Applications of Biotechnology in Health

In the year 2020, a new Biogen

Alzheimer’s disease drug was develop
named
“Aducanumab” which was
sufficiently safe and effective in
treating patients with
cognitive impairment due to mild to
severe Alzheimer’s disease.
So, what exactly is Biotechnology?
Biotechnology is the use of
artificial
methods to modify the genetic material
of living organisms or cells to produce
novel
compounds or to perform new
functions. The primary applications of
biotechnology
in medicine are the production of
vaccines and antibiotics. In the
history, one of
biotechnology’s breakthrough was
the accidental but successful
discovery of
penicillin in 1928 by Alexander
Fleming. He found that the fungus
Penicillium
notatum proved extremely effective
even at very low concentrations,
preventing
Staphylococcus growth even when
diluted 800 times, and was less toxic
than the
disinfectants used at the time. By
the end of World War II, penicillin
was
nicknamed “the wonder drug” and had
saved many lives.
 In the year 2020, a new Biogen Alzheimer’s disease drug was develop named
“Aducanumab” which was sufficiently safe and effective in treating patients with cognitive
impairment due to mild to severe Alzheimer’s disease. So, what exactly is Biotechnology?
Biotechnology is the use of artificial methods to modify the genetic material of living
organisms or cells to produce novel compounds or to perform new functions. The primary
applications of biotechnology in medicine are the production of vaccines and antibiotics. In
the history, one of biotechnology’s breakthrough was the accidental but successful
discovery of penicillin in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. He found that the fungus Penicillium
notatum proved extremely effective even at very low concentrations, preventing
Staphylococcus growth even when diluted 800 times, and was less toxic than the
disinfectants used at the time. By the end of World War II, penicillin was nicknamed “the
wonder drug” and had saved many lives.
But what are the other applications of biotechnology in health?

Red Biotechnology and Medicine

 Red biotechnology is a process which utilizes organisms to improve health care
and help the body to fight diseases. It is a branch of modern biotechnology which is
utilized in the field of medicine. It is of great value not only to the pharmaceutical
industry but also to the medical profession as it facilitates the enhancement of the
quality of life on one hand and the alleviation of human suffering on the other.
Furthermore, it became a very important part of the medical field and is of
tremendous use in the field of diagnostics, gene therapy, and clinical research and trials.
Genetic engineering and the development and production of various new medicines to
treat the different life-threatening diseases are also part of the benefits of red
biotechnology.
Medicine is the field of health and healing that includes nurses, doctors, and various
specialists. It covers diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, medical research,
and many other aspects of health. Medicine aims to promote and maintain health and
well-being. In addition, pathology is a branch of medical science primarily concerning
the cause, origin, and nature of the disease. It involves the examination of tissues,
organs, bodily fluids, and autopsies in order to study and diagnose disease.
THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH
Here are the applications of biotechnology in health according to (Mahato, 2020):
• Molecular diagnostics draw upon recent advances in biology to diagnose
infectious disease by detecting the presence or absence of pathogen-associated
molecules (nucleic acids or protein) in a patient's blood or tissues. Molecular diagnostics
are simple, rapid, relatively inexpensive and have high specificity and sensitivity. These
include such technologies as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), monoclonal
antibodies, and recombinant antigens.
 Recombinant vaccines are possibly the most important medical advance of the last
hundred years. Going back in the history, on May 14, 1796, Edward Jenner took fluid
from a cowpox blister and scratched it into the skin of James Phipps, an eight-
year-old boy. A single blister rose up on the spot, but James soon recovered. On
July 1, Jenner inoculated the boy again, this time with smallpox matter, and no
disease developed. Vaccination has resulted in the eradication of smallpox, the
imminent eradication of polio, and a dramatic reduction in the prevalence of
many other infectious diseases. Advances in vaccine research are expected to
impact not only communicable diseases but also non-communicable ones such as
cancer.
Much progress is being made in recombinant vaccine development but there
continue to be challenges such as, for example, correct presentation of
recombinant antigens to the immune system and lengthening the lifetime of the
engineered protein in the body.
 Bioremediation influences the natural biochemical processes of plants or micro-
organisms to clean up the environment. Bioremediation has direct significance to any
development activity related to the environment, including water, soil, and air. For
instance, the use of bioremediation to clean contaminated soil or water can promote
food production and can prevent the spread of infectious water-borne diseases.
Two main types of pollution threaten the health and well-being of human
populations: organic waste and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium.
Bacteria can detoxify both. Plants can break down most forms of organic waste, and can
store harmful metals in their tissues, therefore making it easier to collect, harvest,
and even recycle metal waste. Water contaminated by human waste harbors large
populations of pathogenic organisms and has been implicated in the transmission of
cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, and other waterborne diseases. The incidence of these
diseases can be dramatically reduced through sewage treatment. Conventional
chemical sewage treatment can be augmented by the use of beneficial bacteria and
other microorganisms to kill pathogens.

Bioinformatics is the of computer

hardware and software to store, retrieve
and analyze large quantities of
biological data. The use of high
throughput
technologies (DNA sequencing
machines, DNA and RNA
microarrays,
combinatorial chemistry, 2D gel
electrophoresis, and mass
spectrometry)
produces large quantities of biological
data which can also play an important
role in the development of medicinal
drugs.
 Bioinformatics is the of computer hardware and software to store, retrieve and
analyze large quantities of biological data. The use of high throughput
technologies (DNA sequencing machines, DNA and RNA microarrays,
combinatorial chemistry, 2D gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry)
produces large quantities of biological data which can also play an important role in
the development of medicinal drugs.
  Sequencing pathogen genomes, together with bio-informatics can rapidly
accelerate the process of medicinal drug discovery and are important tools in fight
against infectious diseases. Perhaps, in a comparison of disease-causing and
benign strains of the same organism, genes unique to the virulent strain are
likely to play an important role in pathogenesis, and the proteins for which they code
may be useful drug targets.

 Enriched genetically modified crops

Malnutrition impaired cognitive and physical development, and is associated with multiple
illnesses attributed to specific nutrient deficiencies, such as anemia, caused by iron
deficiency which one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. Furthermore,
malnutrition adversely affects the immune system and amplifies the effects of infectious
diseases. But with genetic modification, it became possible to introduce new genes and
new traits into crops that developed more rapidly and more precisely than traditional
breeding and also enable the introduction of new genes from different species
producing crops fortified with nutritional values vital for good health.

 Recombinant therapeutic proteins are used to treat many non-communicable

diseases, and the recombinant technology makes it possible to insert a gene or
genes for the therapeutic protein into a suitable organism. Transgenic mammals are
currently the most attractive source of recombinant therapeutic proteins. These
 animals secrete recombinant protein in easily-harvested body fluid, such as milk or
urine.

 Tissue nanotransfection
Tissue nanotransfection works by injecting genetic code into skin cells, which turns
those skin cells into the other types of cells required for treating diseases. In some
lab tests, it completely repaired the injured legs of mice over a period of a few weeks
by turning skin cells into vascular cells.
CRISPR/Cas9
CRISPR technology or CRISPR-
Cas9 utilizes a protein called Cas9,
which
acts like a pair of molecular
scissors and can cut DNA.
Specialized in
stretches of DNA and are used in
medical biotechnology as a tool to
edit
genomes. It allows scientists to alter
DNA and modify gene functions. In
addition, there are many applications
of CRISPR such as correcting genetic
defects, treating diseases, preventing
the spread of diseases, and improving
crops.
 CRISPR/Cas9

CRISPR technology or CRISPR-Cas9 utilizes a protein called Cas9, which acts like
a pair of molecular scissors and can cut DNA. Specialized in stretches of DNA
and are used in medical biotechnology as a tool to edit genomes. It allows
scientists to alter DNA and modify gene functions. In addition, there are many
 applications of CRISPR such as correcting genetic defects, treating diseases,
preventing the spread of diseases, and improving crops.

 Stem Cell Research

Stem cells can keep dividing infinitely and have the capacity to differentiate into
different types of body cells during the early development of an organism.
Imagine an individual with a degenerative spinal disorder that severely impacts
their quality-of-life. With the help of stem cell research, it might be possible to
grow these stem cells in vitro, in a lab setting, and then implanted them back into
the affected individual’s body. This would help restore their cognitive acuity, vision,
 hearing, and other physical features. This may sound far-fetched and like a plot from
a sci-fi movie, but the preliminary results have been promising.

 Gene Therapy is designed to introduce genetic material into cells to compensate

for abnormal genes or to make a beneficial protein. If a mutated gene causes a
necessary protein to be faulty or missing, gene therapy may be able to introduce a
normal copy of the gene to restore the function of the protein.
Human Genome Project was an
international scientific research
project
coordinated by the National Institutes
of Health and the U.S. Department of
Energy and considered as one of
the greatest accomplishments of
exploration in human history. It was
officially launched in 1990 with the
goal of detrmining the sequence of
nucleotide base pairs that make up
human DNA. In April 2003, the
researchers announced that they had
completed a preliminary sequencing of
the entire human genome. This work
of the HGP has allowed researchers to
begin to understand the blueprint for
building a person. As researchers
learn more about the functions of
genes
and proteins, it has aided them in
identifying genes that cause diseases.
 Human Genome Project was an international scientific research project
coordinated by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy
and considered as one of the greatest accomplishments of exploration in human
history. It was officially launched in 1990 with the goal of detrmining the
sequence of nucleotide base pairs that make up human DNA. In April 2003, the
researchers announced that they had completed a preliminary sequencing of the
entire human genome. This work of the HGP has allowed researchers to begin to
understand the blueprint for building a person. As researchers learn more about
the functions of genes and proteins, it has aided them in identifying genes that
cause diseases.
 From Genes to Proteins

Targeted Cancer Therapies

Targeted cancer therapies are drugs
that work either by interfering with the
function of specific molecules or by
only targeting known cancerous cells,
in
order to minimize damage to healthy
cells.
 Targeted Cancer Therapies Targeted cancer therapies are drugs that work either by
interfering with the function of specific molecules or by only targeting known
cancerous cells, in order to minimize damage to healthy cells.

 3D visualization and augmented reality for surgery Surgery is brutal on the human
body, and medical breakthroughs that make the surgical and healing process more
efficient is always welcomed. Biotechnology has now made it possible for
doctors to view an entire 3D image of the inside of a patient’s body through the
use of MRI and CT scans. This allows each organ to be precisely projected so
that the surgeon can make small, targeted incisions to minimize bodily trauma
 to the patient. Furthermore, augmented reality would allow pertinent
information to be displayed directly overlaid over the relevant body parts.

 3D Printed Organs
Artificial limbs have been in use for centuries, and there has been a steady
improvement in the mobility and versatility of bionic limbs. Now new advances in
bionic technology and 3D printing have taken it even further. It has made it possible to
artificially construct internal organs like the heart, kidney, and liver. Doctors have been
able to implant these into individuals that need them successfully.
3D bioprinters deposit different types of cells the way a color 3D printer deposits different
types of polymer. Photo: Wake Forest

Activity 1:

Activity 2:
Direction: Read the case of Reema Sandhu and answer the questions.

THE CASE OF REEMA SANDHU WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

 Reema Sandhu’s stem cell success story started in 2014 when she was
diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The condition affects the brain and spinal cord,
resulting in a wide range of life-altering symptoms such as visual
impairments, muscle spasms, and memory problems. Despite receiving high dose
drugs for her condition, Reema did not see any improvement and suffered
from several side-effects.
After years of frustration, she decided to choose private treatment and
following a dose of chemotherapy to destroy her immune system, began to receive
stem cell treatments in January. She then received an autologous stem cell
transplant, where her stem cells were collected from her blood and returned to her
body via intravenous infusion.
Significant improvements were immediately noticeable, particularly with
Reema’s brain function. Two months after the transplant, her vision was restored
and she returned to work. These positive outcomes suggest that Reema’s Multiple
Sclerosis has stopped progressing as a result of her stem cell transplant.

Guide Questions
1. What is stem cell treatment?
2. How can stem cell treatment help in the case of Reema Sandhu? Explain
your answer.
3. Do you agree that stem cell treatment is a great application of biotechnology in
medicine? Why? Explain your answer.

Activity 3
Direction: Read the case of Harrison Mckinion and answer the questions.

THE CASE OF HARRISON MCKINION WITH ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

Harrison was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), just 5 days
after turning 10 years old, so his doctor was uncertain if he should be treated with
chemotherapy for standard-risk or high-risk patients. ALL is a rapidly progressing
form of leukemia in which there are too many immature white blood cells
called lymphoblasts in the bloodstream and bone marrow.

Initially, the doctor administered the standard-risk induction therapy (in

Harrison’s planned 3-year ALL treatment regimen, the first 28-day phase aimed to
“induce” remission of the ALL). Upon completion of the standard-risk
induction treatment four weeks later, a bone marrow aspirate showed that
Harrison’s leukemia remained virtually unaffected. Luckily, around that time
Harrison’s doctors discovered that his cancer cells contained a genetic fusion that
was likely responsible for the disease. His doctors researched this particular fusion
and found a study published by Dr. Charles Mullighan (TARGET ALL investigator) at
St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital. Dr. Mullighan, along with the TARGET
ALL project team and other investigators, described how they used tyrosine kinase
inhibitors to treat and cure mice afflicted with ALL caused by the same
genetic fusion1. The doctors decided to try this targeted approach by treating
Harrison with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), imatinib, along with an
extended chemotherapy regimen used in high-risk patients. About 3 days after
starting targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) therapy and the more aggressive
chemotherapy treatment, Harrison was a completely different kid; the effect was
almost immediate. Two weeks later, his bone marrow aspirate showed that
Harrison was in remission with no signs of cancer.
Significant improvements were immediately noticeable, particularly with
Reema’s brain function. Two months after the transplant, her vision was restored

and she returned to work. These

positive outcomes suggest that
Reema’s Multile
Sclerosis has stopped progressing as a
result of her stem cell transplant.
Guide Questions:
1. What is targeted cancer therapy based on the story of Harrison?
2. How does targeted cancer therapy help in the case of Harrison?
 Performance Task:

Directions: Make an editorial cartoon showing the applications and benefits of

biotechnology to humans in the field of modern medicine. Use the rubric below as
your guide in your illustration.

EDITORIAL CARTOON RUBRICS