BIRD-DOGGIN' THE INTERNET
Peeking Into Your Genes

By Dr. Steve O'Neil, Micro Mo Electronics, Inc.

When I read of scientists' ability to selectively produce smart mice or stupid mice, or turn anti-social mice into social mice through the genetic manipulation of mousy brain receptors, I realized that the 21^st century had arrived. The implications of such discoveries are all too obvious. Already we have seen the controversy over cloning, the creation of "Frankenstein food," and gene therapy. Can the day when sperm from the genius sperm bank meets the egg from a supermodel Web site be far away? These are some of the new challenges facing designers in the 21^st century. This is also the first generation which may see the integration of man and machine in more than a metaphorical sense.

It seems as though there is news daily about the dominating influence genetic materials have in our lives. Already research has linked the gene pool to such maladies as glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, deafness, obesity, muscular dystrophy, cancer, heart disease, infertility, nicotine addition, immune system disorders, and aging. To counter these conditions, gene therapy, implantation, and modification are being aggressively explored. One Princeton scientist went so far in a recent ABC News report to opine that the day when we will be "changing the brain to make it work the way we want" is upon us. You can find a good Primer on Molecular Genetics by Denise Casey and Dan Jacobson at http://www.bis.med.jhmi.edu/Dan/DOE/intro.html. This material is also available as a .pdf download. It covers DNA, genes and chromosomes, mapping strategies, maps, and analysis. Unfortunately, the weakest section had the potential of being the most interesting for design engineers--the impact of genetics in allied areas such as medicine, agriculture, and information processing. Another good background site is MendelWeb at http://www.stg.brown.edu/webs/MendelWeb/. Here you can research the origins of classical genetics, experiments, and link to glossaries, discussion questions, and other sites around the world. The core material places heavy emphasis on original texts in English and German.

Although scientists have investigated the combinations and permutations in flora and fauna for more than 100 years, the milestone work in this area has occurred only in the last generation. The first genetically-engineered product is commonly considered to be human insulin, which was manufactured in 1982. In 1996, the first complete genome of a life form--yeast--was sequenced. From this point, protease inhibitors for drug development and gene therapy to treat such diseases as leukocyte disorders, enzyme replacement, and metabolic disorders has made the news both for its promise, and for its potential lethalness. In 1997 the FTC issued its first ruling on gene patenting and licensing. Now, transgenetic sheep are producing a human protein used for treating cystic fibrosis, genetically-engineered potatoes contain a vaccine against cholera, and genetically-engineered tobacco plants are producing human hemoglobin. For background on cloning, Conceiving a Clone at http://library.advanced.org/24355/ profiles participants, development issues, and the pros and cons in this debate. The USDA's Biotech Web Site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology provides information on the use of genetically-modified crops and transgenic animals. It purports to be one of the best sites for those seeking an introduction to agricultural biotechnology.

On the food and medicine front, opinions are sharply divided about tinkering with food and medicine. Less visible are the other areas of promising activity such as algorithm development and computing devices. Early work in these areas indicates that knowledge gained in the genetics and infomatics areas has applications in such things as the optimization of process parameters and the orderly storage, handling, and processing of large amounts of information. The Illinois Genetics Algorithms Laboratory at http://www-illigal.ge.uiuc.edu/ is also working on search procedures based on the mechanics of natural selection and natural genetics. Visit here for information on algorithms, a publications archive, machine learning, and Web links to research groups and applications (bio, chem., neural networks, MATLAB tools).

In the world of electronics, genetic algorithms are currently being used to simulate the performance of high-speed chips in the expectation of being able to raise yields. The algorithms are used to develop clock-timing circuits and the results in some cases raise yields 20X. They can also be used to "evolve" tolerances for chips used in critical applications. A good general overview of algorithms in general can be reviewed in The Genetic Algorithms Archive at http://www.aic.nrl.navy.mil/galist/ which includes an events calendar, other links, and "fun stuff." DNA molecules are also being studied as a means of building advanced computers which can automatically identify answers by using segments of DNA as data bits ("DNA chips") printed on glass. Other companies are working on such diverse biotech-based products as laundry detergents, biofuel cells, and blood substitutes. For more information on genetics and some various applications, try the Stanford portal at http://www.doubletwist.com/ and Decoding Death at http://www.cio.com/archive/webbusiness/090199_curious_content.html. It's a whole new ballgame!

Contributing editor Steve O'Neil is president of Small Motors and Motion Association (SMMA) and vice president, advanced research and planning of Micro Mo Electronics Inc., Clearwater, FL. He can be reached on the Internet at Steveo@micromo.com

Dr. Steve O'Neil

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