Medical biotechnology comprises the application of living cells or cell material in the development or generation of products to prevent, diagnose or treat human disease. Historical examples of biotechnology in support of medicine are the development of vaccines against smallpox and the production of antibiotics or human insulin by bacteria or yeast. Exciting 21st century developments are genetic engineering with CRISPR/Cas, gene therapy and stem cell-based regenerative medicine. Medical biotechnology is a rapidly evolving field integrating knowledge obtained in molecular, cell biological, genetic and immunological scientific areas.
The first part of this Minor runs together with the NWI-MOL104 Medical Biotechnology course for FNWI students and provides an overview of how interdisciplinary efforts help shaping modern healthcare by developing biotechnological diagnostics and therapeutics for precision medicine. Principles and concepts of medical biotechnology will be discussed in a scientific, medical and societal context, including ethical and legal considerations. Together with fellow students you will write a medical biotechnological research proposal and present this at a mini-symposium.
In the second half of the Minor you will carry out typical biotechnological experiments in four different projects in the lab. These include molecular diagnostics (e.g., PCR, sequencing), recombinant DNA techniques and protein production, cell adhesion assays and cell culture, and cell transfection experiments mimicking gene therapy. Medical Biotechnology towards Clinical Practice presents an excellent theoretical and practical foundation for students interested in molecular life sciences, pathobiology, toxicology and health technology.
Key words
Recombinant therapeutics, genetic engineering, gene therapy, vaccines, molecular diagnostics, biologics, stem cells, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, immunotherapy