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Dear Lavanya, I can try to answer some of these questions. Biotechnology refers to the entire range of tools -- ranging from petri dishes and centrifuges to computers that analyze DNA sequences -- that help us understand biological processes, including the origins, development, and consequences of diseases. These tools also help us invent cures, when and where that is possible. Cloning has a technical meaning and we should probably stick to that: it refers to the duplication of a biological element, which might be a virus, a DNA sequence, or a cell or embryo. It is crucial to distinguish therapeutic cloning (which is entirely safe and ethical, and can help us cure diseases) from reproductive cloning (creating a baby that has the same genes as someone else). Sensible people, it seems to me, support therapeutic cloning because it can perhaps save so many millions of lives and cure illnesses like Parkinson's. Genetics has to do with the inheritance of traits, and we now know that that happens through DNA -- the molecules that carry information from one generation to the next. Stem cell research is today by far the most promising path to curing diseases in which cells are deficient or degenerate, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, juvenile diabetes, ALS, MS, and others. A stem cell can develop into any other kind of cell in the body. For example, it can become a brain cell and might be usable to provide the dopamine cells that people with PD lack. You might take a look at our websites, http://www.sabr.us and http://www.stemcellaction.org for more information about such matters. You can also search the web to get a wealth of information. Lavanya, I need your help and the help of everyone in this group! I volunteer for an project called "Portraits of Hope", which is sponsored by the Stem Cell Action Network. (website is http://www.stemcellaction.org ). We want to put a human face on the controversy surrounding stem cell research, including therapeutic cloning research. We are collecting, and publishing on the Internet, "portraits," each of which honors an individual person who has a condition such as Parkinson's that stem cell research might help to cure. Many people in this discussion group have sent in their portraits. At our "Portraits of Hope" webpage (http://www.sabr.us/portraits-nav.htm ), we have posted several portraits of people with Parkinson's, among other illnesses, and we would like to create a portrait for you as well. Best wishes, and I hope to hear from you soon. Raymond Barglow On Friday, May 2, 2003, at 04:50 am, vmehra wrote: > Can some one please clarify a few problems I am facing or give me some > website from where I can get them clarified? > 1) I want to know the difference between Biotechnology, cloning, > genetics, stem cell research etc. > > 2) I want to know some data regarding diseases. How many can > traditional medical practice cure and what egentics hopes to do in the > future. > > Please help > Take Care > Lavanya > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn