Interest Inventory

Places Trends things Technologies People

New york Fashion Animals Medical tools Doctors

Waxhaw New medical Workout Genetical Musicians
Italy discoveries equipment engineering Parents
China Superfoods Plants Cure for cancer Teens
Japan Music trends Bacteria Lab studies Elders
Europe Movie trends Cells Iphones Scientists
Tropical location Aesthetic design Relationships Television Interior
Barcelona Home decor Siblings Laptops designers
Thailand Organic food Fabrics Solar panels Celebrities
Africa GMOs Food
Netflix Illness

Controversies History jobs Habits Hobbies

Black lives History of Physician's Biting nails Music

matter medicine assistant Working out Singing
Education CRNA Study habits Studying
College degrees Physician Stress Cheerleading
Majors Surgeon Working
To genetically CNA
modify DNA
Using animals
for research

Should it be legal to modify human DNA?

Should it be used only for research purposes or used in humans?
Could this create a superior race due to designer babies?
Could this eliminate diseases in gene mutations?
How will this affect the human population as a whole?
How will this affect the earth as a whole?
Will with increase human life spans?
Do the pros of improving life out weight the dangers?
Will this create even greater social divide?
What is the public opinion on this?
What are the current debates going on right now about this?
Who is involved in the debates?
Who decides if this will become legal?
Genetically Modified Human Embryos
https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/01/health/genetically-modified-embryos-dna-uk-scientists/index.ht
ml

● British scientists- given green light to modify human embryos

● “Landmarkdescision”
(​https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/science-news/2016/02/01/hfea-decision/​)
● Still illegal for embryos to be implanted in women
● Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (​https://www.hfea.gov.uk​)
● Dr. Kathy Niakan- leading the research
● Francis Crick Institute in London
● “Triumph for common sense” by leading figures of the British science community
(​http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-hfea-granting-first-uk-licence-for-
use-of-genome-editing-techniques-on-human-embryos/​)
● Sarah Norcross- director of Progress Educational trust
● Ronald Green- Dartmouth college professor and author of “Babies by Design: The Ethics
of Genetic Choice” - states that he is certain by the end of century this will be available
● US National Institute of health says it will not fund such research
(https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-nih-fundin
g-research-using-gene-editing-technologies-human-embryos)
Connecting the Hits:

“Landmark decision”(​https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/science-news/2016/02/01/hfea-decision/​)
● HFEA has approved Crick institute to research gene editing techniques on human
embryos
● Led by kathy niakan- a group leader at crick
● She will be researching and looking at the first seven days of fertilized egg development
● This will help understand how human embryos are developed
● Can only be used in research, not in treatment
● Genome editing still needs to gain ethical and subject approval
Human Fertilisation and embryology authority
https://www.hfea.gov.uk
● This was a dead end. I had to be a mother applying for fertilization purposes
“Triumph For Common Sense”
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-hfea-granting-first-uk-licence-for-use-of-g
enome-editing-techniques-on-human-embryos/
● Announces dr kathy niakan will be given license to use genome editing on embryos
● Done by removing embryos and learning about the function of specific genes by
removing the embryos and looking at the way they develop
● “Now that genome editing has been invented it is not going to go away”- Professor
Daniel Brison at University of Manchester
 ● “In fact it has already been done elsewhere in the world”- Professor Daniel Brison at
University of Manchester
● “Genetic editing may in the future be applied clinically to treat or prevent otherwise
untreatable and serious genetic diseases”- professor Sir Robert Lechler, president of the
academy of medical sciences
● “It is important to that an open debate continues between not just researchers but
ethicist, healthcare professionals, regulators , relevant patients and their families and the
wider public”- professor Sir Robert Lechler, president of the academy of medical
sciences
● “It is clear that the potential benefits of the work proposed far outweigh the foreseen
risks”-Professor Darren Griffin, University of Kent
Dr. Kathy Niakan
https://www.crick.ac.uk/kathy-niakan
● 2005 PhD, University of California
● 2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University
● 2009 Centre for Trophoblast Research next generation fellow, University of Cambridge
● 2013 group leader, medical research council national institute for medical research ,
London
● 2015 group leader, the Francis Crick Institute, London
Francis Crick Institute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Crick_Institute
● Established in 2007
● Research based institute
● Focused medical research
● Chief exec. Sir Paul Nurse
● Partnership between Cancer research UK, Imperial College London, King's College
London, Medical research Council, University College London, Wellcome Trust
Sarah Norcross
https://www.progress.org.uk/sarahnorcross
● Director of Progress Educational Trust
● Commissioning editor of BioNews
● Co chair of capaining organization Fertility Fairness
● Member of Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authorities National Donation Strategy
group
● Member of National gamete donation trusts advisory council
● Member of association of fertility patients organization
● Represents PET and Association of Fertility patient organizations at conferences and
broadcasts in BBC News and Good Morning Britain
● Chaired the steering group of clinicals,scientists , patient support and medical research
charities which fed into policies for the Human fertilisation and embryology act 2008
Statement on NIH funding
https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-nih-funding-resear
ch-using-gene-editing-technologies-human-embryos
 ● Researchers in China have recently describes experiments in non viable human embryo
to modify the gene responsible for blood disorders
● Gene editing widely studies
● Procedures have shortened the time it takes to produce knockout mouse models of
disease, enabling researchers to study more easily the underlying genetic causes of
disease
● This technology is being used to develop antimicrobials which target harmful strains of
bacteria and viruses
● NIH will fund research like the previous example but will not fund it in humans

Reflection:
I think that this process helped me continue research on my topic. When I started this
assignment, I had already started my topic proposal and was halfway through with that
assignment. So the interest inventory in my situation did not help me much. However, the next
part of the assignment helped tremendously. I actually took an article that I randomly found on
CNN by typing in keywords like designer babies into the search tool and found an article that
was perfect. Although it was a tedious assignment, it forced me to utilize the hyper links in the
article and pay close attention to all of the people mentioned in the article. After following all of
the links, I found some information regarding human embryo alterations being done in the UK.
Without following the hyperlinks and this assignment, I wouldn't have probably even thought to
bring this type of information into my inquiry project. This overall was very helpful. If I hadn't
already found a research topic, the interest inventory would have also been helpful.
The topic proposal assignment for me was actually fun. I really enjoy digging for
information and learning new things on the way that i didn't expect to come across. I like how
this proposal will set me up for success with the next upcoming assignments. Like for the
annotated bib. I already have a ton of articles that i can use and write about. It forces you to pay
close attention to detail. I am enjoying this so far which is a shock to me because i usually dread
assignments like this. I feel like its structured, but i don't feel so pressured to have everything
laid out to a T at this point in the research process. I am just thinking and learning as I go, which
I enjoy.