GENETICALLY MODIFIED

ORGANISMS & GENE THERAPY

J O H N J O S E P H D . Z A R AT E
BIOTECHNOLOGY
• According to Bragdon,
biotechnology uses biological
systems, living organisms, or
derivatives thereof, to make or
modify products or processes for
specific use.
• Today, biotechnology also
encompasses genetic
engineering, the direct
manipulation of genes for
practical purposes.
 Modern biotechnology
Genetic engineering has launched a has aimed to
revolution in biotechnology greatly
expanding the scope of its potential • develop new precision tools and
applications diagnostics;
• speed up breeding gains and efficiency;
• develop pest- and disease-resistant crops;
• combat salinity, drought, and problems of
agriculture;
• enhance the nutritional quality of food;
• increase crop varieties and choice;
• reduce input and production costs; and
• increase profits.
GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISMS
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is one that has
acquired by artificial means (through recombinant DNA
methods, gene modification, or transgenic technology)
one or more genes from another species or even from
another variety of the same species.

The majority of the GM organisms that contribute to our

food supply are crop plants.
ROLES OF GMOs IN FOOD
AND AGRICULTURE
PEST RESISTANCE
Bt corn, where corn has been modified with gene from
Bacillus thuringensis which is toxic to corn borers

VIRUS RESISTANCE
Rainbow papaya, where protein from papaya ringspot
virus was introduced to papaya

HERBICIDE TOLERANCE
Roundup Ready soybean, where the herbicide
glyphosphate was introduced to soybeans
ROLES OF GMOs IN FOOD
AND AGRICULTURE
FORTIFICATION
Golden Rice, where beta-carotene was introduced to rice
which fortified it with vitamin A

COSMETIC PRESERVATION
Arctic apple, where the apple does not brown easily

INCREASE GROWTH RATE

AquAdvantage salmon, where genes from ocean pout
was introduced to Pacific Chinook salmon to make them
grow faster
EXAMPLES
OF GMO
PRODUCTS
ROLES OF GMOs IN NON-FOOD
CROPS AND MICROORGANISMS

• Flower production
• Paper production
• Pharmaceutical production
• Bioremediation
• Enzyme and drug production
• Diagnosis and treatment of disease

Tools from the DNA toolbox are now applied in

ways that affect everything from agriculture to
criminal law to medical research.
 BENEFITS OF GMOS
• HIGHER EFFICIENCY IN FARMING
• Increase in harvest
• Control in fertility
• Increase in food processing
• Improvement of characteristics
• Nutritional and pharmaceutical
enhancement
• Reduction in the use of
fertilizers and pesticides
POTENTIAL RISKS OF
GMOS • There are inadequate studies on the
effects of GMOs to humans and the
environment
• Genetic engineering promotes mutation
with unknown long-term effects.
• GMOs consumed by humans might cause
or create allergic reactions, gene
mutations, antibiotic resistance, and
change in the balance of microorganisms
in the digestive system.
• GMOs might also change in nutritive value
of the food or might produce toxins
POTENTIAL RISKS OF
GMOS
• There is a risk that the modified gene might
be transferred from the GMO to its wild
relatives or other organisms.

• There is a risk of new pests or weed

resistance. Alteration of agricultural practices
for GMOs might also cause this.

• There is a risk that the modified gene may be

transferred to viral and bacterial genes, which
may cause new diseases. Genetically-
modified bacteria and viruses might also be
more resistant to treatment.
POTENTIAL RISKS OF
GMOS • Introduction of GMOs to the environment
might cause competition or interference.

• There is a potential that GMOs might

become pests or pose threats to the
environment.

• There is a risk of interfering with natural

biochemical processes.

• There is a risk that the modified genes

might persist after their harvest and
might cause negative effects.
POTENTIAL RISKS OF
GMOS • There are ethical issues regarding GMOs,
such as man “playing God” and violation of
nature.
• Because GMOs are novel life forms,
biotechnology companies patent their
processes and products which restrict their
use, enabling them to sue farmers whose
field has been contaminated with these
organisms, even by natural processes.
• There is worry about creating biases and
giving much power to those who hold
genetic information (e.g., issues on the
Human Genome Project)
INITIATIVES ON SAFETY FROM GMOs

For GMOs, Codex developed the Codex

Principles for the human risk analysis of
GM food products, such as pre-market
assessments and effect evaluation.
INITIATIVES ON SAFETY FROM GMOs

This is an international environmental

treaty that regulates the transboundary
movements of Living Modified Organisms
(LMOs). It requires exporters to seek
consent from importers before its first
shipment of LMOs.
INITIATIVES ON SAFETY FROM GMOs

Exporters are required for GM food

products to be labeled and importers
may accept or reject these products.
Gene
Therapy
What is
Gene Therapy?
A therapeutic technique that aims to
transfer normal genes into a patient’s cells.
In theory, the normal genes will be
transcribed and translated into functional
gene products, which, in turn, will bring
about a normal phenotype.
FIRST GENE THERAPY
 TYPES OF GENE THERAPY
According to the way that healing genes are
delivered and to which cells they are sent

1. GERMLINE GENE THERAPY

• alters the DNA of a gamete or fertilized
ovum. As a result, all cells of the individual
have the change. Germline gene therapy is
heritable—it passes to offspring.

2. SOMATIC GENE THERAPY

• corrects only the cells that an illness
affects. It is non-heritable; a recipient does
not pass the genetic correction to
offspring.
 TYPES OF GENE THERAPY
According to invasiveness
1. EX VIVO GENE THERAPY
• when cells are altered outside the body
and then infused.

2. IN SITU GENE THERAPY

• when the functional gene plus the DNA
that delivers it (the vector) are injected
into a very localized and accessible body
part.

3. IN VIVO GENE THERAPY

• when the gene and vector are introduced
directly into the body.
 STEM CELL GENE THERAPY
The process of isolating stem cells (hematopoietic
and nonhematopoietic) from patients with genetic
disease, genetically correcting the stem cells,
possibly expanding them ex vivo, and transplanting
them back into patients with the goal of producing
genetically corrected cells in vivo.
STEM CELL SOURCES
Embryonic stem Induced pluripotent Adult or tissue-
(ES) cells stem (iPS) specific or
are not actually cells from are somatic cells that are somatic stem
an embryo, but are created “reprogrammed” to cells
in a laboratory dish using differentiate into any of found in the tissues of
certain cells from a region several cell types. This fetuses, embryos and
of a very early embryo change may require a children, and not just in
called an inner cell mass journey back through adult bodies. Adult stem
(ICM). Some ICM cells, developmental time to an cells self-renew, but most
under certain conditions, ES cell-like state, then to are multipotent, giving
become pluripotent and can specialize anew as a rise to a few types of
self-renew—they are stem different, desired cell type. specialized daughter cells
cells.
 DRUG
DISCOVERY AND
DEVELOPMENT

REPROGRAMMING
OBSERVATION PROTEINS DIRECTLY
STEM CELL FOR THE
EARLIEST SIGNS
INTO THE BODY TO
STIMULATE STEM
APPLICATIONS OF DISEASE. CELLS IN THEIR
NATURAL NICHES.
IMPLANTS AND
TRANSPLANTS
FOR
TREATMENTS.
 ARGUMENTS AGAINST
GENE THERAPY

• the vectors may deliver the DNA to cells other

than the target cells, with unforeseen results
• viruses as vectors may not be as innocuous as
assumed and may cause disease
• adding new genes to a nucleus does not
guarantee they will go where desired
• if the changes are not integrated with other
DNA already in the nucleus, the changes may
not carry over to new cells and the person may
have to undergo more therapy later
• changing reproductive cells may cause events
not seen until years later, and undesirable
effects may have already been passed on to the
patient’s children
THANK YOU
REFERENCES

• MacNamara, D., Valverde, V., and Beleno, R. (2018).

Science, Technology, and Society. pp. 96-104. Quezon
City: C&E Publishing.
• Serafica, J., et al. (2018) Science, technology and
society. pp. 122-132. Quezon City: Rex Bookstore.
• Dubock, A. (2014). The politics of golden rice. GM Crops
& Food, 5(3), 210-222.
• Duguet, A. et al. (2013). Ethics in Research with
Vulnerable Populations and Emerging Countries: The
Golden Rice Case. Journal of International Law and
Commercial Regulations, 38(4), 979-1013
• Silici, Laura. (2014). Agroecology What it is and what it
has to offer. IIED Issue Paper.
• MacNamara, D., Valverde, V., and Beleno, R. (2018).
Science, Technology, and Society. pp. 109-114. Quezon
City: C&E Publishing.
• Serafica, J., et al. (2018) Science, technology and
society. pp. 165-169. Quezon City: Rex Bookstore.