In Canada, scientists recently discovered how to implant a gene for spider silk in goat s milk, to produce a protein that's stronger than steel and can be used for making bulletproof vests. Elsewhere, scientists have genetically engineered cows that produce a human protein used in antibiotics, and chicken embryos that produce both industrial and pharmaceutical proteins. These are some of the mind-boggling advances in the fields of genomics and genetic engineering that will be the topics of discussion and debate when many of the world s foremost geneticists, bioethicists, animal scientists and veterinarians gather at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine on Aug. 17 and 18 for an international symposium on animal genomics.
Genomics is the study of the genetic makeup of living organisms.
Scientists working on the Human Genome Project recently completed a preliminary map of the tens of thousands of genes in the human body. Similar mapping efforts are under way for other species, including dogs, cats, cows, pigs and horses. These efforts, though largely unheralded, have led to important scientific breakthroughs. Research on the dog genome, for example, has enabled scientists to identify and study the genes responsible for 21 canine diseases. The symposium's keynote speaker will be Dr. Bernard Rollin, the world's leading expert on the issue of bioethics in animal experimentation and genetic engineering.