ELABORATION OF THE SUBJECTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

Hello everyone!!

So today would be describing a bit about few of the subjects that you get to study in the field of Biotechnology.

MICROBIOLOGY

• study about different types of micro organisms
• how they affect the host body
• how can they be cultured in a lab
• how can the exact microorganism be identified 
• how they can eventually cause manifestation of a disease in the host etc.

SUPPOSE YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM TUBERCULOSIS SO NOW YOU KNOW WHICH ORGANISM HAS AFFECTED YOUR BODY,IN WHICH WAY IS IT CAUSING HARM AND WHAT IS THE TREATMENT

BIOCHEMISTRY

• study about the structures of different biomolecules like DNA, RNA, Protein, Lipids, Vitamins, Minerals 
• what's the role of these biomolecules in our body

YOU HAD CHICKEN IN YOUR LUNCH AND NOW YOU KNOW WHY AND HOW TRPSIN WILL ACT ON YOUR CHICKEN SO THAT IT CAN EVENTUALLY BE ABSORBED BY YOUR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM.

ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY

• Study how animals function
• Get to know about their digestive system, respiratory system, nervous system, excretory system, muscular system etc

WILL EXPLAIN HOW A HUMAN BEING EXACTLY BREATHES

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

• Study how plants function
• Get to know about their functioning of root system and shoot system

WILL EXPLAIN HOW A PLANT PRODUCES FOOD FOR ALL THE HETEROTROPHS ON EARTH

CELL BIOLOGY

• Study how the functional unit of life-THE CELL functions
• Study about different organelles of the cell
• Study how cells interact with each other for relaying a signal in the body

YOU HAD BREAD IN YOUR BREAKFAST AND NOW YOU KNOW THAT MITOCHONDRIA OF YOUR CELL IS PROVIDING YOU THE REQUIRED ENERGY TO RUN AND CATCH YOUR SCHOOL BUS AS YOU GOT LATE.

IMMUNOLOGY

• Study what the immune system of the human body is composed of
• Study how your immune system helps you protect from a disease/infection

YOU WILL SOON BE RECEIVING THE VACCINE FOR COVID-19 AND NOW YOU HOW EXACTLY THE VACCINE WILL PREVENT YOU FROM CONTRACTING COVID-19 IN THE FUTURE.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

• Study the exact genetic composition of your body
• Study how the DNA content of your Body gets replicated during each cell division and how it differs from individual to individual.
• Study how are proteins formed in your body

YOU ARE AN ORPHAN AND A COUPLE ACCIDENTALLY COMES AND CLAIM YOU AS THEIR SON/DAUGHTER SO YOU REQUEST FOR PATERNITY TESTING TO PROOFCHECK THEIR CLAIM BECUASE YOU HAVE STUDIED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.

GENETIC ENGINEERING

• Study how the genetic content of any organism can be manipulated
• Study the implication of the manipulation of the genetic content in that organism
• Study how GMOs are actually made and what purpose do they serve in real life scenarios

YOUR GRANDMOTHER DIED DUE TO SCARCITY OF INSULIN IN HER BODY(DIABETES) SO YOU DECIDED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. YOU APPLIED THE PRINCIPLES OF GENETIC ENGINEERING AND STARTED PRODUCING INSULIN INSIDE THE BACTERIAL CELL AND YOU EVENTUALLY ERADICATED THE SCARCITY OF INSULIN FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS.

ANIMAL AND MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• You modify the genetic content of animals in order to produce pharmaceutical products, reduce cost of traditional animal breeding etc

YOUR FATHER WORKS IN AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND HE IS WORRIED THAT THE CATTLES ARENT PRODUCING ENOUGH MILK SO YOU TELL HIM TO APPLY THE PRINCIPLE SOF ANIMAL AND MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO BOOST THE MILK PRODUCTION IN THOSE CATTLES.

BIOINFORMATICS AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY

• Study about how different biological data like genome sequences of different organisms, their protein sequences, their protein structures etc are stored and later accessed for research or other purposes.

YOU WANT TO KNOW THE EXACT DNA SEQUENCE OF HUMAN GENOME SO NOW YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO GO TO NCBI AND SIMPLY RETRIVE THE DNA SEQUENCE OF Homo sapiens.

ANANYA SARKAR

BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING

• Study about how commercially viable products are produced from living organisms on a large scale in the industries
• Study how can a scientist take his/her product from the lab scale to an industry scale via the various rules of scale up

YOU TRIED PRODUCING A NEW VARIETY OF WINE AT YOUR HOME FROM THE GRAPES YOU BOUGHT FROM THE MARKET AND YOU WANT TO TAKE IT FORWARD AND PRODUCE ON A LARGE SCALE. BY APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO JUST THAT VERY EFFICIENTLY.

GENOMICS AND PROTEOMICS

• Study about the entire DNA content of an organism
• Study about the entire protein content of an organism

NOW YOU KNOW WHY YOU BEING A Homo sapiens DIFFER FROM THAT OF A TIGER Panthera tigris. ITS BECAUSE OF THE SHARP DIFFERENCE IN THE GENETIC AND PROTEIN CONTEIN CONTENT OF THESE TWO ORGANISMS.

PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Study how the principles of genetic engineering can be used to produce genetically modified crops/plants

EVER HEARD ABOUT ABOUT THE Bt COTTON CROP PLANT THAT IS RESISTANT TO ATTACK BY CERTAIN INSECTS. NOW YOU KNOW HOW THOSE PLANTS BECAME INSECT RESISTANT.

FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Study how the principles of genetic engineering can be used to produce food products with improved qualities.

YOU BELONG TO A VERY POOR FAMILY AS A RESULT OF WHICH YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY DRY FRUITS SO YOU DECIDE TO FIX THIS ISSUE BY  STUDYING HARD AND APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE SOF FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE DRYFRUITS THAT ARE CHEAPER.

PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Study how the principles of genetic engineering can be used to produce medicines with improved qualities or develop a whole new range of medicine

SUPPOSE YOU REQUIRE A MEDICINE THAT COSTS APPROXIMATELY Rs 50,000 BUT YOU CANT AFFORD IT SO YOU STUDY HARD AND USE THE PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND REDUCE THE COST OF THAT SAME MEDICINE TO Rs 10,000.

NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY

• Study how Nano particles are developed and eventually used for studying various biological phenomenon.

SUPPOSE YOUR MOTHER IS A RESEARCHER AND SHE DEVELOPED A DRUG WHICH CAN KILL CANCER CELLS BUT ITS EFFICACY OF REACHING THE CANCER CELLS IS ONLY 50 PERCENT. YOU TOO BEING A RESEARCHER WORKING IN HER LAB WANTS TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE EFFICACY TO 70% SO NOW YOU USE KNOWLEDGE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP SPECIAL NANO MATERIALS THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY DELIVER THE DRUG TO THE CANCER TARGET.

BIOSEPERATION

• Study how the various biological products that are produced in an industry on a large scale are purified, packaged and eventually transported.

YOU GO TO A SHOP AND BUY TETRAPACKED MILK AND NOW YOU KNOW WHAT STEPS THAT TETRAPACKED MILK MIGHT HAVE GON ETHROUGH TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT REMAIN CONTAMINATED.

INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY

• Study how micro organisms are used to produce biologically important products on a large scale.

YOU BUY A BOTTLE OF BEER AND NOW YOU KNOW WHICH MICROBE WAS USED FOR THE PREPARATION OF BEER AND HOW THAT GOT PRODUCED IN SUCH A LARGE SCALE IN THE BEER INDUSTRY.

BIOSTATISTICS

• Study how different mathematical tools like mean, median, mode etc can be used to handle Biological statistical data and bring a fruitful outcome.

DURING THIS PANDEMIC WE OFTEN HEARD '' FLATTENING OF THE CURVE" AND NOW WE KNOW WHAT IT WAS BASED UPON

METABOLOC PATHWAYS

• Study how different organisms derive their energy from the various food that they consume.
• Study about how Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals etc get broken down in the body to release energy

EVER WONDERED WHY YOU GET PAINFUL MUSCLE CRAMPS AFTER RUNNING VERY FAST. NOW YOU KNOW THAT IT OCCURED DUE TO THE FORMATION AND ACCUMULATION OF LACTIC ACID IN THE BODY.

ANANYA SARKAR

METABOLOMICS

• Study about range of metabolites in different cells/tissues/body fluids etc.

SUPPOSE THE COLOUR OF YOUR URINE HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED IN THE LAST 3-4 DAYS SO YOU GO TO A DOCTOR AND HE/SHE ADVICES YOU TO GO FOR URINE TESTING SO THAT WHAT SUBSTANCES IN THE URINE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE IN THE COLOUR OF YOUR URINE. SO THAT'S WHERE METABOLOMICS COMES INTO PICTURE.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

• Study about thermodynamics, separation process, momentum, environment etc.
• Design and develop certain chemical processes so that the cost of the product gets decreased/optimized.

SUPPOSE YOU VISIT A WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT DURING YOUR WINTER VACATION AND YOU MEET A CHEMICAL ENGINEER WORKING THERE. HE/SHE TELLS YOU THAT HIS/HER JOB IS MAINTAINING PROPER FLOW RATE, WASTE QUANTIFICATION, TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF CLOGGING IN THE WATER PIPES etc BY APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING.

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

• Study about topics related to electricity, electromagnetism, electronics etc
• Study about LEDs, Photovoltaic cells, general circuit diagrams etc

YOU GO WITH YOUR FATHER TO BUY DIWALI LIGHTS AHEAD OF THE FESTIVE SEASON.NOW YOU KNOW HOW THOSE DIWALI LIGHTS ACTUALLY WORK AND WHAT THEY ARE MADE UP OF.

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

• Study about the applications of various Physics, Chemistry and Mathematical principles to design and develop instruments/ equipments used in the healthcare sector.

YOU BROKE YOUR LEG WHILE PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE GROUND WITH YOUR FRIENDS SO YOU RUSH TO A HOSPITAL AND THE DOCTOR SUGGESTS YOU TO GO FOR X-RAY. NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF X-RAY AND HOW IS IT USED TO DETECT/LOCATE THE FRACTURES IN YOUR LEG.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS(IPR) AND BIOETHICS

• Study about patents, copyright claims etc.
• Study about ethical practices that are followed in the healthcare sector etc

SUPPOSE YOU BEING A SCIENTIST DEVELOPED A NEW DRUG THAT WILL CURE COVID19.YOU DON'T WANT OTHERS TO STEAL YOUR IDEA AND MAKE THIS DRUG SO YOU STUDIED IPR AND BIOETHICS AND KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR PATENT.

BIOMECANICS

• Study about how the application of physics is used to study the movement of a living body
• Study how the principles of physics can be used in developing prosthesis.

SUPPOSE YOU MET WITH A TRAGIC ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF WHICH YOU LOST ONE YOUR LEGS SO NOW THE DOCTOR SUGGESTS YOU TO GO FOR THE IMPLANTATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL LEG. NOW YOU KNOWON WHAT BASIS WILL THAT ARTIFICIAL LEG BE DESIGNED SO THAT IT CAN APPROPRIATELY FIT IN TO YOUR BODY 

BIOPHYSICS

• Study how the principles of physics can be used in analyzing the biological phenomenon

YOU GO TO THE BIOLOGY LAB OF YOU SCHOOL AND THE TEACHER ASKS YOU TO SEE A PARTICULAR BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE. NOW YOU KNOW THAT THE LIGHT SOURCE ILLUMINATES THE SPECIMEN AND THE LENSES EVENTUALLY MAGNIFY THE SPECIMEN.

ENZYME TECHNOLOGY

• Study how an enzyme can be altered so that its efficacy increases.

RENIN IS AN ENZYME THAT IS USED IN CHEESE MAKING. SUPPOSE YOU BEING A SCIENTIST ALTERED THE RENIN AND ITS EFFICIENCY INCREASES. SO NOW LESS AMOUNT OF RENIN CAN PRODUCE MORE CHEESE SO IT REDUCES THE COST OF CHEESE MAKING.

MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE

• Study how various micro organisms like bacteria, fungi, virus etc cause various diseases in the host organism

BECAUSE YOU STUDIED THIS SUBJECT IN THE WAKE OF COVID19 PANDEMIC YOU KNOW THAT HOW EXACTLY SARS-COV2 INFECTS YOUR BODY.

SCIENTIFIC WRITING

• Study about the various writing formats that are used in writing research papers, review papers, science journals etc

SUPPOSE YOU ARE WORKING UNDER A SCIENTIST IN HIS/HER LAB AND YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR COLLECTING BLOOD FROM PATIENTS THAT GIVES MINIMUMPAIN SO YOU WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR WORK IN SOME REPUTED SCIENCE JOURNALS AND FOR THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE THE REQUISITE WRITING SKILLS SO THAT THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR WORK.

ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Study how the principles of biotechnology can be used to solve certain environmental problems like pollution, extinction of endangered species etc.

YOU KNOW THAT THE GANGES NOW HARBOURS LOT OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA. YOU APPLY THE PRINCIPLE SOF BIOTECHNOLOGY TO IDENTIFY THOSE SPECIFIC MICROBES AND DO RESEARCH TO DEVELOP TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE THOSE BACTERIA THAT IS COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.

ANANYA SARKAR