Hi Jennifer,
There has been quite a lot of discussion about Genetically Modified (GM) organisms related to vegetable products, but I wonder if readers are aware that GM, or transgenic animals are also a subject of study.
Here is a link to an article that describes the production of transgenic hens which can produce eggs containing therapeutic protein based drugs:
“We describe the generation of transgenic chickens that synthesize functional recombinant therapeutic protein specifically in the oviduct of laying hens as a component of egg white.”
Translation: How we bred GM chickens that produce eggs containing therapeutic drugs.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1783527
I wonder if people who oppose GM crops also oppose this type of research?
Regards,
Paul Williams
Mt Baker, South Australia
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
Vaccines have been cultivated in chicken eggs for years with little complaint, even though the process involves introducing genetic material into the eggs. This differs, to the extent that it involves introducing the genetic material into the chicken.
Work like this has been going on for quite some time. Similar work is being done with pharmaceuticals expressed in the milk of transgenic cows and goats, and in the sperm of transgenic pigs.
Opposition to this sort of technology has arisen in New Zealand, where scientists working on transgenic cows received numerous threats against their personal safety.
Another project involving transgenic pigs whose organs could be transplanted into humans without tissue rejection was targeted by activists through the press. It was claimed that porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) would pop out of the pig genome via transplants and erupt into plagues of Biblical proportions. It was largely overlooked that valves from pig hearts have successfully been transplanted into humans for years without such incidents.
In New Zealand, opposition was driven by the same groups which oppose GM crops. Opposition to transgenic organ transplants was mainly out of the Netherlands, which brokers most activism worldwide.
If cloning of food animals is any indication, there is a high likelihood that opponents of GM crops will turn out in high numbers to protest the technology if it threatens to become successful.
Since Thurkettle is living proof that a human being can become 95% hamster without tissue rejection, who could disagree?…..
Lamna,
You’re the first person I’ve ever come across who admires the persuasiveness of hamsters. There is probably a very good reason for this.