The document discusses the topic of designer babies. It begins by explaining genetic principles like dominant and recessive alleles. It then discusses the human genome project and its goals to understand genetic diseases. Some social issues with the project are discussed around fairness and use of genetic information. The document provides arguments for and against designer babies. It argues they are wrong because they could change intelligence levels or personalities. The procedure is also expensive and risks could be involved. In conclusion, designer babies are deemed wrong and natural traits and choices are preferable.

1. Designer Babies By Alexis Egazarian, Fabiana DiBiase Ms. Morgan Period 1

2. Basic Principles Of Genetics 1. How are traits controlled by dominant and recessive alleles? Individual alleles control the inheritance of traits. Some alleles are dominant, while other alleles are recessive. A dominant allele is one whose trait is always shows up in the organism when the allele is present. A recessive allele is masked or covered up whenever the dominant allele is present. A trait controlled by a recessive allele will only show up if the organism does not have the dominant. 2. Codomianant alleles are controlled by neither recessive or dominant 3. When the chromosome pairs separate into two different sex cells, so do the alleles carried on each chromosome. One allele from each pair goes to each sex cell.

3. Human Genome Project 1.TheHumanGenome Project was launched in the 1980’s. In the beginning researchers hoped tousle the information to understand the genetic basis of all disease. 2. Some social issues about the human genome project is Fairness in the use of genetic information by insurers, lawyers, schools, adoption agencies also Reproductive issues like reproductive rights some questions Maya raise from this like What are the larger societal issues raised by new reproductive technologies? A legal issue would be Privacy and confidentiality of genetic information like who owns and controls genetic information? Overall the ethical overview would be bad because it seems like there are so many more cons then pros in the gene project and because people seem to be scared of all the problems that could come from it. 3. One of the laws that had to be changed in order to do the human genome project was the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act or (GINA). President Bush signed it on May 21st. It prohibits U.S. insurance companies and employers from discriminating on the basis of information derived from genetic tests. House speaker Nancy Pelosi says “Because of this legislation, Americans will be free to undergo genetic testing for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s without fearing for their job or health insurance."

4. Genetic Disorders A single gene disorder is the result of a single mutated gene. A chromosome Abnormality can cause the genes to not work properly. A multifactoral genetic disorders can result from inherited mutations or mutations from our own environment. Genetic counseling can help treat inherited diseases. It helps parents who want to get pregnant or are to get the genes of there perspective children, to see if they will have any diseases. Scientists can predict genetic disorders by looking for extra chromosomes or missing chromosomes in a karyotype.

5. Argument 1 One reason why we think creating designer babies is wrong is because you can change the baby’s intelligence to make the baby smart, this is wrong because in school everyone will be working to become smart by studying, and doing their homework, while the baby would already be smart and wouldn’t have to work to become smarter. Feighanne Hathaway a certified genetic counselor at NYU cancer institute said "Our research has discovered that although the media portrays a desire for 'designer babies', this does not appear to be true among consumers of genetic testing services."

6. Argument 2 If people continued to create designer babies it would be a waste of money, because to put certain genes in a embryo would cost a lot of money, a procedure can cost about $10,000! and we could spend that money on many more better science that could help us make people healthier, live longer, be stronger, and all that making a designer baby does is making it look to your satisfaction, that gets us nowhere in the world. Someone who agrees with us is Mark Hughes, one of the inventors of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, called its non-therapeutic use "ridiculous and irresponsible." We believe this is true, why would people want to change their kids looks when they should just love them as they are so we believe they could do so many more better things with this money then change a babies hair color and eye color.

7. Argument 3 Also we believe it is wrong to choose your babies traits whether that be physical or mental because even though maybe you could change your baby to love sports what if in real life if you hadn't done that it would be smart and a bookworm? would you really want to change it's personality. Also we think this is wrong because people should choose the stuff they like to do not have it chosen for them. A person who disagrees with us but can't handle the truth is Dr. Steinberg who says he’s not traveling down “a dangerous road,” merely “an uncharted one.” He is wrong because this has been tried in the past with horrific results. Sometimes even if someone puts the traits in the baby they still wont be interested in what they have inherited and parents get furious because they spent so much money on what they wanted their kid to be. In the end you never really know how your baby will turn out.

8. Argument 4 Another reason why we dislike the fact that people are changing their babies the way they want, is because something can go wrong during the procedure. Some scientists say that there's a lower percentage that something can go wrong during the procedure. Its hard for scientists to create a perfect designer baby.

9. Conclusion Overall we believe that designer babies is a wrong choose for the public and for the economy, because we could do so much more without spending money on making a babies hair color or eye color, and nothing good comes from making your baby athletic when it doesn't want to be. No one should have choices made for them, they should make their own choices, and looks don't matter. So this is why we think Designer Babies is wrong.

10. Vocab Words Chromosome: A threadlike linear strand of DNA and associated proteins in the nucleus of animal and plant cells that carries the genes and functions in the transmission of hereditary information. Gene: A hereditary unit that occupies a specific location on a chromosome, determines a particular characteristic in an organism by directing the formation of a specific protein, and is capable of replicating itself at each cell division. DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid: an extremely long macromolecule that is the main component of chromosomes and is the material that transfers genetic characteristics in all life forms, constructed of two nucleotide strands coiled around each other in a ladder like arrangement with the sidepieces composed of alternating phosphate and deoxyribose units and the rungs composed of the purine and pyramiding bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine: the genetic information of DNA is encoded in the sequence of the bases and is transcribed as the strands unwind and replicate.

12. Work Cited .CQ Researcher .Diagnosing and treating genetic deases . http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/elsi.shtml . http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/legislat.shtml . http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/designerdebate/ . http://www.crosswalk.com/news/designer-babies-when-genes-and-personality-collide-11601725.html And http:// www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id =regulate-designer-babies