Bio 417

L18 2022

Biotechnology and Human Health…

1
Recurrence of pandemics/epidemics is a common occurrence!
Just think of;
Bird fu (H5N1) 1996/7
Swine flu (H1N1) 2009/10
Zika virus epidemic 2015
SARS covid-19 2019
SCIENCE is expected to deliver the much needed
interventions!
These include;
rapid and efficient diagnostic tools to inform intervention
measures
new and effective vaccines
efficient drug/vaccine delivery methods
novel therapeutic approaches 2
Can Biotechnology deliver to these demands?
Yes it can!
And, it has tremendous potential because of the Genomics
revolution currently taking place
Biotechnology can deliver through;
Molecular diagnostic technologies
a) PCR and related materials
uses very small (ml) volumes, has low detection limit, yet fast
and accurate
exploits pathogen-specific DNA sequence in very small
volume of body fluid to accurately detect infection in an
individual
this technique produces results in hours (commonly ≤ 4 hrs)
NB:
Suitable and reliable reagents are necessary for 3
delivering reliable PCR assays!
 Through multiplex PCR, more than one infection
or disease can be detected in the same small body
fluid of an individual
Through the PCR technique, we are now better
enabled to accurately diagnose HIV, malaria,
cancer, TB indeed many other diseases
b) Antibody-coated dipsticks
A very sensitive molecular diagnostic approach that is very
suitable to many developing country situations
Why developing country situations?
these devices are used anywhere without need for
lab space, running water or electricity
HIV Determine test kit
4
OptiMal for malaria detection
c) Vaccines
have enabled modern medicine to provide better
quality of life hence,
smallpox has been eradicated
eradication of polio is imminent!
other infectious disease incidents have
also been significantly reduced
The momentum is expected to spread to non-communicable diseases
like cancer!
Applications of Recombinant DNA technology is an integral part of
the vaccine pursuit

Recombinant DNA technology

makes it possible to produce a single protein or DNA
strand outside the pathogen and then use the produced
5
protein/DNA strand to challenge the human host
 this avoids contact with the pathogen as would be
the case with attenuated vaccines
this may be rendered cheap by using
“cheap-to-grow” producer organism(s)
DNA vaccines are thermostable and may be cheaper to
make
But, thermostability can be improved for either DNA or
protein vaccines!
Some challenges need to be overcome for ex situ synthesised /
‘engineered’ vaccines
correct presentation of recombinant antigens to the
immune system
lengthening the lifespan of the ‘engineered’ vaccine in the
body
6
in-built resistance to breakdown
RTS,S/ASO2
a malaria vaccine based on the circumsporozoite
protein of P. falciparum
is synthesised in mice and excreted in milk
After ‘Dolly the sheep’, transgenic goats for production
of this vaccine are possible!
Please read:
Aide et al 2010: doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013838
Mtb8.4 peptide-linked surface antigen for
vaccination against TB
AND, Please also read:
Gong et al (2021) Frontiers in Immunology
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.666290
7
Day et al (2003) J. Immunol. 170: 1498-