HOSA - Biotechnology

What occurs in genetic engineering?

DNA are cut and pasted into another organism, such as bacteria, to produce a molecule we want

What industries are the main users of biotech?

Agriculture, food, healthcare, life science

When did the biotechnology industry first begin?

1970s

What are the two branches of biotech companies?

Biotech and pharmaceutical

What are the pros and cons of biotech companies?

Small team, innovative design, but high risk business model

What are the pros and cons of pharma. companies?

Chemical expertise, job security, low-risk model, but less room to experiment

Biotech often works with ______________, while pharma. works with _________________.

DNA and proteins, small molecules.

How do private biotech companies become public?

Initial public offering (IPO)

What are new biotech businesses called?

Start-ups

How do biotech and pharma. companies interact?

Biotech sells their research to pharma. companies, who have manufacturing expertise and can sell the drug

How do scientists share and challenge each other's information?

Peer-reviewed journals or conferences, meetings, and posters

How can scientists protect their method/product?

Obtain a patent; ensures profits, or if another company uses their method the creator gets royalties

What are some of the aspects of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)?

Scope, purpose, defentitions, revisions, procedures, additional documents

What are good laboratory practices (GLP)?

Non-clinical and extremely detailed guidelines

What are good manufacturing practices (GMP)?

Quality and safety of manufactured products

When should GLPs and GMPs be used?

When research/product has environmental impact. Expensive to use all the time

What are some general careers in biotech?

Agriculture, drugs, research, medical equipment, quality control, manufacturing

Describe lab technicians.

High school diploma at the very least, operate machinery and collect data

Describe research associates.

Associate's/bachelor's degree, research under a head scientist, similar to lab tech. but more involved in experiment design

Describe research and development scientists.

Master's or PhD, have knowledge about biology and use that to conduct research

Describe clinical scientists.

Bachelor's, master's, or specialization. Can work in all parts of biomedical science

Describe biotech engineers.

Develop machinery for research.

What are some non-lab careers in biotech?

Sales reps., PR, graphic design, quality control, accountats, buyers, etc.

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

USDA

Department of Agriculture

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

What agencies handle GMOs?

FDA, NIH (National Institutes of Health), EPA

What agencies handle animal research?

IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee)

What agencies handle waste disposal?

EPA

What agencies handle nanotechnology?

OSHA

What agencies handle workplace safety regulation?

OSHA

What should safety training cover?

Biohazards, fire safety, machinery. Should test for mastery

What does PPE consist of?

Goggles, face mask/shield, rubber gloves, close toes shoes

What should every chemical have to provide information about its hazards/reactivity etc.?

MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet

What are some things to know about fume hoods?

Use when dealing with gas from chemicals. Sash on hood should never be raised above level indicated and nothing should be blocking airway

What are the four levels of biological safety in labs?

BS-1 to BS-4

What are the conditions like in BS-1/BS-2 labs?

Mostly in community colleges. No contact lenses, eating/drinking, applying makeup, etc. Dangerous stuff are marked with hazard warning

What are the conditions like in BS-3/BS-4 labs?

Mostly government labs. Handle biohazards that have very high fatality rates (ebola, for example)

How should microorganisms be disposed of (two ways)?

Autoclave, or 10 minutes in 10% bleach

What's the main thing to remember about lab notebooks? Why is this important?

BE SPECIFIC!! Write down everything, including procedures, data, signature, witness signature. Make sure there are page numbers so pages can't be ripped out. In the US lab notebooks can prove intellectual property

What are some of the things lab equipment measure?

Volume, mass, pH, temperature

Is glassware or plasticware more reliable in lab equipment?

Glass

How much of a fraction of a L is a uL? (microliter)

1 millionth of a L

The ________ the container, the more accurate the measurement

smaller

What's the most common container for measuring volume?

Graduated cylinder

When looking at the level of a liquid, which part of the meniscus (dip) should you consider as the amount of liquid?

Bottom of the meniscus

What is a pasteur pipette?

Made of glass, transfers small amounts

What is a disposable plastic transfer pipette?

Measures volume, but not very accurate. Available sterilized for lab work

What is a volumetric pipette?

Measures fixed volume

What is a graduated pipette?

Not as accurate as volumetric pipette, but volume isn't fixed

Name the 3 types of pipette pumps. What are they used for?

Tri-valve, manual, motorized. Used to fill and deliver contents of vacuum-assisted pump

How accurate are micropipettes? How do you know which one to use?

Measure less than a mL. Always more accurate at the "top" of the range; for example, a micropipette with a range op 20 uL - 200 uL will have better accuracy from 100-200 uL