Biotechnology Information
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Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:37:00 +0000 - Journals of InterestIndependent, open access journals by BioMed Central
Editor-in-Chief: Kailash C. Gupta
Algorithms for Molecular Biology
Editors-in-Chief: Burkhard Morgenstern; Peter Stadler
BioMedical Engineering OnLine
Editor-in-Chief: Kenneth R. Foster
Biology Direct
Editors-in-Chief: Eugene V Koonin; Laura F Landweber; David J Lipman
Biomedical Digital Libraries
Editor-in-Chief: Marcus A. Banks
Cell & Chromosome
Editor-in-Chief: Baldev K Vig
Cell Communication and Signaling
Editor-in-Chief: Bernard Perbal
Genetic Vaccines and Therapy
Editor-in-Chief: Shyam S Mohapatra
Globalization and Health
Editor-in-Chief: Greg Martin
Journal of Biological Engineering
Editor-in-Chief: Mark Riley
Journal of Molecular Signaling
Editor-in-Chief: Danny Dhanasekaran
Journal of Nanobiotechnology
Editor-in-Chief: Mikhail Soloviev
Microbial Cell Factories
Editor-in-Chief: Antonio Villaverde
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine
Editors-in-Chief: Michael Schwartz; Dan J. Stein
Proteome Science
Editor-in-Chief: Martin Latterich
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Editor-in-Chief: Antonin Bukovsky
Retrovirology
Editor-in-Chief: Kuan-Teh Jeang
Source Code for Biology and Medicine
Editors-in-Chief: Emmanuel Ifeachor; Leif Peterson
Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling
Editors-in-Chief: Pier Paolo Delsanto; Hans-Peter Meinzer; Denys Wheatley
Trials
Editors-in-Chief: Doug Altman; Curt Furberg; Jeremy Grimshaw; Peter Rothwell
Virology Journal
Editor-in-Chief: Robert F. Garry
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:28:00 +0000 - Editorial SeriesMonsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 1)
A wide misconception concerning biotechnology is the myth that this applied science is a ‘new’ science. In actuality biotechnology as a practice has been used by humans since the first organized agricultural societies. When the pre-historic farmer decided not to consume the best seeds he produced, but instead to plant them, thus began selective breeding. It would be wishful thinking to believe that the only myth concerning biotechnology is the above one.
Myths around biotechnology and genetics seem to be big sellers and this is one of the reasons we decided to create this blog. We believe that making the wider public better acquainted with this particular category of science would lift the black veil of ignorance and misconception, surrounding the history, the present and the future of biotechnology and genetics.
Another reason for the creation of this blog is the fact that biotechnology is not a static science; every day that passes adds new pages to the Gnostic field of the biosciences. In order for us to keep in contact to these continuous changes we saw fit to create this forum as to exchange opinions, notify each other about news and other updates that we judge to be important.
Our goal is to free biotechnology from the myths and misconceptions that surround this wonderful science. These myths disturb scientific progress in more ways than one; the main goal of these series of editorials is to give answers to a number of questions on that matter.
Monsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 2)
What is clear is the fact that after the bio-boom of the mid-90`s (remember Dolly the clone sheep?) there was an abrupt halt at the progress of the biosciences only a couple of years later. In the U.K. it was the G.M. food row that began from a statement that Prince Charles made about that matter and mounted up to be, a relentless media frenzy that lasted for months. It was a wonderful time for the tabloids, which rapidly adopted the term ‘Frankenstein food’ that lead the public into a whirlpool of mass hysteria (lets not forget that the times where indeed hard for the U.K. as the memory of the events concerning the mad cow (BSE) disease where fresh).
The concern was spread across Europe and in 1998 probably for the first time, solid scientific evidence were brought into the light that confirmed the potential dangers involved with Genetically Modified Food.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the Clinton administration took an interest and deeply investigated the substrate of research concerning molecular biology. Without going into details, there were a series of measures that were brought forward in order to establish a much needed bases concerning the laws that governed scientific research. Even though in my opinion the measures taken at the time were positive, one can not ignore the fact that the decisions made were made under the pressure of public opinion in the midst of a world wide deep concern about applied molecular biology.
It would seem trivial but the mentality of public perception is one of the most important aspects of technology development in general. Some say necessity is the mother of invention (in contrast with the notion of Heraclitus who claimed that war is the father of all). Indeed the above is the driving force of invention but only in theory. Before we take a look at the hard-core issues that surround the economical interests of multinationals, we should take a look at ourselves and our notions (both as individuals and members of society) about biotechnology and genetics.
Monsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 3)
It would be unnecessary to make a list of legislations and laws that passed in the late 90`s concerning the biosciences, but it is a recognized fact that there were numerous legal issues that arose due to the development of these “new sciences” like biotechnology and genetics
There was a climate (and still is) of public pressure towards the governments of almost every country that had an active biotechnological research base. A very important pursuit is to understand the reasons that surround the negative perception of the public towards biotechnology.
The analysis of the relation between the biosciences and public perception is an issue that concerns sociological and philosophical studies. From the point of view of a biologist there are a few obvious points that there must be mentioned.
The first link in the chain that leads the public to adopt a negative opinion about biotechnology is the archetype of the fear of the unknown, a constant human condition upon which every form of exploitation has been built. Since the dawn of time, human-kind has created myths about monsters and unnatural creatures, this primitive fear paired with the factor of religion has created a definition of what is natural and what is not natural. Over the centuries the above fact has not been only an ecclesiastic phenomenon, the unknown has become a lever that shifts public opinion about almost every social issue that concerns human societies. Popular culture has also exploited the above condition thus bringing us excitement using our primal fears.
From the Chimera (a hybrid of a lion a goat and a snake) of the ancient Greek mythology to the late 19th century novel of H.G. Welles the ‘The Island of Dr Moreau’ to the modern day films like Gattaca and The Island, the face of “evil” remains the unknown “what if?” The same motifs plague our fantasies over the millennia and for the first time in human history we face the probability that the myth will turn into reality (or so we think).
The main point of those who claim that biotechnology and genetics should be on a very tight leash is the fear of the creation of the unnatural and the invasive human intervention upon nature.Monsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 4)The public is simply uninformed about the matters that concern biotechnology and genetics, our societies have formed a belief about these issues that was fashioned from our deepest fears, the religious dogmata that are followed, popular culture and the media frenzy that surrounds every negative aspect of the biosciences. The problem is just that, the public has formed a belief instead of knowing the facts. This fast gap between belief and knowledge is being exploited in every way imaginable.
Religious lobbies in the United States have produced an invisible enemy in the face of biotechnology; these lobbies are backed from politicians who in turn create legislation bans and create laws that halt valuable research. The stem cell research issue and the ban that came from the Bush administration is just an example in the above chain.
The fountain of retreat lays on the ignorance of the individual. This is modern day Copernicanism. There are masses of people blinded by religious oppression that are lead to believe in ridiculous notions such as creationism, in parts of the world where valid scientific information is just a click away.
Even though the responsibility of the individual is of the highest degree (especially in western societies) it would be a hasty conclusion to limit the responsibility only upon our shoulders. The individual lives within a system, a sociological construct that has an amphidromous relation with the individual. Like religion the sociopolitical system feeds the individual the information that is required in order for this system not only to remain as the arche but to also have an economical gain. Here comes the everlasting role of the multinational companies.Monsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 5)
Is the previous statement true? Are the religious lobbies responsible for the ban in stem cell research in U.S.?
In the matter concerning stem cells, ignorance serves two masters. If we were forced to categorize the way that drugs are created and even though it is not an accurate syllogism one could say that the production of pharmaceutical products is a process that involves more chemistry than biology.
Biotechnology and genetics paved the foreground for a big change in the production of pharmaceutical products. Stem cell research has the potential to revolutionize the production of medicine as well as the medical science itself. This was one of the fears of the pharmaceutical multinational companies. It is not a secret that Pfizer during the 2000 campaign was one of the strongest Bush supporters and the reason is quite simple. Drawing a parallel, in order to describe how important stem cell research is and its financial consequences to the pharmaceutical companies, is to consider what affect would have a water-powered car to the financial future of the oil companies. This sums up the reason that the pharmaceutical companies retain the “chemical status quo” of drug production. Consider that we live in a capitalist society – if the companies where to change their production methods so rapidly the cost would be unbearable, so through their political influence they preserve the pressure upon small biotechnology companies and the development of new methodologies is halted. The pharmaceutical companies do have much more influence in any government than any other religious or political lobby in their attempt to keep the existing status of drug production. As time goes by the pharmaceutical companies retain the status quo of production while at the same time they devour biotech companies.
It is inevitable that sometime in the future will are going to witness a change in the trends. The pharmaceutical companies will eventually begin to create an infrastructure related to biotechnology and then suddenly we will be “taught” about the good side of biotechnology (flip coin propaganda one day something is bad the next is good depending on the interest of the power that handles the propaganda machine). But as long as their financial interest demands it, biotechnology will be the potential bringer of global doom and destruction.Monsters – Myths – Multinationals (part 6)
Unfortunately the biotech companies did their part to support the claims of the public that biotechnology is a dangerous practice. One name sums it up really, Monsanto….. the arch enemy of environmentalists, the giant of controversy, the multinational that introduced to the world MON863 branded as the toxic maize and the list keeps going. Monsanto did more to create a negative profile for the science of biotechnology that all the rest we have mentioned altogether. It’s a subject so huge by itself that will be dealt with in another series of editorials.
In the struggle between extremes, the scientific community stands alone and with the exception of a few cacophonies has managed to create an unwritten code which seems to hold a golden line of rationality and orthological thought. Off course, there will always be some eccentrics and glory hunters that will do anything to see their names making headlines. One of the most notable exemptions is the case of Dr. Zavos who in 2001 publicly proclaimed in a pompous and extremely indecent manner his attempt to create a human clone. Thankfully such examples are few.
The scientific community must become more exocentric; the progress of science must reach the public. The only means of burring the misconceptions that surround biotechnology is through the group effort of the scientific community. This blog represents an endeavor towards that direction. Hopefully we will be able to create through this blog an open forum that will give the opportunity to everybody to have direct access to an alternative portal of general and specialized information concerning biotechnology and the biosciences in general.
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:25:00 +0000 - FARM ANIMAL THAT PRODUCES HUMAN DRUGSThis case study was presented by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (U.S.A.) and it includes the following parameters:
Description of proposed organism/product and its use
Relevant regulatory agencies, regulatory authority and legal measures
Hazard identification and risk assessment
Information and data
Mitigation and management considerations: approvals and conditions on research, development, production, distribution, marketing, use and disposal
Monitoring and consideration of new information
Enforcement and compliance
Public involvement and transparency
One of the missions of OSTP is to ''Build strong partnerships among Federal, State, and local governments, other countries, and the scientific community''. It is a distinct possibility that the policies enforced today by the U.S. will be imposed on a global level tomorrow. As known public science comities in many countries have a decorative role, their decisions are made in the classic style of formal plagiarism. This case study will probably be the face of things to come for the rest of the world.-CASE STUDY No. IV
FARM ANIMAL (GOAT) THAT PRODUCES HUMAN DRUGSOverview
This case study examines in a general way the proposed use of genetically engineered animals to produce protein biologics for use in human therapy, referred to herein as “human biologics,” “human proteins,” or “transgenic proteins,” including the disposition of those animals. The case study uses the example of a goat engineered to express a human protein in its milk. The protein is then extracted and purified for therapeutic use in humans. While there are products under review, because no such product has completed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory process, this case study is relatively general.
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:24:00 +0000 - DNA Extraction
DNA Extraction Biotechniques Virtual Lab from the Uni of Utah.
Great and fast way to understand and learn to execute DNA extraction.
Try it here !!!
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:23:00 +0000 - Virtual LabsThe Virtual Labs Series produced by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has won top honors in the Pirelli INTERNETional Award competition. More than 1,200 multimedia entries competed for the Top Pirelli Prize, which recognizes the best multimedia products designed to use the Internet to educate about science and technology.-Five virtual labs will help you comprehend biological processes-
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:22:00 +0000 - Enhancement of the efficiency of non-viral gene delivery by application of pulsed magnetic field
Institute of Veterinary Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Zurich
Sarah W. Kamau, Paul O. Hassa, Benedikt Steitz1, Alke Petri-Fink1, Heinrich Hofmann1,Margarethe Hofmann-Amtenbrink2, Brigitte von Rechenberg3 and Michael O. Hottiger*
Nucleic Acids Research, 2006, Vol. 34, No. 5 e40
doi:10.1093/nar/gkl035New approaches to increase the efficiencyofnon-viral gene delivery are still required. Here we report a simple approach that enhances gene delivery using permanent and pulsating magnetic fields. DNA plasmids and novel DNA fragments (PCR products) containing sequence encoding for green fluorescent protein were coupled to polyethylenimine coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs). The complexes were added to cells that were subsequently exposed to permanent and pulsating magnetic fields. Presence of these magnetic fields significantly increased the transfection efficiency 40 times more than in cells not exposed to the magnetic field. The transfection efficiency was highest when the nanoparticles were sedimented on the permanentmagnet before the application of the pulsating field, both for small (50 nm) and large (200–250 nm) nanoparticles. The highly efficient gene transfer already within 5 min shows that this technique is a powerful tool for future in vivo studies, where rapid gene delivery is requiredbefore systemic clearance or filtration of the gene vectors occurs.-Download the full article (pdf)
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:21:00 +0000 - Stem cells: science, policy, and ethics
American Society for Clinical Investigation
2004 November 15; 114(10): 1364–1370.
Gerald D. Fischbach and Ruth L. FischbachHuman embryonic stem cells offer the promise of a new regenerative medicine in which damaged adult cells can be replaced with new cells. Research is needed to determine the most viable stem cell lines and reliable ways to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into specific cell types (neurons, muscle cells, etc.). To create new cell lines, it is necessary to destroy preimplantation blastocysts. This has led to an intense debate that threatens to limit embryonic stem cell research. The profound ethical issues raised call for informed, dispassionate debate.
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:19:00 +0000 - Scientific American
Scientific American - Sep 2007Preview and Delete
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000 - Scientific American-I
Scientific American - Oct 2007
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Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:20:00 +0000 - Scientific AmericanScientific American - Nov 2007-
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:18:00 +0000 - Graphics Gallery - Mutation of ChromosomesGraphics Gallery is a series of labeled diagrams with explanations representing the important processes of biotechnology. Each diagram is followed by a summary of information, providing a context for the process illustrated.
by the Access Excellence the National Healt Museum Rescource Center
Legend: Illustration of the mutation of chromosomes.
A permanent structural alteration in DNA. In most cases, such DNA changes either have no effect or cause harm, but occasionally a mutation can improve an organism's chance of surviving and passing the beneficial change on to its descendants.
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:16:00 +0000 - Graphics Gallery - Experimental Demonstration that DNA is the Genetic MaterialGraphics Gallery is a series of labeled diagrams with explanations representing the important processes of biotechnology. Each diagram is followed by a summary of information, providing a context for the process illustrated.
by the Access Excellence the National Health Museum Rescource Center
Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty demonstrate that DNA is the genetic material. These researchers prepared an extract from the disease-causing S strain and identified the "transforming principle" that would permanently change R-strain pneumococci into the lethal S strain as DNA. This was the first evidence that DNA could serve as the genetic material
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:16:00 +0000 - Apoptosis
Apoptosis (pronounced apo tō' sis) is a process of suicide by a cell in a multicellular organism. It is one of the main types of programmed cell death (PCD), and involves an orchestrated series of biochemical events leading to a characteristic cell morphology and death. The apoptotic process is executed in such a way as to safely dispose of cellular debris.
Everything you need to know about Apoptosis in one great poster
image courtesy of Dr. Arroway
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:15:00 +0000 - Graphics Gallery - Illustration of three viruses
Illustration of three viruses: the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the T4 bacteriophage, and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).Tobacco mosaic virus(TMV): consists of a single long RNA molecule (6000 nucleotides) enclosed in a cylindrical protein coat (2130 copies of the same coat protein). It is approximately 300 nanometers long and 15 nanometers wide.T4 bacteriophage: consists of a DNA molecule tightly packaged in a protein head. The virus attaches to the surface of a bacteria cell and injects its DNA into the cell through its tail.Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): consists of an outer lipid envelope derived from the host cell. It is a retrovirus, i.e., an RNA-containing virus that replicates by making a DNA intermediate.
Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:14:00 +0000
