top of page

Bioplastics

Bioplastics are made from natural biopolymers, like vegetable starch, oils, and fat, not carbon based polymers made from petroleum. Common bioplastics are made from corn starch and Polylactic Acid, another starch substance. A substance has its starch removed and sugar is separated from other plant parts. Then, the substance is refined, treated with chemicals, and turned into a polymer chain. This chain forms the plastic. Bioplastics use and produce less Carbon than conventional plastics, helping to reduce human's carbon footprint and impact on climate change. M.1 

Bioplastics

Genetic Engineering

M.2

Genetic engineering is the process of adding, altering, or deleting parts of an organism's DNA. This biotech method is used to make Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), which can be used in agriculture to increase crop yield by reducing pesticide use and increasing drought resistance. This allows crops to continue to grow even in a changing climate. For example, in BT corn, a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis allows the corn to produce a protein that will kill the European corn borer. This insect is known for destroying crops; however, with the modification, farmers do not have to use pesticides when growing this crop. M.3

​

CRISPR, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat, is an enzyme used to find and cut the DNA sequence at specific markers. This allows a new piece of DNA, called a spacer that is carried by the CRISPR, to be inserted into the sequence. Then, the DNA is replicated through transcription and the organism takes on the desired traits.  M.4

Genetic Engineering
CRISPR

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

In Vitro Fertilization is a biotech reproductive method in which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside of the body and develops into an embryo, usually in a test tube. 

Steps for performing IVF:

  1. Control Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH)

    • hormones are used to produce multiple eggs at one time​

  2. Egg Retrieval:
    • eggs are collected with a needle using trans-vaginal ultrasonography
  3. Fertilization and Embryo Culture​:
    • 50,000 to 100,000 sperm cells are added to the eggs​
    • 16-18 hours after insemination, fertilized eggs are put into a growth medium
  4. Embryo Monitoring:
    • Embryos are monitored while the cells are dividing and has increased in size
  5. Embryo Transfer
    • Embryos are put into a catheter and are placed in the uterine cavity through the cervix​

M.5

IVF
Viruses

Viruses

Steps for creating a vaccine:

  1. Make the antigen:

    • grow and harvest the vaccine in cell cultures​

    • recombinant proteins can be grown in bacterial cell or yeast cultures​

  2. Isolate:
    • remove the antigens from the cells​
  3. Purify​:
    • chromatography or ultrafiltration​
  4. Strengthen:
    • enhance abilities through preservatives, stabilizers, or adjuvant​
    • Adjuvants are used to enhance immune response
  5. Distribute:
    • package in sterile containers​

​

​

 

​

M.6

bottom of page