BiotechnologyMessanaScience 8

BIOTECHNOLOGY• Technology based on a biological system or

living organism• Uses organisms to solve real world human

problems• Medicine• Agriculture• Food processing

BIOENGINEER• Create products that meet some human need• Research & development• Quality control• Manufacturing & production• Agriculture

Biotech in Medicine• Genetic testing = “picture” of the DNA– Catch criminals– Determine parents of a baby– Screen for diseases/genetic abnormalities

• Gene therapy = utilizes viruses or bacteria to enter cell and replace defective genes

• Cloning = creation of genetically identical organisms– Dolly the Sheep– Cloning human would be very difficult, is it ethical??

• Tissue culturing = grow human tissues and organs in lab

• Development of better/cheaper drugs

Biotech in Microbiology• Making bacteria that will eat harmful pollutants• Help bacteria reproduce faster• Bacteria will clean up after an industrial accident• Bacteria will increase rate of nutrient cycling

through ecosystem• Microbes used to produce food products• Control production of harmful bacteria in foods• Control microbes in water

Biotech in Agriculture• Increase crop yields– Transgenic crops = DNA altered by humans– Insecticide use, plants that are insect resistant– Transgenic animals = produce more, faster; products

contain fewer hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol• Reducing environmental stressors– Make transgenic crops that can survive in harsh

conditions• Improving food quality– Alter size, taste, amount of nutrients, when it ripens,

how long it stays fresh

Ethical Issues• Will cross-pollination between transgenic crops & wild

plants have unforeseen consequences?• How will transgenic crops affect humans long term?• Will transgenic crops affect food allergies or cause new

unknown diseases?• Who gets to make decisions on Human Genome

Project info?• Is it OK to pick desired genetic characteristics for a

baby?• What are the effects of genetic manipulation on

complex human traits?