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The history of medicine can be defined in four waves. The first wave was the golden age of drug development starting with the innovation of simple aspirin. The next wave came with the discovery of antibiotics and an end to bacterial pandemics. The third was the dawn of recombinant DNA technology and production of recombinant human proteins. Currently, we are experiencing the fourth wave with gene-editing technology that holds the potential to cure genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and even common neurological diseases. Many gene therapy clinical trials are underway to eventually make treatment of genetic diseases a reality. Let’s learn more about how biotechnology is changing medicine—and individual lives—for the better.
What will you learn in this unit?
Imagine you have discovered that a genetic disease runs in your family and now you are faced with the decision: to test or not to test, that is the question! It is a decision that should be well thought out before proceeding because although there are benefits from genetic testing, there are also risks. A genetic test that was once, not long ago, an expensive test only ordered by a physician, can now be obtained online with a keystroke. Considering the ease at which genetic testing has been made available by direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies, it’s more important than ever to stop and consider the consequences of genetic testing data to yourself and potentially your relatives who share common DNA. The benefits of genetic testing are many, as are the potential risks. Let’s learn more about this process so you can be fully informed about your options.
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Biological drugs (also known as biologics) are different from traditional drugs such as aspirin which are chemically defined and synthesized. Biologics are produced in living cells and, as such, are far more complicated in their size and structure and more expensive to develop and produce. Production of biologics exploits a microorganism’s ability to make DNA, RNA, and different proteins to give them a blueprint for making a specific molecule. Examples of biological drugs are vaccines, recombinant proteins, and monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific for a particular disease cell and can be produced against specific antigens such as those present on the surface of cancer cells and even viruses such as COVID-19. How are these drugs changing the future of medicine? This unit will explain.
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Instead of treating an entire population of cancer patients with the same drug regardless of the differences in their physiologies, genomes, and individual tumors, personalized medicine, as the name implies, tailors the treatment to the individual. Mutations in the tumor cells are identified, then the patient’s own T cells are reprogrammed and unleashed to target and destroy them with minimal impact on healthy cells. Degenerative diseases can be treated using a patient’s own stem cells. The positive effects of these treatments are life changing. Yet, the use of human embryos and cloning techniques are ethical issues in personalized medicine that must be carefully debated. How might personalized medicine affect your life one day?
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The future of health care will use artificial intelligence to drive precision medicine. An individual’s health will be monitored from moment to moment, and risks of cancer and other diseases will be based on the individual’s whole genome sequence. Today, one of the most significant advances in artificial intelligence is the ability to determine the three-dimensional shape of all human proteins. This groundbreaking technology will speed up new drug development and understanding of disease.
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World agricultural leaders are scrambling to find ways to feed an ever-growing population with crops that are falling subject to disease and drought. CRISPR-Cas9 technology offers a precise, cost-effective method for producing favorable characteristics in plants and animals by knocking out genes that interfere with the expression of those characteristics. Tomatoes that produce healthy chemicals, crops that resist browning, and plants with increased productivity are just a few of the changes CRISPR is making. CRISPR-edited biofuels can offset dependency on fossil fuels. Animals are even gene-edited to enhance favorable qualities that benefit the consumer. The ethics of using CRISPR technology to resurrect ancient animals or cause extinction of a mosquito population through the use of gene drives must be carefully debated as we move forward. These issues and many other CRISPR-related advances will be discussed in this unit.
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There are thousands of biotech companies ranging in size from a few dozen to over 100,000 employees. Some have been around since the 1800s while some started recently in the 2000s. They provide products that range from vaccines for the prevention of disease, to monoclonal antibodies that fight cancer, to genomics that use artificial intelligence to match up the ideal drug to a patient’s own genome. But these innovative products do not make a great biotech company—the employees do. A commitment to ethics, sustainability, inclusion, and diversity gives back to the community, and these are all hallmarks of a great company.
What will you learn in this unit?
Students who have earned a CTE Biotechnology Certificate are qualified to apply for many entry-level jobs in the biotechnology industry. This laboratory experience will be beneficial in obtaining a good internship in college and winning a competitive biotech position after graduation. It is important to research a company before submitting an application to make sure its culture and climate are a good fit for your goals, soft skills, and experience. A number of healthy work habits should be displayed after being hired including maintaining a strong work ethic, keeping a positive attitude, and supporting your departmental team. Where will your biotech knowledge take you in the future?
What will you learn in this unit?
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