Path for Genetic Engineering degree/future/military

[cypher222]

I've been interested in the world of science such as genetic engineering, and physics. Reading countless articles over the years on the future ideas or what's happening today. Anyways I want to start on a path actually getting involved studying genetic engineering. Making things happen, even bought a few books, and been watching endless amounts of videos on it as well. Slowly getting a good idea how DNA, genetics works. Even want to set up my own lab as well, doing research and experiments.

 

Thing is I have no idea where to start for regarding equipment, and actually manipulating DNA such as plants. How can I even start changing DNA, turning genes off and on? I want to start with plants before I move on like animals/humans for example. I want to actually manipulate DNA by taking other plants mixing them up hoping for the best. If I can learn now, even experiment on my own. I'll be way better off when doing it in college regarding grading.

 

As for a other reason I'm going for a degree, is to become a Officer in the military. I'm going for BUD/SEAL training in half a year. Regardless what happens hopefully when I find my own time & using available resources from the military. I'll just do experiments in my own living quaters if I'm allowed that is then back doing my job in the military.

 

I've been reading about sciencetist having a hard time finding funds or winning contracts for their research. Hopefully getting a degree in this field, and joining the military making the right connections may not be a major road block regarding research funds that will help the U.S military or even save lives perhaps. So what is the best way to go about on this? Any replies on suggestions will be appreciated.

 

P.S : btw is my grammar ok or bad? still rusty on that as well. Wrote this 2 am but either way should not be a excuse.

[Marat]

There are many blocks on the path to studying about and experimenting with genetic engineering, since at every point you will confront objections from institutional science ethics committees, which are usually composed of extremely conservative, totally unimaginative, and stupidly self-righteous individuals who exaggerate risks, invent artificial moral concerns, and have no appreciation of the desperate necessity for medical advances in the increasingly stagnant field of medical research. Your first step for selecting a career path may have to be to finding the right country with the most liberal ethical rules for conducting creative genetic engineering experiments, and unfortunately, that will mean getting as far away from the U.S. as possible. Also, since the military is a federal agency and thus under the direct control of profoundly conservative, morally backward, and scientifically illiterate members of Congress, the military would be the worst place to try to conduct interesting genetic experimentation.

 

My particular frustration in this area has been in regard to the effort to use genetic engineering to create anencephalic frogs, which have only enough brain to keep the heart and lungs functioning, but which are engineered to lack all higher intellectual functions. Of course the whole purpose of this is to make it possible eventually to engineer anencephalic humans, who would be so utterly brainless that hopefully society would not regard them as humans having human rights, but more as a kind of proto-human fetus existing outside the womb, yet just as destroyable without moral or legal implications as a fetus now is. This would permit these anencephalic quasi-humans to be developed as banks for organ transplants to meet the now lethal shortage of organs for transplant.

 

But of course, the institutional ethics committee, afraid of where the anencephalic frog experiments 'might' lead a half century down the road, completely refused to give permission for them to be done.

[Genecks]

I find that if a person is a professional and forgets something, he or she can quickly refer to a book, manual, guide, etc.. in order to eventually remember that particular something. In college, you have to practice recall and abstraction of known material. If you're goal is to become skilled and apply those skills, I would suggest at least reading an introductory genetics book and a book on bacterial genetics. Furthermore, I would also suggest getting use to the idea of messing with Drosophila flies. Bacteria and drosophila would be two good models for any undergrad to practice and understand genetics.

 

In general, by doing those things, you're kind of really doing the undergraduate education of a genetics class and laboratory. It's the process I underwent at least.

 

Why bacteria and flies?

 

They are cheap, easily accessible, and many introductory genetics books make it their mission to discuss bacteria and Drosophila genetics. Furthermore, bacteria offer themselves as a haploid organism (and the transcription/translation process is different in bacteria) and Drosophila offer themselves as a diploid organism (and against the eukaryotic transcription/translation process is different from the prokaryote's)

 

It is truly not difficult to get access to these resources.

 

You more than likely will not be able to get access to a PCR machine, though.

 

As an aside, I've researched a little about the U.S. military scientists, as I considered going in to do research. Supposedly, the military has made it a task to privatize their scientific military research. I'm saying that civilians would be doing the research rather than military. Also, there seems to be a higher demand for people with graduate degrees to do the scientific research rather than undergraduates. My guess is that the privatization is to either distance the U.S. government from the research in case anything goes wrong. And/or it's an attempt to increase work productivity and obtain faster/better results.

 

Maybe consider becoming a CBRN officer?

Edited October 9, 2010 by Genecks

[cypher222]

Thank you Marat, and Genecks for advice. Finally found time to reply.

 

There are many blocks on the path to studying about and experimenting with genetic engineering, since at every point you will confront objections from institutional science ethics committees, which are usually composed of extremely conservative, totally unimaginative, and stupidly self-righteous individuals who exaggerate risks, invent artificial moral concerns, and have no appreciation of the desperate necessity for medical advances in the increasingly stagnant field of medical research. Your first step for selecting a career path may have to be to finding the right country with the most liberal ethical rules for conducting creative genetic engineering experiments, and unfortunately, that will mean getting as far away from the U.S. as possible. Also, since the military is a federal agency and thus under the direct control of profoundly conservative, morally backward, and scientifically illiterate members of Congress, the military would be the worst place to try to conduct interesting genetic experimentation.

 

My particular frustration in this area has been in regard to the effort to use genetic engineering to create anencephalic frogs, which have only enough brain to keep the heart and lungs functioning, but which are engineered to lack all higher intellectual functions. Of course the whole purpose of this is to make it possible eventually to engineer anencephalic humans, who would be so utterly brainless that hopefully society would not regard them as humans having human rights, but more as a kind of proto-human fetus existing outside the womb, yet just as destroyable without moral or legal implications as a fetus now is. This would permit these anencephalic quasi-humans to be developed as banks for organ transplants to meet the now lethal shortage of organs for transplant.

 

But of course, the institutional ethics committee, afraid of where the anencephalic frog experiments 'might' lead a half century down the road, completely refused to give permission for them to be done.

 

 

It is very true regarding the high objections of anti-genetic engineering. It is truely a shame, even though I'm more politically conservative in financial & small govt. Even though I'm a christian I personally believe in the "If the end justifies the means" & "God created humanity in his image". Also bad and good are just words what matters is what you do. We humans are such master-pieces of creation with a given intellecual gift. Why let it go to waste?

 

Sad truth to those moral ethic commietties is they even themselves trying to jusitify what is "ethical" and what is or not moral. Have no right to do so even if they think it is wrong. Really you have no right to even save people, who says you do?

 

As for finding a other alternative to doing lab experiments, I guess I have to do it in private, and whatever other means neccessary. Joining the military for a short time period I guess decide where they think is best for me. I have to make do on whatever I can.

 

I find that if a person is a professional and forgets something, he or she can quickly refer to a book, manual, guide, etc.. in order to eventually remember that particular something. In college, you have to practice recall and abstraction of known material. If you're goal is to become skilled and apply those skills, I would suggest at least reading an introductory genetics book and a book on bacterial genetics. Furthermore, I would also suggest getting use to the idea of messing with Drosophila flies. Bacteria and drosophila would be two good models for any undergrad to practice and understand genetics.

 

In general, by doing those things, you're kind of really doing the undergraduate education of a genetics class and laboratory. It's the process I underwent at least.

 

Why bacteria and flies?

 

They are cheap, easily accessible, and many introductory genetics books make it their mission to discuss bacteria and Drosophila genetics. Furthermore, bacteria offer themselves as a haploid organism (and the transcription/translation process is different in bacteria) and Drosophila offer themselves as a diploid organism (and against the eukaryotic transcription/translation process is different from the prokaryote's)

 

It is truly not difficult to get access to these resources.

 

You more than likely will not be able to get access to a PCR machine, though.

 

As an aside, I've researched a little about the U.S. military scientists, as I considered going in to do research. Supposedly, the military has made it a task to privatize their scientific military research. I'm saying that civilians would be doing the research rather than military. Also, there seems to be a higher demand for people with graduate degrees to do the scientific research rather than undergraduates. My guess is that the privatization is to either distance the U.S. government from the research in case anything goes wrong. And/or it's an attempt to increase work productivity and obtain faster/better results.

 

Maybe consider becoming a CBRN officer?

 

Thanks for the tips on bacteria and drosophila material books, I'll take a rough read into that. Regarding to the first steps for starting genetic engineering. So for the PCR machine why can't I have access for a PCR machine can I just buy one off the free market?

 

Good info studying the drosophila flies is a good stepping stone for genetics. Interesting what undergrads go through, if I start studying now and move on more advance experiments such as plants and/or animals hopefully I'll go through classes fine. Hopefully for the end of my military career I can get military/loans funds to open, and operate scientific military research. Depending on what college I go to, hopefully it won't be a problem for me.

 

You are rather right about the military keeping it private for the reasons you gave. Either way govt. makes profit off taxes and/or results. I looked up CBRN officer, sounds interesting to do. But way off the charts what I'm going to be doing in the military. Can you give a list of equipment that is needed for a genetic engineering lab?

 

 

 

[Genecks]

Some of this is relevant: http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/51542-lab-design/page__view__findpost__p__567878

[cypher222]

haha has the name cipher what a small world. Thanks is there any more similar links?

[Genecks]

haha has the name cipher what a small world. Thanks is there any more similar links?

 

http://ebooks.bfwpub.com/iga9e.php

I suggest getting the ebook, as it's more affordable.

 

It'd do you some good to get a solutions manual and not look at it right away.

 

Also, it might be better to work with haploid yeast rather than bacteria, as bacteria take some skill. I've had plenty of microbiological experience to where I could culture the things and attempt to do genetics. But it takes effort, and I would not suggest working with bacteria unless you've the microbiological knowledge. Yeast and drosophila are more than likely two good candidates for experimentation.

 

That's all I got to say for now, as I'm particularly busy as of late.

Edited October 16, 2010 by Genecks