Medical biotechnology

Medical biotechnology is the use of living cell materials to research and produce pharmaceutical and diagnostic products that help to treat and prevent humane diseases. Most medical biotechnologists work in academic of industrialsettings.

Medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology can speed diagnosis, prevention, and certain therapies. Biotech medicine includes the creation of new vac- cines, neutraceuticals, cosmetics with active biologi- cal ingredients, and medicines from transgenic ani- mals and plants.

Due to the new basis, lack of experience and ig- norance, the implementation of results of some areas of biotechnology (such as about stem cells, genetic enhancement, cell cloning, testing of new drugs in developing nations, controls of transgenic crops, and international regulation and enforcement) met severe resistance of society. Recombinant DNA and hybri- doma technologies have been applied long time ago for manufacturing of rare and unique drugs (mainly

protein) for human and veterinary medicine. Presently more than 150 recombinant proteins are approved or are in clinical trials for medi- cal use.

Biotechnology met new challenges after the year 2000 when the human genome was sequenced. Although the function of 95% of the human 31 000 genes is still obscure, they all are of potential interest for the pharmaceutical biotechnology. The sequenc- ing of human genome laid the foundations of a new branch of biotechnology called “genomic technolo- gies”. They include not only sequencing of new genes and genomes but also development of molecu- lar (DNA and RNA) markers and microarray chips for detecting mutant genes and methods for specific gene silencing (suppression) and/or repair of defec- tive genes for the purposes of genetherapy.

The fields of application of modern biotechnol- ogy techniques are medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, gene therapy, bioactive therapeutic, clinical and con- tract research and neutraceuticals.

8. Give Russian equivalents for the followingwords:

powerful techniques, recombinant DNA, hybri- doma technologies, fermentation technologies, natural materials, achievements of genetic and cell engineer- ing, medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology, diag- nosis, prevention, biotech medicine, creation of new vaccines, active biological ingredients, transgenic animals and plants, stem cells, genetic enhancement, cell cloning, veterinary medicine, recombinant pro- teins, human genome, pharmaceutical biotechnology, genomic technologies, development of molecular

markers and microarray chips, gene therapy,bioactive

therapeutic.

8. Translate the sentences intoEnglish.

1. Трансгенныйорганизм — живой организм, в геном которого искусственно введенгендругого организма.

2. Пациенту была назначена музыкальнаяте-рапия.

3. Ему поставилидиагноз–менингит.

4. Вклинических исследованияхпринимают участие ведущие медикистраны.

5. Ученые должныускоритьтемп работы, ес- ли они хотят закончить к условленномусроку.

6. РекомбинантнаяДНК- составлена изфрагментов разногопроисхождения.

7. Рекомбинантныебелки- этобелки, ДНКкоторых была созданаискусственно.

8. Give detailed answers to thequestions.

1. What does biotech medicineinclude?

2. Why did some areas of biotechnology meet severe resistance ofsociety?

3. How were recombinant DNA and hybridoma technologiesused?

4. How many recombinant proteins are approved inclinics?

5. When did biotechnology meet newchallenges?

6. What is “genomictechnologies”?

7. List the fields of application of modern bio- technologytechniques.

8. Speak on the new facts you found in the text.What wondered you or what information was new for you? Can you add some other information about the biotechnology?

8. Discover the difference in the sense of thefollowingwords:

Medicine, drug, tablets, medication, remedy, cure, medicament, preparation, physic, therapeutic, doctor's stuff.

8. Make sentences showing the difference ofthesewords.

8. Read the text again and make questions toeachparagraph.

8. Give a summary of this text. Check if allideas from this text wereused.

21 Translate this text about the topic you study.

Впервые термин «биотехнология» применил венгерский инженер Карл Эреки в 1917 году.

Использование в промышленном производ- стве микроорганизмов или их ферментов, обеспе- чивающих технологический процесс известны из- древле.

В начале XX века активно развивалась бро- дильная и микробиологическая промышленность. В эти же годы были предприняты первыепопытки

наладить производство антибиотиков, пищевых концентратов, полученных из дрожжей, осущест- вить контроль ферментации продуктов раститель- ного и животного происхождения. Первый анти- биотик — пенициллин — удалось выделить и очи- стить до приемлемого уровня в 1940 году. Это да- ло новые задачи: поиск и производство лекарст- венных веществ, продуцируемых микроорганиз- мамии повышением уровня биобезопасности но- вых лекарственных препаратов.

22. Give a detailed answer or write an essay onthe followingquestions:

• The future ofbiotechnology.

• What scientist will I be? And how will I help hu- manity?

• What color of biotechnology is necessary toadd?

• The answers to the exercise 7(1-d, 2-b, 3-c, 4-b, 5-d, 6-a, 7-a, 8-a, 9-b, 10-a, 11-d, 12-d, 13-b,14-b).