Senior Library Books
Resource Key
When accessing content use the numbers below to guide you:
LEVEL 1
brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)
LEVEL 2
provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.
LEVEL 3
lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)
Key Terms
- biotechnology noun - the use of living organisms or other biological systems in the manufacture of drugs or other products or for environmental management, as in waste recycling: includes the use of bioreactors in manufacturing, microorganisms to degrade oil slicks or organic waste, genetically engineered bacteria to produce human hormones, and monoclonal antibodies to identify antigens.
- cloning noun - the process of producing a clone.
- cultural adjective - of or relating to culture or cultivation.
- economic adjective - pertaining to the production, distribution, and use of income, wealth, and commodities.
- environmental noun - the social and cultural forces that shape the life of a person or a population.
- ethical adjective - being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession: It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
- genetic engineering noun - the development and application of scientific methods, procedures, and technologies that permit direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits of a cell, organism, or population.
- genetic modified organisms noun 1. genetically modified organism: an organism or microorganism whose genetic material has been altered by means of genetic engineering.
- issue noun - a point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance: the political issues.
- moral adjective - of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.
- political adjective - of or relating to citizens: political rights.
- social adjective - of or relating to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community: social problems.
- stem cell A cell from which a variety of other cells can develop through the process of cellular differentiation. Stem cells can produce only a certain group of cells (as with skin stem cells) or any cell in the body (as with embryonic stem cells).
- vaccine noun - any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to confer immunity against a specific disease, usually employing an innocuous form of the disease agent, as killed or weakened bacteria or viruses, to stimulate antibody production.
Linked Databases
- World Book Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Online version of the complete reference work along with dictionary, atlas, links, magazines, historical documents, audio, video, images, and 3D photograph
- Britannica Schools This link opens in a new window
Britannica School covers the core subject areas of English, Maths, Science and History. Interactive lessons, activities, games, stories, worksheets, manipulatives, study guides and research tools.
Introduction
Welcome to the research guide for biotechnology and genetic modification. "Biotechnology describes biological processes that have been engineered. The most common industrial application of biotechnology is the preparation of biological products from genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, fungi, or cells" (WHO, 2011). Examples explored in this guide include: genetic engineering, genetically modified organisms, stem cell research, cloning, drug-delivery systems, and vaccines.
Biotechnics: Cleaning up with microbes
Foreman, S. (2011, October 19). Biotechnology: Cleaning Up with Microbes [Television Series]. TMW Media Group
NB: Video requires Google Chrome or Safari to view.
Overview
- Australian Government. (n.d.). Biotechnology online. Retrieved from http://archive.industry.gov.au/Biotechnologyonline.gov.au/index-2.htmlThe Biotechnology Online Secondary School Resource provides balanced and factual information about biotechnology. It has been designed to fit with Australian State and Territory Science curriculums, with cross-over into Studies of Society and the Environment to allow for broader discussion of issues.
- New Zealand Government. (n.d.). The New Zealand biotechnology learning hub. Retrieved from http://biotechlearn.org.nz/The Biotechnology Learning Hub provides teaching resources for primary and secondary schools. We link modern biotechnology in New Zealand to the school curriculum.
- James, D. (2004). Biotechnology. Nutrition and Well-being A-Z. Ed. New York: MacMillan.The term biotechnology refers to the use of scientific techniques, including genetic engineering, to improve or modify plants, animals, and microorganisms . In its most basic forms, biotechnology has been in use for millennia... In recent years, however, food biotechnology has become synonymous with the terms genetically engineered foods and genetically modified organism (GMO).
Benefits of Biotechnology
- Biotechnology Industries Organisation. (n.d.). What is biotechnology? Retrieved from https://www.bio.org/articles/what-biotechnologyModern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.
Governance and Ethics
- World Health Organisation. (2011). Biotechnology and related topics. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/biologicals/areas/vaccines/biotechnology/en/Biotechnology describes biological processes that have been engineered. The most common industrial application of biotechnology is the preparation of biological products from genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, fungi, or cells. Cytokines, growth factors, hormones, and other regulatory peptides and proteins are examples. They were originally extracted from tissues and secretions, often of human origin.
- Australian Government: Department of the Environment. (n.d.). Biotechnology (including gene technology). Retrieved from https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/biotechnologyBiotechnology is the use of plants, animals and micro-organisms to create new products or processes. It includes using bacteria or enzymes to make industrial processes work more efficiently and create less pollution, or to clean up the environment.
- Encyclopædia Britannica. (2105). Intellectual-property law. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/344533#231532.tocIntellectual-property protection is widely thought to be even more important to the rapidly growing biotechnology industry, where the development of new techniques of genetic engineering or of new life-forms employing such techniques can be extremely expensive. Biotechnology firms argue that, if they were unable to prevent rivals from imitating their creations, they would not be able to recoup their costs and thus would have no incentive to invest in the research and development necessary for scientific breakthroughs.
- Arnhart, L. (2015). Biotech ethics. Ethics, science, technology, and engineering : A global resource, 1.In the contemporary world, biotechnology provides the technology for controlling and changing living nature, including human nature. Because biotechnology has power over the living world, it offers not only the promise for doing good but also an opportunity for doing evil. This conundrum has stimulated a vigorous ethical debate about the modern scientific project for the mastery of nature through technology.