BiotechnologyUnlocking the secrets of life

What is Biotechnology?

Definition:The use of living organisms to

make or improve a product

– Bio (life)– technology (the application

of knowledge for practical use

Where did it begin?

Ancient bread baking Wine brewing Cheese making Yogurt fermentation Animal and plant breeding

Biotechnology Today

Focuses on how to change microorganisms, plants and animals

Scientist isolated and made changes to DNA in the early 1970’s– DNA carries the “Blueprint”– Genes are units of DNA

Techniques

Biotechnology

Gene Mapping

Tissue Culture

Biofermentation

Gene Mapping

Cloning

Gene Transfer

Genetic Engineering Manipulation of genes is called

genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology

Removes gene(s) from one organism and either:– Transfers them to another– Puts them back in the original with a

different combination Transgenic

Techniques Genetic Mapping

– Locating specific genes within heredity material

Tissue Culture– Modified cells can grow into whole plants

Biofermentation– Mass production of modified

microorganisms Cloning

– Reproducing genetically identical animals

Biotechnology in Agriculture(Plants)

Crops– Built in insect and herbicide resistance– Built in tolerance to environmental

conditions– Improved color and quality

Pharmaceuticals– Plants that produce edible vaccines

Food– Improved taste and nutrition– Improved handling qualities

Biotechnology in Agriculture(Plants)

Industrial– plants that produce plastics, fuels,

and other products– plants for environmental cleanup

Other– pesticides made from naturally-

occurring microorganisms and insects

Biotechnology in Agriculture(Animals)

Breeding– Disease tolerance– Exact copies of desired stock– Increased yields

Health– Microorganisms introduced into feed for

beneficial purposes– Diagnostics for disease and pregnancy

detection– Animals engineered to to produce organs

suitable for transplantation into humans

Biotechnology in Agriculture(Animals)

Food– Increased milk production– leaner meat in pork– growth hormones in farm-raised fish that

result in earlier market-ready fish Pharmaceuticals

– Animals engineered to produce human proteins for drugs, including insulin and vaccines

Assignment

Develop a timeline of events outlining advances in the field of biotechnology. You may use the World Wide Web in the Career Center to search for these events.

Your timeline should have at lease five events.

The search engine www.google.com is a good start.

History of Biotechnology

1860’s-Botanist Gregor Mendel recognizes heredity information is stored in units (now called genes)

1870’s-chromosomes are discovered

1953-DNA Double Helix is discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick (England)

History of Biotechnology

1968-a process was developed for identifying chromosomes (Switzerland)

1973-First successful combining of DNA from unrelated organisms (recombinant DNA) (USA)

1978-First test tube baby (Louise Brown) was born in England

History of Biotechnology

1984-Sheep and goat embryo cells are fused together to create a sheep-goat

1986-Light-producing gene of firefly is transferred to tobacco creating tobacco plants with glowing leaves

1987-calf cloned from an embryo

History of Biotechnology

1991-sheep created that makes drug in milk to treat cystic fibrosis

1994-first transgenic food approved (Flvr Savr) tomato

1996-goat injected with a human gene produces an anticancer drug

1997-Adult sheep cloned (“Dolly”)

Industry

In 1998 there were 1,300 biotechnology companies in the Unites States– small start up companies

• one product or service

– large multinational corporations• combine research and production

Industry

In 1997 the overall biotechnology sales increases 20%

13 billion dollar industry

Over 93 billion dollars invested

Careers

In 1998 biotechnology included about 140,000 jobs

Jobs for high school graduates to PhD’s

Provides over 17,000 jobs in North Carolina– $850 million dollar payroll

Career Examples Laboratory work

– working on gene maps– growing plants from cells– working with animal embryos

Experimental Farms Field jobs Industry jobs

– manufacturing– regulatory affairs (FDA, USDA)– sales

Education

High School Courses– Basic Biology– Agriculture– Biotechnology

Post-secondary– Biology– Microbiology– Genetics– Biochemistry

Education

North Carolina has an online biotechnology center– Information on NC Biotechnology– Educational Opportunities– News– Hot Topics

www.ncbiotech.org/

Assignment Research two different careers related to

biotechnology Find information regarding:

– Salary– Education– Job Description– Job Demand

Write a one paragraph summary for each career

Keep the summaries in your notes