Have you ever wondered why some people with diabetes now get insulin made in labs instead of from animals? Genetic engineering makes this possible by putting human insulin genes into bacteria, which then produce the exact protein needed.

The application of genetic engineering in medicine changes how doctors treat diseases by altering genes to fix problems at their root. This field uses tools like recombinant DNA to insert, remove, or edit genes in cells, leading to new treatments for conditions once seen as untreatable. In India, where diseases like diabetes and cancer affect millions, these advances bring hope for better care.

What is Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering involves direct changes to an organism’s DNA to add useful traits or remove harmful ones. Scientists cut DNA with enzymes, copy genes, and insert them into host cells like bacteria or human ones using vectors such as viruses. First done in the 1970s, it created bacteria that make human proteins, marking a shift from animal sources.

As Dr. Paul Berg, who made the first recombinant DNA in 1972, noted in early work, this lets us “combine genetic material from different sources”. Today, tools like CRISPR make edits precise, like using molecular scissors.

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Genetic Engineering Examples in Medicine

Several incidents/cases show genetic engineering at work in medicine. These examples highlight targeted fixes for genetic flaws.

• Insulin Production: Before 1982, insulin came from pigs or cows, causing allergies in some. Now, bacteria with human insulin genes produce pure supplies, helping over 400 million diabetics worldwide.
• Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease: FDA-approved Casgevy uses CRISPR to edit blood stem cells, fixing the faulty gene. Patients often avoid painful crises after one treatment.
• CAR-T Cell Therapy: In India, NexCAR19 modifies a patient’s T-cells to fight blood cancers like leukemia. Trials showed 73% response rates at one-tenth global costs.
• Hemophilia Treatment: Zynteglo adds working clotting genes to stem cells, cutting bleed risks for transfusion-dependent patients.​

Advantages of Genetic Engineering in Medicine

The advantages of genetic engineering in medicine include faster production of drugs, fewer side effects, and cures for inherited diseases.

• Personalised treatments: Matches therapy to a patient’s genes, boosting success rates.​
• Lower costs long-term: One-time gene therapies replace lifelong drugs, as seen in India’s affordable CAR-T.​
• New drug sources: Bacteria make human proteins like growth hormones, avoiding animal ethics issues.​
• Disease prevention: Edits stop faulty genes early, reducing symptoms in trials for cystic fibrosis.​

A 2025 review states, “CRISPR trials show durable remissions in 80% of sickle cell cases”. Yet, what risks come with these gains?

Application of Genetic Engineering in Medicine and Agriculture

While medicine leads with treatments like gene therapy, genetic engineering also aids agriculture by improving crops for better yields and nutrition. These fields share techniques, such as inserting genes into bacteria to produce useful proteins, linking health and food security. In India, where farming supports over half the population, these advances help tackle climate challenges and malnutrition head-on.

Picture a farmer in Kerala’s coastal belt facing salty soil from rising seas. Gene-edited rice varieties, like those developed by Indian scientists, resist both drought and salt, keeping harvests steady during monsoons. Trials show these crops yield 20-30% more in tough conditions, easing worries for smallholders.

Read more about application of genetic engineering in agriculture and medicine here…

Examples in agriculture include:

• Pest-resistant crops: Bt cotton, approved in India since 2002, embeds a soil bacteria gene that kills bollworms. Farmers cut pesticide use by 37%, saving costs and boosting income by 134% in low-income homes, as per a 2022 study across six states.
• Nutrient boost: Golden Rice carries genes from daffodils and bacteria to produce beta-carotene, fighting vitamin A deficiency that blinds 2 million Indian children yearly. Field tests in Karnataka confirm higher vitamin levels without changing taste or yield.​
• Herbicide-tolerant mustard: India’s DMH-11 hybrid uses barnase-barstar genes for better oil yield and weed control. Approved in 2022, it promises 28% more output, vital for edible oil imports worth billions.​
• Virus-resistant papaya: The Rainbow papaya, with genes blocking papaya ringspot virus, saved Hawaii’s farms and now aids Indian growers in Andhra Pradesh, lifting production by 50%.

This dual use shows shared tech: bacteria engineered for human insulin in medicine work the same way for crop enzymes like Bt toxin in agriculture. “Genetic engineering bridges plant science and molecular biology for sustainable food,” notes a 2025 study from Genesis PCL.

How Does It Work in Practice?

Steps for medical use stay simple:

1. Identify the faulty gene via sequencing.
2. Design a vector (often virus) with the fix.
3. Insert into patient cells, often outside the body first.
4. Return edited cells to fight disease.

For CRISPR, guide RNA leads Cas9 to the spot, cutting and replacing DNA. Trials in 2026 test “off-switches” for genes without cuts, cutting cancer risks.

Challenges Of Application of Genetic Engineering in Medicine

Risks exist, like immune reactions to vectors or off-target edits causing mutations. In India, ethical rules limit germline changes, focusing on somatic cells.​ However, the future holds promise, 250+ CRISPR trials by 2025 target cancer, HIV, and heart issues. Indian centres like Tata Memorial push local therapies.

Will gene editing end genetic diseases? Ongoing trials suggest yes for many.

On A Final Note…

Genetic engineering stands as a game-changer in medicine, offering real fixes for diseases through precise gene edits and drug production. From insulin that transformed diabetes care to CRISPR therapies curing sickle cell in trials, its impact grows daily, especially in India with local innovations like NexCAR19.

While challenges like safety checks remain, the path forward points to healthier lives, fewer hospital stays, and hope for millions facing genetic conditions. As research speeds up in 2026, this field promises to blend with agriculture for broader gains, making science work for everyday people.

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