Introduction to Biotechnology

Introduction to Biotechnology

• Definition: Biotechnology is the manipulation of living organisms and organic material to serve human needs.
• Methods: Uses scientific methods with organisms to produce new products or forms.
• Goal: Using living organisms or their products to benefit humans and solve problems.

Types of Biotechnology

• Microbial Biotechnology: Manipulates microorganisms (like yeast and bacteria) to create better enzymes and more efficient waste removal processes, and to produce important proteins for medicine.
• Agricultural Biotechnology: Aims to increase food production by creating environmentally friendly plants with higher yields, resistance to diseases and insects, and improved vitamin/protein content. The UN predicts a substantial increase in food needed by 2050.
• Animal Biotechnology: Uses animals to produce medically valuable proteins like antibodies. Also uses animals as models for research, including gene knockout experiments and testing of drugs and genetic therapies. Animals can also be used as a source of transplant organs.

Historical Examples of Biotechnology

• Fermentation: A historical biotechnological process
• Selective Breeding: A historical process of modifying organisms
• Antibiotics: The historic use of beneficial bacteria to kill harmful organisms.
• Yeast in bread/alcohol production: Using yeast to produce bread and alcohol.
• Beneficial bacteria for killing harmful organisms: Using beneficial bacteria (like in penicillin) to kill harmful organisms.
• Cloning of plants and animals: Reproducing plants and animals.
• Artificial insemination: A technique in animal reproduction

Additional Examples of Biotechnology

• Increasing crop productivity: Increasing crop yields.
• Producing insulin: Bacteria used to produce insulin for treating diabetes.
• Oil spill cleanup: Modified bacteria to dissolve oil spills in marine environments.

Scientists and Their Contributions

• Antony van Leeuwenhoek: Discovered cells using a simple microscope (bacteria, protists, red blood cells)
• Robert Hooke: Invented the compound light microscope and observed cells in cork.
• Louis Pasteur: Defined bacterial role in spoilage and fermentation, and created the rabies vaccine.
• Ernst Ruska: Invented the electron microscope
• Sir Alexander Fleming: Discovered penicillin
• Gregor Mendel: Discovered genetics, conducted early experiments using pea plants.

Biotechnology Objectives

• Define and understand the scientific disciplines involved in biotechnology.
• Example applications of biotechnology (historical and modern)
• Types of biotechnology
• Potential advances in biotechnology
• How medical diagnosis changes due to biotechnology
• Data from the Human Genome project use for diagnosis/treatment
• Identify pros/cons of biotechnology and controversial topics
• Define career categories in biotechnology
• Define skills and training needed for biotech workforce
• Discuss hiring trends in the biotechnology industry.

Application Areas in Biotechnology

• Detailed description of application areas of Biotechnology (e.g. health, medicine, environmental, agriculture, etc.)

Course Specifications

The course involves 2 theoretical credit hours.

Additional Information

• A detailed study guide on the nature of the concepts is required and suggested to be prepared separately in relation to any specific learning objectives..