An Introduction to Genetic Engineering Research Topics

Genetic engineering is a discipline which is majorly concerned with the genetic manipulation of an organism’s DNA or another type of genetic material which is done with the help of biotechnology. Genetic engineering is also known as genetic manipulation or genetic modification. There are different sets of technologies which are used in this field to change the genetic makeup of an organism. Some of those different techniques include transferring the genes of one organism across a different boundary of a species, cutting of the genetic material, and many other techniques. It is important for the readers to note that the particular technique of transferring the genetic material across different species boundaries can help an individual to get better and more novel organisms. New DNA can also be obtained by copying and isolating the genetic material.  This can be achieved by using the methods of recombinant DNA or by the artificial synthesis of the DNA. There are many such topics of discussion in the field of genetic engineering. And if an individual is trying to find a great genetic engineering research topic then it is first important for that individual to learn about some basic concepts of this field. So, in this academic writing piece, readers will be able to learn about genetic engineering and find some of the best genetic engineering topics which can be researched upon.

The Field of Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering can be defined as a procedure in which the genetic structure of an organism is either removed or introduced so that the genetic structure of that organism can be altered. This process is quite different from the procedure of animal and plant breeding as in those procedures, an individual often has to do multiple crosses and selections before one can even arrive at the desired results. Genetic engineering is vastly faster than any other procedure through which an individual can manipulate the genetic material of any other organism.
The procedures of genetic engineering can be used to insert any kind of genetic material. It can further enable an individual to further prevent any undesirable gene from being added to the desirable gene link. It has also been correctly speculated that if the knowledge of this field is used correctly and efficiently then it can also help in curing a number of genetic disorders which many humans suffer from all across the globe. Genetic engineering also provides an individual with specific tools which can allow him or her to study only certain types of genetic combinations or specific genes.

History of Genetic Engineering

In this section, the readers will be able to learn about the history of the field of genetic engineering. It is important for all readers to know that human beings have been trying to alter the genetic material of different organisms for literally thousands of years. This was earlier being done with the help of artificial selection and selective breeding. These processes certainly took up a lot of time to arrive at the desired results and were also quite contrasting with the process of natural selection which is known to happen on its own and without any kind of purposeful interference from any other organism.
One should also know that the field of genetic engineering has only taken an official hold since the 1970s. This term ‘genetic engineering’ was coined by the talented Jack Williamsons in one of his fiction novels named Dragon’s Island. This novel was published in 1951 which was almost a year before the role of DNA was officially confirmed by Martha Chase and Alfred Hershey. Another important point in the history of this field was in 1972 when the first recombinant DNA molecules were created by Paul Berg. This was done by combining the DNA of the lambda virus with that of a monkey virus named SV40. In 1973, the first transgenic organism was also created by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen. They accomplished the feat mentioned above by inserting some antibiotic resistance genes into the Escherichia coli bacterium plasmid. Since then there have been many achievements and leaps have been made in this field.

The Applications

As it was mentioned above, there are many applications which can achieve with the help of the field of genetic engineering. There are also many fields in which the principles of genetic engineering can be applied for the greater good of the entire society. And some of those different fields are mentioned below.

·       Medicine

There are many applications of the field of genetic engineering in medicine. It can be used for the creation of different drugs, manufacturing of drugs, creating model animals, gene therapy, and many other areas. Genetic engineering is also being currently used to produce human insulin in large amounts in bacteria.

·       Research

Genetic engineering can provide natural scientists with a number of important tools which they can use to further scientific knowledge and research on many other topics. There are also many other areas even in this field which can be further explored.

·       Industrial

There are many industrial applications in this field. For example, large quantities of proteins can be easily manufactured by businesses which can then be used to complete many other purposes.

·       Agriculture

The biggest applications of genetic engineering are in the area of agriculture. The principles of this field can be used to create and use genetically modified crops and livestock.
These are some of the common applications of this field. In the next section, the readers will be able to learn about some of the most interesting research topics.

The Research Topics

In this last section, the readers will be able to find some of the most interesting research topics in the field of genetic engineering. And those research topics are mentioned below.
1.    Obesity and Genetics
2.    Sexuality and Genetics
3.    Behavioral Genetics
4.    Genetics and Alcohol Addiction
5.    Genetics and Drug Addiction
6.    Bipolar Disorder and Genetics
7.    Depression and Genetics
8.    Genetics and Athletic Ability
9.    Intelligence and Genetics
10.                       Autism and Genetics
11.                       Schizophrenia and Genetics
12.                       The Technologies in Genetic Engineering
13.                       Genetically Modified Food Items
14.                       Screening for Disease by Genetics
15.                       Fetus diagnosis of Genetic Diseases
16.                       Gene Therapy or Gene Modification
17.                       Using Gene Technology in Drug Production or Pharmacogenetics
18.                       Cancer and Genetics
19.                       Neurology and Genetics
20.                       Neuromuscular Disorders and Genetics
21.                       Stem Cell Research
22.                       Human Cloning
23.                       Human Population Genetics
24.                       The Genetic Database
25.                       The Race of Genetics
26.                       Human Evolution and its Patterns
27.                       DNA Analysis in Forensics

These are some of the most interesting topics which students can research on in the field of genetic engineering.

The Conclusion:

Genetic engineering is a discipline which majorly concerns itself with the procedure of altering genetic structures of any given organism. This field does not have a very long history as it was officially established sometime during the 1970s. There are also many applications of this field. And some of the common applications of this field are in the domains of medicine, industrial sectors, research, and agriculture. There are also a number of research topics which students can choose from this field. And some of those research topics are the DNA analysis in forensics, human cloning, the genetic database, neurology and genetics, stem cell research, neurology and genetics, human evolution and its patterns, neuromuscular disorders and genetics, the race of genetics, and many other topics.

The References


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