JIIT NOIDA Article Writing Competition (1st Prize Winner)
BIOSENSORS – A Multidisciplinary Solution
Ravish Rana
IVth Year, Biotechnology
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
Our body is unique! It is considered to be unique not only by the way it is made up or has evolved, but also because of various other functions that our body does; not being limited to the function it does daily.
One of its unique functions is its ability to change properties/function in case there is an abnormal condition. This leads us to the topic of biomarkers. Biomarkers are natural products/constituents produced by our body in case of any abnormal event.
Biosensors utilise presence of these biomarkers. They detect the biomarkers on the basis of colorimetry, piezoelectric effect, optical change in concentration, to name a few. According to IUPAC, 1996 – A biosensor is a self contained integrated device that is capable of providing specific quantitative or semi-quantitative analytical information using a biological recognition element which is in direct spatial contact with a transduction element. It isany device that uses specific biochemical reactions to detect chemical compounds in biological samples.
It started with, report on immobilization of proteins - adsorption of invertase on activated charcoal and today biosensors is about Quantum dots, nanoparticles, nanowire, nanotube, etc. Glucose monitoring device (for diabetic patient), pregnancy tests (detects the hCG protein urine), infectious disease biosensor (for TB), are some particular examples of biosensors used by the common man.
Production of biosensors cannot be achieved by having knowledge on one field; it needs an amalgamation of different fields depending on the type of biosensor being prepared. A glucose sensor includes the study of biological changes in the body, ability of a solid material (the chip’s base) to detect the change and its property to reflect the change as colour or electrochemical signal. A simple statement as above may require the knowledge of disciplines of biology, biotechnology, physics and electrical communication. Add a computer to this sensor technique and you are now involved in software skills that are able to analyse these results. So, it’s basically involving all major fields to analyse a simple condition.
But why this amalgamation?
It is required so that we are able to provide the biosensors to common man in such a way that they won’t need to run to a diagnostic lab to detect whether he/she has diabetes or not. The more number of fields involved the simpler it gets for the common man.
Today, a physicist is working in the field of biology to make a biosensor and a biotechnologist is working in the field of nanotechnology to produce sensors for his/her specialisation. It is now important to amalgamate different sciences to provide the common man with a solution as early as possible. Electrochemical biosensors are measuring systems based on the combination of both biochemical and electronic elements in one unit. The researcher is therefore obliged to study the sciences of biology for understanding the reactions, physics for finding the best material, computer science – if biosensor involves digitalisation, ECE-if it involves electrical signals .There are many examples of researchers who have been physicist and are now working in the field of biology and vice-versa.Nanotechnology is one of those bright fields where this amalgamation is mostly seen. The research these days focuses on production of Nano-materials which can then be used in biosensors for diagnosis purposes. The main aspect of production of Nano- particles for these biosensors is their size, smaller the biosensor the more it is accepted. This is the sole reason that this field has seen such enormous growth.
The advancement and utility of biosensors is vast and its nature of being multidisciplinary is a topic on which a review paper can be written, however the same will not be in scope of this article.
To rest my case, I would like to conclude by saying that the biosensors used by the common man involves a deeper involvement of the studies together such that it is of enormous benefit to the mankind.
Ravish Rana
IVth Year, Biotechnology
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
BIOETHICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
PriyamKotwal
III year
Biotechnology
Taking some creative liberty here, I would like to literally define the field of biotechnology as a molecular clock reversing, death defying subject of competitive rage. Attracting wide-eyed youth from diverse educational and ethnic background across the world, this promising hybrid of biology and technology has given birth to a platform of inventions and discoveries and yet a baffling question incessantly nags – where are we heading and more importantly are our directional vectors, right? In man’s snobbish and rather ambitious endeavours to defeat nature and his fight against the biorhythm, why is it that some individuals have chosen to stand against and vehemently oppose this race against time, choosing to remind us of something called bioethics?
The answer quite evidently lies in the question itself, while cautiously speculating the
believers, the atheists and the agnostics, I had rather put forth a simple fact that life started with the atoms as they became complex in due course of evolution and man was mere a spectator of the mutations that unveiled themselves with time; but now man is equipped with a genome inbuilt scientific temper , unwavering will and technological expertise has taken to reins of the horse in his own hands. Yet it is absolutely mandatory to mention here that the power or intelligence to manipulate does not co-stimulate the neurons to do it right or empower the grey matter with the knowledge to even know what is right.
A matter of constant debate, bioethics has been a thing not confined to protests and courtrooms but has gathered substantial attention from the nation too, with international laws been framed and amendments being invited to subjective law enforcement.
Not dissecting it further and recognising two basic views on bioethics, the general or non-scientific view, while the former is a blatant no to the field of biotechnology stating its inherently unnatural and seemingly immoral disposition, the latter view describes the inventions in a scientific light, unequivocally assessing its merits and demerits.
Denying all the boundaries of human potential, it has becomea valid question that what is so potent in this word that has taken the world by storm. Citing a few popularly known examples like those of genetically modified organisms, clones and tests on organisms, the bioethics activists have insisted on bans on such radical experiments even though scientists see them as the sole symbol of hope for mankind.
Hence it becomes moral mandate for me to support the researchers but at the same time members of my own species have a genetic difference here forcing me to reconsider.
Though the judicial system of all nations shall have the final verdict on the various causes related to biotechnology my opinion on the issue is that each patent/ invention/ process/ genetically modified organism is novel in its own right but an outright refusal to any of them without delving in its own uniqueness would amount to say no to development and our future shall make a topic of larger debate, larger the issue of bioethics themselves.
PriyamKotwal
III year
Biotechnology
The answer quite evidently lies in the question itself, while cautiously speculating the
believers, the atheists and the agnostics, I had rather put forth a simple fact that life started with the atoms as they became complex in due course of evolution and man was mere a spectator of the mutations that unveiled themselves with time; but now man is equipped with a genome inbuilt scientific temper , unwavering will and technological expertise has taken to reins of the horse in his own hands. Yet it is absolutely mandatory to mention here that the power or intelligence to manipulate does not co-stimulate the neurons to do it right or empower the grey matter with the knowledge to even know what is right.
A matter of constant debate, bioethics has been a thing not confined to protests and courtrooms but has gathered substantial attention from the nation too, with international laws been framed and amendments being invited to subjective law enforcement.
Not dissecting it further and recognising two basic views on bioethics, the general or non-scientific view, while the former is a blatant no to the field of biotechnology stating its inherently unnatural and seemingly immoral disposition, the latter view describes the inventions in a scientific light, unequivocally assessing its merits and demerits.
Denying all the boundaries of human potential, it has becomea valid question that what is so potent in this word that has taken the world by storm. Citing a few popularly known examples like those of genetically modified organisms, clones and tests on organisms, the bioethics activists have insisted on bans on such radical experiments even though scientists see them as the sole symbol of hope for mankind.
Hence it becomes moral mandate for me to support the researchers but at the same time members of my own species have a genetic difference here forcing me to reconsider.
Though the judicial system of all nations shall have the final verdict on the various causes related to biotechnology my opinion on the issue is that each patent/ invention/ process/ genetically modified organism is novel in its own right but an outright refusal to any of them without delving in its own uniqueness would amount to say no to development and our future shall make a topic of larger debate, larger the issue of bioethics themselves.
PriyamKotwal
III year
Biotechnology
(Amity Lucknow Oct 2012)BIOTECHNOLOGY- AN EMERGING INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELD CREATION OF ARTIFICIAL LIFE IN LABORATORY – A HUGE STEP FOR MANKIND
BIOTECHNOLOGY- AN EMERGING INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELD
CREATION OF ARTIFICIAL LIFE IN LABORATORY – A HUGE STEP FOR MANKIND
Dr Craig Venter, a multi-millionaire pioneer in genetics, and his team have managed to make a completely new "synthetic" life form from a mix of chemicals.They manufactured a new chromosome from artificial DNA in a test tube, then transferred it into an empty cell and watched it multiply – the very definition of being alive. The man-made single cell "creature", which is a modified version of one of the simplest bacteria on earth, proves that the technology works.
Dr J. Craig Venter, who was instrumental in sequencing the human genome, had previously succeeded in transplanting one bug's genome - its entire cache of DNA - into another bacterium, effectively changing its species. He has taken this one step further, transplanting not a natural genome but a man-made one. To do this, he read the DNA of a bug that infects goats, and recreated it piece by piece. The fragments were then 'stitched together' and inserted into a bacterium from a different species. There, it sprang to life, allowing the bug to grow and multiply, producing generations that were entirely artificial. The transferred DNA contained around 850 genes - a fraction of the 20,000 or so contained in a human's genetic blueprint.
Dr Venter, a pioneer of genetic code sequencing and his team at the J Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Maryland, have been chasing the goal for more than 15 years at a cost of £30m.
First they sequenced the genetic code of Mycoplasma genitalium, the world's smallest bacteria that lives in cattle and goats, and stored the information on a computer.
Then they used the computer code to artificially reproduce the DNA in the laboratory, slightly modifying it with a "watermark" so it was distinguishable from the original natural one.
Finally they developed a technique of stripping bacteria cells of all original DNA and substituting it with the new artificial code.
The resulting "synthetic cell" was then "rebooted" and it started to replicate. The ability to reproduce or replicate is considered the basic definition of life.
Now Dr Venter believes organism, nicknamed “Synthia”, will pave the way for more complex creatures that can transform environmental waste into clean fuel, vaccinate against disease and soak up pollution. In future, bacterial 'factories' could be set up to manufacture artificial organisms designed for specific tasks such as medicines or producing clean biofuels. The technology could also be harnessed to create environmentally friendly bugs capable of mopping up carbon dioxide or toxic waste. Other possibilities include designer microbes that can mop up oil slicks or generate huge quantities of drugs, including the flu vaccine. The synthetic bacteria created can also be used to mine precious metals from rocks and industrial waste. They have thus ended up with the first synthetic cell powered and controlled by a synthetic chromosome and made from four bottles of chemicals. The researchers are planning to design algae that can capture carbon dioxide and make new hydrocarbons that could go into refineries.They are also working on ways to speed up vaccine production, making new chemicals or food ingredients and cleaning up water.
SUBMITTED BY:-
SWATI PRAKASH GUPTA AND SAUMYA MISRA
AMITY UNIVERSITY , LKO.
B.TECH(BIOTECHNOLOGY)
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