Intro to Biotech
General definition of biotechnology
What is using living organisms, cells, genes, or biological systems to create useful products, solve problems, or improve human life?
While science and technology determine what we can do, bioethics helps scientists evaluate this.
What is what we should do?
Two earliest examples of using natural biological processes for the benefit of humans.
What is selective breeding and traditional fermentation?
Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen launched modern biotechnology in 1973 by creating the first one of these.
What is a genetically modified organism (or Recombinant DNA)?
Federal regulations in the U.S. evaluate biotech products based on these two factors rather than the scientific process used to make them.
What are the final product's characteristics and its intended use?
This major sector of biotechnology focuses on living cells and biological systems to research and develop healthcare products, diagnostics, and therapies.
What is Medical Biotechnology?
This core bioethical principle represents the moral duty to "do no harm" and minimize risks in scientific protocols.
What is Non-maleficence?
In traditional fermentation, microbes metabolize sugars into these two broad categories of substances.
What is alcohol or organic acids?
Invented by Kary Mullis in 1983, this automated thermal cycling technique multiplies tiny DNA samples into billions of identical copies.
What is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?
This regulatory agency oversees the safety of food, human/veterinary drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.
What is the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)?
Developing disease-resistant, drought-resistant, or pest-resistant crops falls under this biotechnology sector.
What is Agricultural Biotechnology?
This core principle requires respecting the rights of individuals to make their own choices regarding medical treatment.
What is Autonomy?
This specific species of yeast was highlighted in the slides as a classic organism used to bake bread and brew beverages.
What is Saccharomyces cerevisiae?
The Human Genome Project revealed that humans possess approximately this range of protein-coding genes.
What is 20,000 to 25,000 genes?
This specific branch of the USDA evaluates field trial permits for genetically engineered crops.
What is APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)?
Bioremediation, biosensors, phytoremediation, and wastewater treatment are applications of this sector.
What is Environmental Biotechnology?
This principle demands a fair and equitable distribution of the benefits arising from biotechnology.
What is Justice?
Selective breeding (artificial selection) involves mating organisms based on these observable traits over generations.
What are phenotypic traits?
In the CRISPR-Cas9 adaptive immune system adapted from bacteria, this component is programmed to bind to a specific 20-base target sequence.
What is the Guide RNA (gRNA)?
This phase of human clinical trials uses a larger cohort of 100–300 patient volunteers to assess efficacy and monitor side effects.
What is Phase II?
Name two real-world everyday items featured in the slides that rely on biotechnology outside of a research lab.
What are recombinant chymosin, enzymatic detergents, over-the-counter rapid tests, or eco-friendly polymers?
These four steps make up the core of the Bioethical Decision-Making Model.
What are (1) Identify the question, (2) Gather scientific facts, (3) Map the affected, and (4) Evaluate using core principles to formulate a decision?
The slides used this specific domestic animal example to illustrate artificial selection over generations.
What is breeding gray wolves to create different dog breeds (like collies, dachshunds, and bulldogs)?
To engineer recombinant DNA, Boyer and Cohen used this specific restriction enzyme to cut the interest gene.
What is EcoRI?
To market a biopharmaceutical product after successful clinical trials, a company files a BLA, which stands for this.
What is a Biologics License Application?