I want you all to look at these all of these USDA certified organic fruits you
these USDA certified organic fruits you
these USDA certified organic fruits you know banana watermelon all that good
know banana watermelon all that good
know banana watermelon all that good stuff but what if I were to tell you
stuff but what if I were to tell you
stuff but what if I were to tell you that all of these fruits have been
that all of these fruits have been
that all of these fruits have been undergoing centuries of selective gene
undergoing centuries of selective gene
undergoing centuries of selective gene editing what if these are what they
editing what if these are what they
editing what if these are what they naturally originally were now am I
naturally originally were now am I
naturally originally were now am I telling you that these fruits have been
telling you that these fruits have been
telling you that these fruits have been inserted with a foreign gene to make
inserted with a foreign gene to make
inserted with a foreign gene to make their genome different not quite but the
their genome different not quite but the
their genome different not quite but the truth is is the process that got us from
truth is is the process that got us from
truth is is the process that got us from those fruits to these fruits is a
those fruits to these fruits is a
those fruits to these fruits is a primitive form of genetic modification
primitive form of genetic modification
primitive form of genetic modification and by definition that means that these
and by definition that means that these
and by definition that means that these fruits are GMOs but before anyone jumps
fruits are GMOs but before anyone jumps
fruits are GMOs but before anyone jumps to conclusions let’s back up a little
to conclusions let’s back up a little
to conclusions let’s back up a little the definition of a GMO is to
the definition of a GMO is to
the definition of a GMO is to genetically modified organism that just
genetically modified organism that just
genetically modified organism that just means that we have somehow added in some
means that we have somehow added in some
means that we have somehow added in some genes or taken some out or emphasized
genes or taken some out or emphasized
genes or taken some out or emphasized some or de-emphasize some or just done
some or de-emphasize some or just done
some or de-emphasize some or just done something to change the genome of the
something to change the genome of the
something to change the genome of the organism in order to give it some
organism in order to give it some
organism in order to give it some particular traits
particular traits
particular traits now even though a lot of us don’t know
now even though a lot of us don’t know
now even though a lot of us don’t know what a GMO is they’re actually already a
what a GMO is they’re actually already a
what a GMO is they’re actually already a gigantic part of a society but even so
gigantic part of a society but even so
gigantic part of a society but even so here’s what people had to say about GMOs
here’s what people had to say about GMOs
here’s what people had to say about GMOs when asked but in reality when we asked
when asked but in reality when we asked
when asked but in reality when we asked them what did GMO stands for this is
them what did GMO stands for this is
them what did GMO stands for this is what they said I believe the reason why
what they said I believe the reason why
what they said I believe the reason why the term GMO has become so stigmatized
the term GMO has become so stigmatized
the term GMO has become so stigmatized is because it’s been put into the food
is because it’s been put into the food
is because it’s been put into the food industry is this negative term for the
industry is this negative term for the
industry is this negative term for the mistreatment of produce in animals and
mistreatment of produce in animals and
mistreatment of produce in animals and because of that it’s been undergone a
because of that it’s been undergone a
because of that it’s been undergone a huge stigma for example force-feeding
huge stigma for example force-feeding
huge stigma for example force-feeding chicken with hormone enriched diets is
chicken with hormone enriched diets is
chicken with hormone enriched diets is not genetically modifying when I say
not genetically modifying when I say
not genetically modifying when I say genetically modifying that means we’re
genetically modifying that means we’re
genetically modifying that means we’re changing something within the coding of
changing something within the coding of
changing something within the coding of how we work in the DNA now if we were
how we work in the DNA now if we were
how we work in the DNA now if we were talking about a plant that was
talking about a plant that was
talking about a plant that was engineered to produce its own pesticides
engineered to produce its own pesticides
engineered to produce its own pesticides – genetically engineering but simply
– genetically engineering but simply
– genetically engineering but simply spraying pesticides or pumping in
spraying pesticides or pumping in
spraying pesticides or pumping in hormones is not so when we’re force
hormones is not so when we’re force
hormones is not so when we’re force being the chicken with hormone all we’re
being the chicken with hormone all we’re
being the chicken with hormone all we’re really doing is force-feeding the
really doing is force-feeding the
really doing is force-feeding the chicken
chicken
chicken with hormones now the process that got
with hormones now the process that got
with hormones now the process that got us from old-world fruits to new world
us from old-world fruits to new world
us from old-world fruits to new world first is just one section of genetic
first is just one section of genetic
first is just one section of genetic modification the other section has to
modification the other section has to
modification the other section has to happen in a lab and this includes things
happen in a lab and this includes things
happen in a lab and this includes things like rice engineered to produce vitamin
like rice engineered to produce vitamin
like rice engineered to produce vitamin A or microorganisms that manufacture
A or microorganisms that manufacture
A or microorganisms that manufacture polymer is quicker and more efficiently
polymer is quicker and more efficiently
polymer is quicker and more efficiently we tend to think of these two fields as
we tend to think of these two fields as
we tend to think of these two fields as completely different however both of
completely different however both of
completely different however both of them are still editing the genome of an
them are still editing the genome of an
them are still editing the genome of an organism and therefore both of them are
organism and therefore both of them are
organism and therefore both of them are still genetic modification the only
still genetic modification the only
still genetic modification the only difference is the place it’s done and
difference is the place it’s done and
difference is the place it’s done and the time it takes while the process that
the time it takes while the process that
the time it takes while the process that got us to new rolled fruits is a hundred
got us to new rolled fruits is a hundred
got us to new rolled fruits is a hundred year waiting process the science that
year waiting process the science that
year waiting process the science that gets us to modern synthetic biology if
gets us to modern synthetic biology if
gets us to modern synthetic biology if done correctly it’s just a matter of a
done correctly it’s just a matter of a
done correctly it’s just a matter of a couple of days just like the science
couple of days just like the science
couple of days just like the science behind modifying fruits
behind modifying fruits
behind modifying fruits the only thing modern genetic
the only thing modern genetic
the only thing modern genetic modification really is doing is just
modification really is doing is just
modification really is doing is just giving a boost up to evolution to humans
giving a boost up to evolution to humans
giving a boost up to evolution to humans favor instead of waiting centuries or
favor instead of waiting centuries or
favor instead of waiting centuries or something can modify or evolve itself to
something can modify or evolve itself to
something can modify or evolve itself to our liking we’re just speeding up the
our liking we’re just speeding up the
our liking we’re just speeding up the process and in the end the only true
process and in the end the only true
process and in the end the only true purpose if synthetic biology really is
purpose if synthetic biology really is
purpose if synthetic biology really is to make our lives easier simpler and
to make our lives easier simpler and
to make our lives easier simpler and better already
better already
better already scientists have engineered rice to
scientists have engineered rice to
scientists have engineered rice to produce beta-carotene the precursor to
produce beta-carotene the precursor to
produce beta-carotene the precursor to vitamin A with GMO technology the rice
vitamin A with GMO technology the rice
vitamin A with GMO technology the rice that’s made will have very high amounts
that’s made will have very high amounts
that’s made will have very high amounts of vitamin A the vitamin that is also
of vitamin A the vitamin that is also
of vitamin A the vitamin that is also correlated with a decreased chance of
correlated with a decreased chance of
correlated with a decreased chance of blindness and with this rice scientists
blindness and with this rice scientists
blindness and with this rice scientists want to implement it in countries where
want to implement it in countries where
want to implement it in countries where produce and nutrients are not as readily
produce and nutrients are not as readily
produce and nutrients are not as readily available as in ours not only to curb
available as in ours not only to curb
available as in ours not only to curb hunger but also vitamin A deficiency and
hunger but also vitamin A deficiency and
hunger but also vitamin A deficiency and eventually blindness and I think that’s
eventually blindness and I think that’s
eventually blindness and I think that’s pretty cool but even so there’s a lot of
pretty cool but even so there’s a lot of
pretty cool but even so there’s a lot of stigma behind GMOs and honestly I can
stigma behind GMOs and honestly I can
stigma behind GMOs and honestly I can understand a lot of it putting foreign
understand a lot of it putting foreign
understand a lot of it putting foreign genes into bacteria can seem pretty
genes into bacteria can seem pretty
genes into bacteria can seem pretty unsettling and combined with the fact
unsettling and combined with the fact
unsettling and combined with the fact that ecoli is such a common chance to do
that ecoli is such a common chance to do
that ecoli is such a common chance to do so it kind of turns into the fact that
so it kind of turns into the fact that
so it kind of turns into the fact that we’re making like some sort of sci-fi
we’re making like some sort of sci-fi
we’re making like some sort of sci-fi mutated version of the Chipotle
mutated version of the Chipotle
mutated version of the Chipotle situation and I completely understand
situation and I completely understand
situation and I completely understand some people are weirded out by that but
some people are weirded out by that but
some people are weirded out by that but first let me give some insight on that
first let me give some insight on that
first let me give some insight on that unsettling feeling I think a lot of
unsettling feeling I think a lot of
unsettling feeling I think a lot of people are unsettled by the fact that we
people are unsettled by the fact that we
people are unsettled by the fact that we put in genes are not actually from
put in genes are not actually from
put in genes are not actually from bacteria into bacteria
bacteria into bacteria
bacteria into bacteria after all there are countless horror
after all there are countless horror
after all there are countless horror films we’re like one scientist we’ll
films we’re like one scientist we’ll
films we’re like one scientist we’ll take one animal and smash it with a next
take one animal and smash it with a next
take one animal and smash it with a next and then chaos ensues and the world goes
and then chaos ensues and the world goes
and then chaos ensues and the world goes crazy and I am glad to report that is
crazy and I am glad to report that is
crazy and I am glad to report that is not the thing to have the GMOs when we
not the thing to have the GMOs when we
not the thing to have the GMOs when we do insert foreign genes into bacteria
do insert foreign genes into bacteria
do insert foreign genes into bacteria they’re almost always miniscule for
they’re almost always miniscule for
they’re almost always miniscule for example the system that codes for
example the system that codes for
example the system that codes for vitamin A or the system that makes a
vitamin A or the system that makes a
vitamin A or the system that makes a rubber from rubber trees and then after
rubber from rubber trees and then after
rubber from rubber trees and then after that scientists have countless tactics
that scientists have countless tactics
that scientists have countless tactics that they use to make sure only the gene
that they use to make sure only the gene
that they use to make sure only the gene that we actually want to be inserted
that we actually want to be inserted
that we actually want to be inserted gets inserted and after that there’s no
gets inserted and after that there’s no
gets inserted and after that there’s no ridiculous consequences or any
ridiculous consequences or any
ridiculous consequences or any Frankenstein it’s alive moments I
Frankenstein it’s alive moments I
Frankenstein it’s alive moments I believe the reason why genetic
believe the reason why genetic
believe the reason why genetic modification can’t expand as a field is
modification can’t expand as a field is
modification can’t expand as a field is because the entire food industry has put
because the entire food industry has put
because the entire food industry has put this gigantic stigma on the term GMO
this gigantic stigma on the term GMO
this gigantic stigma on the term GMO because of that the entire field itself
because of that the entire field itself
because of that the entire field itself is burdened I remember in high school
is burdened I remember in high school
is burdened I remember in high school every year we’d have this Fair where we
every year we’d have this Fair where we
every year we’d have this Fair where we would introduce different fields of
would introduce different fields of
would introduce different fields of science young kids and of course my
science young kids and of course my
science young kids and of course my colleagues and I had it fair there but
colleagues and I had it fair there but
colleagues and I had it fair there but time after time again we would talk to
time after time again we would talk to
time after time again we would talk to children some of them not even five
children some of them not even five
children some of them not even five years old and hear them exclaim that
years old and hear them exclaim that
years old and hear them exclaim that GMOs are bad and dangerous and harmful
GMOs are bad and dangerous and harmful
GMOs are bad and dangerous and harmful to society without even knowing what
to society without even knowing what
to society without even knowing what GMOs are and that’s the thing that
GMOs are and that’s the thing that
GMOs are and that’s the thing that frustrates me GMOs are so promising
frustrates me GMOs are so promising
frustrates me GMOs are so promising they’re also so stigmatized right now
they’re also so stigmatized right now
they’re also so stigmatized right now scientists are trying to engineer a
scientists are trying to engineer a
scientists are trying to engineer a microorganism to produce all the
microorganism to produce all the
microorganism to produce all the nutrients that a human child would need
nutrients that a human child would need
nutrients that a human child would need in one day and then putting that into a
in one day and then putting that into a
in one day and then putting that into a pill if this pill ever succeeded we
pill if this pill ever succeeded we
pill if this pill ever succeeded we could implement this in countries and
could implement this in countries and
could implement this in countries and famine giving starving children the
famine giving starving children the
famine giving starving children the vitamins minerals and calories they need
vitamins minerals and calories they need
vitamins minerals and calories they need every day in the form of just one tablet
every day in the form of just one tablet
every day in the form of just one tablet and the craziest thing about GMOs is is
and the craziest thing about GMOs is is
and the craziest thing about GMOs is is that this is just one example of the
that this is just one example of the
that this is just one example of the potential future products we can make
potential future products we can make
potential future products we can make imagine engineering ecoli to produce
imagine engineering ecoli to produce
imagine engineering ecoli to produce rubber that’s found in rubber trees that
rubber that’s found in rubber trees that
rubber that’s found in rubber trees that way we wouldn’t even need half the
way we wouldn’t even need half the
way we wouldn’t even need half the amount of rubber tree plantations in the
amount of rubber tree plantations in the
amount of rubber tree plantations in the world we could cut a gigantic chunk off
world we could cut a gigantic chunk off
world we could cut a gigantic chunk off of deforestation not only in South
of deforestation not only in South
of deforestation not only in South America but southern Asia what about
America but southern Asia what about
America but southern Asia what about protecting endangered species of animals
protecting endangered species of animals
protecting endangered species of animals and plants by engineering yeast to
and plants by engineering yeast to
and plants by engineering yeast to produce the drugs that they need for
produce the drugs that they need for
produce the drugs that they need for scientists and they expensive and rare
scientists and they expensive and rare
scientists and they expensive and rare medications out of them what about even
medications out of them what about even
medications out of them what about even helping to repair the holes in the ozone
helping to repair the holes in the ozone
helping to repair the holes in the ozone layer but getting a coli or some other
layer but getting a coli or some other
layer but getting a coli or some other microorganism to make it can make ozone
microorganism to make it can make ozone
microorganism to make it can make ozone itself
itself
itself genetic modification can do that we just
genetic modification can do that we just
genetic modification can do that we just need the mindset to let that happen so
need the mindset to let that happen so
need the mindset to let that happen so undeserved stigma that GMOs have makes
undeserved stigma that GMOs have makes
undeserved stigma that GMOs have makes us so that none of these things will
us so that none of these things will
us so that none of these things will ever come into fruition to the extent
ever come into fruition to the extent
ever come into fruition to the extent that the human race needs it to this is
that the human race needs it to this is
that the human race needs it to this is where you all come in now I’m not just
where you all come in now I’m not just
where you all come in now I’m not just saying that we should go out and mutate
saying that we should go out and mutate
saying that we should go out and mutate everything without any regards like
everything without any regards like
everything without any regards like public safety or health or ethics
public safety or health or ethics
public safety or health or ethics because you know even I don’t think that
because you know even I don’t think that
because you know even I don’t think that would work out terribly well
would work out terribly well
would work out terribly well but 181 percent of stem professionals
but 181 percent of stem professionals
but 181 percent of stem professionals think that genetic modification is
think that genetic modification is
think that genetic modification is already safe but only 31% of the general
already safe but only 31% of the general
already safe but only 31% of the general public thinks that it even has potential
public thinks that it even has potential
public thinks that it even has potential to be safe that says something that says
to be safe that says something that says
to be safe that says something that says we might need to reconsider as a 17 year
we might need to reconsider as a 17 year
we might need to reconsider as a 17 year old girl talking at you all on a stage I
old girl talking at you all on a stage I
old girl talking at you all on a stage I can only plant this idea in your head
can only plant this idea in your head
can only plant this idea in your head you know I can’t like engineer some
you know I can’t like engineer some
you know I can’t like engineer some plasmid and then inject it into your
plasmid and then inject it into your
plasmid and then inject it into your brains and change your genome maybe make
brains and change your genome maybe make
brains and change your genome maybe make you guys ask if I wanted to because that
you guys ask if I wanted to because that
you guys ask if I wanted to because that doesn’t work but if I plant this idea
doesn’t work but if I plant this idea
doesn’t work but if I plant this idea into your head and then you choose to do
into your head and then you choose to do
into your head and then you choose to do something that’s where things start to
something that’s where things start to
something that’s where things start to get moving because in order to change a
get moving because in order to change a
get moving because in order to change a global predisposition it starts with a
global predisposition it starts with a
global predisposition it starts with a new generation it starts with us kids
new generation it starts with us kids
new generation it starts with us kids and if we recognize genetic modification
and if we recognize genetic modification
and if we recognize genetic modification not only as a legitimate but powerful
not only as a legitimate but powerful
not only as a legitimate but powerful field that’s when things start to gain
field that’s when things start to gain
field that’s when things start to gain momentum maybe it’ll be education reform
momentum maybe it’ll be education reform
momentum maybe it’ll be education reform maybe it’ll be policy reform but
maybe it’ll be policy reform but
maybe it’ll be policy reform but regardless something in our generation
regardless something in our generation
regardless something in our generation needs to change
needs to change
needs to change in order to let genetic modification
in order to let genetic modification
in order to let genetic modification take root and grow progress is
take root and grow progress is
take root and grow progress is inevitable but it’s the youth who really
inevitable but it’s the youth who really
inevitable but it’s the youth who really decide when that progress will start as
decide when that progress will start as
decide when that progress will start as society’s new generation we have the
society’s new generation we have the
society’s new generation we have the responsibility to decide what will be
responsibility to decide what will be
responsibility to decide what will be acceptable and what won’t be acceptable
acceptable and what won’t be acceptable
acceptable and what won’t be acceptable and genetic modification can start
and genetic modification can start
and genetic modification can start saving lives in working near miracles at
saving lives in working near miracles at
saving lives in working near miracles at least publicly until we say it’s okay
least publicly until we say it’s okay
least publicly until we say it’s okay so maybe it’s just telling your friends
so maybe it’s just telling your friends
so maybe it’s just telling your friends and family that GMOs won’t make you grow
and family that GMOs won’t make you grow
and family that GMOs won’t make you grow a third arm maybe it’ll be pushing for
a third arm maybe it’ll be pushing for
a third arm maybe it’ll be pushing for education reform or policy reform even
education reform or policy reform even
education reform or policy reform even joining some associations like bio
joining some associations like bio
joining some associations like bio builders or ijen but regardless it’s now
builders or ijen but regardless it’s now
builders or ijen but regardless it’s now our responsibility to take on the
our responsibility to take on the
our responsibility to take on the stigmas of genetic modification so let’s
stigmas of genetic modification so let’s
stigmas of genetic modification so let’s get started
get started
get started you
you
you [Applause]
”
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