UNDERSTANDING GENES AND GMOs
by Colin J Sanderson (Curtin University of Technology, Australia)
Table of Contents (98k)
Preface (61k)
Chapter 1: Getting Started (202k)
Colin Sanderson obtained a degree in veterinary science at Queensland University, Australia, in 1964, following which he moved to Cambridge University, UK, and received his PhD in immunology. He then joined the Medical Research Council in London as a career scientist (1972–1990) before becoming the director of an industry-funded molecular biology research group at Oxford University (1990–1992). He has also carried out research in Rio de Janeiro, Canberra, and Gent, and was awarded a Doctor of Science from Cambridge University in 1991. Returning to his home in Western Australia, he established a research group in molecular immunology, retiring from research in 2004 as Emeritus Professor at Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia.
In 1986, Professor Sanderson's group discovered a protein (interleukin-5) that controls the production of eosinophils (white blood cells involved in immunity). This protein and its gene remained the focus of his research until his retirement. Since 1994, he has operated a farm in Albany, Western Australia (www.jinnunger.com.au). This increased his interest in conservation and sustainability as well as raised his awareness of the challenges of food production and transport to consumers, which in turn led to an interest in the issues associated with GM food.
The rapid progress in genomics and related technologies has increased interest in genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This concise and highly readable book equips the reader with essential information about what genes are, how they work, and how they can be modified and used in biotechnology. The book starts with a summary of the beginnings of life, the structure and components of living organisms, and an outline of genetic engineering.
The coverage of human genetics spans race, human evolution and migration, the sex chromosomes, gene therapy, and forensic science. A separate chapter is devoted to the genetics and evolution of some of the major disease-causing organisms. On environmental genetics, the book considers the risks of releasing agricultural GM plants, as well as bioremediation and metal extraction by GM plants. Applications of genetic modification in agriculture — pest-resistant plants, herbicide resistance, and improved foods — are presented as part of a discussion on sustainable agriculture to emphasize the role played by GM plants in relation to chemicals, analytic techniques, and organic farming.
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