In this presentation we talk about cloning, its ethics, what it can used for and its advantages & disadvantages. #SciChallenge2017

1. Me, Myself & I
Is it possible?

2. Theoretically, yes and it is possible through cloning.
Years ago, people may have laughed at even a suggestion of such a question (and some
still do). However, with our many recent advancements in the world of science, cloning
has become one of the next BIG things. We could even be seeing clones within 20-50
years if we have some breakthroughs in the research! Nevertheless, cloning has some
drawbacks and people are currently divided in whether or not cloning a human should
legalised.
There are many good arguments for and against cloning, and in this presentation we will
analyse what it is, what it can be used for and its ethics.

3. But first, how does cloning work?
There are, in fact, three different types cloning; these are: DNA cloning (a.k.a. "recombinant DNA
technology,"or "gene cloning”), reproductive cloning, and therapeutic cloning.
DNA cloning
To get multiple copies of a gene or other piece of DNA you must isolate, or ‘cut’, the DNA from its source
and then ‘paste’ it into a DNA vector that can replicate (or copy) itself.
The four main steps in DNA cloning are:
Step 1. The chosen piece of DNA is ‘cut’ from the source organism using
restriction enzymes.
Step 2. The piece of DNA is ‘pasted’ into a vector and the ends of the DNA are
joined with the vector DNA by ligation.
Step 3. The vector is introduced into a host cell, often a bacterium or yeast, by a
process called transformation. The host cells copy the vector DNA along with
their own DNA, creating multiple copies of the inserted DNA.
Step 4. The vector DNA is isolated (or separated) from the host cells’ DNA and
purified.
DNA that has been ‘cut’ and ‘pasted’ from an organism into a vector is called
recombinant DNA. Because of this, DNA cloning is also called recombinant DNA
technology.

4. Reproductive cloning is a technology used to generate an animal that has the same
nuclear DNA as another currently or previously existing animal. Human cloning also
falls into this category. Dolly was created by reproductive cloning technology. In a
process called "somatic cell nuclear transfer" (SCNT), the DNA information from the
nucleus of a donor adult cell is copied into a cell whose nucleus (thus also its genetic
material) has been removed. Chemicals or electric current are used to stimulate cell
division. Once the cells start dividing and the embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is
planted into the uterus of a female host where it (hopefully) develops until birth.
Reproductive Cloning

5. Therapeutic cloning
Therapeutic cloning is like reproductive cloning, except that the embryos
are not allowed to develop fully. The point of therapeutic cloning is to
extract the stem cells from the embryos and study them. When the egg
has been cloned and divided for 5 days, the stem cells are extracted from
it. The embryos are destroyed due to the extraction process, which raises
ethical concerns
But why the need for stem cells? The answer lies in the composition of
these cells. Stem cells are unspecialised cells which can transform into
any of the 220 cell types that are in the human body. Many researchers
hope that one day stem cells can be used to serve as replacement cells to
treat heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and various other diseases.

6. Cloning in Nature
Despite what a lot people think, cloning is not an unnatural or abnormal thing.
In fact, it happens in nature all the time. Cloning in nature is known as asexual
reproduction and occurs in plants and some animals including starfish and sea
anemones . Asexual reproduction needs only one parent which means there is no
fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information. So technically the offspring
are genetically identical to the parent and to each other; ergo, they are clones.
Asexual reproduction in plants can take a number of forms. Many plants develop
underground food storage organs that later develop into the following year's plants.
Potato plants and daffodil plants do this, for example.

7. What cloning can be used for.
Cloning can be useful to us in many different ways.
For example, DNA cloning is used to create a large number of copies
of a gene or other piece of DNA. The cloned DNA can then be used to:
Work out the function of the gene, investigate a gene’s
characteristics (size, expression, tissue distribution), look at how
mutations may affect a gene’s function and make large
concentrations of the protein coded for by the gene.
Therapeutic cloning is useful as it gives us stem cells. These cells are
unspecialised cells and can therefore change into any of the 220
different cell types in the body.This means that they can be used as
replacement cells so treat heart disease, alzheimer’s or other
diseases which kill cells.

8. Advantages of cloning
• All clones are genetically identical therefore it would be possible to clone animals
or plants with the desired characteristics.
• Organisms that are difficult to breed normally, can be reproduced quickly. For
example, some plant varieties do not produce seeds and others have seeds that
are dormant for long periods of time.
• It could make it possible for previously extinct species to be cloned born from a
suitable carrier.
• It could heavily influence the medical world through stem cell research.
• Organs may eventually be possible to clone and organ transplants would be a lot
easier as your body wont reject something with your own genetic material.
If you cloned Henry IV, would he be Henry V or Henry IV Jr. or wait, Henry IV the second?

9. Disadvantages of cloning
• If a donor is susceptible to disease then all clones made from its genetic material
would become susceptible.
• It would lead to less variation, and opportunity to create new variations in the
future.
• Not a lot is known about cloning humans yet so it could be dangerous.
• It has been proven that if we were to clone a human they wouldn’t live for as long
as their donor as they have already inherited DNA which has already begun to age.
Would there be a market for genetic "factory seconds" and "irregulars"?

10. What health threat could it cause
• Physical Health:
We still do not know what the possible health threats could be to both the donors and the clone, therefore
we have to be especially careful as to not cause serious harm to either people.
In the case of dolly the sheep she contracted crippling arthritis and lung cancer and died at the age of 7 which
is 5 years shorter then that of most sheep. This poses the question should we allow people to be clone if we
know the clone’s life will be considerably shorter.
Currently cloning is also unsuccessful a lot of time in experiments. For example, Dolly the sheep was the only
successful clone from 227 attempts.
• Mental Health:
If we were to clone humans we need to take into account how it could effect their mental health negatively,
especially if they were to know that their life will be shorter to that of their donor’s and if they are simply a
means to an end. This could make them think their life is worthless except from what they were specifically
created for.

11. Is cloning Ethical?
The ethics of cloning has been a big contributing factor into why scientist are not
cloning humans already, it is a huge topic of conversation as we need to
remember that the clone is still human therefore also has human rights. There
are many arguments against cloning to do with ethic, but I think that the biggest
one is that it is unethical to view a human being-regardless of its age- as a means
to an end. Even supporters of embryonic stem cell research and other embryo
research have long been opposed to the "special creation of embryos solely for
the purpose of research." However, this is precisely what is
involved in research cloning.

12. If cloning occurs in nature already, why don’t we
just clone humans already?
• The first argument against this is that there is no natural-case of mammals cloning
themselves, it is only seen in plants and microbes. Therefore it is difficult to
predict what will happen to the clone. What we already know suggests that the
clone will live a substantially shorter life to the original holder of the DNA,
because if you were to clone someone who was 30 years old the un-born clones
DNA would already have aged to that of a 30 year olds therefore there would
already be mistakes in the DNA that the clone would inherit
• Many people believe that we should clone humans to supply organs to people
who are in need of them, but then we to take into account the clones human
rights.
Is it true that if you clone yourself four times, one will be Chinese?

13. The End
Thank you for watching our presentation!
We hope that you enjoyed it and maybe even
learnt a thing or two.