HRS177|Spring2012

Blog 3 - Honors 177 - Hayk Barseghyan

Genetic Engineering has been used throughout human history to select phenotypes or genes that are most favorable. I think that there is nothing wrong with that. Just as humans in the past have been able to domesticate and grow some wild type plants and animals through long period of time, today humans are able to do such selections in a shorter period of time due to advances in technology. Some might think that it could bring some bad consequences, but that statement has not been proven.

I wish I had a Pet and GMO labeling

I've always been somewhat distant with animals. As a child, I had a hamster for a few months but never got too attached and have not owned a pet since. I've always been moderately envious of anyone who truly loved their dog or cat, since it felt like I was missing out on a large aspect of childhood and life in general. It seemed that dogs were the equivalent of siblings for some of my friends with how emotionally attached they were to them.

Biotechnology and Animals

I do not like keeping animals (pets) myself. I do pet dogs and cats of my friends, but I never felt like having an animal myself. I think that if it wasn’t for animals, science would not be on the level on which it is today. Animals are used in laboratories for answering various important health and science related questions. I never understood those who fight against animal utilization in the research laboratories. If it wasn’t for these animals a significant amount of cures for various diseases would never be discovered.

HNRS 177 Assignment #3 (Genetic Engineering of Animals)

Genetic engineering is a way to transfer desirable traits from one organism to another using recombinant DNA technology. Because all DNA is made from the same four bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine), we can transfer genes among animals, plants, and even microbes.  For example, you might remember our discussion last week about the introduction of antifreeze DNA from fish into the genome of tomatoes to make them hardier in cold weather.

awww she's so cute!

Ever since I could remember, my family always had animals around; my favorite were always our dogs. The ironic part is that my parents don't really care for animals, though they were indifferent about having fish or turtles. But since my siblings and I are in college and moved out, the house is now pet-free. However, my brother bought a dog 3.5 years ago and her name is Layla (pictured below in her Halloween costume). I always took care of her whenever I was home for break, as he would bring Layla home with him.

Week 3 blog-Shiwei

Although I have never had any pets, I have worked with lab rats when I volunteered in a research lab. To handle the lab rats (just handle, not performing surgeries, injections, or any procedures), I had to take a few trainings. The lab focused on the study of traumatic brain injury, so I had to say that the treatment to those lab rats were very invasive. I would help the researchers transport the lab rats to the lab and hold the lab rat while they injecting anesthetic into the rat abdomen (surgical procedures must be performed on anesthetized animals).

Impact of Human Intervention on Animals

I have an interesting relationship with animals. Unlike many people, I have a preference for reptiles, amphibians and strange animals rather than dogs and cats. In my spare time I like searching the internet for information on unique and weird animals that most people have never seen or even heard of. Here are just a few examples (you can click on their names if you become curious for more information on them):

Blob Fish:

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