2. In the mid-1800s, Austrian monk Gregor Mendel
revolutionized genetic science by employing precise
pollination methods and statistical analysis.
Mendel's pioneering methods allowed scientists later
to determine how specific traits could be inherited into
subsequent generations and to "coax" plants to swap
traits they wouldn't readily exchange in nature.
Gregors work in genetics lead to many breaks in
genetics some good and some bad.
3. Cohen had been working on ways to isolate specific
genes in antibiotic carrying plasmids and clone them
individually by introducing them to the E. coli bacteria.
Boyle had discovered
Boyle and Cohen laid the foundations for gene therapy
and biotechnology industry.
For their outstanding achievements they received the
lemelson-MIT prize in 1996
4. Web-spinning goats
• Strong, flexible spider silk is
one of the most valuable
materials in nature, and it could
be used to make an array of
products
• artificial ligaments, bullet proof
vests, parachute cords, and the
substitution of torn muscles.
These are all products that can
be made with spider webs.
• Spider webs are stronger than
steel which makes it an ideal
material for many products.
• The mass production of these
web spinning goats can lead to
a mass production of items that
can benefit humanity in such a
way that will leave no person
without torn limbs.
• This goat does not create webs
like a spider it simply produces
spiders’ web protein in its milk.
5. Venomous cabbage
• Scientists have recently taken
the gene that programs poison
in scorpion tails and looked for
ways to combine it with
cabbage.
• What is the point of venomous
cabbage? It limits pesticide use
while still preventing
caterpillars from damaging
cabbage crops.
• These genetically modified
cabbages would produce
scorpion poison that kills
caterpillars when they bite
leaves.
• The toxin of these venomous
cabbages has been modified to
so that it will not be harmful to
humans.
6. Pollution-fighting
plants
• Scientists at the University of
Washington are engineering
poplar trees that can clean up
contamination sites by
absorbing groundwater
pollutants through their roots.
• The plants then break the
pollutants down into harmless
byproducts that are
incorporated into their
roots, stems and leaves or
released into the air.
• In laboratory tests, the
transgenic plants are able to
remove as much as 91 percent
of trichloroethylene the most
common groundwater
pollutant
• Regular poplar plants removed
only 3 percent of the pollution
7. Super carbon-
capturing plants
• Humans add about
nine gigatons of
carbon to the
atmosphere
annually, and
plants and trees
absorb about five
of those gigatons.
• The remaining
carbon contributes
to the greenhouse
effect and global
warming
8. Genetic Engineers typically they work in
laboratories.
Genetic Engineers are employed by private
companies like pharmaceutical companies.
Many Genetic Engineers are employed by The
Federal Government for top secret human and
animal experimentation.
Some Genetic Engineers work in academia.
9. Genetic engineers should take a series of
classes designed to familiarize them with the
subjects of cell biology, molecular
biology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry
and medical genetics.
A bachelors degree in a related field is the
minimum education required to secure a job as
a genetic engineer
Any degree higher than a bachelors would
increase your likelihood of obtaining a job in
this field of work.
10. “According to the National Human Genome
Research Institute, the job growth rate for
genetic engineers continues to remain much
faster than other sectors of the economy.” This
is because corresponds with estimates by The
United States of America Bureau of Labor
Statistics that job growth for biochemists, and
biophysicists shall grow by 31 percent between
2010, and 2020.
11. The National Human Genome Research
Institute reports that the annual salaries for
most Genetic Engineers as of 2011 falls around
$44,320 and $139,440. The lower end would
come from part time work, so obviously this
means you need full time to earn around
$139,440. The median annual salary of a
Genetic Engineer is $82,840, as of 2011.
