Digital Commons Network^™

Inquiry-Based Biotechnology Education For Kent Intermediate School District Early College Program, Meāgan N. Treadway

Masters Theses

Growth in the field of biotechnology, combined with the ability to access information instantaneously, requires a new model of science education that will nurture deeper understanding and higher order thinking to develop a scientifically literate population. Inquirybased learning is a student-centered model built on the theoretical framework of constructivism, which allows students to learn in a way that reflects how scientists come to understand the natural world. This project aimed to address the need for an inquiry-based biotechnology curriculum in a local Early College program by developing, piloting, revising, and implementing an inquiry-based biotechnology unit while simultaneously evaluating the impact …

Genetic Circuits For Transcriptional Regulation In Synechocystis Sp. Pcc 6803, Cheryl M. Immethun

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Microbial biosynthesis has produced a variety of complex compounds using processes that are more environmentally-friendly than many conventional methods. The most common hosts are heterotrophs, which require the addition of an organic carbon source; while cyanobacteria possess many traits that make them a more sustainable biotechnology platform. As phototrophs, cyanobacteria can employ sunlight and carbon dioxide to create many value-added compounds. A wealth of tools has been developed to engineer the commonly used heterotrophs for higher yields and titers; yet, few synthetic biology tools have been designed for cyanobacteria. Furthermore, many of the tools created for heterotrophs do not function …

Innovative Novel Immunotherapies For The Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Salma Salem

Open Access Theses

Glioblastoma Multiforme GBM is a very aggressive type of malignant brain tumors that affects peoples’ lives. The diffusive, infiltrative, and metastatic behaviour of GBM is the major reason for the disease recurrence. The morphological and immunohistological characteristics of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors including GBM are heterogeneous. GBM is either primary (de novo) or secondary to low-grade astrocytomas.

Current treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy have not achieved any improvement in success rates over the past decades. The survival time reached by GBM patients was approximately 12 months only after being treated with radiotherapy alone without temozolomide. However, …

A Multi-Channel 3d-Printed Bioreactor For Evaluation Of Growth And Production In The Microalga Dunaliella Sp, Cristian A. Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We explored the capabilities of additive manufacturing using a photo-cured jetted material 3D printer to manufacture a milli-microfluidic device with direct application in microalgae Dunaliella sp growth and intracellular compounds biosynthesis tests. A continuous microbioreactor for microalgae culture was CAD designed and successfully built in 1 hour and 49 minutes using black photopolymer cured by UV and a support material. The microreactor was made up of 2 parts including the bioreactor itself and a microchannel network for culture media fluids and microalgae. Both parts were assembled to form a single unit. Additional optical and auxiliar components were added. An external …

Biomarker Detection At Risk Forecasting Level Using Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence Combined With Surface Acoustic Wave, Jun Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) technique is used to lower the detection limit of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) which is able to be utilized in forecasting the risk of having certain kinds of cancers, especially colon and rectal cancer. By incubating silver nanocubes (Ag NCs) on the surface of the chips, the detection limit goes down to below 1ng/mL of CEA. Also, when combining MEF with surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, the incubation time between antigen and antibody will decrease significantly with the fluorescence signal keeping similar or higher level.

Microfluidic Cantilever Detects Bacteria And Measures Their Susceptibility To Antibiotics In Small Confined Volumes, Hashem Etayash, M. F. Khan, Kamaljit Kaur, Thomas Thundat

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

In the fight against drug-resistant bacteria, accurate and high-throughput detection is essential. Here, a bimaterial microcantilever with an embedded microfluidic channel with internal surfaces chemically or physically functionalized with receptors selectively captures the bacteria passing through the channel. Bacterial adsorption inside the cantilever results in changes in the resonance frequency (mass) and cantilever deflection (adsorption stress). The excitation of trapped bacteria using infrared radiation (IR) causes the cantilever to deflect in proportion to the infrared absorption of the bacteria, providing a nanomechanical infrared spectrum for selective identification. We demonstrate the in situ detection and discrimination of Listeria monocytogenes at a …

The Biotechnology Process Patent Act Of 1995: Providing Unresolved And Unrecognized Dilemmas In U.S. Patent Law, Becca Alley

Journal of Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Ethics, Drugs And Rock And Roll: On The Integration Of Bioethics Into The Entrepreneurial Life, Angela Rossetti

NYMC Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Use Of Facial Recognition Technology For Medical Purposes: Balancing Privacy With Innovation, Seema Mohapatra

Pepperdine Law Review

Imagine applying for a job, and as part of your application process, your prospective employer asks for a photograph. You, as an eager candidate, comply with the request and, unbeknownst to you, the employer runs your picture through a software program that scans you for any common genetic diseases and that estimates your longevity. Alas, your face indicates that you may die young. No job for you. Although this sounds like science fiction, we may not be that far off from this scenario. In June 2014, scientists from Oxford reported that they have developed a facial recognition program that uses …

The Influences Of Different Socioeconomic Scenarios In Bioinformatics And Biotechnology Research: The Ethical Issues Arising From Technological Advances, Marcia Miki Sato

Theses

In the last couple decades, we could see the combination of technology and biology taking large steps in science. As new fields, bioinformatics and biotechnology also led to important discussions between excited scientists and social thinkers. The divergent opinions argue about the amazing possibilities of human advances and the social issues that follow the progress. This paper discusses ethical matters of new developments and compares policy choices with respect to research and use of biotechnology and bioinformatics in different countries. Even though the world is increasingly globalized, the comparisons suggest that different cultures have different ethical responses and public policies …

Genetic Engineering And Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities For Case-By-Case Decision-Making, Paul Vincelli

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Genetic engineering (GE) offers an expanding array of strategies for enhancing disease resistance of crop plants in sustainable ways, including the potential for reduced pesticide usage. Certain GE applications involve transgenesis, in some cases creating a metabolic pathway novel to the GE crop. In other cases, only cisgenessis is employed. In yet other cases, engineered genetic changes can be so minimal as to be indistinguishable from natural mutations. Thus, GE crops vary substantially and should be evaluated for risks, benefits, and social considerations on a case-by-case basis. Deployment of GE traits should be with an eye towards long-term sustainability; several …

Event-Based Biotechnology Stock Price Movement: Valuing Success And Failure In Biotechnology Product Development, Faris Sumadi

Honors College Theses

Biotechnology investment, in the second quarter of 2015, hauled in a record $2.3 billion worth of venture capital. The 126 deals struck marked the biggest quarterly investment (up 32% from the prior quarter) since reporting started in 1995. With $3.8 billion invested in these pre-IPO ventures by mid-2015, the biotech industry soared past the $6 billion of venture capital cash invested in 2014. These numbers illustrate how early-stage research, with unproven science, has been revived after a decade of VCs shying away. Out of the $2.3 billion raised in Q2, $1.5 billion went to early-stage companies while $733 million went …

Useless Information: Genetic Patenting, The Usefulness Requirement, And The Effect On The “Big Freeze”, David T. Bennett

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

This note considers the current state of affairs regarding patentability in the field of biotechnology, especially that of genes and DNA. Part II gives a brief background of patents in general, including the requirements that must be met for a patent to be granted, the way in which the patent process works, and the options available to a patent holder once a patent has been granted. Part III explores the history of biotechnology patents. Part IV takes a look at the relationship between patents and biotechnology, and sheds light on some of the common arguments both in favor of and …

Using Technology To Serve The Agricultural Community In The Western Cape Province Of South Africa, Pavarni Naidoo, Lise Sandenbergh, Maud Bonato, Johann Strauss, Mike Wallace, Andre Roux, Shaheed Martin, Ilse Trautmann, Schalk Cloete

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has a team of agricultural experts using novel approaches to address the challenges faced by South African agriculture. The objective of this paper is to describe some of the innovative research and technologies, and methods of technology transfer, used to better serve the agricultural community. The spectrum of technologies implemented includes new research on breeding (biotechnology); new approaches to conservation agriculture; remote sensing satellite and spatial information for improved decision making, such as the spatial intelligence project and FruitLook; Agricultural Integrated Management System; and technology to manage and disseminate information, such as smart …

Bioprospect Theory, James Ming Chen

Akron Intellectual Property Journal

Conventional wisdom treats biodiversity and biotechnology as rivalrous values. The global south is home to most of earth's vanishing species, while the global north holds the capital and technology needed to develop this natural wealth. The south argues that intellectual property laws enable pharmaceutical companies and seed breeders in the industrialized north to commit biopiracy. By contrast, the United States has characterized calls for profit-sharing as a threat to the global life sciences industry. Both sides magnify the dispute, on the apparent consensus that commercial exploitation of genetic resources holds the key to biodiversity conservation.

Both sides of this debate …

Biological Lignocellulose Solubilization: Comparative Evaluation Of Biocatalysts And Enhancement Via Cotreatment, Julie M. D. Paye, Anna Guseva, Sarah K. Hammer, Erica Gjersing

Dartmouth Scholarship

Feedstock recalcitrance is the most important barrier impeding cost-effective production of cellulosic biofuels. Pioneer commercial cellulosic ethanol facilities employ thermochemical pretreatment and addition of fungal cellulase, reflecting the main research emphasis in the field. However, it has been suggested that it may be possible to process cellulosic biomass without thermochemical pretreatment using thermophilic, cellulolytic bacteria. To further explore this idea, we examine the ability of various biocatalysts to solubilize autoclaved but otherwise unpretreated cellulosic biomass under controlled but not industrial conditions.

Genome To Phenome: Improving Animal Health, Production, And Well-Being – A New Usda Blueprint For Animal Genome Research 2018–2027, Caird Rexroad, Jeffrey Vallet, Lakshmi Kumar Matukumalli, James Reecy, Derek Bickhart, Harvey Blackburn, Mark Boggess, Hans Cheng, Archie Clutter, Noelle Cockett, Catherine Ernst, Janet E. Fulton, John Liu, Joan Lunney, Holly Neibergs, Catherine Purcell, Timothy P. L. Smith, Tad Sonstegard, Jerry Taylor, Bhanu Telugu, Alison Van Eenennaam, Curtis P. Van Tassell, Kevin Wells

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In 2008, a consortium led by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) published the “Blueprint for USDA Efforts in Agricultural Animal Genomics 2008–2017,” which served as a guiding document for research and funding in animal genomics. In the decade that followed, many of the goals set forth in the blueprint were accomplished. However, several other goals require further research. In addition, new topics not covered in the original blueprint, which are the result of emerging technologies, require exploration. To develop a new, updated blueprint, ARS and NIFA, along with scientists in the …

Decline In Ethical Concerns About Reproductive Technologies Among A Representative Sample Of Us Women, Arthur L. Greil, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins, Karina M. Shreffler, Katherine M. Johnson, Michele Lowry, Andrea R. Burch, Julia Mcquillan

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Public awareness and utilization of assisted reproductive technology has been increasing, but little is known about changes in ethical concerns over time. The National Survey of Fertility Barriers, a national, probability-based sample of US women, asked 2031 women the same set of questions about ethical concerns regarding six reproductive technologies on two separate occasions approximately 3 years apart. At Wave 1 (2004–2007), women had more concerns about treatments entailing the involvement of a third party than about treatments that did not. Ethical concerns declined between Wave 1 and Wave 2, but they declined faster for treatments entailing the involvement of …

Immunotherapy Using Algal-Produced Ara H 1 Core Domain Suppresses Peanut Allergy In Mice, James A. Grgeory, Ariel Shepley-Mctaggart, Michelle Umpierrez, Barry K. Hurlburt, Soheila J. Maleki, Hugh A. Sampson, Stephen P. Mayfield, M. Cecilia Berin

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Peanut allergy is an IgE-mediated adverse reaction to a subset of proteins found in peanuts. Immunotherapy aims to desensitize allergic patients through repeated and escalating exposures for several months to years using extracts or flours. The complex mix of proteins and variability between preparations complicates immunotherapy studies. Moreover, peanut immunotherapy is associated with frequent negative side effects and patients are often at risk of allergic reactions once immunotherapy is discontinued. Allergen-specific approaches using recombinant proteins are an attractive alternative because they allow more precise dosing and the opportunity to engineer proteins with improved safety profiles. We tested whether Ara h …

Plant Biomass: Insights From Imaging Cell Walls Using Molecular Probes, Utku Avci

Turkish Journal of Botany

Cell walls are an important and growing subject of research in plant biology. In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in using cell walls as feedstock for the production of second generation biofuels. This has resulted in an expansion in the number of cell wall studies and has highlighted the need for a better understanding of cell wall structure and function. Cell walls are composed of polymers with complex and dynamic structures that vary between cell types and developmental stages as well as between taxonomic groups of plants. To address the diversity of glycans that form the …

Bioinnovation Enterprise: An Engine Driving Breakthrough Therapies., Scott A. Waldman, Andre Terzic

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Biological advances have radically expanded our insights into the underpinnings of health and disease. New knowledge has formed the substrate for translation-expedited in turn by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry into novel therapeutic solutions impacting the management of patients and populations. Indeed, this Bioinnovation Enterprise has become the dominant growth sector in drug development and the engine driving the translation of breakthrough therapies worldwide. This annual Therapeutic Innovations issue highlights recent exceptional advances by the Bioinnovation Enterprise in translating molecular insights in pathobiology into transformative therapies.

Pursuit Of Profit Poisons Collaboration, Jacob S. Sherkow

Other Publications

The CRISPR–Cas9 patent battle demonstrates how overzealous efforts to commercialize technology can damage science.

Characterization Of Biochars Produced From Peanut Hulls And Pine Wood With Different Pyrolysis Conditions, James W. Lee, Bob Hawkins, Michelle K. Kidder, Barbara R. Evans, A. C. Buchanan, Danny Day

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Background

Application of modern biomass pyrolysis methods for production of biofuels and biochar is potentially a significant approach to enable global carbon capture and sequestration. To realize this potential, it is essential to develop methods that produce biochar with the characteristics needed for effective soil amendment.

Methods

Biochar materials were produced from peanut hulls and pine wood with different pyrolysis conditions, then characterized by cation exchange (CEC) capacity assays, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm measurements, micro/nanostructural imaging, infrared spectra and elemental analyses.

Results

Under a standard assay condition of pH 8.5, the CEC values of the peanut hull-derived biochar materials, ranging from …

Are Engineered Genetic Sequences Copyrightable?: The U.S. Copyright Office Addresses A Matter Of First Impression, Christopher M. Holman, Claes Gustafsson, Andrew W. Torrance

Faculty Works

In spite of the compelling logic that would support extending copyright to engineered DNA sequences, copyright protection for genetic code has not been legally recognized in the US, or as far as we know anywhere. The Copyright Act is silent on the point, the courts do not appear to have ever addressed the question, and the Copyright Office has taken the position that an engineered genetic sequence is not copyrightable subject matter. In an attempt to advance the conversation, we submitted an engineered DNA sequence to the Copyright Office for registration, and then appealed the Office’s decision refusing to register …

Animal Dignity, Reed Elizabeth Loder

Animal Law Review

The aim of this Article is to find a broader theoretical basis for animal protection than the current ideas of personhood and capabilities provide. Human dignity is variously defined but pervasive in grounding human rights and should have a counterpart for animal protection beyond minimum welfare that can improve the quality of animal lives overall. Dignity has an inward dimension based on the value of an individual that should not be violated and an outward aspect in the individual’s bearing to the world, both of which apply to animals. In content, human individuals have dignity in autonomously directing their lives, …

The Changing Life Science Patent Landscape, Arti K. Rai, Jacob S. Sherkow

Articles & Chapters

Over the past two decades, patent law in the life sciences has been buffeted by numerous controversies. With courts, legislatures and patent offices all responding, one could be forgiven for believing that the main constant has been change. In the following article, we look back at some of the major events in life science intellectual property (IP) law and business practice over the past 20 years and then suggest where IP practice in the life sciences may be heading in the coming years.

Describing Drugs: A Response To Professors Allison And Ouellette, Jacob S. Sherkow

Articles & Chapters

Profs. Allison and Ouellette’s Article, How Courts Adjudicate Patent Definiteness and Disclosure, 65 Duke L.J.609 (2015), on courts’ adjudication of certain patent disputes presents some surprising data: pharmaceutical patents litigated to judgment fare substantially worse on written-description analyses if they are not part of traditional pioneer-generic litigation. This Response engages in several hypotheses for this disparity and examines the cases that make up Allison and Ouellette’s dataset. An analysis of these cases finds that the disparity can be best explained by technological and judicial idiosyncrasies in each case, rather than larger differences among pharmaceutical patent cases. This finding contextualizes …

Protecting Products Versus Platforms, Jacob S. Sherkow

Articles & Chapters

Patents have long been the most important legal assets of biotech companies. Increasingly, however, biotech firms find themselves on one side of a divide: as either traditional product companies or platform companies. Given the differences between these two types of business models, the merits of intellectual property (IP) protection vary between them. This article explores how those differences relate to biotech startups and entrepreneurs seeking to protect their inventions.

Pursuit Of Profit Poisons Collaboration, Jacob S. Sherkow

Other Publications

The CRISPR–Cas9 patent battle demonstrates how overzealous efforts to commercialize technology can damage science.

Who Owns Gene Editing? Patents In The Time Of Crispr, Jacob S. Sherkow

Other Publications

New gene-editing technologies, like CRISPR, promise revolutionary advances in biology and medicine. However, several patent disputes in the USA and UK may have complicated who can use CRISPR. What does this mean for the future of gene editing?