductive) and its problems
- Saviour siblings
Food and drinks
- Genetically modified (GM) food
- Designer food/drinks

3. Humans

4. Stem cell research Stem cells can develop into any type of cell in the
human body
Capability to reproduce themselves many times
over
2 types of stem cells: embryonic and adult

5. Adult stem cells Occur in heart, brain, lungs, bone marrow, etc.
More limited & harder to find than embryonic stem cells
→ Consequence: Scientists prefer embryonic stem cells

6. Embryonic stem cells Easier to find than adult stem cells
Come from a normal (not cloned) embryo or a therapeutic cloned embryo, age : 3-5 days
→ Embryos are killed after the intervention
→ Ethical problems

7. Cloning 2 types of cloning: therapeutic and reproductive
Therapeutic cloning
- Nucleus is removed from the egg
- Then replaced by a donor's nucleus
→ Stem cells carry the donor's DNA

8. Cloning Reproductive cloning - Embryo is allowed to grow
- Then implanted into a woman's womb → woman gives birth to cloned embryo
- Already worked out for several animals (famous example: Dolly the Sheep)
- In most countries it is forbidden due to ethical problems

9. Problems with cloning Ethical problems
- Can we accept that embryos/ cloned humans die (for stem cells/ because of their impairments)?
- When is a human a human?
- In how far are we allowed to have a severe influence in nature? (playing God)
Mental problems for cloned humans
- Am I a real human being?
- Do I have the same value?

10. Saviour siblings
Humans that are specifically created to help a sibling
- Eggs from the mother are fertilised to produce embryos
→ Embryos are analysed
→ Only healthy embryos are injected into the uterus
→ Mother gives birth to genetically healthy baby
→ Baby's blood and other essential cells can be
given to sick child

11. Food and drinks

12. Genetically Modified (GM) food
What is GM food?
- Food having foreign genes inserted into teir genetic codes
→ selective breeding
→ particular characteristics are made more common or pronounced (e.g shape, colour)

13. Genetically Modified (GM) food
Where is GM food common?
- USA: ca. 58 million hectares full of biotech corps (e.g. soybean, maize, cotton, etc.)
- India: ca. 6 million hectares full of cotton ↔
- Germany: less than 0.1 million hectares of maize

14. Genetically Modified (GM) food
How do people think about GM food?
- In the USA, less people oppose the
introduction of GM food by time ( )
- Support concerning GM food descreased from
1996 until 2005
- Spain: Decrease of 6% (from 80% to 74%)
- Germany: Decrease of 26% (from 56% to 30%)

15. Designer food/ drinks Food supplements based on vitamins, minerals
and proteins
In the future, you may select your individual
vitamins, minerals and proteins
With the help of nanotechnology the ingredients
you chose are unfolded in the drink/ food

16. Questions?