Manoj Vimal | Independent Researcher (original) (raw)

Papers by Manoj Vimal

BMC Medical Ethics, 2022

Background: As a consequence of precision medicine initiatives, genomic technologies have rapidly... more Background: As a consequence of precision medicine initiatives, genomic technologies have rapidly spread around the world, raising questions about genetic privacy and the ethics of data sharing. Previous scholarship in bioethics and science and technology studies has made clear that different nations have varying expectations about trust, transparency, and public reason in relation to emerging technologies and their governance. The key aims of this article are to assess genetic literacy, perceptions of genetic testing, privacy concerns, and governing norms amongst the Singapore population by collecting surveys. Methods: This study investigated genetic literacy and broad public attitudes toward genetic tests in Singapore with an online public survey (n = 560). To assess potential changes in attitudes following receipt of results from a genetic test, we also surveyed undergraduate students who underwent a genetic screen as part of a university class before and after they received their test results (n = 25). Results: Public participants showed broad support for the use of genetic tests; scored an average of 48.9% in genetic literacy; and expressed privacy concerns over data sharing and a desire for control over their genetic data. After taking a genetic test and receiving genetic test results, students reported less fear of genetic tests while other attitudes did not change significantly. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of genetic education and active engagement with genetic testing to increase support and participation in genomic projects, PM, and biobanking initiatives; and they suggest that data privacy protections could potentially reduce discrimination by giving participants control over who can access their data. More specifically, these findings and the dataset we provide may be helpful in formulating culturally sensitive education programs and regulations concerning genomic technologies and data privacy.

East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal, 2021

The United Nations' projections for the period between 2019 and 2050 anticipate a rapid rise in p... more The United Nations' projections for the period between 2019 and 2050 anticipate a rapid rise in population aging in Eastern and SouthEastern Asia. With such population aging often comes a disease burden in the form of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In the context of Singapore, we examine the role of a national biobank called Health for Life in Singapore (HELIOS), which positions itself as aiming to improve the health and lives of future generations of Singapore. HELIOS' aims and actions inform on the anxieties, desires and ambitions of the Singapore state and its healthcare system in the context of its changing population demography. We argue that HELIOS propagates a "sociotechnical imaginary" of what we call "generational medicine," that posits a crucial role for biobanks in tackling the societal challenge of an aging population.

East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal, 2021

Most large population-based genomic studies have, until now, mainly focused on European ancestral... more Most large population-based genomic studies have, until now, mainly focused on European ancestral populations. The Singapore-based Genome-Asia100K (GA100K) Consortium aims to address this bias by targeting major Asian populations and generating reference genomes for various ethnic groups. GA100K is also studying historical population migrations and providing bioinformatic tools that may help tackle diseases among Asia's multi-ethnic populations. These project goals transcend national boundaries, national genome projects, localized national science, and medicine. Rather, GA100K leverages the strategic location of Singapore as a regional nexus to advance science and technology within Singapore. GA100K is thus symptomatic of the Singaporean nation-state's ambition to be a knowledge-based economy and a regional biomedical hub. This article thus speaks to literature in STS that deals with the interface and entanglements of human tissue biobanks, human genome projects, and national development.

World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2019

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to assess the agricultural practices in a drought-prone regi... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to assess the agricultural practices in a drought-prone region of India in an effort to find out how science, technology and innovation (STI) measures can address the existing problems and help achieve sustainable solutions. This study has been planned with two specific objectives: to study the agricultural practices of small and marginal-holding farmers in a drought-prone region and to examine the opportunities for suitable interventions to mitigate the impacts of droughts. The study is based on primary survey conducted in Banda district of Bundelkhand region, Uttar Pradesh, India. Design/methodology/approach-Empirical survey was done in eight different blocks of a drought-prone region of India using structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was pre-tested with a group of 12 farmers during a workshop through a pilot survey conducted during April 2017. Stratified sampling based on land holdings (small farmers having 1-2 ha of land, medium farmers having 2.1-5 ha of land and large farmers having more than 5 ha of land) and irrigation types (canals and tube wells) were utilised in different blocks of the district for selecting farmers in the surveyed villages. Findings-Findings suggest that due to various reasons like change in climatic conditions, frequent crop failure, crop diseases and high cost of production, farmers have adopted certain crops which are not suited to their agro-climatic conditions. The paper recommends that farmer's school or "on-farm training school" have to be initiated to integrate farmers' traditional knowledge with modern knowledge systems with amalgamation of STI tools. Research limitations/implications-Uttar Pradesh is divided into nine agro-climatic zones; however, this study is focused on Bundelkhand and may be region specific, though the findings are important for other drought-prone areas. Practical implications-The paper links the existing agricultural practices and further linking them with farmers' socioeconomic , cultural and environmental settings. Only 17.5 per cent of respondents owned any agricultural equipment due to high cost of farm tools, difficulty in taking equipements on rental basis and lack of sharing tools among the farmers. Social implications-This paper targets small and marginal farmers in the drought-prone region of India who face the dual shock of climate impacts and poverty. Adoption of modern agricultural practices and use of technology is inadequate which is further hampered by ignorance of such practices, high costs and impracticality in the case of small land holdings. Originality/value-This paper has advocated for well-organised, efficient and result-oriented STI system to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought-prone agriculture. Farming community in drough-prone areas needs adequate investment, local-specific technology, better quality inputs, real-time information on weather and most importantly latest know-how for sustaining commercial and cost effective sustainable agriculture.

Innovationsinbiomedicalresearchhavethepotentialtotransformthehealthcarediagnostics.Human genomics... more Innovationsinbiomedicalresearchhavethepotentialtotransformthehealthcarediagnostics.Human genomicsresearchisanotherapproachwhichprovidesnewtoolsandtechniquesbywhichlifescience researchershopewillhelpinpredictingsusceptibilitytowardscommondiseases.Inthisbackdrop, thispaperattemptstoexploreattheintersectionofhealth,technologyandsocietybyattempting tounderstandashowhumangenomicsapproachcanhelpthelifescientiststounravelthedisease susceptibilityincaseofhumangeneticdisorders.Actor-NetworkTheoryhasbeendeployedasa theoreticalframeworkasitgivessomeagencytonon-humanactorsalongwithhumanactors.Ithas beenarguedinthispaperthatnon-human'actants'playadecisiveroleincaseofhumangenomics research.Riseofhumangenomicshasbeentracedsincetheterm'genomics'wasfirstcoinedtothe presentday'spromiseandhopegeneratedbytheadvancesinhumangenomics.Somemisconceptions andclarificationsregardingANThavealsobeendiscussedinthispaper.

With the availability of the human and mouse genomes, there is an increasing need for developing ... more With the availability of the human and mouse genomes, there is an increasing need for developing variety of transgenic mouse models. Presently used technique for making transgenic animals involves pronuclear DNA microinjection by embryo manipulation. This is cumbersome, expensive, time consuming and it requires large number of females for super­ovulation which are then killed. We have recently established a new technique for generating transgenic mice by electroporation of the transgene in spermatogonial cells of testis. This technique has some caveats. It requires surgical exposure of the testis which may remain a potential site of infection. Inappropriate survival surgery may also lead to impotency. Moreover, surgical procedure may not be suitable for large animals under farm condition. Hence, the technique may remain unpopular in spite of several advantages. Development of a procedure avoiding surgeries may not only be ethically superior but also pave the way for frank use of this technique in small and large animals. With this objective, we have developed a non invasive procedure for integration of the foreign DNA in repopulating spermatogonial cells of the testis. For this purpose, the linearized DNA(20­25μl of 0.5 μg/μl) containing promoter and gene of interest was injected aseptically by Hamilton syringe into the testis of anesthetized mouse. Several conditions for electroporation were tested; electroporation using 8 square 60V electric pulses in alternating direction with a time constant of 50­60 milli second and an inter­pulse interval of ~1 second worked best. The whole procedure can be accomplished within 10 minutes. Testis of a mouse expressed green fluorescence, 50 days after eletroporation with a construct containing EGFP gene cloned downstream of chicken β­actin promoter (pCX­EGFP) confirming genomic integration of the transgene. Since a cycle of spermatogenesis in mice is completed in about 35 days, the electroporated males were mated after 35 days of electroporation. This was done to ensure that the progenies bearing transgene must result from sperm generated from the repopulating spermatogonial cells which were successfully transfected at the time of electroporation. Analysis of transgene by PCR of genomic DNA obtained from tail tips of progeny generated by mouse electroporated with i) pCX­EGFP, ii) the fusion gene of full­length fragment of Scaffold/Matrix attachment region binding protein1(Smar1) and EGFPcloned downstream of Cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter/enhancer (Smar1­EGFP) and iii) human insulin­like growth factor binding protein­6 (IGFBP­6)cloned downstream of a brain specific promoter of glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap­IGFBP6) validated that our procedure resulted into successful production of transgenic mice with all these constructs. More than 50% of the pups born were transgenic. EGFP was expressed by the liver of mouse transgenic for Smar1­EGFP. As expected, GFAP expression by astroglial cells was diminished in mouse (F3 generation) transgenic for Gfap­IGFBP6 because presence of IGFBP6 in the milieu of brain is known to sequester IGF2 which is essential for healthy development of astroglial cells. This is the first report about development of a non­ surgical, rapid and ethically superior deathless technique for making transgenic animals. It generates a potential scope for its widespread use in divulging functions of genes and in developing animal models of pathophysiological importance.

Microinjection of foreign DNA in male pronucleus by in-vitro embryo manipulation is difficult but... more Microinjection of foreign DNA in male pronucleus by in-vitro embryo manipulation is difficult but remains the method of choice for generating transgenic animals. Other procedures, including retroviral and embryonic stem cell mediated transgenesis are equally complicated and have limitations. Although our previously reported technique of testicular transgenesis circumvented several limitations, it involved many steps, including surgery and hemicastration, which carried risk of infection and impotency. We improved this technique further, into a two step non-surgical electroporation procedure, for making transgenic mice. In this approach, transgene was delivered inside both testes by injection and modified parameters of electroporation were used for in-vivo gene integration in germ cells. Using variety of constructs, germ cell integration of the gene and its transmission in progeny was confirmed by PCR, slot blot and immunohistochemical analysis. This improved technique is efficient, requires substantially less time and can be easily adopted by various biomedical researchers. M ouse transgenesis is an important tool for functional genetics and for creating humanized models of diseases. Transgenic animals can be produced by pronuclear DNA microinjection 1,2 , retroviral mediated gene transfer 3 , embryonic stem cell based gene transfer 4 and via somatic cell nuclear transfer 5,6. Despite the success of these procedures in generating genetically altered animals, these techniques are difficult to perform and hence limited to selected laboratories having facilities and skilled personnel for embryo manipulation and embryo transfer 7. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or male germ cell mediated techniques of gene transfer have also been reported in literature 8–11. However, these techniques either require in vitro germ cell manipulation followed by surgical germ cell transplantation or ICSI followed by embryo transfer in surrogates or surgical manipulation to deliver DNA in the testis followed by electroporation of DNA in the spermatogonia. All of these methods involve surgical steps which can potentially cause infection and/or impotency. Therefore there is a need to develop relatively safer and a less time consuming procedure for transgenesis. Testicular transgenesis has advantage over zygote or oocyte mediated transgenesis because this does not require large number of females for super ovulation and expertise for embryo manipulation. To ensure easy adaptability of our previously reported testicular transgenesis technique, we improved the technique into a two step non-surgical electroporation procedure for making transgenic mice. We standardized the technique using construct having Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein (EGFP) as the reporter. Subsequently, we also generated transgenic lines of mice using different constructs including those for tissue specific expression and those displaying patho-physiological effect of the transgene. This is the first report of non-surgical approach for in vivo germline integration of foreign gene and efficient generation of transgenic mice without using any assisted reproductive technique (ART). This procedure can be potentially adopted for transgenesis in farm animals where surgery as well as embryo transfer are not as easy as those in mice. Results Establishment of the technique for non-surgical in-vivo electroporation of the testis. Linearised pCX-EGFP plasmid (Fig. 1a-i) was used for standardization of the technique; one testis was injected with the DNA and the contra-lateral testis was kept as control (non-injected). Various DNA injection parameters such as amount of DNA (ranging from 10 mg–30 mg per testis), volume of suspended DNA (ranging from 20–25 ml) injected per testis,

This paper explores the intersection of genetics, health and society in India by focusing on the ... more This paper explores the intersection of genetics, health and society in India by focusing on the state of Gujarat. Based on the empirical study using in-depth interviews, supplemented by analysis of government documents and meta analysis of the articles published in the area, it deals with the genetic tests for the detection of mutations in any gene of the human body which are believed to be the cause of genetic disorders. It attempts to understand the present status of genetic testing and the socioeconomic background of the people who opt for the testing. By using insights from the science and technology studies (STS) and taking actor-network theory (ANT) as conceptual framework, it tries to view genetic testing as a heterogeneous set of practices and tools. Gene has been enrolled as a non-human 'actant' here and subsequently linked to the 'network of actants'. Here, it is argued that the heterogeneity of the genetic tests and screening requires a range of regulatory mechanisms. The paper also focusses on the need of better infrastructure in terms of laboratories and trained personnel. It also highlights the importance of community leaders to deal with the avoidance behaviour of patients for screening and management of genetic disorders.

BMC Medical Ethics, 2022

Background: As a consequence of precision medicine initiatives, genomic technologies have rapidly... more Background: As a consequence of precision medicine initiatives, genomic technologies have rapidly spread around the world, raising questions about genetic privacy and the ethics of data sharing. Previous scholarship in bioethics and science and technology studies has made clear that different nations have varying expectations about trust, transparency, and public reason in relation to emerging technologies and their governance. The key aims of this article are to assess genetic literacy, perceptions of genetic testing, privacy concerns, and governing norms amongst the Singapore population by collecting surveys. Methods: This study investigated genetic literacy and broad public attitudes toward genetic tests in Singapore with an online public survey (n = 560). To assess potential changes in attitudes following receipt of results from a genetic test, we also surveyed undergraduate students who underwent a genetic screen as part of a university class before and after they received their test results (n = 25). Results: Public participants showed broad support for the use of genetic tests; scored an average of 48.9% in genetic literacy; and expressed privacy concerns over data sharing and a desire for control over their genetic data. After taking a genetic test and receiving genetic test results, students reported less fear of genetic tests while other attitudes did not change significantly. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of genetic education and active engagement with genetic testing to increase support and participation in genomic projects, PM, and biobanking initiatives; and they suggest that data privacy protections could potentially reduce discrimination by giving participants control over who can access their data. More specifically, these findings and the dataset we provide may be helpful in formulating culturally sensitive education programs and regulations concerning genomic technologies and data privacy.

East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal, 2021

The United Nations' projections for the period between 2019 and 2050 anticipate a rapid rise in p... more The United Nations' projections for the period between 2019 and 2050 anticipate a rapid rise in population aging in Eastern and SouthEastern Asia. With such population aging often comes a disease burden in the form of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In the context of Singapore, we examine the role of a national biobank called Health for Life in Singapore (HELIOS), which positions itself as aiming to improve the health and lives of future generations of Singapore. HELIOS' aims and actions inform on the anxieties, desires and ambitions of the Singapore state and its healthcare system in the context of its changing population demography. We argue that HELIOS propagates a "sociotechnical imaginary" of what we call "generational medicine," that posits a crucial role for biobanks in tackling the societal challenge of an aging population.

East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal, 2021

Most large population-based genomic studies have, until now, mainly focused on European ancestral... more Most large population-based genomic studies have, until now, mainly focused on European ancestral populations. The Singapore-based Genome-Asia100K (GA100K) Consortium aims to address this bias by targeting major Asian populations and generating reference genomes for various ethnic groups. GA100K is also studying historical population migrations and providing bioinformatic tools that may help tackle diseases among Asia's multi-ethnic populations. These project goals transcend national boundaries, national genome projects, localized national science, and medicine. Rather, GA100K leverages the strategic location of Singapore as a regional nexus to advance science and technology within Singapore. GA100K is thus symptomatic of the Singaporean nation-state's ambition to be a knowledge-based economy and a regional biomedical hub. This article thus speaks to literature in STS that deals with the interface and entanglements of human tissue biobanks, human genome projects, and national development.

World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2019

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to assess the agricultural practices in a drought-prone regi... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to assess the agricultural practices in a drought-prone region of India in an effort to find out how science, technology and innovation (STI) measures can address the existing problems and help achieve sustainable solutions. This study has been planned with two specific objectives: to study the agricultural practices of small and marginal-holding farmers in a drought-prone region and to examine the opportunities for suitable interventions to mitigate the impacts of droughts. The study is based on primary survey conducted in Banda district of Bundelkhand region, Uttar Pradesh, India. Design/methodology/approach-Empirical survey was done in eight different blocks of a drought-prone region of India using structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was pre-tested with a group of 12 farmers during a workshop through a pilot survey conducted during April 2017. Stratified sampling based on land holdings (small farmers having 1-2 ha of land, medium farmers having 2.1-5 ha of land and large farmers having more than 5 ha of land) and irrigation types (canals and tube wells) were utilised in different blocks of the district for selecting farmers in the surveyed villages. Findings-Findings suggest that due to various reasons like change in climatic conditions, frequent crop failure, crop diseases and high cost of production, farmers have adopted certain crops which are not suited to their agro-climatic conditions. The paper recommends that farmer's school or "on-farm training school" have to be initiated to integrate farmers' traditional knowledge with modern knowledge systems with amalgamation of STI tools. Research limitations/implications-Uttar Pradesh is divided into nine agro-climatic zones; however, this study is focused on Bundelkhand and may be region specific, though the findings are important for other drought-prone areas. Practical implications-The paper links the existing agricultural practices and further linking them with farmers' socioeconomic , cultural and environmental settings. Only 17.5 per cent of respondents owned any agricultural equipment due to high cost of farm tools, difficulty in taking equipements on rental basis and lack of sharing tools among the farmers. Social implications-This paper targets small and marginal farmers in the drought-prone region of India who face the dual shock of climate impacts and poverty. Adoption of modern agricultural practices and use of technology is inadequate which is further hampered by ignorance of such practices, high costs and impracticality in the case of small land holdings. Originality/value-This paper has advocated for well-organised, efficient and result-oriented STI system to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought-prone agriculture. Farming community in drough-prone areas needs adequate investment, local-specific technology, better quality inputs, real-time information on weather and most importantly latest know-how for sustaining commercial and cost effective sustainable agriculture.

Innovationsinbiomedicalresearchhavethepotentialtotransformthehealthcarediagnostics.Human genomics... more Innovationsinbiomedicalresearchhavethepotentialtotransformthehealthcarediagnostics.Human genomicsresearchisanotherapproachwhichprovidesnewtoolsandtechniquesbywhichlifescience researchershopewillhelpinpredictingsusceptibilitytowardscommondiseases.Inthisbackdrop, thispaperattemptstoexploreattheintersectionofhealth,technologyandsocietybyattempting tounderstandashowhumangenomicsapproachcanhelpthelifescientiststounravelthedisease susceptibilityincaseofhumangeneticdisorders.Actor-NetworkTheoryhasbeendeployedasa theoreticalframeworkasitgivessomeagencytonon-humanactorsalongwithhumanactors.Ithas beenarguedinthispaperthatnon-human'actants'playadecisiveroleincaseofhumangenomics research.Riseofhumangenomicshasbeentracedsincetheterm'genomics'wasfirstcoinedtothe presentday'spromiseandhopegeneratedbytheadvancesinhumangenomics.Somemisconceptions andclarificationsregardingANThavealsobeendiscussedinthispaper.

With the availability of the human and mouse genomes, there is an increasing need for developing ... more With the availability of the human and mouse genomes, there is an increasing need for developing variety of transgenic mouse models. Presently used technique for making transgenic animals involves pronuclear DNA microinjection by embryo manipulation. This is cumbersome, expensive, time consuming and it requires large number of females for super­ovulation which are then killed. We have recently established a new technique for generating transgenic mice by electroporation of the transgene in spermatogonial cells of testis. This technique has some caveats. It requires surgical exposure of the testis which may remain a potential site of infection. Inappropriate survival surgery may also lead to impotency. Moreover, surgical procedure may not be suitable for large animals under farm condition. Hence, the technique may remain unpopular in spite of several advantages. Development of a procedure avoiding surgeries may not only be ethically superior but also pave the way for frank use of this technique in small and large animals. With this objective, we have developed a non invasive procedure for integration of the foreign DNA in repopulating spermatogonial cells of the testis. For this purpose, the linearized DNA(20­25μl of 0.5 μg/μl) containing promoter and gene of interest was injected aseptically by Hamilton syringe into the testis of anesthetized mouse. Several conditions for electroporation were tested; electroporation using 8 square 60V electric pulses in alternating direction with a time constant of 50­60 milli second and an inter­pulse interval of ~1 second worked best. The whole procedure can be accomplished within 10 minutes. Testis of a mouse expressed green fluorescence, 50 days after eletroporation with a construct containing EGFP gene cloned downstream of chicken β­actin promoter (pCX­EGFP) confirming genomic integration of the transgene. Since a cycle of spermatogenesis in mice is completed in about 35 days, the electroporated males were mated after 35 days of electroporation. This was done to ensure that the progenies bearing transgene must result from sperm generated from the repopulating spermatogonial cells which were successfully transfected at the time of electroporation. Analysis of transgene by PCR of genomic DNA obtained from tail tips of progeny generated by mouse electroporated with i) pCX­EGFP, ii) the fusion gene of full­length fragment of Scaffold/Matrix attachment region binding protein1(Smar1) and EGFPcloned downstream of Cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter/enhancer (Smar1­EGFP) and iii) human insulin­like growth factor binding protein­6 (IGFBP­6)cloned downstream of a brain specific promoter of glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap­IGFBP6) validated that our procedure resulted into successful production of transgenic mice with all these constructs. More than 50% of the pups born were transgenic. EGFP was expressed by the liver of mouse transgenic for Smar1­EGFP. As expected, GFAP expression by astroglial cells was diminished in mouse (F3 generation) transgenic for Gfap­IGFBP6 because presence of IGFBP6 in the milieu of brain is known to sequester IGF2 which is essential for healthy development of astroglial cells. This is the first report about development of a non­ surgical, rapid and ethically superior deathless technique for making transgenic animals. It generates a potential scope for its widespread use in divulging functions of genes and in developing animal models of pathophysiological importance.

Microinjection of foreign DNA in male pronucleus by in-vitro embryo manipulation is difficult but... more Microinjection of foreign DNA in male pronucleus by in-vitro embryo manipulation is difficult but remains the method of choice for generating transgenic animals. Other procedures, including retroviral and embryonic stem cell mediated transgenesis are equally complicated and have limitations. Although our previously reported technique of testicular transgenesis circumvented several limitations, it involved many steps, including surgery and hemicastration, which carried risk of infection and impotency. We improved this technique further, into a two step non-surgical electroporation procedure, for making transgenic mice. In this approach, transgene was delivered inside both testes by injection and modified parameters of electroporation were used for in-vivo gene integration in germ cells. Using variety of constructs, germ cell integration of the gene and its transmission in progeny was confirmed by PCR, slot blot and immunohistochemical analysis. This improved technique is efficient, requires substantially less time and can be easily adopted by various biomedical researchers. M ouse transgenesis is an important tool for functional genetics and for creating humanized models of diseases. Transgenic animals can be produced by pronuclear DNA microinjection 1,2 , retroviral mediated gene transfer 3 , embryonic stem cell based gene transfer 4 and via somatic cell nuclear transfer 5,6. Despite the success of these procedures in generating genetically altered animals, these techniques are difficult to perform and hence limited to selected laboratories having facilities and skilled personnel for embryo manipulation and embryo transfer 7. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or male germ cell mediated techniques of gene transfer have also been reported in literature 8–11. However, these techniques either require in vitro germ cell manipulation followed by surgical germ cell transplantation or ICSI followed by embryo transfer in surrogates or surgical manipulation to deliver DNA in the testis followed by electroporation of DNA in the spermatogonia. All of these methods involve surgical steps which can potentially cause infection and/or impotency. Therefore there is a need to develop relatively safer and a less time consuming procedure for transgenesis. Testicular transgenesis has advantage over zygote or oocyte mediated transgenesis because this does not require large number of females for super ovulation and expertise for embryo manipulation. To ensure easy adaptability of our previously reported testicular transgenesis technique, we improved the technique into a two step non-surgical electroporation procedure for making transgenic mice. We standardized the technique using construct having Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein (EGFP) as the reporter. Subsequently, we also generated transgenic lines of mice using different constructs including those for tissue specific expression and those displaying patho-physiological effect of the transgene. This is the first report of non-surgical approach for in vivo germline integration of foreign gene and efficient generation of transgenic mice without using any assisted reproductive technique (ART). This procedure can be potentially adopted for transgenesis in farm animals where surgery as well as embryo transfer are not as easy as those in mice. Results Establishment of the technique for non-surgical in-vivo electroporation of the testis. Linearised pCX-EGFP plasmid (Fig. 1a-i) was used for standardization of the technique; one testis was injected with the DNA and the contra-lateral testis was kept as control (non-injected). Various DNA injection parameters such as amount of DNA (ranging from 10 mg–30 mg per testis), volume of suspended DNA (ranging from 20–25 ml) injected per testis,

This paper explores the intersection of genetics, health and society in India by focusing on the ... more This paper explores the intersection of genetics, health and society in India by focusing on the state of Gujarat. Based on the empirical study using in-depth interviews, supplemented by analysis of government documents and meta analysis of the articles published in the area, it deals with the genetic tests for the detection of mutations in any gene of the human body which are believed to be the cause of genetic disorders. It attempts to understand the present status of genetic testing and the socioeconomic background of the people who opt for the testing. By using insights from the science and technology studies (STS) and taking actor-network theory (ANT) as conceptual framework, it tries to view genetic testing as a heterogeneous set of practices and tools. Gene has been enrolled as a non-human 'actant' here and subsequently linked to the 'network of actants'. Here, it is argued that the heterogeneity of the genetic tests and screening requires a range of regulatory mechanisms. The paper also focusses on the need of better infrastructure in terms of laboratories and trained personnel. It also highlights the importance of community leaders to deal with the avoidance behaviour of patients for screening and management of genetic disorders.