Biomedical Technology Review

Experimental Epidemiology

Type of study conducted on humans in experiments

In vitro

Research limited to a lab, not whole body system

Penicillin

Discovered by Alexander Fleming accidentally

Leukemia

Deadly disease killing children within 6 months

Phase I of clinical research

Tests on healthy humans for drug interactions, lasts 1 year

Laboratory testing

Cannot be replaced by chemical, mechanical, or computer simulation

In vitro studies

Conducted in a test tube or petri dish

Heart-lung machine

Advanced cardiac surgery

Basic research

Building block for all research, gathers basic information

Biomedical Research

Study of biological life processes and disease causes

Epidemiological studies

Face challenges with human exposure and correlation

Applied research

Directed towards a specific objective using animals and computers

Epidemiology

Study of disease incidence and distribution in a population

Placebo

Given in a control group with no response expected

Descriptive epidemiology

Attempts to find correlation in a study

Phase III of clinical trials

Involves the most participants, tests safety and effectiveness

Legal and ethical issues

Common in experimental epidemiological studies

Control group

Given a placebo in drug trials for comparison

Mice or monkeys

Commonly used animals in applied research

Experimental group

Includes in a study alongside a control group

Clinical research

Humans first used, testing medications

Non-human animal models

Best surrogate for humans in the laboratory

Cardiac pump

Made obsolete by the artificial heart

Reduction of animal use

Substituting fewer animals for research purposes

Speciesism

Human intolerance and discrimination of animals

AAALAC

Accredits research facilities for animal care

Animal Welfare Act

Enforced by the USDA to protect animals in research

Animal rights

Belief that humans should not interfere with animal lives

Animal welfare

Ensuring animals used in research are well-kept and pain-free

Chemical properties

How material interacts causing chemical changes

Physical properties

Material properties that don't change

Nanoparticles

Properties described as one-billionth in size

Genetically modified animals

Provide animal models for research purposes

Transgenic

Implanting genes from one organism into another

Nano

Prefix meaning one-billionth

Totipotent cells

Cells able to develop into any other human cell

Genetic mapping

Charting the position of known genes

XX

Chromosomal combination indicating female

XY

Chromosomal combination indicating male

Adult stem cells

Another term for somatic stem cells

Dolly cloning

Cloned in the 20th century

Allele

DNA codings of the same gene on a chromosome

Scaffold dissolution

After adhering biomaterial, scaffold must dissolve

Regenerative Medicine

Relies heavily on the use of stem cells

Building a new organ

First step involves constructing a scaffold

Mutagen

Agent interacting with DNA causing genetic changes

Cancer cells vs. Normal cells

Cancer cells grow significantly faster than normal cells

Immune system

Body system recognizing and fighting cancer cells

Gardasil

Vaccine reducing cervical cancer rates

Melanoma

Affects pigmented cells in the skin

Hyperplasia

Pre-cancerous state with organ/tissue enlargement

Benign tumor

Non-cancerous tumor not invading nearby tissues

Diagnosis

Documenting positive test results for a patient

Monoclonal tumors

Produces the most malignant tumors

Prion

Misfolded protein

Virus

DNA or RNA causing disease in host cells

Protozoan

Large single-celled eukaryotic organism

Herd immunity

Protection for immunocompromised when population is vaccinated

Passive immunity

Immunity passed from mother to child

Lyme disease

Higher incidence and bacterial testing

Virulent

Capable of spreading

Inflammatory response

Redness, swelling, itching, heat, pain, loss of function

Tuberculosis reemergence

Due to antibiotic resistance

Binary fission

Bacteria's rapid replication method

Animal control programs

Manage dog vaccinations and respond to rabid animals

Airborne transmission

Disease spread through air-suspended saliva droplets

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic organism

Global causes of death

Primarily infectious diseases

Opportunistic infections

Infections during immune system suppression

Antibiotics

Toxic treatment for bacterial infections

Antivirals

Boost immune system against viral infections

Indirect transmission

Contact with items touched by sick individuals

Direct transmission

Contact with sick person directly

Vertical transmission

Disease passing to baby in utero

Vaccine for chickenpox

Available

Cell culture

Lab test to grow microorganisms for antibiotic testing

Karyotyping

Chromosome examination technique

Forensic anthropologist

Identifies skeletal remains

Livor mortis

Blood settling causing tissue discoloration

CLIA 1988

Ensures proper training and test accuracy

Rigor mortis

Stiffness post-death

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Protects against discrimination based on genetic traits