Biotechnology
A Definition of Biotechnology
Biotechnology and Your Career
Careers in Biotechnology Research
Biotechnology's Impact on Human Health Careers
Biotechnology in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, and Livestock Production
Applications of Biotechnology to Agriculture and Plant Science
Biotechnology's Impact on Education
Biotechnology in Law Enforcement
Careers in Producing Biotechnology Products
The Importance of Biotechnology to Energy Production
Other Careers Related to Biotechnology
For More Information
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Biotechnology is one of the most exciting new sciences of this
century! The discovery that DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the carrier
of the genetic code for any form of life, can be transferred into any
other form of life opens the door to a multitude of possibilities for
genetically modified plants, animals, and microbes not found on
earth-until now.
A career that is impacted by biotechnology is not just a job. It is
an invitation to participate in the development of new products and
processes that could improve the quality of human life as much as any
other discovery since the Industrial Revolution. Welcome to the
"Biological Revolution"!
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One definition of biotechnology is "the deliberate manipulation of
DNA molecules to produce commercial products from living
organisms."
All life is composed of cells that contain genes, and genes are made
of DNA molecules. DNA contains information used by cells as a
"blueprint" or plan for the animal, plant, or other organism. All the
characteristics, or traits, of any living thing are determined by the
information in the DNA plan.
Scientists are learning how to transfer genes from one animal, plant,
or other organism into another. Theoretically, almost any trait found
in nature can be transferred into any chosen organism, even if it has
never had this trait before. This process, called genetic engineering
or recombinant DNA technology, is an important aspect of
biotechnology. It can be used to produce modified crop plants,
livestock, proteins, vaccines, and drugs.
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Biotechnology is an important part of many jobs. This brochure
explains the role that biotechnology plays in some of these
careers.
To prepare for a career in biotechnology, a person should learn as
much as possible about biology, chemistry, and other life sciences. A
high school guidance or career counselor, the admissions office of a
college or university, the personnel office of a biotechnology
industry, and career handbooks found in the reference section of the
local library can be used to determine the specific educational
requirements for a chosen career. Additional sources appear at the
end of this brochure.
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Researchers in agriculture, biology, genetics, and medicine are at
the forefront of new biotechnology discoveries. These men and women
are working to unravel the genetic codes that govern the biological
processes of different forms of life so they can be understood and,
when appropriate, modified.
Life science researchers may work in an academic environment, such as
a university, or for a company or a government agency. They may focus
their work on animals, bacteria, humans, plants, viruses, or any
other life form in which they have a special interest. The
discoveries made in government, university, or corporate laboratories
are the first steps toward genetically engineered products or
processes like new vaccines, drugs, or plant varieties.
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Human insulin for the treatment of diabetes, one of the first genetically engineered products to become commercially available, was marketed in 1982. Since then, biotechnologists have been working to develop new ways for health care professionals to detect and fight disease.
Many diseases, including some types of anemia, cystic fibrosis,
Huntington's disease, and some blood disorders, are the result of a
defective gene that parents pass to their children.
Biotechnologists are working to identify and locate where defects
occur in genes that are related to hereditary diseases. Once the
correct genetic code is known, health care professionals hope, in the
future, to be able to replace the missing or defective genes to make
the individual healthy.
Currently, prospective parents can be screened for such genetic
defects and counseled about the likelihood of their children being
affected.
Fetuses are being screened for genetic disorders before they are born
and, again, genetic counselors play an important role in informing
parents concerning the test results. Genetic counselors prepare
parents for the birth and early medical treatment of a child with a
genetic disorder.
Heart attacks occur when a blood clot enters one of the coronary
arteries and cuts off blood flow to a portion of the heart. If the
artery is not reopened quickly, severe damage to the heart can
occur.
Doctors can now prescribe a genetically engineered drug called tissue
plasminogen activator (TPA) that travels to the blood clot and breaks
it up within minutes, restoring blood flow to the heart and lessening
the chance of permanent damage.
Medical professionals are using biotechnology to treat cancer in several ways. Genetically engineered proteins called lymphokines seem to work with the body's immune system to attack cancer cells and growth inhibitor proteins seem to slow the reproduction of cancer cells. Highly specific and purified antibodies can be loaded with poisons that locate and destroy cancer cells.
Genetic engineering has produced several substances that show promise in the treatment of AIDS. These substances stimulate the body's own immune system to fight the disease.
Many other diseases can be treated with genetically engineered
products. Doctors can use a genetically engineered vaccine to treat
human hepatitis B or a growth hormone to help children with
dwarfism.
Other treatments developed through genetic engineering techniques
include a protein to control blood clotting in hemophiliacs, a
hormone that stimulates red blood cell production to fight anemia,
and antibodies that discourage organ rejection by transplant
patients.
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Veterinarians and professionals in animal science are using biotechnology discoveries to improve animal health and production. Genetically engineered vaccines, monoclonal antibody technology, and growth hormones are three developments that are making this possible. Questions concerning food safety, economic impacts, and animal health issues have been raised by those opposing the use of growth hormones and have made their use controversial.
Most vaccines are made from viruses or bacteria that have been weakened or killed. However, since the live virus or bacteria is often included in these vaccines, they are not without side effects. An animal could become sick from the vaccine. Recombinant DNA technology allows the production of synthetic vaccines that do not have this risk. Recombinant DNA vaccines have been developed for swine and cattle diarrhea and research on other vaccines is continuing.
Antibodies are produced naturally by animals when invaded by a
disease-causing organism. Each type of antibody is very specific-it
recognizes and attacks only one particular disease organism.
Monoclonal antibody technology allows biotechnologists to produce
large amounts of purified antibodies for use in the development of
vaccines.
Antibodies can also be used to diagnose illnesses and can detect
drugs, viral and bacterial products, and other substances. For
example, home pregnancy test kits use antibodies to detect the
presence of a certain hormone in the urine.
Several biotechnology companies are seeking approval by the
federal government of genetically engineered proteins that improve
meat and milk production in cattle or pigs. Bovine somatotropin (bST)
for cattle and porcine somatotropin (pST) for pigs could impact the
life cycle of farm animals by increasing their rate of growth and
milk production and producing leaner carcasses.
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Farmers and other agricultural professionals are being faced with decisions about the use of biotechnology products in their operations. In addition to animal health products and growth hormones that are available for livestock production, a host of crop-production products are or soon will be on the market. Scientists are exploring the genetic modification of food crops to achieve desirable characteristics like high yield, increased protein or oil production, disease resistance, or pest resistance.
Crop yields are controlled not by one gene, but by many genes acting together. Scientists are working to identify these genes and their contribution to yield so crops can be genetically modified to produce more.
By modifying the genes that control the accumulation of protein and oil in seeds like corn and soybeans, biotechnology researchers hope to develop more nutritious crops or crops that produce modified oils for food or industrial uses. For example, by changing the kinds or amounts of fatty acids stored in soybeans, new oils can be developed.
Most crops do not grow well in dry, salty, or alkaline soils. Most
cannot withstand heavy frosts or extreme temperature changes.
Biotechnologists are trying to genetically engineer crops that will
grow well in the poorest food-producing areas of the world where
these conditions are often present.
Genes for disease or pest resistance have been identified for
several crops. If crops can be genetically modified to include a
resistance gene that makes them undesirable to pests, the amount of
chemical pesticide needed could be reduced-a less expensive and more
environmentally-friendly option.
Crops that "tolerate" herbicides to which they are normally sensitive
are now on the market. Used properly, the insertion of a herbicide
resistance gene into crops can allow the farmer more choices in
selecting a herbicide. There is also the opportunity to develop crops
that are tolerant of herbicides that are less damaging to the
environment than ones used now.
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Training in biotechnology is an advantage for science teachers.
Elementary school teachers through college professors are including
units on biotechnology in their science curriculums for a very good
reason. Biotechnology's impact on human health, the food industry,
and the other areas discussed in this brochure means that everyone
will have to make decisions about the use of biotechnology
products.
Educational opportunities are also being extended to those who had
passed through the educational system long before biotechnology
arrived on the scene. Extension professionals from public
universities, leaders of farmer groups, and political and
environmental organizations are all involved in educating the public
about biotechnology products so that informed decisions can be made
about their development and use.
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Biotechnology has provided law enforcement professionals with
another way of placing a suspect at the scene of a crime. This area
of study, called forensic biotechnology, uses a method called DNA
fingerprinting. This method is based on the fact that each
individual's DNA is highly unlikely to be identical to any other
person's DNA (unless he or she has an identical twin).
By examining traces of tissue, hair, tooth pulp, blood, or other body
fluids left at the scene of a crime, a suspect can be linked to a
crime location with great accuracy. Many states are now accepting DNA
fingerprinting results as admissible evidence in criminal and civil
trials.
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After a biotechnology product has been approved for use, many
people are needed to manufacture it. Individuals are needed to manage
and direct the manufacturing process, to ensure quality control, and
to engineer the systems needed to manufacture the product. A
biotechnology company offers many of the same career opportunities as
any other manufacturing business. However, in addition to specific
skills in engineering, scaleup, quality control, and other
manufacturing processes, individuals employed in the biotechnology
industry will need a solid background in the biological sciences.
Industrial chemists are finding that many natural biological
products, like amino acids, enzymes, and vitamins, can be
manufactured more efficiently using biotechnology. The gene or genes
that produce the natural biological product can be transferred to an
organism, perhaps a bacterium, that now starts producing it.
Microorganisms are capable of producing many common organic
chemicals, like ethanol. They can also produce proteins for vaccines
and other uses through a fermentation process.
As the world's population grows, so does the problem of waste
disposal. Biotechnology is helping waste management experts in
several ways.
Microorganisms, like bacteria and microbes, can easily adapt to
different environments and live off their surroundings.
Biotechnologists have found bacteria in solid waste sites that can
break down (degrade) various kinds of waste for their own use.
Recombinant DNA techniques can enhance these capabilities, and new
strains of waste degraders could be developed. Biotechnology can also
be used to improve the enzymes and microorganisms used in the
treatment of wastewater to make the process cheaper and more
efficient.
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Those involved in energy industries are finding that living organisms modified by recombinant DNA technologies can improve energy production and use.
Ore-containing rock is often mixed with minerals that must be separated from the rock by a heat process called smelting. Some microorganisms can dissolve and absorb the minerals, lessening the need for smelting. Other bacteria can force oil out of rocks where conventional drilling is not possible.
The production of energy from biomass, especially waste plant
materials like wood chips or corn stalks, also benefits from
biotechnology. Microorganisms can produce enzymes that degrade the
plant materials, making them useful in energy production.
Another research area is the development of genetically engineered
trees like poplars that are fast-growing and resistant to disease.
These trees could be a renewable resource that can be harvested and
burned to power farms or small industries.
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There are many jobs related to biotechnology that are held by
people without extensive science or engineering expertise. These
individuals must understand the science of biotechnology, but their
primary talent may be in communications or some other area.
Regulatory officials develop the guidelines for biotechnology
research and the development of new products and processes. They work
with company, government, or university researchers to review
proposed research plans and assess the safety of resulting products.
Regulatory officials must approve biotechnology research plans before
they can be done and biotechnology products before they can be
marketed. Individuals involved with the regulation of biotechnology
research and products generally work for a federal or state
government agency.
Public relations people provide understandable information to
the general public about new biotechnology products and processes.
They translate complex scientific information about new discoveries
for nonscientists.
Sales people work with the dealers and distributors of
biotechnology products. They have expertise in marketing skills and
are knowledgeable about the products.
Patent lawyers who specialize in biotechnology help
scientists, companies, or universities protect their legal rights to
new discoveries. They file patent applications for their clients and
interact with the U.S. Patent Office.
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To learn more about careers in and related to biotechnology, talk
to a school career guidance counselor. The counselor can provide
sources of information at colleges and universities with programs in
biotechnology. The local library may be able to provide one or more
of the following books or publications:
Biotechnology for All by Jonathan Katz and David B. Sattelle. Hobsons
Publishing PLC., Cambridge, England. ISBN 1 85324 399 X. 1991.
DNA for Beginners by Israel Rosenfield, et al. Writers and Readers
Publishing Cooperative Ltd., London. 1983.
Opportunities in Biotechnology Careers by Sheldon S. Brown. VGM
Career Horizons, NTC Publishing Group, Lincolnwood, Illinois.
1989.
Understanding DNA and Gene Cloning by Karl Drlica. Wiley and Sons.
1984.
Various publications are also available from the Biotechnology
Industry Organization, Publications Dept., 1625 K Street N.W., Suite
1100, Washington, D.C. 20006. Tel. 202-857-0244.
What Is Biotechnology? Industrial Biotechnology Association.
Washington, D.C. 1984.
Opportunities in Biotechnology Careers by Sheldon S. Brown. VGM
Career Horizons, NTC Publishing Group, Lincolnwood, Illinois.
1989.
Written by Glenda D. Webber, Iowa State University Office of
Biotechnology.
pg. 2 Courtesy of McFarland Clinic, P.C., Ames, Iowa.
pg. 3 Iowa State University Photo Service
pg. 4 Iowa State University Photo Service
pg. 4 Courtesy of City of Ames, Iowa
North Central Regional Extension Publications are subject to peer
review and prepared as a part of the Cooperative Extension activities
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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress
of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and Cooperative Extension Services of Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Robert M. Anderson, Jr.,
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Iowa 50011.
Printed and distributed in cooperation with Extension Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Washington D.C., and Alabama, Colorado,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Ponape ECI, New York, and Oklahoma.
March, 1994
