Animal Farm (GM Food Cloning) Pt 2

The second programme focuses on the latest techniques in genetic manipulation that stand to directly benefit our health. Amongst the animal line-up this week are the sheep that are used to grow human organs for transplants and the plasma cows that could solve the threat of bioterrorism.

A transgenic greenhouse
The film also looks at a product called MySkin – a new tissue engineering technique that takes a small sample of human skin and encourages the cells within it to multiply and produce new skin. The technique is already being used to treat people who have suffered serious burns, but, as co-presenters Giles and Olivia discover, it could have a future use in growing whole body parts – noses, ears and even vital organs like livers and bladders.

A transgenic sheep
Giles, however, decides to stick with his own nose.