Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010 - (Page 10)

B by Amy Dusto SHUttERStock iotechno In its simplest terms, biotechnology is using living organisms to perform processes or create products for human beneﬁt. Biotechnology includes replacing machinery with microorganisms, applying biology to information processing, and engineering new plant or animal species to serve human purposes. If the power of life is harnessed in the pursuit a goal, biotechnology is in action. And these days, it is showing up everywhere. Diagnosing and Treating Illness For millennia, people have exploited biological agents for medical treatment. But when Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine (for smallpox) in 1786, medical biotechnology started advancing rapidly. Today, nearly every aspect of healthcare benefits from advances in biotechnology, whether it’s new drugs and medical devices like prosthetics, personalized treatment based on genetic screening, or engineered tissues and organisms. Since the discovery of DNA and stem cells, the healthcare field has exploded with new treatments and diagnostics. Genetic screening can yield information about a patient’s susceptibility to disease as well as the eﬃcacy of a potential treatment. Eventually, even the drugs a patient takes might be tailor-made for his or her own body. 10 imagine Sept/Oct 2010 SHUttERStock

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010

Imagine Magazine - John Hopkins - September/October 2010
Contents
Big Questions
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Biotechnology is
A Survival Guide for the Biotech Revolution
The Indiana Jones of Biotech
Stemming the Monster
Transgenic Animals
Building a Better Hydrogel
Immortal Cells & Bioethics
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Nights at the Museum
One Step Ahead
Middle Ground
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - September/October 2010