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Human Cloning and Genetic Engineering

University of Florida via Coursera

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Go to class

Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

6 weeks, 4 hours a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

English

Found in

Overview

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Course Trailer: https://vimeo.com/809055327 Are there human clones? Can we bring dinosaurs back? Have mammals been cloned? This course explores these topics and the ethical implications of cloning and genetic engineering. Since the human genome was made publicly available in 2003, the potential to create “designer humans” has emerged. We'll discuss whether we can and should design humans with specific traits while examining the technologies involved and their controversies. By the end of the course, you will understand the current possibilities of and be able to engage in discussions about the ethical implications and future health impacts of cloning and genetic engineering.

Syllabus

Course Introduction

In 2003, the blueprint (I.e., the “human genome”) was made freely available to the entire world. Contained within this blueprint are the directions responsible for making every part of the human body and controlling how it works. Upon the publication of the human genome, it became, in theory, possible to modify specific parts of our blueprint to generate a human with specific characteristics (i.e., a “designer human”). But should we? In this course, we will explore two broad questions: 1. Can a human be created that has specific characteristics, and 2. Should we design “better” humans? We will examine the technologies behind cloning humans and modifying their genomes, and discuss the surrounding controversies. At the end of the course, students will have an understanding of what is currently possible and what is not in the fields of human cloning and genetic engineering. Students will be able to lead discussions with their peers on the ethical questions surrounding these rapidly advancing fields, interpret new breakthroughs, and understand how manipulation of the human genome may affect their and the public’s future health.

Cloning

Are there human clones living among us? Can we bring dinosaurs back from extinction? Have ANY mammals been cloned, and what does “cloned” really mean? In this module of the course, you will learn if a genetically identical copy, i.e., a “reproductive clone,” has been made of any mammal (and a wee bit about plant cloning). Uses of therapeutic cloning, in which clones are created but not allowed to be born, will also be discussed. In the second half of the module, techniques for creating “designer human babies” will be presented. While creating a human designer baby may sound like science fiction, the first designer human children have been reported.

Infertility will, unfortunately, affect, either directly or indirectly, at least a few of you who are reading this introductory paragraph (~10-15% of the US population will deal with some type of infertility). In this module's lectures, you will learn what causes infertility and the techniques developed to combat it. Contrary to what has been believed throughout most of human history, infertility results equally from male-specific and female-specific issues. In vitro fertilization (better known as IVF) was developed in the late 1970’s to increase the chance that infertile individuals could have children. A complementary technique that is used with IVF, called Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), will also be covered in this module. We will end the lecture portion of this module by covering how IVF clinics report their success rates. The readings in this module provide additional details on the first person ever born using IVF and present a number of different opinions regarding the use of Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT).

What are Human Stem Cells?

Human stem cells, in theory, can be harnessed to create new organs or even an entirely new human being. In this module, you will learn about the “classical” technique of deriving stem cells from human embryos. These embryos, created through in vitro fertilization (IVF)—which we will cover in Module 3—are unfortunately destroyed during the process. The field of stem cell research experienced a revolution in 2006 with the discovery of the “Yamanaka factors,” which enable the transformation of your own body cells into stem cells. This breakthrough could pave the way for generating replacement organs made from your very own cells! Additionally, we will briefly cover the regulations, as well as the lack of regulations, governing stem cell research and stem cell-based therapies. The readings in this module discuss the federal, state, and international regulations that oversee the use of human stem cells.

Therapeutic Cloning

Let’s create a clone of Dr. Harfe! (Just imagine how many more innovative courses he could design and teach!). While I'm not sure if you'd consider taking another course with me in this hypothetical scenario, we’ll explore the feasibility of human cloning. In this module, we’ll examine what can and cannot currently be achieved in the realm of cloning. We'll also discuss a notable experiment where three humans were created and genetically modified at the one-cell stage in an effort to develop individuals resistant to HIV. If the experiment was successful, it’s thought that their future offspring might also be immune to HIV, though the results remain uncertain. We’ll also tackle the ethical implications and the international regulations surrounding human cloning and the genetic modification of embryos