exploring technology. solving real-world problems many issues in our world are related to biology...
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Biology in Your WorldExploring Technology
Solving Real-World ProblemsMany issues in our world are related to biology
Biologists are working to try to solve these problems
We will explore some of these issues specifically and discuss what biologist are doing to combat these issues
Solving Real-World ProblemsPreserving our environmentMore than 6 billion people live on EarthOur increasing population impacts other organisms
on the planetExample: Depletion of rain forests
Problem: Lost species through extinctionConservation Biologists have been studying ways to
preserve the environmentExample: French Fries
Problem: Half of the potato is discarded as wasteSolution: Mix with grain to feed cattle. Also, leftover
water from processing is now used in power plants
Solving Real-World ProblemsImproving the food supplyGenetic engineering of crops
Created crops resistant to herbicidesCreated crops with built in pesticidesCreated crops with increased nutritional value
Example: Rice with vitamin A and ironProblem: Many people throughout the world do not have
access to a balanced dietSolution: Adding genes from other plants, rice can be
grown with vitamin A and iron to increase the nutritional value of this crop
Concern: The long term safety of genetically engineered crops is still being studied
Solving Real-World ProblemsUnderstanding the human genomeGenome: The complete genetic material
contained in an individualThe human genome contains 3 billion unitsIn April 2003, the human genome map was
completedIt will take years to analyze the resultsAlready being used in medical research
Fighting DiseaseScientific advances in medicine cure disease and
improve healing every dayAIDS:A fatal immune disease caused by the HIV virus that
attacks the human immune systemHIV is transmitted by contact with bodily fluids from
an infected personBiologists have developed a combination of drugs to
slow the progression of AIDSBiologists are working to stop the spread of the virusA vaccine to stop the spread of AIDS is currently
being tested
Fighting DiseaseCancer:A growth defect in cells that causes a breakdown of
the mechanism that controls cell growthBiologists have been doing research on cancer for
over 30 yearsWe now know how to prevent some cancers, like lung cancer
Other cancers can be treated if detected in the early stages
Some anti-cancer drugs have been created that stick to the proteins in cells that are responsible for excess cell division
Fighting DiseaseEmerging DiseasesThe past few years we have seen the
emergence of new diseases from the other part of the worldExamples:
West Nile Virus- first found in US in 1999 Mad cow disease- prevalent in Europe H1N1- “Swine Flu” emerged in Mexico last spring
Fighting DiseaseGene TherapyThe idea of introducing “healthy” genes into
people suffering from hereditary disordersExample:
Cystic Fibrosis- fatal disorder of the mucus membranes Use of a virus to introduce a normal copy of the
defective gene into cells of the CF patients Early attempts failed- studies are ongoing
Gene therapy, or replacement of a defective gene with a normal gene are also being researched for muscular dystrophy or hemophilia patients
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