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Controversy Erupts in French Classrooms over Permitting Teens to Genetically Modify Bacteria

Posted February 01, 2011 8:04 AM

From Scientific American:

By Barbara Casassus A row has broken out in France over whether 15- and 16-year-olds should be allowed to create transgenic Escherichia coli bacteria in the classroom. Practical experiments in which students learn how to use plasmids to alter the DNA of the bacteria have been under way for 17 and 18-year-olds in the final year of the scientific baccalaureate at schools across France for the past decade.

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Anonymous Poster
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Re: Controversy Erupts in French Classrooms over Permitting Teens to Genetically Modify Bacteria

02/02/2011 1:42 AM

I see no problem with teaching the mechanics of genetic manipulation, but using the example of making an antibiotic resistant microbe is like playing Russian Roulette. We made an E. Coli that consumed ethylene glycol in my training at Texas A&M. That had at least the benefit of making somethng useful in cleaning up spilled antifreeze.
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