My Emerging Technologies project

Project Description

In this assignment, I was tasked to research a current emerging technology and create a PowerPoint explaining its uses, advantages, and disadvantages, and recent news surrounding this technology. I was then tasked to record my presentation to submit it to the emerging technologies discussion board for my classmates to view.

CRISPR Technology

I chose to do this project on CRISPR technology. This biotechnology is the editing of genome DNA strands with the use of enzymes. These enzymes cut the DNA strand in an organism and introduce new RNA which is repaired to permanently become part of the DNA strand. Thus, DNA can be changed with the introduction of new RNA proteins.

Below are the general highlights of my research.

Everyday Use

CRISPR has many applications, including being used in crops to build immunity to diseases, pesticides, and drought. Additionally, CRISPR is commonly used to increase nutritional value for specific fruits and vegetables.

At-home kits are even available on the web for botanical purposes, meaning it is accessible to even the common citizen.

Disadvantages

"Designer babies" pose a risk to ethical concerns surrounding CRISPR. It could be entirely possible to genetically edit human embryos in search of creating a baby with specific genetic traits, which goes against the natural genetic order in life-giving. Scientists and lawmakers alike believe limits to CRISPR must be put forward to stop the commercialization of genetic embryo editing and its use for malicious or eugenic means.

Latest news

In the search to "bring back" extinct animals, scientists have managed to use CRISPR gene editing to birth grey wolves with similar DNA to the extinct Dire wolves. This same company, called Colossus Biosciences, has even managed to simulate woolly mammoth mice. These mice (pictured above) have similar wool, color, and fat content as the cold-dwelling wooly mammoths of centuries ago, putting a foot forward into ancient DNA research using CRISPR editing technologies.

CRISPR presentation.mp4

My Recorded Presentation

Lessons Learned:

After this assignment, I learned more about CRISPR technology than I had known before. In a previous class I've had at UMGC, I was tasked to find out how GMOS are produced, which involved CRISPR to a high extent to strengthen agricultural growth. In this assignment, I was able to learn more about how CRISPR is considered in current topics as an emerging technology, and how well it is accepted as a technology that will continue to grow in its current uses. Additionally, I feel that as at-home kits become more widely used, CRISPR technology will eventually become something that is widely used for people of all socioeconomic status, though again, its availability definitely raises ethical concerns of what people may do with this technology on their own. Lastly, my final lesson learned on this assignment was a lesson on recording presentations on PowerPoint, as well as creating notes on PowerPoint that help my presentation.

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