Unit 6 Reflection

       

         In this unit, we studied biotechnology, which also included bioethics. Biotechnology is the study of  manipulating genes and DNA to benefit the world in a good way. Bioethics is the study of what is right or wrong in biotechnology, an example of it might be, "does a clone have the same rights a a normal human being?" We also learned that DNA could be recombined and then inserted into other organisms through a plasmid, this might bring a ability to an organism that it did not have. The new organism will treat the inserted DNA as its own gene and will create the proteins it instructs to. We also learned about PCR and gel electrophoresis. This we used to learn how to know the length of a DNA strand and how to separate different DNA.  We also learned about DNA sequencing, which is used all over the world. With this technology, we can sequence all of the humans' DNA sequences, which could help us detect different diseases or disorders. In order to make a clone, PCR is needed. For the gel electrophoresis, you need to put the tester DNA in little wells as well as know DNA samples, which will later be used to compare and measure.  It can be used for forensics, to find who has the specific fingerprints.

        During this unit, we performed two main experiments. The first one was the Candy Electrophoresis Lab (http://baptistebiology.blogspot.com/2017/01/candy-electrophoresis-lab.html), in which we made our own gel and tested the different colour dyes found in candy. We tested the dyes in m&m's, Reeses, Skittles, and Mike n Ike. We first had to form the gel and extract the samples we needed from the candy. We then placed them in the wells with the known colour dyes. Through this experiment, we learned about how to use gel electrophoresis and we also learned that many of the dyes used in candy are not very good. This taught us how to measure DNA, which coud be used in the real world for forensics. The other experiment was the pGLO lab. This lab taught us how to in real life insert and change an organism, the organism was e coli. We first had to make one of the samples glow under the UV light. We achieved this by adding arabinose. We also had to make a controlled sample in which there was no bacteria. We observed that the bacteria started to form large colonies. We were able to see the affect of each chemical. This lab also helped us see how genetically changing an organism looked like using biotechnology. Here is a link to the pGLO lab: http://baptistebiology.blogspot.com/2017/01/pglo-lab.html
  After learning about this unit, I am interested in knowing more about what is the extent of what you can change an organism into. Can you make one completely change and make it have special abilities that can not be found naturally? Ending this unit, I have an unanswered question of whether the technology in the movie GATTACA is actually a futuristic world or whether it is actually only several years away. Does biotechnology actually improve our lives significantly or is it just another way to change things in nature but truly, it does not directly affect many people.

    At the beginning of the new semester, we were assigned to make New Year's Goals. My goal was to be able to study more productively and as a result succeed on tests. To this day, I do not yet know the outcome of my attempt to achieve my goal, for we have not yet had a test in biology. I can say though that I have started to study for the upcoming test for this ending unit and that I have been spending my time more wisely and have really used the study ways that Mr. Orre talked about before the finals of the last semester. I do hope that my progress towards my goal result in me achieving my goal and having better study skills. I will just have to see the results once I know how I did on the upcoming test.