*new* Patenting Genes - U.S. Supreme Court Case
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/business/as-court-considers-gene-patents-case-may-overlook-relevant-issues.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130415&_r=0
more on the federal Brain project
http://chronicle.com/article/Obama-Kicks-Off-100-Million/138241/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
video on dying "Can We Live Forever?"
From Lauren: I saw this video in my
psychology of aging class. Its called can we live forever? I think it
relates quite well to class maybe we can watch it.
http://m.video.pbs.org/video/1754457671/
Anyway you can repost the link to watch it, when I clicked on the link it made you sign into microsoft outlook
ReplyDeleteYeah, it wont let me watch it!
Deletehttp://video.pbs.org/video/1754457671/
Deletethis link should work
thank you!
DeleteThe article on the federal brain project is interesting because i do feel there is a need to map more of the brain so we can understand how it works. If the mapping of the brain is successful finding an eventual cure for certain brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Post traumatic stress disorder for the soldiers coming back from war and the elderly will significantly improve patients well being. The amount of money that is being funneled into the project is huge but will be worthwhile if it pays off. The benefits could help aide the country and reduce health care costs and give those without health care a chance to receive it.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I also think that mapping the brain is very important to understand how we function and then how certain neurological diseases function including mental illness. This project could give us a good insight to what causes these diseases/illnesses and then what options we we have to finding a cure for them. The only thing that is concerning is if insurance companies could get ahold of an individuals map or not. If they could, this could lead to people paying high premiums to become covered. There are many risks and benefits to both, the question is, do the benefits outweigh the risks??
DeleteI agree also. The idea of being able to map a brain could bring a new light to many diseases and conditions. I find the brain very interesting. I currently work at Cincinnati Children's Hospital on the Neuroscience/Neurology floor, so obviously I deal with a lot of brain related issues for example seizures, migraines, and unfortunately some non accidental head traumas. It's amazing how much your brain does and controls even in mental and physical disorders. While the money is a lot to undergo this project I feel that the outcome can lead to a better future. Changing the Outcome.
DeleteThe benefits i think can potentially outweigh the risks. Since the brain is an extremely complex network that is interwoven with neurons that send electrical impulses throughout the body. If we can map the brain completely it would allow us to understand and cure those who suffer from paralysis from diseases such as ALS all the way to those who suffer from migraines. I also agree with Lauren that even though a lot of money has to be put into this project the benefits that could result from this are limitless in theory.
DeleteI'm going to go with the majority on this one. Mapping the brain has incredible potential for not only medicine, but also fields like education. I too think that the potential benefits outweigh the risks when you compare all that there is to gain from this project if it is successful. However, it is like trying to map the human genome and completely understand it; it is a daunting task that may never be fully completed. Also, it is one thing to understand how something works. Being able to fix something wrong with it is another, even if you do have an idea of how it works. Going a little off-topic, I just saw a presentation on new research that is attempting to integrate neurons with computer chips so that things such as prosthetic limbs could be controlled by conscious thought just like your own limbs. It does sound like science ficiton, but there has been real scientific progress made in the field, and mapping the brain would potentially have huge benefits for this type of research.
DeleteRecently we have been discussing genetics and the human genome project. I feel that this project to map the human brain is equally ambitious and definitely just as important. The human genome project has vastly expanded our current knowledge of human genetics and allowed us to improve medicine by means of gene therapy. Furthermore, 3.8 billion dollars invested into that project returned nearly 70 billion dollars to the economy as well as created new jobs such as genetic counseling. The mapping of the human brain will cost 100 million and could have just as significant of a return not only in money but in improving the well-being of human mental health. Mental diseases are easily the most misunderstood and unnoticed diseases found in humans. This project could definitely help us better understand diseases of the brain as well as mental illnesses and allow us to work towards possible treatment. All in all, I would say this is a great investment of 100 million dollars.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article I did some more research. I found In the first year, $50 million would come from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which pays for prosthetic research aimed at helping paralyzed soldiers. I love this Idea, but the only problem that I see it the expense. I understand that in the long run it could have great benefits, but are we at a point in our economy in which we can spend 100 Mil? This is very interesting though, But as stated in the article it is unsure if we even have the technology to undertake such research.
ReplyDeleteCan We Live Forever?
ReplyDeleteI believe this movie is very relevant to our class as a whole. I mean the idea of growing hearts, lungs, kidneys in a lab seems like that could raise up a few questions ethically. The reference of the body being like a car and possibly being able to change out a "filter" or an "engine" with a new one sounds well kind of unhuman as in that parts being grown in a lab. Another issue is the fact that our generation is all about not aging and looking youthful no matter what the pros or cons. Now if all of this was happening now I feel it would be expensive and probably not FDA approved for a long time. It's amazing that we have come so far with technology but honestly a little scary... I think they have made horror/thriller movies about this topics.
Lauren has some valid points. There is a whole ethical mess surrounding the issue of growing organs in a lab, such as the source of the cells to start them. If the technology gets to a point where they could be grown using cells from your own body it would not be as complicated, but again there is the potential for abuse. Serious need of a transplant to survive is completely different than replacing a fully functioning organ with an even healthier one just to try and extend your life. In addition, even if you could grow a brain as an organ in a lab, the transplant would not ultimately be successful. It is such a complex organ that is continually developing as we age, forming basic connections and associations throughout childhood and growing more complex later on. This learning process would theoretically have to be started all over again if a new brain was transplanted. In the future, even if it did become technically possible to keep a human biologically alive and functioning, it just seems like it would not be the same type of life we experience now.
DeleteI agree with Lucas there is always a risk of abuse if technology advances to far to fast. People are likely to abuse it for personal gain 9 out 10. The growing of whole organs could reduce deaths significantly since those on the donors list would not have to wait as long to get a transplant. The growing of a brain in culture however would be unsuccessful because its so complex and we still do not know much about it yet.However it is fascinating that we have come this far in regards to technology. The future implications of this kind of advancement could have great medical results if we can pull it off.
DeleteI think the technology is ground breaking and can be used for great things. However, just like anything else it can be abused and taken too far. The idea of someone living forever seems absurd and immoral. The pure economic stress that would place on someone should tell them that there is a limit to this technology. I believe there should be some regulation and still proceed with this technology to use in severe cases
ReplyDeleteThis kind of technology is amazing in the fact that it could do so many things and could be used to do loads of great things. Just like any good thing though, what if its taken too far or winds up in the hands of the wrong people? Sure living forever sounds like a good thing but wouldn't you eventually get bored? What about the emotional scars of watching everyone you love( who is mortal) dying before you? You would be outliving your own children in some cases. Living forever has so many emotional consequences. Not to mention the strain it would put on the economy. It would cost so much more to make things and do things with the whole population living forever. Human beings would be exhausting the earth's resources much faster if they live forever. There are so many things that must be considered before you even go about making such technology and so many regulations that would need to be put into place.
ReplyDeleteI found this article. http://www.uthouston.edu/media/story.htm?id=037e9d6a-1761-4d16-8c9f-f4fa091bb095 It is about scientist reversing memory loss in animal brain cells. The memory loss reversal was accomplished by retraining the cells to learn. You guys should read it. It has potential to help us cure/treat Alzheimer's.
ReplyDeleteHere is another article that is about the production of vaccines that would not be administered through a needle. This process is much cheaper to make and can be made much quicker. The process is just now beginning in the trial phase.
ReplyDeleteHere is the article:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/patch-expected-to-take-pain-out-of-vaccinations-20130418-2i2z9.html
In regards to the federal brain research initiative that cost 100 million dollars, that is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. People complaining about spending money on this sort of thing while the economy the way it is have a valid point. I say to them though that this research will in the long term benefit Americans just like human genome project that cost 3 billion but had an economic benefit of 800 billion. I think this brain research will also produce that type of economic benefit because there is still a lot about the brain that we do not know about the brain. It would be awesome to find a cure for Alzheimer's as well because that is prevalent in my family.
ReplyDelete"Justices consider on whether patents on genes are valid"
ReplyDeleteI do not think that human genes should be able to be patented. Technically, it should be illegal to patent anything on the human body. With all of the advances in human genes, every company that is working towards the sequencing of entire genomes should have access to research that other companies have patented. If they shared all of their information, then entire gene sequencing will come sooner than later and be cheaper. The only good thing about the patent is that the company that did all the research would get reimbursed for most of their money. Although, when people are getting cancers that could have been caught earlier, us people deserve the right to an entire gene sequencing. If the court rules in favor of the opponents of the gene patents, there should be some rule put in place where companies have to purchase the gene sequence from the company that discovered it, so maybe they would be reimbursed for some of the costs.
I think you have a very valid point. The whole idea of limiting the patenting of the human genome is a tricky issue as some of the companies that are developing these technologies and discovering the sequences may be publicly traded. They have an obligation to their stockholders to produce a profit and provide a return on the people's investments. Any regulations about patenting such information may need to be enforced from here on out, but not necessarily apply to those companies who currently have active patents. We all share the same coding (relatively speaking) and I believe that the information should be made public in order to spur competition and drive down prices. This would benefit everyone in the long run and lead to a better tomorrow.
Delete"Obama Kicks off $100-Million Project to Study Brain Function"
ReplyDeleteI think this Brain Initiative project is another right step we are taking towards our future. We need a brain project that is going to look at how information is processed throught the wiring diagrams in the brain, so that it can help advance other scientific technologies and knowledge. Even though it does cost 100 million now and will probably cost a lot more in our future, it doesn't compare to the costs that it will save us in the end. Also, when they compared it to the human genome project that cost our country 3.8 billion in the 90s, but ended up paying us back more than 800 billion dollars shows that we should not even worry about the cost of it.
I agree with Brittani that we need to make strides in mapping the entire brain. To know what our full potential is scary but exciting at the same time. Since the brain is the most complex organ in our bodies if we can fully map it out a wide variety of treatments could be potentially available to cure diseases such as Huntington's and Alzheimer's. However much we put into it we can see it as a long term investment that could pay off in the future. The money that can be made if it works will completely compensate for the money that was originally put in the first place.
DeleteThis is a response to the article "Obama Kicks off $100-Million Project to Study Brain Function"
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting to note that the article mentions the Human Connectome Project to map the various neuronal pathways of the brain. This is a significant project in and of itself, and I was personally unaware of it before reading the article. It's interesting to think just how ignorant the general population is to the scientific developments in the nation, yet the advances made in the many areas of the discipline are wide felt. Even though you are unaware of what may be going on, it touches many parts of your everyday life.
There are so many advances being made in science, and I believe that America should work on leading the way on these ventures, reaffirming its role as a dominant superpower while also working on producing benefits that will be felt around the world by even the smallest of countries. The cost may be steep, though I feel the rewards far outweigh the risks of the project. Aside from the knowledge on the brain that could be obtained, it could also provide an even greater return financially than the original investment made (just like the human genome project did). Other benefits would be the development of tools that may prove to have applications not only in the given project, but also various medical procedures and daily applications. The question should not be why should we go through with the project, but why shouldn't we?
I to was unaware before reading this article that a project such as this was even going on. I agree with Andy most people in our communities are unaware how discovery that are made impact their lives on a daily basis. America used to be the top nation in research and technology, but slowly throughout the years it has been on a steady decline.Our education system is not top notch and we are ranked 30th in the world in regards to math and science. To answer Andy's question we should have no problem in proceeding with this mapping project.
DeleteI love the brain mapping movement. As a psychology major I am fascinated by the true power of the human mind. The fact that we huge only a small percentage of our brains capacity shows the sophisticated nature of the brain. I believe that with this research we could help millions of lives. I think it would create a larger understanding of ourselves and each other. This will help us eliminate extreme personality disorders and restore humans to fully functional beings. However, we must be very careful about the transfer of this information. There is a very large possibility that we will discover things that can be used against one another. We must monitor what information gets released and be cautious that it does not get used for harm.
ReplyDeleteEven though I only took general psychology for one semester last year, I agree with Brent in that the brain mapping project is one of the most ambitious and exciting new studies. It really is amazing when you think about what the brain is capable of, yet how little we understand of it now. It's subjects like this that make me glad I'm a biology major, and makes me want to minor is something like psychology.
DeletePatenting Genes
ReplyDeleteI am very torn on this topic. My first reaction was pure disgust that one company could patent "rights" to genes that our part of each human being. I feel that it is the patients rights to get the health care necessary especially if it has to do with their own genetic make-up. Then I realized, that patents are only temporary so that they company can restabilize after spending so much money. I am all in favor of this. If we ignore this, than companies would have little to no motivation to risk money into experiments. I believe that companies doing research should be rewarded for there findings at least temporarily to spark the advancements in technology; however, I become uneasy when companies claim rights to genetic materials.
I agree with Brent that this is a very sensitive subject matter to discuss. The fact that a particular company can have patent rights to a certain mutated gene that will allow them to test and see whether a person is more at risk to develop cancer is wrong. I feel that the information should be shared with other companies to improve the scientific community as a whole. That is the way science is suppose to work researching and developing theories that can further strengthen the foundations of science. What impedes science from making any further significant improvements is the fact money is involved and researchers are worried that credit wont b given where its deserved. I understand that you if you work and contribute towards something its in our nature to want some sense of acknowledgement which we do deserve, but that should not consume us and allowing it to prevent any progress to made. I agree that companies should be compensated for the work that they have done so that it can encourage them to continue on and expand their research.I think however no company should have absolute rights of who can or cannot use particular genes that could be used to benefit the world as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that struck me when reading this article on the patenting of genes was how much it reminded me of how drugs are patented by pharmaceutical companies. Last semester, I took a course here called Medicinal Chemistry and we learned in depth how new drugs were created and put on the market. When a new drug is made, the company grabs a patent on it good for 7-10 years, puts it on the market and makes gobs of money off it. Meanwhile, other companies are unable to recreate this drug or work to improve it because it has been patented. On one hand this ensures that the pharmaceutical company sees some return after the large amount of money they put into making the drug but it also prevents other companies from possibly improving upon it. I found this to be a parallel situation with the patenting of genes. Companies are essentially creating monopolies with their research which is detrimental to science. Competition is what drives science forward. It's competition that drove Watson and Crick to the structure of DNA in the first place. If you build a fence around a gene and say that only a small group can study it, you severely hinder the possibility of a brilliant discovery by an outside source. It is quite unfortunate that scientific research revolves around money because that may be science's biggest obstacle.
ReplyDeleteHere is an article showing positive results for using bacteria to kill cancer in mice.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/35255/title/Tumors-Fall-to-Radioactive-Bacteria/
This comment is in regards to the idea of "patenting genes". Like some of you have discussed, at the first mention of this practice I was pretty horrified that anyone could even think of patenting certain genes. To me, I could not even understand how one would do that in the first place, let alone have a desire to do so. Once it was explained however, it did make a bit more sense to me. I think once I learned about what was really happening I was slightly more supportive of the idea. I am still unsure of it since its still kind of questionable for a company to essentially have a monopoly on gene sequences, but I believe the intentions may be in the right place.
ReplyDeleteThe can we live forever video is amazing but at the same time kind of scary. Technology has come so far that even 10 years ago talking about living forever would be laughed at and considered a crazy idea. After watching the video I think that one day it may be possible to do. It will create a huge ethical mess but I don't think I will be alive by the time it is actually feasible. It is amazing to think about though.
ReplyDelete