Medical Biotechnology: Advances & Insights

Medical Biotechnology Definition

• Utilizes biotechnology tools to create medical products like cancer therapies and vaccines
• Aids in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases

Importance of Medical Biotechnology Advances

• Needed for enhanced medical diagnosis and therapies for various diseases
• Includes autoimmune, inflammatory, cancer, and infectious diseases
• Biomolecular therapies such as recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, stem cells, and bioinspired materials enhance medical treatments

Historical Advancements in Medical Biotechnology

• Significant changes in healthcare and medicine throughout history
• Life expectancy increased by around 25 years (1914-2014)
• Accomplishments such as repairing hearts, DNA mapping, and partial brain transplants are now commonplace

New Insights in Medical Biotechnology

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Big Data
• Gene Editing
• Precision Medicine
• Gene Sequencing
• Biomanufacturing
• Synthetic Biology
• Bioprinting
• Microfluids
• Tissue Engineering

Omics Technologies Focus

• Genomics studies genes and genetic variation
• Transcriptomics studies RNA levels and gene activity
• Proteomics studies protein expression, modifications, and interactions
• Metabolomics studies metabolic processes and end products

Genomics

• Focuses on DNA to understand genetic makeup and variations
• Provides insight into the genetic potential of organisms
• Achieved through DNA sequencing and PCR
• Applications include mutation detection and personalized medicine

Transcriptomics

• Focuses on mRNA and non-coding RNA to determine gene activity
• Enables understanding of which genes are active and when
• Analyzes RNA levels and gene activity
• Uses RNA-seq, microarrays, and RT-qPCR techniques
• Applications include gene expression profiling and disease biomarkers

Proteomics

• Focuses on proteins and their structures, functions, and interactions
• Provides insights into what proteins are made and their function
• Achieved through mass spectrometry, 2D gels, and Western blot
• Applications involve drug target discovery and understanding of disease mechanisms

Metabolomics

• Focuses on the study of global metabolite profiles in a biological system under specific conditions
• Reveals what biochemical reactions are occurring
• Is highly dynamic and sensitive to environmental changes, depending on conditions
• Uses NMR, LC-MS, and GC-MS techniques
• Finds applications in disease diagnosis, studying nutrition, and understanding drug response

Advances in Omics Technologies

• Moved from basic molecular analysis to high-throughput, high-resolution, single-cell-level investigations
• Revolutionized the understanding of genes, RNA, proteins, and metabolites
• Provided a deeper, more precise view of biology, disease, and personalized medicine

Technological Innovations in Omics

• Third-generation sequencing
• Single-cell sequencing isolates a single cell, amplifies its genome, and constructs sequencing libraries
• Nanopore sequencing uses portable devices to sequence DNA and RNA based on nucleotide size and electrical properties

Advances in Transcriptomics

• Enhanced understanding of mRNA profile from a single entity rather than a whole tissue
• Yields information about the transcriptome heterogeneity and development origins of cells
• Single-cell RNAseq sequences the entire transcriptome at the single-cell level

Technological Advances in Proteomics

• Mass Spectrometry (MS) is used for protein separation, detection, and identification
• Evolved from in vitro to in vivo
• Protein Microarrays detect proteins at once using pre-known sequences, but limited to changes in protein structure after translation
• Aptamer Arrays use DNA/RNA to bind proteins with high specificity for more effective drug screening, diagnostics, and target validation
• Microarray with MS detection combines technologies to improve accuracy of protein identification

Medical Imaging

• A technique and process of creating visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention
• Helps visually represent the function of organs and tissues

Medical Diagnosis

• The process of determining which disease or condition explains a person's symptoms and signs
• Relies on information from a medical history and physical examination

Projection Radiology (X-Rays)

• Determines the type and extent of fractures, and detects lung pathology
• Radio-opaque contrast media visualizes organ structure

Fluoroscopy

• Real-time moving images of internal structures
• Uses continuous X-ray input at a lower dose rate
• Image receptor converts radiation into an image, displayed on a monitor

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

• Medical imaging using X-rays and digital computer technology
• Creates detailed 2D or 3D images
• Images every type of body structure, including bone, blood vessels, and soft tissue
• Uses a gantry with a rotating X-ray source and detectors

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• Uses powerful magnets to polarize and excite hydrogen atoms in water molecules
• Spatial encoding produces detectable signals to form images of the body
• Radio frequency (RF) pulse emitted and reconstructed into an image

Medical Ultrasonography

• Uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images
• Commonly used for fetal imaging, abdominal organs, heart, and blood vessels
• Studies function in real-time, is inexpensive, and emits no ionizing radiation

Nuclear Medicine

• Encompasses diagnostic imaging and treatment
• Uses short-lived isotopes and energetic particles from radioactive material to diagnose or treat pathology
• Assesses physiology, with applications in oncology, neurology, and cardiology

Types of Nuclear Medicine: SPECT

• 3D tomographic technique using gamma camera data
• Combined with CT scanner (SPECT-CT) for functional data localization
• Patient injected with radioisotope emitting gamma rays detected by surrounding detectors

Position Emission Tomography (PET)

• Uses coincidence detection to image functional processes
• Short-lived positron-emitting isotope incorporated with organic substance marks metabolic utilization
• Analyzes activity distribution for tumour, metastasis, or infection; PET can be done with CT (PET-CT) or MRI

Diagnostic Blood Tests

Full Blood Count (FBC)

• Measures white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, haematocrit, and hemoglobin
• Detects blood cancers, clotting problems, immune issues, infections, and anemia

Kidney Test (Renal Profile)

• Measures blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and chloride
• Assesses kidney function and signs of kidney failure

Liver Function Test

• Protein levels of bilirubin and albumin
• Globulin and liver enzymes are screened

Cholesterol Test (Lipid Profile)

• Measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, risk ratio, and triglycerides

Blood Glucose Test

• Indicates glucose levels

Antibodies Test

• Identifies rheumatoid factor for rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, type I diabetes, and celiac disease

Cancer Test (Tumor Markers)

• Detects and monitors cancer; examples: CA15-3 (breast), CA19-9 (gastrointestinal), CA-125 (ovarian), PSA (prostate), CEA (gastrointestinal)

Histopathology

• Assesses tissue from biopsy
• Stains are used to make cells visible for detecting abnormalities and diseases

Common Stains

• Haematoxylin stains acidic structures (e.g., nucleus) a purplish blue
• Eosin stains basic structures (e.g., cytoplasm) red or pink

Innovations in Imaging and Diagnostics

Speed & Processing Power

• Use of GPUs for faster image rendering improves workflow and image quality

3D & 4D Imaging

• 3D allows better visualization
• 4D adds real-time movement

Point-of-Care Imaging

• Portable and handheld devices are useful in critical care

Automation of Imaging Workflow

• Vital in ultrasound
• Reduces error and increases efficiency

AI & Machine Learning

• Enhanced recognition for earlier diagnosis

Virtual and Augmented Reality

• Helps with pre-surgery planning

Wearables

• Ultrasound patches for disease monitoring

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI)

• Comprehensive images from multiple MRI techniques used for prostate cancer diagnosis

Angiography for Intraoperative Guidance

• Real-time imaging used in surgery for accuracy

Elastography

• Measures tissues, detects tumors

Spit Test

• Used with saliva can detect hormones or disease

Antimicrobials

• Prevent growth and spread of microbes
• Used in hospitals, homes, and schools for disinfection
• Antimicrobial agent is for drugs that stop or kill growth

Types of antimicrobial

• Antibiotics (bacteria)
• Antifungals (fungi)
• microbicidal (kill)
• biostatic (inhibit)
• chemotherapy (treat)
• prophylaxis (prevent)

Antibiotic Resistance

• Microbes resist antibiotics, making infections harder to treat

Related issues

• Longer illness
• Higher costs
• Death risk

Vaccines

• Contain agent that stimulates immune system
• Body recognizes and destroys agent

Live Attenuated Vaccines

• Use weak, but living virus
• Causes illness, but is modified to prevent it
• Creates long-lasting result

Inactivated Vaccines

• Uses dead version of virus, body learns to fight
• Polio, Typhoid, Rabies, Hep A

Immunization Program

• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Pertussis
• Polio
• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Varciella
• Shingles

Antimicrobials

• disinfectants ("nonselective" on surfaces)
• antiseptics (tissues)
• antibiotics (destroying in body)

Antibiotic Resistance

• The ability of bacteria to resist killing by drugs

Advances in Preventing Antibiotic Resistance

• Malacidins are a new type of antibiotic found in the soil that prevents antibiotic resistance

Using Artificial Intelligence in Drug Development

• AI can predict new antibiotics
• Helps to speed up the process of finding new drugs
• Can design better treatments with less cost

Development of a Universal Flu Vaccine

• Aims to protect against the flu

Ebola Vaccine

• Can provide control for deadly outbreaks by effective stop Ebola spread

Covid-19 vaccines

• Can respond quickly

Stem cells

• Make more stem cells (self-renew)
• Muscle, blood, nerve cells possible
• Unspecialized that can turn into any

Advantages of stem cells

• Treat disease
• Repair organs

Disadvantages

• Tumors possible
• Ethical concerns

Types of Stem Cells

• Pluripotent
• iPSCs
• Adult stem cells

Regenerative medicine

• Applied to organ growth and self-repair ◦ Principles: ◦ -Understanding of stem cell structure ◦ -How they grow and die ◦ -What support needed

Drug development

• Compound screening (Scripps finds compounds for brain cancer) ◦ - Testing (Wisconsin-Madison reveals a new way to test drug toxicity) ◦ -Target identification (Protein can help tumors) ◦ -Disease models  -Neural (Nervous issues growing problems)  -Immunodeficiency (heterogeneous issues) ◦ -3D tissue models

3D Human Tissue Models

• Brain:
  • Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro cell and tissue culture models allow for the exploration of mechanisms of organ development, cellular interactions, and disease progression
• Lungs: -Model to recapitulate fibrotic lung disease in vitro. and may provide a useful tool to model lung disease.