Challenges to Biomedical Research

Personal Beliefs About Biomedical Research 1. There are different beliefs about biomedical research 2. Differences between fact and opinion

There are Facts and Myths in research What do you believe is the role of animals in society?

Biotechnology Biotechnology = recreation and reinvention of nature It deals with the manipulation of living organisms in order to make or improve products Biotechnology has been practiced for thousands of years. It dates back to when man first learned how to plant crops and breed animals.

Transgenic Animals Early beginnings of Biotechnology = collection of scientific techniques that use living cells and molecules to make products and solve problems. Historically used in selective breeding of livestock, controlled plant pollination, and microorganisms to bake bread, brew beer and make cheese

Transgenic Organisms Plant, animal, or bacteria that has been genetically modified to contain a gene from a different species.

Transgenic Organisms First created in a laboratory!

A biomedical researcher must apply for a patent from the US Patent & trademark office to receive an approval once they create a transgenic animal or product.

Most consumers do not want to purchase genetically modified produce.

Genetically Modified Organisms New tecnique = Genetic Modification and GMO's. This is where, through science, a tomato can have a gene from fish added to it to make it have a longer shelf life. Can be used to make newly born animals grow quicker and fatter to make more meat more quickly. Problem = by changing the way these organisms are made up, we are altering nature in a very unpredictable and dangerous way. We simply do not know what the long term effect will be of genetically modified organisms.

Early Beginnings: Historically- used in selective breeding of livestock, controlled plant pollination, and microorganisms to bake bread, brew beer, and make cheese. Streptococcus lactis and other lactic acid bacteria are used to make cheese. They ripen the cheese and provide characteristic flavour.

This is accomplished by transferring specific genes from one species to another.

First, transgenic organisms were bacteria !

Scientists around the world use customized transgenic animals for their research. Including: sheep, goats, cows, chickens, pigs, mice, rabbits, rats, and fish.

MICE are used mostly in research laboratories!

Transgene = a gene transferred from one organism to another When producing a transgenic animal scientists get a transgene into another organism by injecting it into a single cell embroyo.

Benefits of Transgenic Animals: Benefits include: - animal modules - pharmaceutical production - organ donors - livestock improvement

PHARMING Use of transgenic animals to produce substances used in medicine.

Xenograft When transplanting a major blood vessel into a patient, where would the xenograft come from? Rejection is the biggest challenge with pig organs in human transplants. PIGS

BACTERIA Pharmaceutical companies use bacteria to produce insulin.

Current use of transgenic model Transgenics are an established part of biomedical research.

Production of Transgenic Animals The following steps are followed to produce a transgenic animal….

Production of Transgenic Animals 1. The transgene ( which contains the DNA, the scientist wants to transfer) is injected into a single-cell embryo. 2. The embryo is transferred to a surrogate mother of the same strain.

Production of Transgenic animals cont. Success rate is low (10%-30%) in mice Success rate decreases in mammals Care of Transgenic Animals Most do not require special care. Some develop a susceptibility to disease.

Government’s role in transgenic animals:

Ethical Considerations Opposition Transgenic animals threaten our environment, health & food safety.

Future of Transgenic Animals Current research limited to transferring small amount of genes at a time. Much work remains to be done to fine-tune techniques.

Future of Transgenic Animals (cont.) Possible effects of foreign DNA remains a concern. 4. The use of transgenic models is an established part of biomedical research.

Evaluate therapeutic vs. reproductive cloning

History Of Cloning Dolly the sheep - First cloned mammal in 1997 Very few scientists believe human cloning (called reproductive cloning) should be permitted.

History Of Cloning Most medical scientists support and are in favor of therapeutic (beneficial) cloning. The procedure used to produce embryonic stem cells that, theoretically, can be used to treat diseases.

What is a Clone? Clone = precise genetic copy. Reproductive cloning is really somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

What is a Clone? In therapeutic cloning, the embryo is not placed in a surrogate, but rather, undergoes cell division in the lab until it reaches a specific (blastocyst) stage.

This is a procedure that allows a longer time for the embryo to develop in the laboratory (five days instead of two to three). This enables the embryo to reach the Blastocyst stage, which is the natural embryonic stage for implantation in the uterus.

C. Obstacles to Reproductive Cloning Using Animals The Success rate is very low Vast majority of problems occur during fetal development. Additional problems show up after birth and years later.

Obstacles to Reproductive Cloning Using Animals “Large Offspring Syndrome”- Cloned newborns 20-30% larger than usual, making it hard to deliver unborn babies.

Status of Human Reproductive Cloning in the World There is NO evidence of successful human cloning in the world.

Stem Cells Adult Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells, found throughout the body after embryonic development, that multiply by cell division to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues.

Embryonic Cells The purpose of performing embryonic stem cell research is to develop new and better ways to treat disease. They come from a fertilized egg.

Why are Stem Cells so important to Medical Researchers? They are important to medical researchers because they are needed to create perfectly matched tissues to treat an individual disease or disorder.

When would someone need an adult stem cell transfusion? When radiation treatment for Cancer has destroyed the patient’s stem cells. When antibiotics are no longer successful in fighting infection. When a person is severely anemic as a result of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Differences Between… Reproductive Cloning: Therapeutic Cloning: The Goal of this is to create a new organism, human or other animal. Therapeutic Cloning: The goal of this is to produce embryonic stem cells.

Human Stem Cell Research In 2001 legislation allowed federal funding of research using 64 existing human embryonic stem cells. Same legislation declared no federal funds for additional research. To create a new human stem cell line, scientists would have to receive private funding!

Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells Researchers must use existing human stem cell lines for research or find private funding resources.

Creation of embryonic stem cells does not use an egg fertilized in a woman’s body.

Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells On the other hand. . . It (the stem cell) does have the potential to become a living thing if transplanted into the uterus.

Question Is life destroyed if the stem cells are removed from the blastocyst four days later?

Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells Real advantage of Stem Cells – Permits the production of perfect-match tissue. Scientists have found that embryonic stem cells pick up cues from neighboring cells and differentiate into that cell type.