Saturday, January 14, 2017
Sunday, August 07, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Friday, April 22, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Genetically modified lettuce saves lives!
March 07, 2015
Jason "Pepe"
Leafy greens like lettuce may soon be the most cost effective way to manufacture medicines. The concept is controversial because it involves genetic modification of the lettuce. Manipulating genes is nothing new. Mother nature has been manipulating genes since the beginning of life.
All life has a reproductive system and a set of blueprints (Genome/DNA). When this blueprint is modified it has a natural order or sequence. Nature does not take genes from a fish and put it into a plant. Human beings on the other hand can do this and much, much more than you can imagine. So this fact alone should in my opinion scare the hell out of you!
These new GMO organisms have patents that earn huge profits for the manufacturers. We could go on and on about this subject for years and we probably will.
Let's get back to the topic of this article. Today serious research and real results have been achieved in curing more than thirty diseases. These cures are a direct result of engineering the DNA of many edible plants. Currently, the most promising of all are lettuce plants.
So who is the leader right now in this field and what diseases are being cured in clinical trials with mice?
The man responsible for this amazing and still controversial research is Doctor Henry Danielle of the University of Pennsylvania. The diseases that have been cured so far include diabetes, HIV, cholera, malaria, polio and others.
So how does this work?
Plants have cells that are totipotent. This means that all the different tissues of a plant can be grown from a single cell. A scientist can modify one cell and then grow all the same plants from that one cell. This process can be replicated producing millions or even billions of the same plant. Every one of these plants would contain the Therapeutic protein that cures the target disease.
So why use genetic manipulation of plants to create medicines?
One good reason is that using edible plants reduces the dangers of allergic reactions. The use of plants like lettuce are fast growing and can be grown in greenhouses using hydroponics to minimize any soil borne pathogens. These plants based medicines of course would have a patent making them very valuable and profitable. On the other hand they should be much less expensive to purchase as a result of the lower cost to manufacture. The pharmaceutical giants would be at a disadvantage because the vaccines/medicines they manufacture require refrigeration and very expensive purification methods to produce. With lettuce all you need to do is freeze dry the lettuce containing the therapeutic protein/medicine and store it in a powder form without additional purification or refrigeration.
One big concern! Are these GMO medicinal plants safe for the environment?
According to Dr. Danielle, he is not engineering these plants in the way that the agro biotech giants (Dow, Monsanto) produce GMO's. He does not work with the plants nuclear genome. This does not allow for the creation of transgenic corn, soy, cotton etc...
Transgenic plants can produce flowers sending out pollen that can cross pollinate with wild species or non GMO corn and create new mutations.
Today many people are concerned that these could cause serious environmental dangers. Let your imagination take over and give this some thought. Hmmm. Well, I sure can think of it as a serious environmental risk how about you?
The way Doctor Danielle engineers the lettuce eliminates the risk of cross pollination. All of his plants are greenhouse grown and they are produced from seed that are identical to the mother plant and contain the therapeutic protein needed to fight the disease targeted. The medicine is made only from the leaf and not from the seed.
So when will these new wonder drugs be available?
No one can be sure. The FDA must first approve the medicines and these drugs must of course make it past clinical trials. All of this effort takes time and lot's of money. As for the money, the future is bright with continued funding by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other charitable organizations.
Jason "Pepe"
Leafy greens like lettuce may soon be the most cost effective way to manufacture medicines. The concept is controversial because it involves genetic modification of the lettuce. Manipulating genes is nothing new. Mother nature has been manipulating genes since the beginning of life.
All life has a reproductive system and a set of blueprints (Genome/DNA). When this blueprint is modified it has a natural order or sequence. Nature does not take genes from a fish and put it into a plant. Human beings on the other hand can do this and much, much more than you can imagine. So this fact alone should in my opinion scare the hell out of you!
These new GMO organisms have patents that earn huge profits for the manufacturers. We could go on and on about this subject for years and we probably will.
Let's get back to the topic of this article. Today serious research and real results have been achieved in curing more than thirty diseases. These cures are a direct result of engineering the DNA of many edible plants. Currently, the most promising of all are lettuce plants.
So who is the leader right now in this field and what diseases are being cured in clinical trials with mice?
The man responsible for this amazing and still controversial research is Doctor Henry Danielle of the University of Pennsylvania. The diseases that have been cured so far include diabetes, HIV, cholera, malaria, polio and others.
So how does this work?
Plants have cells that are totipotent. This means that all the different tissues of a plant can be grown from a single cell. A scientist can modify one cell and then grow all the same plants from that one cell. This process can be replicated producing millions or even billions of the same plant. Every one of these plants would contain the Therapeutic protein that cures the target disease.
So why use genetic manipulation of plants to create medicines?
One good reason is that using edible plants reduces the dangers of allergic reactions. The use of plants like lettuce are fast growing and can be grown in greenhouses using hydroponics to minimize any soil borne pathogens. These plants based medicines of course would have a patent making them very valuable and profitable. On the other hand they should be much less expensive to purchase as a result of the lower cost to manufacture. The pharmaceutical giants would be at a disadvantage because the vaccines/medicines they manufacture require refrigeration and very expensive purification methods to produce. With lettuce all you need to do is freeze dry the lettuce containing the therapeutic protein/medicine and store it in a powder form without additional purification or refrigeration.
One big concern! Are these GMO medicinal plants safe for the environment?
According to Dr. Danielle, he is not engineering these plants in the way that the agro biotech giants (Dow, Monsanto) produce GMO's. He does not work with the plants nuclear genome. This does not allow for the creation of transgenic corn, soy, cotton etc...
Transgenic plants can produce flowers sending out pollen that can cross pollinate with wild species or non GMO corn and create new mutations.
Today many people are concerned that these could cause serious environmental dangers. Let your imagination take over and give this some thought. Hmmm. Well, I sure can think of it as a serious environmental risk how about you?
The way Doctor Danielle engineers the lettuce eliminates the risk of cross pollination. All of his plants are greenhouse grown and they are produced from seed that are identical to the mother plant and contain the therapeutic protein needed to fight the disease targeted. The medicine is made only from the leaf and not from the seed.
So when will these new wonder drugs be available?
No one can be sure. The FDA must first approve the medicines and these drugs must of course make it past clinical trials. All of this effort takes time and lot's of money. As for the money, the future is bright with continued funding by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other charitable organizations.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Friday, December 20, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Your health, liberty, freedom and pursuit of happiness
Your health, liberty, freedom and pursuit of happiness
Recently I read an article on Mother Jones about contaminated genetically modified corn and another article elsewhere on GMO contaminated alfalfa. These are just some of the examples of how we are being screwed royally. Not just in the food supply but in so many other ways.
Every American Citizen is being impacted by GMO'S, the Farm Bill, The Patriot Act, Corporate welfare, Banks, Wall street and greed!
If you believe in the right to free speech and the United States Constitution & the Bill of Rights, then wake up, your eyes are closed. You and I are all now monitored in the USA. Most people know this and don't even care. For Gods sake the news has been talking about it openly and so it is what it is. Incredible!
So why care? Because of the fear factor that's why? Anything you say or think good or bad can come back to haunt you and your family for ever. Do you see that?
Facebook, Twitter and all Social Media is a convenient tool that can be and is most likely being exploited every second of every day. We apparently love to give away all our information. We also like to express our opinions and beliefs. Right? So how many dare to speak? Fear is a means to control, don't you think?
Someone once said.. "The people should not fear the government. The government should fear the people". Now that's what I call true checks and balances.
So what should the government be afraid of? They will always fear a united citizenry! Not a citizenry armed for a battle with weapons, but one that is tired, abused and seeking a level, just playing field.
We the people are the government we are in control right?
Really? Not when we are splintered into all kinds of groups. To divide is a tactical maneuver to efficiently deal with numerous opponents. Do you see this today in the so called news media and in politics?
Wake up and demand that your government represent you the people and not allow lobbyists to influence that which is against your best interests and your rights under our constitution.
Speak out and hold legislators accountable with the power of your voice, your vote and by uniting people not dividing them. If you care, then you must lead the way, then represent the people. Too often we allow elected individuals to be our leaders. That's a bunch of crap. We vote and they direct our wishes for our benefit. "Yes keep dreaming you are saying right now as you read this." Am I right? You are laughing at me because I don't live in the real world and I want to change it.
Money may not buy you true love, but it will get you elected. The impact of the Farm Bill and many other laws primarily benefit large multinational corporations and do nothing to help citizens. The purpose of these laws is to make money and lots of it. The health and true well being of the citizenry is not important when these laws are passed. If they did then why are so many of us sick and dying in such an advanced nation as ours? Why is the middle class evaporating and why are most of us working harder than ever to survive?
Why is healthcare out of reach and out of control in cost and care?
I always say profit is not a dirty word, but don't you think greed is?
Can anyone compare the dollar figures for corporate welfare to welfare food programs?
I wonder why Corporate welfare seems to be okay.
So here is the part you might call me a lefty right? No, don't do that! We are falling into the label trap, divide and conquer and we all lose. Some will win but are you one of those winners? Do you think so really? Stay with me and think please. The American people are not intentionally brain dead. New technology is just making more of us brain dead everyday. We walk around tethered to a smartphone or other gizmo we can't seem to put down and forget. For Gods sake Mine is in my hand more than I care to admit. Why?
Okay let me conclude by saying that as long as we stay united as people on the issues affecting our health, freedom and right to earn a decent living, start a business and keep the monopolies away, we will be able to live the American Dream. Everything else we can figure out later.
Now go plant a fruit tree or some veggies. Make sure the label says GMO Free or USDA organic. So far USDA means non GMO. Wonder how long that will last?
Should I push the SHARE button? Hell yes, no fear people!
Peace,
Jason "Pepe"
http://www.pepesplants.com
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)