Molecular biotech

• Molecular Biotechnology


  Use of laboratory techniques to study and manipulate biological molecules at the molecular level

  
• Molecular Biotechnology


  • Focuses on the understanding, modification, and application of nucleic acids (such as DNA and RNA) and proteins
  • Brings together principles from molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, genetics, and cell biology to develop technologies and processes

  
• Why study Molecular Biotechnology


  • Field is dynamic and evolving rapidly
  • Driven by genetic information transfer between organisms
  • Goal is to understand biological processes and create valuable products
  • Molecular biotechnology tools can enhance drugs, vaccines, therapies, and diagnostic tests
  • Aim to improve human and animal health

  
• Emergence of Molecular Biotechnology

  1. In the past, before we knew about microorganisms and understood genes, people relied on nature to find ways to grow more food, keep food fresh, and treat illnesses

  2. In the 17th century, microorganisms were identified, and they've been used to create many helpful things and processes

  3. Traditional biotechnologies that have improved our lives: Lactic acid bacteria, Nitrogen fixing bacteria, antibiotics derived from common soil microbes, enzymatic stain removers in laundry detergent
• Biotechnology


  Formally defined as the application of scientific and engineering principles to process materials using biological agents for goods and services

  
• The term "biotechnology" was first used by a Hungarian engineer, Karl Ereky


  1917
• Ereky's definition of biotechnology

  Using living things to make products from raw materials

  
• Industrial biotechnology production process


  1. Upstream processing: Preparation of microorganisms and raw materials

  2. Fermentation and transformation: Target microorganism growth in a bioreactor, leading to product production

  3. Downstream processing: Purification of the desired compound
• Biotransformation was the most challenging phase of the overall process
• Efforts were taken to boost product yields by creating variants (mutants) using chemical mutagens or ultraviolet radiation to induce genetic changes
• Traditional genetic improvement regimens were hard, time-consuming, and costly
• Molecular biotechnology


  Focuses on manipulating genes to produce goods and services using living organisms
• Recombinant DNA technology


  Techniques to isolate and transfer genes

  
• Recombinant DNA technology was originated from a 1973 lunchtime conversation between scientists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer
• The public disclosure of DNA recombinant technology led to the immediate appreciation of gene cloning's power by other researchers
• Molecular biotechnology has undergone thorough scrutiny for its societal implications, with safety concerns and questions about ownership of genetically engineered organisms

  
• Applications of Molecular Biotechnology


  • Understanding Biological Processes
  • Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Drug Development
  • Agriculture and Food Production
  • Environmental Applications
  • Bioprocessing and Industrial Applications
  • Research and Discovery
  • Advancements in Technology
  • Educational and Training Purposes

  
• Medical Biotechnology


  Specialized field within medicine that utilizes living cells and cellular materials for research and manufactures pharmaceutical and diagnostic products
• Notable Breakthroughs in Medical Biotechnology

  • Contributions to the development of the Ebola, COVID19 vaccines
  • Human DNA mapping advancements
  • Transformative impacts on agriculture

  
• Recent Applications of Medical Biotechnology

  • Genetic Testing
  • Innovative Drug Treatments
  • Artificial Tissue Growth
• Molecular Biotechnology has the potential to provide solutions for complex medical challenges like cancer and fibrosis, with a positive impact on millions of lives
• Considerations and Concerns in Medical Biotechnology

  • Securing Funding
  • Addressing Ethical Concerns
  • Necessity for Careful Examination and Regulation
• Applications of Molecular Biotechnology

  • Recombinant Insulin for Diabetes
  • Gene Therapy for Genetic Disorders
  • Molecular Diagnosis
  • Pharmacogenomics
  • Edible Vaccines from Transgenic Plants
  • Probiotics in Healthcare
• Osmosis


  The passage of water from a region where its concentration is high, through a semi-permeable membrane, into a region where its concentration is lower
• Vesicular transport


  Can be classified as Endocytosis (Pinocytosis, Phagocytosis, Receptor-mediated endocytosis) and Exocytosis (Fusion of membrane-bound vesicles with the plasma membrane, allowing their contents to be released into the extracellular space)