Biotechnology

Learn and explore science that has revolutionized human life on everyday level.

Curriculum : Course Code - AT017

Biotechnology led to the development of first drug ever manufactured in living cells. Numerous advances in this field have been made since. We discuss biotechnology in the context of human health care, industrialization, crop sciences, biofuels etc. We will emphasise on several example products produced through biotechnology in above mentioned sectors

Highlights

  • Understand how recombinant DNA technology enabled Insulin production in living bacteria.
  • Different fields of biotechnology
  • RNA based technology, example: Vaccine production in record time
  • Immune technologies to treat array of diseases
  • Cell culture technology

Introduce topics & technologies like

  • Nanobiotechnology
  • Genomics and gene expression
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Protein engineering
  • Environmental biotechnology
  • Synthetic biology
  • Cyborgs
  • Transgenic Animals and plants
  • Gene therapy for inherited disease
  • Forensic biology
  • Bioethics
Career counseling about an increasingly wide range of available careers, including research (academic & Pharmaceutical company based), teaching, Medical practitioners, to name a few.
We will further discuss new career profiles in the field of biotechnology with industry professionals.

Activities & Credits

Poster Making
Students learn to make high quality science posters & hone their presentation skills.
Report/Paper
Learn to draft scientific write-ups with clear and convincing narratives.
Certificates
Outstanding students also get opportunities for long-term projects with mentors.

Recent Student BioTech Projects

Atrial Septal Defect

https://elioacademy.org/student/23/kirthi-gopinath

Kirthi Gopinath
(Mission San Jose High School)

Congenital Heart Defects (CDHs) are present at birth and affect the structure of a baby's heart as well as its function. One specific CDH, Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), causes a hole to form in the septum that divides the right and left atria. This hole causes irregular blood flow by allowing blood from the left atrium to flow to the right atrium

Tay-Sachs Disease

https://elioacademy.org/student/23/jerry-lou

Jerry Lou
(Wayzata High School)

Tay-Sachs disease is a relatively rare genetic disorder where it is passed down from parents to offspring. According to the Mayo Clinic, Tay-Sachs disease occurs when there is an absence of an enzyme, Hex A(Beta-Hexosaminidase A), which helps with breaking down fatty substances called gangliosides.This accumulation of gangliosides results in build up of toxic levels in the brain and spinal cord and affect the function of nerve cells.

Hemophilia A: The Royal Disease

https://elioacademy.org/student/23/margarita-cham-beatrice-fernandez

Margarita Cham & Beatrice Fernandez
(Chinese International School Manila)

Hemophilia A is a disorder characterized by a deficiency of the protein "clotting Factor VIII" in the bloodstream. This deficiency leads to prolonged bleeding following injuries such as tooth extractions, surgeries, and delayed or recurring bleeding during the wound-healing process. Hemophilia A is categorized into three main levels of severity: severe, moderate, and mild.

Cystic Fibrosis

https://elioacademy.org/student/jaein-kho-22

Jaein Kho,
(CIS)

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation in the Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator ( CFTR ) gene. Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder; therefore in order for a patient to have CF, the patient has to have acquired at least one mutated CFTR gene from each parent whether homozygous or heterozygous.