Genomics

Management of genetic information is a key issue currently facing humanity. Recombinant genetics is one of the most dramatic technological tools to date in the area of biotechnology. New techniques for identifying and manipulating genes are the first strand in what Jeremy Rifkin describes as 'the new operational matrix of the Biotech Century. While the motivation behind genetic engineering is age-old, the technology itself represents something qualitatively new. To understand why this is the case, we must appreciate the distinction between traditional tinkering with biological organisms and genetic engineering.'

Discuss this topic in the forum.