ILOILO CITY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

M.H. Del Pilar, Molo Iloilo City

BIOTECHNOLOGY 8
WORKSHEET 1
TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHOLOGY
PART I: Essay

A. WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?

Biotechnology is the manipulation of living organisms and organic material to serve

human needs.

B. GIVE 3 EXAMPLES WHERE WE CAN APPLY BIOTECHNOLOGY.

1. Yeast in bread making and alcohol production.
2. Use of beneficial bacteria (Penicillin) to kill harmful bacteria.
3. Cloning of plants and animals.

C. AREAS WHERE BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUSES.

1. Health/Medicine
2. Food Science
3. Environmental Science
4. Agriscience

D. WHAT IS GMO STANDS FOR? Genetically Modified Organisms

E. GIVE THREE PRODUCTS THAT IS CONSIDERED AS GMOS?

1. Corn
2. Soybean
3. Vaccines

F. DISCUSS SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT GMO? (5 POINTS)

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has
been altered using genetic engineering techniques. A wide variety of organisms have been
genetically modified (GM), from animals to plants and microorganisms. They are consumed by
millions of people (especially Americans) every day. Countries which funded more on
biotechnology are more advanced in Medicine and Agriculture. There has been increased
activity and research between different agricultural areas with common research techniques
and goals. However there are also Problem with Biotechnology like the Transfer of genes found
in transgenic organisms to natural populations, Unexpected impacts of genetically modified
organisms and biotechnology processes on other organisms and the environment, unexpected
impacts of genetically modified organisms and biotechnology processes on other organisms and
the environment, and concerns over the safety and ethics of incorporating GMO’s into food for
human consumption.
 G. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PROBLEM IN IMPLEMENTING/PRACTICING
BIOTECHNOLOGY? Lack of education among both consumers and producers concerning
biotechnology processes and products and the funding source for the implementation
of biotechnology.
PART II: COMPLETE THE TABLE: PIONEERS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
SCIENTIST NAME OF THE SCIENTIST
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
Gregor Mendel
Louis Pasteur
Robert Hooke
James Watson & Francis Crick
CONTRIBUTION TO
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Discovered bacteria by using
a simple microscope.
Austrian monk who
conducted the first genetics
experiments using pea plants
in the mid 1800s. Often
considered the founder of
genetics.
Disproved the notion of
spontaneous generation,
describing the role of
bacteria in spoilage and the
scientific basis for
fermentation. Created the
rabies vaccine.
Invented the compound light
microscope. First to observe
cells in cork
Englishmen responsible for
the discovery of the double
helix structure of DNA using
X-ray photographs
 PART III. CREATE A TIMELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

DATE/YEAR: 1750 B.C.

EVENTS: Origins of “biotechnology”
emerge in methods of food production
and plant and animal breeding.

DATE/YEAR: 1869
EVENTS: DNA is discovered in trout
sperm by German Miescher.
DATE/YEAR: 1919
EVENTS: The word “biotechnology”
is first used by a Hungarian
DATE/YEAR: 1940’s-1950’s agricultural engineer
EVENTS: Widespread work is C
undertaken to investigate the
structure and function of DNA
VVVV

DATE/YEAR: 1980
EVENTS: The U.S. Supreme Court
approves the patenting of
genetically altered organisms

DATE/YEAR: 1990’s DATE/YEAR: 1980’s-1990’s

EVENTS: First transgenic organisms (GMO’s) are EVENTS: A variety of GMO’s and
introduced in widespread agricultural C biotechnology techniques are introduced
production, particularly in the area of crops. in fields from agriculture to medicine

DATE/YEAR: 1997
EVENTS: Dolly is the first animal
cloned from diploid cells is produced
in Scotland

DATE/YEAR: Late 1990’s-Early 2000’s

EVENTS: Human cloning is outlawed in the
U.S. and the first concerns over the use of
human stem cells in research begin to arise.