Here is something that would make the disgraced Hwang Woo-suk proud:
This undated fluorescence photo released by the Seoul National University shows the world’s first transgenic female beagle dog carrying fluorescent genes that make the canine glow red in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases.
The four dogs, all named “Ruppy” — a combination of the words “ruby” and “puppy” — look like typical beagles by daylight. But they glow red under ultraviolet light, and the dogs’ nails and abdomens, which have thin skins, look red even to the naked eye.
Seoul National University professor Lee Byeong-chun, head of the research team, called them the world’s first transgenic dogs carrying fluorescent genes, an achievement that goes beyond just the glowing novelty. [Boston Herald]
If you are wondering this teams leader Lee Byeong-chun is a protege of Dr. Hwang and has made claims in the past to have cloned wolves. It makes me wonder how much Dr. Hwang is working with this team behind the scenes?







11:42 am on April 30th, 2009 1
Where's my glow-in-the-dark disco boshintang, dammit!
12:47 pm on April 30th, 2009 2
exactly why limits and restrictions need to be put on this
this is just plain stupid
1:37 pm on April 30th, 2009 3
The Hub of Glow…What's next?
2:06 pm on April 30th, 2009 4
McNut…
Shame. Biotech is the future. Countries with "limits and restrictions" will fall behind while countries which encourage research (hopefully within some sort of ethical framework) will be the leaders.
History has many examples of societal failure due to restrictions on emerging technology… especially technology that is increasingly accessible to the home user. Google "biohacker" or "biopunk".
If you have some moral qualms, be comforted in the fact that, compared to product testing, pharmaceutical research and factory farms, glowing puppies live a pretty snazzy life.