Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are living organisms including plants and microorganisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated through genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology in a laboratory.
Thus the phrase GMO can sometimes be synonymously used with transgenic organism since both organisms emanate from the genetic manipulation of their parent cells. Nevertheless, GMOs should not be confused with transgenic organisms since the former (i.e. GMO) has to do with organisms whose genetic makeup has been altered without the addition of genetic material from an unrelated organism while the latter (i.e. transgenic organisms) mainly deals with organisms whose genetic makeup has been altered by the addition of genetic material from another, usually unrelated organism. A transgenic organism is therefore an organism whose genetic makeup has been altered by the addition of genetic material from another, unrelated organism.
Most transgenic animals or plants are used in biomedical research as experimental models to perform research. Nowadays, we have genetically modified foods (GM foods) that are genetically engineered foods or food products produced from organisms whose genetic materials have undergone genetic manipulation in the laboratory. 
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have applications in medicine, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, environmental management, agriculture and in medical research and biotechnological research. GMOs were developed to benefit mankind in the aforementioned areas including but not limited to medicine, agriculture, the environment and the industry. The advent of recombinant DNA technology and other modern biotechnological advances have allowed molecular biologists to better understand the physiology and metabolic potentials of microbes. This has given us the opportunity to harness the several beneficial potentials of these organisms to better our lives.
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
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