Why is Genetics Important?
Before we discuss this, let me first define the word ‘genes’. According to Wikipedia.org, ‘Genes are a unit of heredity in any living organism., Each gene carries a specific code of useful RNA chains and protein. These genes enable the offspring to inherit the traits of their parents like eye and hair color. They are also the ones who are responsible for the development of various hereditary diseases like Down syndrome, Hemophilia and Phenylketonuria (PKU), Type 1 diabetes, cleft palate (1 out of 5 cases) heart failure, stroke and others.
The Framingham study which was conducted for almost 20 years by researcher MD, PhD Douglas S, Lee and his colleagues proved that children of people who are diagnosed with heart failure are 70% at risk of acquiring the same disease compared to those whose parents have no heart failure condition.
Knowing this fact, bioengineers have come up with a way to study the genes of any living organisms. Bioengineering is the process of directly altering the genetic composition of an organism by removing a gene containing specific trait from one organism and inserting it into another organism in order to improve its characteristics. This technology is now being used in the process of creating GM foods or Genetically Modified foods and cloning.
Genetics is very important to prevent the existence of different hereditary diseases. We need proper knowledge in order for our doctors to come up with the proper treatment for each disease. Creating a more effective antibiotic and treating dwarfism by using Human Growth Hormones are only some of the positive results of studying genetics.
In conclusion, almost 40% of the total population is at risk of acquiring common diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart failure. Genetics can give you the foreknowledge about the probability of you acquiring the disease. Learning about it can help you prevent getting the disease and eventually cure the root cause to prevent your next generation to acquire it. Genetics opens a lot of windows to possibilities and can also contribute to the development of our specie.
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