HOSA Biotechnology

Antibiotics

A medicine that prevents the growth of or destroys microorganisms.

Antibodies

Proteins developed by the immune system that recognize antigens

Biochemistry

Studies chemical reactions occurring in living things

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Nation research center to improve public health

Clinical trials

A strict series of tests that evaluates the effectiveness and safety of a medical treatment

Cloning

Method of asexual reproduction that produces identical organisms

Concentration

The amount of a substance in a given amount of another substance

Cystic Fibrosis

Genetic disorder that clogs the respiratory and digestive system with mucus

Data

Information gathered by documentation

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A double stranded helix that stores genetic information for the production of proteins

Diabetes

A disorder affecting the uptake of sugar by cells due to inadequate insulin production or ineffective use of insulin

DNA fingerprinting

An experimental technique that is commonly used to identify individuals

DNA ligase

An enzyme that binds together disconnected strands of a DNA molecule

E.coli

A rod-shaped bacterium commonly used in genetics researched and by biotechnology companies for the development of products

Efficacy

The ability to produce a desired result or demonstrate that a product does what it claims to do

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The federal agency that enforces environmental laws

Ethics

The study of moral standards and how they affect conduct

Fermentation

In an oxygen deprived environment, a cell converts sugar into lactic acid or ethanol

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The federal agency that regulates the use and production of food, feed, food additives, veterinary drugs, human drugs, and medical devices

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

An organism produced by genetic engineering that contains DNA from another organism and produces new proteins encoded on the acquired DNA

Genetics

The study of genes and how they are inherited and expressed

Genome

One entire set of an organism's genetic material

Microbial agents

Synonym for microorganisms; living things too small to be seen without microscopes, includes bacteria, most algae, and many fungi

Human Genome Project

A collaborative international effort to sequence and map all the DNA on the 23 human chromosomes; completed in 2000

Insulin

A protein that facilitates the intake of sugar into cells from blood

Journals

Scientific periodicals or magazines in which scientists publish their experimental work, findings, or conclusions

Large-scale production

the manufacturing of large volumes of a product

Molecular Biology

Studies the structure and activity of macromolecules essential to life (and especially with their genetic role)

Molar

a common measure of solute concentration, referring to the number of moles of solute per liter of solution.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

responsible for biomedical and health-related research

Negative Control

control group where conditions produce a negative outcome. Negative control groups help identify outside influences which may be present that were not accounted for when the procedure was created.

Pharmaceutical

drug or medicine that is prepared or dispensed in pharmacies and used in medical treatment

Plasmid

A small circular DNA strand naturally found in bacterial cells

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

a method of producing thousands of copies of DNA segment using the enzyme DNA polymerase

Positive Control

group expected to have a positive result, allowing the researcher to show that the experimental set up was capable of producting results.

Proteases

break large protein complexes

Pure Science

basic research

Reagent

a substance used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure, examine, or produce other substances

Recombinant DNA

DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources

Recombinant DNA Technology

technology that combines genes from different sources into a single DNA molecule

Research and Development (R&D)

Improves existing products, creates new products and improves production

Restriction Enzyme

enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides

Therapeutic

having or exhibiting healing powers

Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA)

is a thrombolytic that is administered to some patients having a heart attack or stroke. If administered within a few hours after symptoms begin, this medication can dissolve the damaging blood clots.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

the U.S. governmental agency that oversees and promotes trade, offering export assistance and counseling to U.S. businesses involved in international trade, providing country information and country specialists, and bringing buyers and sellers together.

Variable

a factor that can change in an experiment.

Virus

(virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

The molecule that stores energy that can be used by the cell

Amino Acids

building blocks of proteins

Anatomy

Studies the form and structure of body parts

Carbohydrates

broken down to glucose to provide energy.

Cell

(biology) the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms

Cell wall

a rigid layer of nonliving material that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms.

Cellular respiration

process that releases energy by breaking down glucose and other food molecules in the presence of oxygen

Cellulose

A carbohydrate that is a polymer composed of glucose units (main component of cell wall)

Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells

introduced in the 1960's and remain the mst commonly used mammalian host cells

Cholorophyll

green pigment used only in plants to asorb sunlight

Chloroplast

an organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

Chromosomes

bodies within the nucleus that contain the genes

Cytology

analyzes the internal structure of individual cells

Cytoplasm

a jellylike fluid inside the cell in which the organelles are suspended

Cytoskeleton

composed of protein filaments and microtubules in the cytoplasm, and has a role in shape, growth, movement, and differentiation

Deoxyribose

a five-carbon sugar that is a component of DNA nucleotides

Disaccharide

a double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis.

Enzyme

a macromolecule serving as a catalyst, a chemical agent that changes the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction.

Eukaryote

a cell that contains a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

Fluorometer

an instrument that measures the amount or type of light emitted

Fructose

C6H12O6
Fruit sugar

Glucose

C6H12O6
a simple sugar that is an important source of energy.

Hormone

chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another

Human epithelial cells

Cells clump tightly to form liners on the inside and outside of the body

Hydrophilic

Compounds that willingly dissolves in water or a watery solvent (are hydrophilic)

Lactose

A sugar present in dairy; it is a disaccharide containing glucose and galactose units.

Lipids

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Lysosome

A small, round cell structure containing chemicals that break down large food particles.

Macromolecule

A very large organic molecule composed of many smaller molecules

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

carries a copy of the genetic code of a protein to other parts of the cell

Mitochondria

Powerhouse of the cell

Monomers

small units that can join together with other small units to form polymers

Monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule such as glucose or fructose, the simplest type of sugar.

Multicellular

Consisting of many cells

Nucleic acids

Class of biological polymers that includes DNA and RNA.

Nucleotides

Basic units of DNA molecule, composed of a sugar, a phosphate, and one of 4 DNA bases

Nucleus

A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction

Organ

A collection of tissues that carry out a specialized function of the body

Organelles

A membrane-enclosed structure with a specialized function within a cell.

Organic

Carbon-containing

Organism

An individual living thing

Pancreas

An organ that produces digestive enzymes, bicarbonate and secretes insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream to help regulate blood glucose levels.

Phospholipids

A lipid made up of glycerol joined to two fatty acids and a phosphate group (They form bilayers that function as biological membranes)

Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O + light --> C6H12O6 + 6O2
Plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars

Physiology

Studies processes and functions of an organism

Pigments

Colored chemical compounds that absorb light

Plasma membrane

A microscopic membrane of lipids and proteins that forms the external boundary of the cytoplasm

Polymer

A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together.

Polypeptide

A polymer (chain) of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

Proteins

Chains of amino acids

Protist

Kingdom composed of eukaryotes that are not classified as plants, animals, or fungi