Major Research Findings

• Since the late 1700's scientists and doctors have been altering the genetic code in living beings to achieve intended results. Some results include vaccines, personalized medicines, synthetic human insulin, and prescription drugs. 
• CRISPR-Cas9 technology is capable of altering the genetic code in human beings. Offering the ability to edit or remove DNA that can cause diseases or disabilities.
• Technological advancements in genetic engineering have grown rapidly, although significant laws have been implemented to prevent government-funded research on germline editing, slowing down the once rapid advancement of this technology.
• Societal opinions on genetic engineering vary widely; supporters claim that some people need this technology to cure possibly lethal diseases, as well as debilitating disorders. Some people oppose this technology as it could cause unintended ethical and societal outcomes. 
• Financial inequalities could potentially provide the wealthy few the ability to alter their offspring in order to guarantee their child's success in life.
• Genetic engineering has a long road of refining research ahead before scientists can guarantee its safety and efficacy.

Future Researchers

While researching the technologies behind genetic engineering, I was mostly compelled by “ProQuest”, a large database that holds scholarly articles and journals, Ebooks and physical books, government archives, and much more. I understood that most findings on ProQuest are from trustworthy sources, but I still made sure to further research the authors and publishers. I also found quite a few sources online, mostly via “Google Scholar”, but some sources I had found on websites such as “Science.org”, “United States Holocaust Memorial Museum”, “United States Food and Drug Administration”, and other reliable websites with vast credible authors. However, I made sure to look further into these websites in order to verify their credibility. I stumbled upon a podcast on Spotify with a woman who talks about her opinions on gene editing technology. While I understand that this is not a credible source, I found it necessary to add to my research paper because I wanted to include societal opinions. 

Research Reflection

Initially my research was about genetic engineering in plants and animals, but as I researched more into the topic, I realized that genetic engineering is already being practiced on humans. This was a major turning point in my research as I pivoted with the intention to understand the technology behind human gene editing. My research was halted when most databases didn’t have much information on this topic, but as I dove further into my research with a higher understanding of keywords that matched my topic, I found quite a few more articles. The most interesting part of my research couldn’t be refined to just one aspect, I found myself becoming more interested in this topic with every article that I read. However, if I were to pinpoint one thing that stood out to me, it would be He Jiankiu and his research on Nana and Lulu. I will continue to keep in touch with Jiankiu and the twins as I am incredibly interested in how his research will play out for the girls and their family in the future. As well, I will continue to stay updated with the scientists behind gene editing technology, and keep my eye out for any new developments or breakthroughs.