Introduction to Activity 3

Biotechnology

and Human Health

Biotechnology and You Background

• Biotechnology is used to: – Diagnose disease

– Prevent disease

– Treat disease

How can biotechnology diagnose disease?

• Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay

ELISA

File Number: 2215359

How is biotechnology used prevent disease?

• Vaccines – Whole organism

– Partial organism

– Recombinant

How can biotechnology be used to treat disease?

• Gene therapy

• Stem cells

• Cloning

Part A. Spread and Detection of Infectious Disease

• Model the spread of a disease

• Use biotechnology to detect disease

How do diseases spread?

• Viral versus Bacterial

• Exposure levels

• Infectious versus genetic

Activity • In this activity you will model how an infectious

disease is spread. You will then apply a test developed through the use of biotechnology to determine levels of infection.

• Each student will receive a container of fluid. One of these containers has been contaminated.

• Each student will exchange fluid with three other classmates.

Activity • After the exchanges are complete, you will use an

assay to determine if your sample is contaminated.

• Assays are a type of biotechnology. They are tests that indicate the presence of a particular substance.

• Examples of medical assays include glucose meters (used by diabetics), drug tests, pregnancy tests and disease tests (such as for HIV).

File Number: 4641088 File Number: 5480149

Activity

• In this case, samples will change color if they have been infected.

• A positive result (color change) indicates an infected sample

• A negative result (no color change) indicates the sample has not been infected.

Spread of diseases

# infections

Number of interactions

Exponential growth phase

Carrying capacity

Lag phase

Reflection Questions

• What factors might affect the way a disease spreads in real life?

• How was biotechnology used in this activity?

• What types of assays are available ‘over the counter’ in local stores?

Part B: Vaccinations

• Explore different types of vaccines

• Research and investigate required vaccines

Vaccinations

• What vaccines have you been given?

• What are these vaccines designed to prevent?

• How do vaccines work?

Types of Vaccines

• Whole Organism

• Partial Organism

• Recombinant

Whole Organism Vaccine

• Live, attenuated vaccine

• Dead vaccine

http://www.vaccineplace.com/?fa=explore/general/14

http://www.vaccineplace.com/?fa=explore/general/14

Partial Organism Vaccine

• Protein coat only

http://www.vaccineplace.com/?fa=explore/general/14

Recombinant Vaccine

• Produced by genetic engineering

http://www.vaccineplace.com/?fa=explore/general/14

Activity Make an informational poster on one of the vaccines you are required to have.

Be sure to address the following questions:

• What is the vaccine designed to prevent?

• How is the vaccine made?

• How does the vaccine work?

• Is the vaccine live, attenuated or recombinant?

• Is the vaccine required for all people? If not, explain.

• At what age is the vaccine given? Are boosters required?

• What are the benefits of the vaccine?

• What are the risks associated with the vaccine?

• List two debate topics associated with your vaccine.

Part C: Edible Vaccines • Explore the science behind edible

vaccines

• Create your own edible vaccine

Vaccines

• How are vaccines most commonly given?

• What does ‘edible vaccine’ mean?

• How would an edible vaccine be created?

• Edible

• Safer because there is no needle • Economical to mass produce and transport • Heat stable

• Subunit vaccine so won’t cause disease

Benefits of Edible Vaccines

Risks of Edible Vaccines • Oral Tolerance

• Accumulation of enough antigen • Public perception of Genetically Modified

Organisms

• Transfers of genes to non-target organisms • Dosage

Activity Design an Edible Vaccine!

• What is the name of your transgenic plant?

• Describe the transgenic organism and describe where the vaccine proteins are produced (stem, flowers, fruit, etc). Why did you chose this particular type of plant?

• What is the purpose of your edible plant vaccine (or transgenic plant)? What type of disease does it protect against?

• What are the benefits of this transgenic

organism?

• What are the risks of this transgenic organism?

• What country do you plan to market this plant-based vaccine? Why?

Part D: Transgenic Plants: Risks and Benefits Assessment

• Define the different

categories of transgenic plants

• Investigate the risks and benefits associated with the different categories of transgenic plants

File Number: 355519

Risks and Benefits of Transgenic Plants

• How do humans use plants?

• What are the different categories of use?

File Number: 4161005

Categories of Transgenic Plants

• Agronomic

• Pharmaceutical

• Food Crop • Non-Food Crop

Risks and Benefits

• Agronomic transgenic plants

• Pharmaceutical Transgenic plants

• Food-crop versus non-food crop transgenic plants

Activity

• Design a PowerPoint presentation of your assigned topic

• Use the rubric provided to make sure you include all the required information

Questions • How should regulatory

organizations (such as the Food and Drug Administration) deal with the different categories of transgenic organisms?

• How does human error figure into risk assessment?

• How should the possibility that the risks and benefits for different groups of people be addressed?