1. BASIC LAB TECHNIQUES
MODULE 1
CHAPTERS 1-3
Modern Biotechnology industry
Business of biotechnology
Life cycle of pharma products

2. DEFINITION OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY
 the manipulation (as through genetic
engineering) of living organisms or their
components to produce useful usually
commercial products (as pest resistant
crops, new bacterial strains, or novel
pharmaceuticals);
 FROM THE FREE MARRIAM WEBSTER DICTIONARY
Chapter 1

3. THE EUROPEAN COMMISION VS.
FDA
 "The application of science and
technology to living organisms, as well as
parts, products and models thereof, to
alter living or non-living materials for the
production of knowledge, goods and
services.“
 “The application of biological systems and
organisms to technical and industrial
processes”
chapter 1

4. Brief Review of Molecular biology
 Biotechnology is used to manipulate DNA
 DNA instructs the cells how to make proteins
 DNA is located in the chromosomes and contain genes
 Genes express themselves by producing proteins
 Some proteins are structural others are regulatory
 When cells express specific genes and not others we call
them differentiated. Embryonic cells can express all genes
therefore they are undifferentiated

5. Question?
 DNA resides in the nucleus,
proteins are produced in the
ribosomes (cytoplasmic
organelles), how does the
information move from the
nucleus to the ribosomes?

6. answer
m-RNA

7. Techniques in biotechnology
 To manipulate cells we use:
 Genetic engineering
 Recombinant DNA
 Transformation
 Transfection
 Fermentation in bioreactors
 Use vectors and plasmids
 In vitro technology like cell and tissue
culture

8. The Genome project
Genomics
Proteomics
Bioinformatics

9. Applications
 Biopharma – products manufactured using
genetically modified organisms e.g insulin
 Use of bacteria, mammalian and plant cells
pros and cons?
 In vitro and in vivo systems. Examples?
 Gene therapy
 Bioagriculture
 Regenerative medicine and tissue
engineering using stem cells
 Biofues
 forensics

10. The business of biotechnology
 Research and development
 Production
 QC/QA
 Regulatory affairs
chapter 2