Scientific progress does not stand still but instead constantly stimulates the development of social thought. Thanks to the products of scientific progress, people already use dozens of electronic devices and technological solutions on a daily basis to optimize life. One of the fundamental areas of this development is genetic research. Thus, the study of genetics makes it possible to solve pressing issues related to medicine, forensics, and security. This essay aims to discuss the public importance of supporting genetic research.
With the advances of the genetic sciences, medical progress has reached severe results. A key advantage of genetics for the clinical environment is the real possibility of manipulating the genetic code of a patient’s DNA in order to edit it. Adjustments in the polynucleotide sequences are intended to solve the problem of hereditary diseases and to defeat the harmful, damaging mutations that degrade the quality of life of millions of people. Through genetic manipulation, humanity is expected to be able to solve cancer, type I diabetes, and even schizophrenia (Vincent & Yaghootkar, 2020; Zhuo et al., 2017). Consequently, the benefit of studying genetics for medicine cannot be denied.
On the other hand, encouraging genetic research optimizes forensic systems. By the current moment, many laboratories are using genetics to identify suspects accurately. If traces of the killer are left at the scene of violent crimes, it is possible to qualitatively study their DNA and, consequently, compare it to that of suspects using PCR and electrophoresis techniques (Sebastiana, 2021). In other words, genetic studies simplify the work of law enforcement. So it should be understood that by the same scheme, it is possible to establish paternity, which simplifies the system of legal proceedings and gives reliable results regarding the relationship between the child and the man. Thus, for forensics and genealogy, the use of genetic methods is critical.
Finally, the use of genetics for public safety is of great importance. It should be understood that, in this context, security implies food security because one day, humanity will come to lose sufficient food resources. In such a case, genetic science makes it possible to create genetically modified products, which have a competitive advantage over natural plant forms. By editing the genome of plants, humans can modify their economic properties and thus increase their viability, sustainability, and fertility. That said, the academic community is unequivocally inclined to consider GMOs as utterly safe as conventional food (Biddle, 2018). To put it another way, the use of genetic science has extremely significant implications for the agricultural industry as well. As a result, it allows for the food security of communities in case natural foods are lost.
Finally, it should be emphasized that the promotion of genetic research is directly linked to the improvement of the quality of life of society. Humanity cannot live by conservative rules and abandon scientific and technological progress achievements: such views have a destructive effect. Consequently, the study of genetics is vital for the sustainability of society. As has been shown in this essay, genetics is fundamentally important for medicine, forensics, genealogy, and the agricultural sector. Indeed, the range of functional benefits of genetics is considerably broader. All of this together leads to the conclusion that the genetic sciences must be sustained and that research in these areas is essential to all of society, both in the short and long term.
References
Biddle, J. B. (2018). “Antiscience Zealotry”? Values, epistemic risk, and the GMO debate. Philosophy of Science, 85(3), 360-379.
Sebastiana, M. (2021). PCR – polymerase chain reaction. Biologia Vegetal, 1-6.
Vincent, E. E., & Yaghootkar, H. (2020). Using genetics to decipher the link between type 2 diabetes and cancer: Shared aetiology or downstream consequence? Diabetologia, 63(9), 1-12.
Zhuo, C., Hou, W., Hu, L., Lin, C., Chen, C., & Lin, X. (2017). Genomic editing of non-coding RNA genes with CRISPR/Cas9 ushers in a potential novel approach to study and treat schizophrenia. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 10, 28-35.