Some of you may remember I blogged about the Taiwanese green glowing pigs last month (see here).
I’ve come across another article about a US scientist, Marc Zimmer, who takes Shine and Shimmer (glowing mice) round classrooms showing them to kids. Not only is he demystifying the science by allowing children access to the animals, he also explains why researchers do this,
Because it’s easily traceable, fluorescent protein gives researchers a better idea of how certain organisms work. How cancers spread, how the brain responds to certain stimuli or when a plant needs more water are among its uses. The technology has led to discoveries about cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and AIDS.
Sometimes more than one color protein is used. For instance, a green fluorescent mouse could carry cancers treated with red protein. Researchers can then chart the progression of the cancer cells while the mouse is still living. Previously, researchers had to kill and dissect the mouse to observe the cells, and they got only one set of data. And even then, it wasn’t always clear which cells were which.
All-in-all it makes a pretty powerful tool for research (and is better for the animals than being euthanized and dissected).
Zimmer also highlights why people shouldn’t feel so uncomfortable with the idea of genetic modification:
After all, he says, genetic modification has been around a lot longer than many realize. Look at dogs.
“They’re all the same species, but humans have bred them to such an extreme that we have essentially genetically modified dogs,” he says. “They’re no longer the same that they were.”
The response from the kids is positive, proving that science is well-received when it’s presented right. It’s great that some quality ‘public engagement with science’ (gotta love that management speak) is going on across the pond, but I feel that we’re lagging a bit – anyone volunteering to donate a glowing mouse so I can to do something similar this side of the water? (Obviously I’ll get a licence from the Home Office first).
