GRADUATE SCHOOL <<SCC GRADUATE SCHOOL: REFLECTIVE ESSAY TEMPLATE>> Author/Student: Email address: Contact Number: Submitted to: Subject: ALDEON A. BERNIDO deonixy@gmail.com 09368274570 MATTHEW T. SABASALES, MA (Instructor) GENSCI 612 (Biotechnology) General Instruction: Make a Comprehensive Reflective Essay of the Following Topics: The Nature of Biotechnology Topic 1: Biotechnology is concerned with the use of living systems, processes, or organisms to manufacture products or technologies intended to improve the quality of human life. It utilizes living cells and cellular materials to create pharmaceutical, diagnostic, agricultural, environmental, and other products to benefit society. With that, biotechnology is simply the application of biological sciences to produce new technologies for the common benefit of all. Biotechnology as a broad branch of biology has been divided into several branches, such as: (a) Medical Biotech- diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; (b) Agricultural Biotech- plant and animal agriculture, farms, and food processing; (c) Environmental Biotech- cleaning through bioremediation and preventing environmental problems; (d) Forensic Biotech- paternity tests and scientific investigation; and (e) Industrial Biotech- energy production and new materials. In contrast to a particular scientific field, biotechnology can draw upon a wide array of relevant fields, such as microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, engineering, enzymology, classified breeding techniques, and the full range of bioprocess technologies. Indeed, biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field of study. The increasing use of multidisciplinary approaches to solve various challenges has been a defining trait of the growth of science and technology in recent decades. This has caused new multidisciplinary fields of study to arise, which eventually led to the formation of new disciplines with recognizably distinctive concepts and approaches. With that, biotechnology plays a huge role in our everyday lives—from the clothes we wear to how we wash them, the food we eat to how we source it, the medicine we take to treat our bodies, and even the fuel we use to move our vehicles. Certainly, biotechnology has to do with using the biological systems found in organisms or using living organisms to make technological advances and deploy those technologies in different fields. With that, I would agree with GRADUATE SCHOOL what Ryan Bethencourt had said: "Our world is built on science (biology), and once we begin to understand it, it then becomes technology." Indeed, these technological advancements really help us a lot for sustainable human development. Topic 2: Bioprocesses and Fermentation Technology Bioprocessing or fermentation technology is an important component of most biotechnology processes and will normally involve complete living cells (microbe, mammalian, or plant), organelles, or enzymes as the biocatalyst. It will aim to bring about specific chemical and physical changes in biochemical materials derived from the environment. Further, it involves all biochemical activity of organisms during their growth, development, reproduction, even senescence, and death in the given environment. Fermentation technology is the utilization of living organisms to produce foods, pharmaceuticals, alcoholic beverages, energy sources, and even agricultural products on a large-scale industrial basis. The fundamental idea behind industrial fermentation technology is that by giving organisms raw resources that satisfy all of their requirements, including carbon, nitrogen, salts, trace elements, and vitamins, they can develop effectively in the right environment. During the period of their lifespan, they produce end products that are released into the environment, which are then collected for human use and have a high commercial value. Wine, beer, cider, vinegar, ethanol, cheese, hormones, antibiotics, complete proteins, enzymes, and other important goods are the main products of fermentation technology produced economically on a large-scale industrial basis. Thus, fermentation has a wide range of applications in industry, agriculture, medicine, and human consumption. Topic 3: Enzyme Technology Enzyme Technology is concerned with the applications of enzymes as tools of industry, agriculture, and medicine. Complex globular proteins known as enzymes are found in living cells, where they function as biological catalysts that fulfill their role by binding specific substrates at their active sites. This specificity is one property of enzymes that makes them useful for industrial GRADUATE SCHOOL applications. The value of using enzymes over inorganic catalysts in the technological field is due to their efficiency, selectivity, and specificity. Most enzymes can operate at room temperature, atmospheric pressure, and within normal pH ranges (around 7), all of which create energy savings for industry. Enzymes possess specifically shaped active sites for reacting with one specific substrate, thereby generating pure products free from unwanted by-products. Enzymes are also biodegradable, and unlike many inorganic catalysts, they can cause less damage to the environment. Moreover, even though enzymes can only be produced by living cells, many of them can be removed or extracted from the cells and still function in vitro. The manufacturing of enzymes is referred to as enzyme technology because of their special ability to carry out their individual chemical transformations in isolation, which has led to an increase in the usage of enzymes in industrial and food processing, bioremediation, and medicine. Thus, enzymes come with various uses and applications. These are applied in a variety of industries, such as biological detergents, baking, brewing, dairy products and starch, textiles and leather, and medical and pharmaceutical uses. Topic 4: Genetic Engineering and Cloning Numerous facets of human activity have changed because of technology. Many people hold the view that technology has resulted in a variety of remarkable developments that are more relevant and beneficial to humans. One of the numerous challenges brought on by technology is the development of cloning and genetic engineering. Today's world has been enhanced and solved by cloning and genetic engineering in numerous ways. Cloning finds many of its applications in the amplification of DNA, the creation of genetic fingerprints, and the alteration of human genetic makeup. Genetic cloning allows for the introduction of desirable features and the eradication of unwanted ones in humans. On the other hand, the use of genetic engineering in food production is enormous. Many people in developing nations struggle with hunger and malnutrition; therefore, genetic engineering has emerged to address these issues. Unquestionably, as the world's population grows, there will be a natural decrease in food availability due to increasing demand. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) provide a solution to GRADUATE SCHOOL this human issue. This is due to the ability of genetically modified food to withstand pesticides and herbicides, which reduces the amount of chemical pollutants in the environment. However, cloning disrupts the process of reproduction that occurs naturally. Human modification would result in the development of superior humans, which would be problematic for people who aren't cloned. Cloning does not give room for natural gene diversity to take place; cloning is only there to produce identical genes, meaning it hinders the process of gene replication, thus impeding the diversity of genes. Thus, the beauty that emerges from diversity and adaptability is lost. Human life depends on family structure, yet cloning destroys family structure. On the other hand, genetic engineering has a harmful impact on human life. The use of genetically modified foods is thought to have harmful effects on the human body. However, it has been shown to have a factor that raises the risk to human health by creating cancer and other human diseases, even though the side effects are unclear. In conclusion, technology is a double-edged blade that must be handled carefully. Technology has both positive and harmful effects on human issues, as evidenced by cloning and genetic engineering. Topic 5: Environmental Biotechnology and Biotechnology Safety The two most important topics at the threshold of the 21st century are the environment and biotechnology. The integration of environmental concerns and biotechnology advancements is known as environmental biotechnology. Environmental biotechnology is apprehensive about the application of biotechnology as a promising technology in the context of environmental protection. Since rapid industrialization, urbanization, and other developments have resulted in a threatened clean environment and depleted natural resources, The expansion of numerous human activities in the areas of industry, transportation, agriculture, and domestic areas has worsened soil, water, and air pollution. Research and studies have shown that some of these contaminants can be easily eliminated or destroyed using biotechnological methods. By using biotechnology in the form of bioremediation, environmental dangers and hazards brought on by accumulated toxic chemicals or other waste and pollutants could be diminished or removed. The use of bioremediation GRADUATE SCHOOL techniques is becoming increasingly commonplace when it comes to removing, deteriorating, or detoxifying pollution from environmental media like water, air, soil, and solid waste. Moreover, in doing so, we need to consider the safety of all areas involved. Biotechnology can be safe, but potential risks exist. The continued safe use of biotechnology requires constant vigilance on a case-bycase basis. Indeed, Ms. Earth 2017, Karen Ibasco was very correct in saying that "The real problem in this world is not pollution. The real problem is us, as humans, because of our ignorance and apathy. We need to start changing our ways, recalibrating our minds, and redirecting our steps. Because together as a global community, our micro efforts will have macro effects in saving our home, our planet".
