I stumbled on my life’s passion while reading a comic book in 9th grade. Not just any comic book, but an MIT comic book, Adventures in Synthetic Biology, written by Dr. Drew Endy. I came away knowing that I would pursue a career in synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology is what used to be called genetic engineering. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to clone my roommate.) Synthetic biology is the field of the future. In our life time, synthetic biology will give us advances in medicine with microbes that destroy tumors. It will clean up our environment with organisms that consume toxic chemicals, and it will solve our energy problem with affordable biofuels.
Synthetic biology is the perfect field for me because it brings together the two things that
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I took a shot and was thrilled to be accepted. It was an intense four weeks with two weeks devoted to learning advanced lab techniques and two weeks in the lab doing independent research. The captain of the UChicago iGEM team mentored me, and she inspired me to start an iGEM team of my own.
The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition is a worldwide competition in synthetic biology that was initially aimed at undergraduate university students, but now includes a division for high school students. Less than six weeks after arriving at Phillips Academy, I had locked in a faculty advisor, an alumni mentor, and submitted a full-blown Abbot grant proposal for close to $10,000 to fund the team.
I devoted myself to getting that grant, developing a sample project idea: a genetically-engineered CO2 monitor that could be inexpensively produced and would save the lives of Chinese miners who can’t afford to buy them. I presented my idea to the Abbot board, answering many questions from blue-haired matrons who were incredulous that kids could cut and splice genes and perhaps save lives. Everyone was shocked when the committee awarded me the full grant and gave me two years to implement the
Threshold 5 tackles the beginning of life on Earth. This is where any living things are characterized by metabolism, homeostasis, and reproduction. Over time, the genetic makeup of any living thing change so later generations being slightly different. This results into diversification and the evolution of certain species that best suit their environment. However, threshold 5 also deals with the idea of dealing with the “natural world.” It may seem that the environment is almost entirely man-made but the “natural world” is still a huge part of the environment. This can be simple as the earth on the ground, the air that people breathe in, or even the sun that provides the heat and light to the planet. However, as human technology progresses the “natural world” becomes less and less apparent in the world today.
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 .
Please explain your reasons for wanting to participate in the Garcia Center Summer Scholar Program.
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.
My current area of interest is in the engineering and the biomedical field. After experiencing the rigorous AP Chemistry course, I was able to find my passion in the field of medicine. Furthermore, I had already developed an interest in engineering from my previous engineering courses and clubs, so a deeper understanding of what I wanted to do was discovered in a chemistry lab. Being involved with the Technology Student Association at our institution, I learned several different skills in a variety of technical fields. This led to my conclusion that I wanted to become a biomedical engineering. This field of engineering incorporates both the medical aspect and technical aspect of what I want to become in the future.
Fittingly, I chose biotechnology as my undergraduate major. During my bachelor’s, I worked on three major projects. First, a genetic engineering project to enhance Pyocyanin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by overexpressing Phenazine gene; second, In-silico screening for Resveratrol (known
Synthetic biology, “the aim is to create improved biological functions to fight current and future challenges”. Like all engineering disciples’ synthetic biology is motivated by application to solve specific problems” (3, 7). “Like chemistry biology is the study of living things. Synthetic biology is replicating and recreating nature, which allows it to sometimes control living things (6). Larger quantities of Artemisinin a drug for malaria will be due to the new E coli strain. Thoughts are that it may be able to produce food, optimize industrial processing and detect, prevent and cure cancer (1, 3). Synthetic biology will create DNA that is modified, “it will be able to tweak things”. The engineering component of synthetic biology provides new complex function in cells vastly, more efficient, reliable, predictable” (2, 4). Studies say the synthetic biology industry to grow in value to 10.5 billion dollars by 2016 from 1.6 billion in 2011. Synthetic biology has endless possibilities (7, 10).
Getting this scholarship was my jump start to furthering my education and I knew from there that I was going to prove statistics wrong. I knew I was going to college and that things were going to be different for me and I was going to make a difference. I won’t be the black kid who drops out of school, because my education is too important to
I had always been interested in the STEM fields, even
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.
There are many specific areas of future direction regarding synthetic biology for research and development. Along with that come different social, economic and environmental/political impacts of potential future developments. In the article “How to Best Build a Cell” biologists and engineers work together and discuss how to build the best genetic circuits for use (Collins). Recently the study has engaged very few biologist and is still in the infant stage of development since we don’t know enough about biology to make synthetic biology a predictable engineering discipline. Synthetic biology has already brought us some useful things such as whole-cell biosensors, cells that synthesize anti-malaria drugs, and bacterial viruses designed
Future plans of implementing genetic engineering include the manufacturing of bacterium capable of clearing out our environment from all sorts of air and water pollution. Professor Norell Hadzimichalis also states that in the near future, doctors will be able to modify the human genome while it still remains within the mother's uterus
Synthetic biology, also known as synbio, is a new form of research that began in the year 2000. The Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group) says that synthetic biology is bringing together “engineering and the life sciences in order to design and construct new biological parts, devices and systems that do not currently exist in the natural world’ (Synthetic Biology). Synthetic biology is aiming to create safer medicines, clean energy, and help the environment through synthetically engineered medicines, biofuels, and food. Because synthetic biology has only existed for fourteen years, there is controversy involving its engineering ethics. In this literature review, I am going to summarize and correlate the International Association for Synthetic Biology (IASB) Code of Conduct for Gene Synthesis, the impact of synthetic biology on people and the environment, and the philosophical debates.
The purpose of this document is to learn about the new and exciting developments in the biotech industry. Besides lives being effected, the companies and the markets in which they reside will be as well. It’s vitally important to learn about the new technologies since there is a very good chance that million’s of others, and mostly likely yours truly will ingest a new drug, or have a new procedure preformed.
I have always been good at biology and mathematics. This is one reason why one of my many goals is to major in biomedical engineering. I am very excited to start studying biomedical sciences, and hope to use my newly learned skills in the medical field. Achieving a college education in such field will pave the road for my future career, by teaching and instilling knowledge that would not have been learned otherwise.