Biology for Engineers

1-1

Why a Study of Biology is

Important

To be an informed citizen
An understanding of biology is important to
address a number of social issues today.

1-2

DNA testing
Global warming
AIDS

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

A moment of unique opportunity

Integration

of subdisciplines within biology

Cross-discipline integration: life science
and other disciplines, computational,
mathematical and engineering.
Technological advances enable biologists
to collect vast amount of data

1-3

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Examples of Engineers in
Medicine and Biology

Chemical Engineering: Pharmaceuticals

Mechanical Engineering:Rehabilitation Devices
Nuclear Engineering: Radiology
Civil Engineering: Environmental problems
Agricultural Engineering: Food Processing

Examples of Engineers in
Medicine and Biology

Materials Science: Implants (e.g. artificial hip)

Electrical Engineering: Cardiac Signals
Computer Science: computer data bases, programs,
bioinformatics
Physics: basics of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

More Bioengineering Examples

Artificial Skin
Materials Scientist: artificial polymers
Cell Biologist: tissue reaction
ECG Machine
Engineers: electronics
CS: automated diagnosis
Physician: medical design
Pharmaceutical Production
Molecular Biologist: receptor / ligand identification

Issues:

1-7

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Hot growth potential sectors: new and

emerging areas

Healthcare

Biofuels and green/clean tech. energy

Personalized medicine

Telemedicine, mobile HC apps.

8

Potential Sectors

Healthcare informatics (i.e. electronic health

records

Bioinformatics (personalized medicine)

Data management, bio-IT

Technology drivers of the

Bioscience revolution

10

Gene sequencing
mapping of human genome to understand human
physiology
sequencing of genomes of viruses and bacteria to
help fight against infection
The development of molecular techniques
manipulation of genes to study function for
industrial or therapeutic purposes
gene chip arrays to determine gene activity

Technology drivers of the

Bioscience revolution

11

Advances in imaging techniques

fluorescence to observe genes/proteins in real
time
The IT revolution
Bioinformatics
Nanotechnology
Nanobiosensors and drug delivery methods

So then, what is biology?

Biology is the science that deals with life.

What is science?

1-12

A process used to solve problems and

understand natural events
Involves the scientific method

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Components of the Scientific Method

1-13

Observation
Questioning and exploration
Forming and testing hypotheses
Evaluation of new information
Review by peers

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

The Scientific Method in Action

1-14

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Hypothesis

Uses prior knowledge

Is an educated guess or a trial answer
Is a testable statement which may include a
prediction

Constructing Hypotheses

Once the question is asked, scientists

propose answers.
These answers are hypotheses.
Hypotheses must:

1-16

be logical
account for all current information
be testable
make the least possible assumptions
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Experimentation

An experiment is a re-creation of an
occurrence.

It tests whether or not the hypothesis can be

supported or rejected.

Experiments must be controlled.

This means that all aspects except for one

variable must be kept constant.
They usually include any two groups.

1-17

Experimental group: variable is altered

Control group: variable is not altered
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Experimental Data

Experiments must:

The validity of experimental results must:

1-18

use large numbers of subjects or must be

repeated several times (replication).
be tested statistically.
be scrutinized by other scientists.

If the hypothesis is supported by ample

experimental data, it leads to a theory.
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Theory

A theory may be defined as a widely accepted,

plausible general statement about a
fundamental concept in science.

1-19

The germ theory states that infectious diseases are

caused by microorganisms.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Scientific Communication

Data is shared with the

scientific community through
research articles published
in scientific journals.

1-20

These articles are usually

scrutinized by other
scientists before they are
published.

Scientists present
preliminary data at
conferences.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Fundamental Attitudes in Science

Scientists must distinguish between opinions and

scientific facts.

A good scientist must

1-21

Scientists opinions may become facts if supported by data.

be skeptical.
not be biased.
be honest in analyzing and reporting data.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Pseudoscience

A deceptive practice
that uses the language
of science to convince
people into thinking that
a claim has scientific
validity.

1-22

Marketing claims of
nutritional supplements.
Marketing claims of
organic foods.
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Limitations of Science

1-23

The scientific method can only be applied

to questions that have a factual base.

Questions of morality, values, social

issues and attitudes cannot be tested
scientifically.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

The Science of Biology

Theoretical biology

Applied biology

1-24

Evolutionary biology
Medicine, crop science, plant breeding, wildlife
management

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

What makes something alive?

1-25

Living things can manipulate energy and

matter.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Characteristics of Living Things

Metabolic processes

Generative processes

1-26

Organisms gain and store energy in the

chemical bonds in the nutrients they take in.
Organisms grow by increasing the number
of cells.
Organisms reproduce either sexually or
asexually.
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Characteristics of Living Things

Responsive processes

Organisms react to changes in their

environment.
Irritability:

the ability to recognize that

something in its surroundings has changed (a
stimulus) and respond to it quickly.
Individual adaptation: a longer term response
to an environmental change.
Evolution: changes in a population over time.
1-27

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Characteristics of Living Things

Control processes

Enable organisms to carry out metabolic

processes in the right order.
Coordination:

Enzymes coordinate metabolic

reactions.
Regulation: Enzymes are regulated in order to
maintain homeostasis.

1-28

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Levels of Biological Organization

1-29

Biospherethe worldwide ecosystem.

Ecosystemcommunities that interact with
one another in a particular place.
Communitiespopulations of different
organisms interacting with each other in a
particular place.
Populationa group of individual organisms in
a particular place.
Organisman independent living unit.
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Levels of Biological Organization

1-30

Organ systemmany organs that perform a particular

function.
Organmany tissues that perform a particular function.
Tissuemany cells that perform a particular function.
Cellsimplest unit that shows characteristics of life.
Moleculesspecific arrangements of atoms.
Atomsthe fundamental units of matter.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

The Significance of Biology in our

Lives

Biology has significantly contributed to our

high standard of living.
For example:

1-31

Advanced food production

Significant progress in health
Advances in disease control
Advances in plant and animal breeding
Advances in biotechnology
Progress in genome studies
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Addressing Global Food Crisis

By 2025, there will be another 2

billion mouths
to feed.
United Nations
Population Fund

32

Prevalence of GM foods
Nearly 6 million farmers in 16 nations plant GM crops.
But most are grown
by 4 nations.
The U.S. grows
66% of the worlds
GM crops.
number of
plantings have
grown >10%/year
Figure 9.13

Biological Research Improves Food

Production

1-34

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Benefits of biotechnology
More food

Better food

Better for the environment

35

 improved nutritional quality

increased crop yield
insect resistance
disease resistance
herbicide resistance
salt tolerance
biopharmaceuticals

Weed-infested soybean plot (left) and

Roundup Ready soybeans after Roundup
treatment. Source: Monsanto

saving valuable topsoil

ability to grow plants in harsh environments

WIIFY
Venture
Capital &
Banking

Law

Discovery
Preclinical
Recruiting Research
Research
Bio/Pharmaceutical
Product
Development

Management
Consulting
Project
Management

Bio IT

Services
Quality

R&D

Clinical
Development

Operations

Operations &
Manufacturing

Commercial
Operations

Regulatory
Affairs

Business
Development

Medical
Affairs
Marketing

Corporate
Communications
Product
Support

37

Sales

Careers for Engineers

Discovery
Preclinical
Recruiting Research
Research
Venture
Capital &
Banking

Law
Product
Development

Management
Consulting
Project
Management

Bio IT

Services
Quality

R&D

Clinical
Development

Operations

Commercial
Operations

Operations &
Manufacturing

Regulatory
Affairs

Business
Development

Medical
Affairs
Marketing

Corporate
Communications
Product
Support

Sales

Careers where you can earn the most

money
Venture
Capital &
Banking

Law

Discovery
Preclinical
Recruiting Research
Research
Bio/Pharmaceutical
Product
Development

Management
Consulting
Project
Management

Bio IT

Services
Quality

R&D

Clinical
Development

Operations

Operations &
Manufacturing

Commercial
Operations

Regulatory
Affairs

Business
Development

Medical
Affairs
Marketing

Corporate
Communications
Product
Support

39

Sales

Copyright 2007 Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development. All rights reserved.

Success factors for Bioscience

40

The company must efficiently develop viable

products or services
The companys Intellectual Property (IP) must be
defensible and other patents cannot block the path
to commercialisation
A clear business strategy for generating a significant
profit
Target a large and/or rapidly growing market.
Management should have the skills to implement the
business plan