I can never forget the time I wrapped slices of raw onions onto my grandpa's foot. I looked up at his strained face, and very calmly he said to me, "It burns, can you please take it off?" My dad, next to me, told me to ignore his requests. He studied Chinese medicine, and this was an Eastern remedy to lower blood pressure. My grandpa had recently had a spike in blood pressure, and it was terrifying to realize that I could have easily lost him to a heart attack or stroke.
My family has a history of diabetes - all of my grandparents are diagnosed with type II. Before had I left for boarding school, I ate breakfast with them every morning, and noticed that their food was especially bland. They picked at the fruits and never ate them. Even though I had already developed a strong interest in medicine, I never understood their food options. When my mother explained to me
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It offers me something my school cannot: advanced laboratories and world renowned researchers to mentor me. The program, with its many professionals and experts, can further deepen my interest in the biomedical field, and give me a greater understanding of what my future can be like. It is essential that I grasp an idea of the work of a biomedical engineer, and with the intense working environment and prestige of the program, SIMR will definitely be able to aid me in that aspect.
What drives me to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer is not only to help disabled patients, but also my love of the field itself. Biomedical engineering combines two subjects that have left strong impressions on me, biology and physics. Just learning these subjects from classes and textbooks does not suffice to quench my curiosity. I want to learn more through personal experience. At SIMR, I will be able to handle my own research project, and it will really help me gain an even stronger interest, and propel me forward into my career
During the year 1889, two researchers, Joseph Von Mering and Oskar Minkowski, discovered the disease that is known today as diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the insulin levels (a hormone produced in unique cells called the islets of Langerhans found in the pancreas) in the bloodstream are irregular and therefore affect the way the body uses sugars, as well as other nutrients. Up until the 1920’s, it was known that being diagnosed with diabetes was a death sentence which usually affected “children and adults under 30.” Those who were diagnosed were usually very hungry and thirsty, which are two of the symptoms associated with diabetes. However, no matter how much they ate, their bodies wouldn’t be able to use the nutrients due to the lack of insulin.
Diabetes has recently become a focal point of health care systems around the world due to its high prevalence and the severity of secondary complications caused by the disease. Over the course of my project on diabetes, I have had the opportunity to speak with a group of diabetics to understand from a patient’s perspective how diabetes is managed in a rural community. While I found that while some patients ignored treatment and refused to make any dietary changes, the majority of the patients I interviewed were well-informed and actively managing diabetes in their everyday life.
Stem cells help us to maintain and heal our bodies, as they are undifferentiated cells, their roles are not yet determined. They have the ability to become anything during early life and growth. Stem cells come from two sources, namely: embryonic stem cells (embryo’s formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development) and adult stem cells (see figure 3).
For decades, biologists have been using stem cells to figure out possible cures for different diseases and even prevent them. Stem cells are cells that can become useable in certain tissues in the body (according to an infant), or tissue cells that are already found in blood, bones, the brain, and skin (in adults or children). Stem cells are being used for patients with lymphoma (begins in the immune system), leukemia (cancer of white blood cells), and other types of blood disorders.
This paper focuses on the benefits of stem cell research in the medical and nursing field. New technology is always being created to help us understand the way the human body works, as well as ways to help us improve diseased states in the body. Our bodies have the ability to proliferate or regrow cells when damage is done to the cells. Take for example the skin, when an abrasion or puncture to the skin causes loss of our skin cells, the body has its own way of causing those cells to regrow. The liver, bone marrow, heart, brain, and muscle all have cells that are capable of differentiating into cells of that same type. These are called stem cells, and are a new medical tool that is helping regrow vital organs in our body to help us survive. Stem cells can come from adult cells, or the blastocyst of the embryo. The cells that come from these are undifferentiated, and can be specialized into certain cell types, making them available for many damaged tissues in the body. While using stem cells in the body is a main use, they are also being used to help doctors understand how disease processes start. By culturing these cells in the lab and watching them develop into muscles, nerve cells, or other tissues, researchers are able to see how diseases affect these cells and possibly discover ways to correct these diseases. While researchers have come very far in using stem cells, there are still many controversies to overcome when using these cells.
I want to be a part of the SIMR program because this program is an opportunity for me to develop myself further as a student in the field of science. I am determined to attend the SIMR program because I have a love and curiosity for science. I am a willing student ready for a new type of challenge. This program will help me to learn more in depth about the topics I am already interested in, as well as give me the opportunity to use technologies that would be unavailable otherwise. Currently, I am deeply interested in the field of genetics.
Genetic engineering depends on the location and analysis of genes on chromosomes and ultimately DNA sequencing. The early cartography of the genes used the principles of Mendelian genetics . It is assumed that alleles that are transmitted together side by side are located on the same chromosome : it is said that are connected or linkage . These genes form a bridging group - linkage group : are the same for gametes and are usually transmitted together , so they do not have independent distribution. Crossing-over occurring during meiosis may cause these alleles can be exchanged between the chromosomes of a homologous pair .
Biomedical engineering is a branch of science that connects engineering sciences with biological sciences that started around the 1940s (Citron & Nerem, 2004). Biomedical engineering is the discipline that promotes learning in engineering, biology, chemistry, and medicine. The objective for biomedical engineers is to enhance human health by incorporating engineering and biomedical sciences to solve problems. Some of the accomplishments made from biomedical engineering are prosthetics, robotic and laser surgery, implanted devices, imaging devices, nanotheranostics and artificial intelligence. As we head towards the future, biomedical engineering is anticipated to become an even greater part of the medical industry and bring about innovating
Diabetes is a metabolic disease defined by high blood glucose concentration, also known as hyperglycemia (Mertig, 2012). Hyperglycemia is the result of having a problem with insulin release and/or a problem with insulin action. In other words, a person living with diabetes produces little to no insulin (type 1 diabetes) or does not have the ability to utilize efficiently the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes) (Mertig, 2012). Diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States. In an effort to better manage and reduce the incidence of diabetes, researchers dedicate an enormous amount of time each year trying to gain a stronger understanding of the disease (Philis-Tsimikas and Decker, 2011). After all, the long term complications of uncontrolled diabetes (i.e. blindness, renal failure, heart disease, amputations, etc) can be devastating and needs to be prevented and/or controlled (Mertig, 2012). Individuals living with diabetes need to incorporate nutritional management, physical activity, compliance with medications, proper monitoring of blood sugars, self education and most importantly actively participate in their own diabetes care. According to Inzucchi et al, a patient centered approach is best and means, “Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions.” An approach proven to be effective in managing diabetes is the diabetes self-management education (DSME) approach. DSME is a “patient centered” approach that actively involves the client in all aspects of their diabetes care and provides the necessary tools to encourage self-directed growth. A huge part of the DSME approach is the client’s diet,...
This paper goes over genetic engineering and how it is used today in the medical field as two types on humans, disabled genetic engineering and trait genetic engineering. This two types of genetic engineering are still debatable since they have to surpass many obstacles and laws. The sources gave statements from professionals and experts on genetic engineering, biomedical science, biomedical engineering, and human anatomy and physiology. The individuals gave their inputs on how they view genetic engineering on human beings.
Over the past few decades, advances in technology have allowed scientists to actively manipulate the genetic sequence of an organism through a process called 'genetic engineering'. Many believe that this is a technique which we should exploit and take full advantage of as, after all, it may be the key to curing many hereditary diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It may very well be the solution to overcoming evolutionary barriers and allow us to breed new species. However, if you consider the unknown consequences we may have to face as a result of our futile experimenting, you would find that messing with a system as intricate as nature for curiosity's sake is hardly justifiable.
In 2004, at the age of 49, my uncle was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, or late onset diabetes. He had been an unhealthy eater much of his life. At the time of his diagnosis, he weighed two-hundred forty-seven pounds. That may not sound like a lot, but at five-foot two-inches tall, he was ninety pounds heavier than average male of his height should be. Although, possible in the future, he was spared from daily injections of insulin. However, his battle with a new enemy was only beginning. In lecturing him on better eating habits, his doctor indirectly blamed sugary foods such as soda for his weight and overall health. Not knowing any better, my uncle took what he was told as grave warning. For the first time, he was forced to change what he eats. His life-long relationship with fast food and casino buffets were over, and in their place came a new and healthier diet. He is not alone, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are over twenty-six million people living with diabetes, seven million of that the CDC believes are undiagnosed cases. For my uncle’s age group, 40-49, the percentage of people with diabetes increased by fifty-five percent between 1990 and 1999. Furthermore, there were over one-million new cases of diagnosed cases for his age group, in 2010. (National Database 1-12). Does eliminating sugar intake and eating fresh foods equate to better health?
My desire of studying biomedical sciences stems from my sciences interest, as it demonstrates a world not visible to the naked eye, plays a big role in everyday life. science specifically biology and chemistry are stimulating and challenging subjects , over the years of studying them ,my interest has increased because learning things about how our bodies function and how it relates to god’s creation is particularly interesting for me. I also find it very important because I’m Muslim. The biomedical science degree will open for me the door to learn more about the vast field of biology and its branches to a greater depth. I developed my knowledge in the science field by taking support classes in the lab at school; I was fascinated by how the body can function in different circumstances and the complexity of DNA, different organisms, chemical reactions, and also very importantly the mathematical aspect which gives me the chance to develop and use my logic and it inform me to new ways of looking at given problems.
Informative programs improve diabetics managing skills, treatment objectives, and self-care. “The University of Illinois Extension will offer "I on Diabetes," a series of four 3-hour sessions designed for anyone interested in preventing or managing diabetes… In each session, participants receive recipes, watch cooking demonstrations, and taste foods to meet their special needs” (Herald 1). This informational session instills in diabetics how to manage their food content intake of “carbs, sodium, and cholesterol” (Herald 1) to stabilize their sugar intake and adjust to life with diabetes.
In a society where food comes in abundance, people are overeating. Compared to the beginning of the twenty first century when only about five percent of the population had diabetes (Nazarko, 2009), today that number is rising and continuing to do so. This is starting to affect the health of children diagnosed with diabetes at a young age. When a child has diabetes, it becomes very serious since children are at such a young age to deal, process, and handle the responsibilities that come with this disease.... ...