1. Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
Self & World: Impact of Technological
Advances in Biotechnology
Dr. Karen Guzman

2. Molecular Biology vs. Biotechnology
Advances such as Restriction Enzymes, Cloning, Southern Analysis, etc.
Sequence information has been key to advances…
Recall: structure determines function
Focus on Gene Expression… Genotype to Phenotype

3. Fundamental Technologies and Approaches of Biotechnology?
Frequently two basic questions
Technologies
Approaches

4. Frequently two basic questions
Is it there?
How much?

5. Technologies RE / Gel electrophoresis Cloning / Genetic modification
Southern, Northern, Western
DNA Sequencing
PCR
Technologies

6. Approaches Loss or gain of function Transfer cloned genes: Mutagenesis
transgenic
genetically modified (GMO’s)
Mutagenesis
Truncation
site-directed
domain-switching
CRISPR
Turning off genes vs. Inactivation
Approaches

7. What is bioinformatics?
Technologies
&
Approaches
Biotechnology
bioinformatics

8. What is bioinformatics?
Global vs Reductionist Approach
Advances in Biotechnology & Informatics
Resulted from:
High-throughput
Sophisticated data analysis &/or info storage (databases)
Characterized by:
Genomics
Proteomics
Metabolomics, etc.
Omics…
e.g. Northern vs. microarray
Many vs. Individually
What is bioinformatics?

9. Technologies & Approaches
Microarrays
Mass spectroscopy
Genome wide association studies
Data mining
Protein structure & prediction
Technologies & Approaches

10. Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
Why are these approaches so popular and infiltrating other fields?
If we understand the coded information and how it works in a system, can we answer all the fundamental questions of biology?