Republic of the Philippines

5. Bioterrorism is a national concern Department of Education

REGION III-CENTRAL LUZON
Medical biotechnology has been used for security measures to help prevent a large SCHOOLS DIVISION OF TARLAC PROVINCE
number of people from possible bioterrorism. But the development of these projects takes MALACAMPA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL-STE
away funding and time from curing known diseases. It becomes a real question of how to
divide resources among projects, and knowing where the resources are most needed. It’s DIRECTIONS: Read and analyze the following concepts. Answer the activities on a
difficult because we don’t know if people will die from bioterrorism, but with so many separate sheet of paper.
people being concerned, it seems like a worthwhile place to spend time and money.

BIOTECHNOLOGY QUARTER 4 WEEK 1-2

Guide Questions: APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH
1. In your own words, describe the following:
STEM CELL TREATMENT
a. stem cell treatment Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair
b. genome sequencing response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. It
c. recombinant DNA technology is the next chapter in organ transplantation and uses cells instead of donor organs, which
are limited in supply.
2. Choose two (2) medical and ethical issues of biotechnology and give one (1) example Diseases Treated with Stem Cell Transplants
scenario of each.  Acute leukemia.
 Amegakaryocytosis or congenital thrombocytopenia.
 Aplastic anemia or refractory anemia.
 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
 Familial erythrophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
 Myelodysplastic syndrome of another myelodysplastic disorder.
 Osteopetrosis.
 Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

In stem cell transplants, stem cells replace cells damaged by chemotherapy or
disease or serve as a way for the donor's immune system to fight some types of cancer and
blood-related diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma and multiple
myeloma. These transplants use adult stem cells or umbilical cord blood.
GENOME SEQUENCING
One of the current and future avenues of medical biotechnology is in genome
sequencing.
In 1999, researchers were able to map the entire DNA sequence of human
chromosome 22, the first time a human chromosome had been fully mapped. Since then,
technology has advanced to the point that thousands of genomes have been fully or
partially sequenced. Doctors can now anticipate whether certain diseases will be passed
genetically from parents to children.
Although human genome research continues, the technology has entered the
private market. Companies like 23 and Me or startups such as Helix, Veritas and Color
provide the public with lab-produced genome sequencing tests to see discover ancestry
information or whether individuals are susceptible to a heredity-linked diseases.
The sequence tells scientists the kind of genetic information that is carried in a
particular DNA segment. For example, scientists can use sequence information to
determine which stretches of DNA contain genes and which stretches carry regulatory
instructions, turning genes on or off.
For people experiencing a health-impacting condition, DNA sequencing can
provide a precise diagnosis which might affect the medical management of symptoms, or
provide treatment options. Another advantage of genome sequencing is that information
regarding drug efficacy or adverse effects of drug use can be obtained.
RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY
Recombinant DNA technology is combining DNA molecules from two different
species, and then inserting that new DNA into a host organism. That host organism will
produce new genetic combinations for medicine, agriculture, and industry. There are many
examples of recombinant DNA technology being utilized, from biopharmaceuticals and
diagnostics, to energy applications like biofuel, to agricultural biotechnology with modified
fruits and veggies. The genetically modified products are able to perform better than the
regular medicine or produce. Recombinant agriculture is able to be more pest resistant or
weather resistant, recombinant medicine like insulin is able to better work with bodies, etc.
MEDICAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
1. Risk to human life in clinical trials
A huge risk of medical biotechnology is its impact during clinical trials. Because
it’s such new tech, people can and have gotten hurt and even died during trials of the
technology. Because of these risks, extensive research should be performed before even
thinking of introducing tech to human subjects, and those who are participating in a trial
should be extremely aware of any and all possibilities.
2. High cost may exclude the poor
While medical biotechnology has huge potential to make medicine more efficient
and easy, what’s the cost? This technology is often hugely expensive compared to
traditional treatments. There is an ongoing give and take about finding new medical
advancements, and the cost it takes to do research and then market the findings for
purchase.
3. There are privacy concerns
4. Some groups oppose stem cell research
Medical biotechnology is kind of a hot-button political issue, with presidential
candidates even being asked about their position. The idea of working with fetal tissue, or
other tissue, to learn about regrowth conjures images of Frankenstein’s monster. Scientists
and researchers have been cautioned multiple times to be ethical and moral when doing this
research. For example, using human tissue for research can be seen as ethical, while using
an embryo’s tissue can be seen as unethical because it can damage the embryo. It is still
early in the stem-cell research process, but as technology and research continues to advance
in that area, scientists will have to consider moral and ethical lines even more.