DNA Chip - Genetic Testing of the Future Essay - 2397 Words

DNA Chip - Genetic Testing of the Future Many, if not most diseases, have their roots in our genes. Genes, through the proteins they encode, determine how efficiently we process foods, how effectively we detoxify poisons, and how vigorously we respond to infections. In the past 20 years, amazing new techniques have allowed scientists to learn a great deal about how genes work and how they are linked to disease. This rapid pace of discovery of genetic factors, responsible for certain diseases, has allowed scientists to genetically test asymptomatic individuals and predict their risk of certain diseases. In this paper, I am going to discuss the following areas pertaining to the topic of genetic testing: The definition and purpose of†¦show more content†¦The information from genetic tests can help provide people and families with answers to their questions: why did this happen to my child or why do I have to suffer from this disease? Genetic tests also provide scientists with information regarding disease pathogenesis. For instance, by studying the genetic makeup of individuals with breast cancer, scientists can find out what particular mutation in the DNA, or in several genes, is causing the cancer and use that to screen high-risk individuals. Researchers are also taking advantage of genetic tests to find gene mutations that make bacteria or viruses resistant to drugs. Screening Techniques The immediate challenge in genetic testing is being able to design an effective mutation analysis method that offers a rapid, accurate, cost-effective, and user-friendly test for scanning several susceptibility genes at once. According to the article in Nature Biotechnology, by Charis Eng and Jan Viig, genetic testing techniques are grouped into two main categories: screening and scanning. Screening methods involve probing specific genes for previously identified mutations. These methods, however, are unrealistic for such diseases which are characterized by a large number of disease-causing mutations that can be virtually anywhere in the genes coding region or regulatory region (3). For example, in breast cancer, mutations can be found anywhere within the largeShow MoreRelatedA Research Study On Animal Research961 Words   |  4 PagesErasistratus, performed experiments on living animals. Likewise, Galen, a Greek physician†¦ conducted animal experiments to advance the understan ding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology† (Hajar 42). Debates on the principles of animal testing have persisted since the late 1860s when the â€Å"first Humane Society in the United States was established in 1866† (JA). 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