Public Programs

Biotech 101 Series

The field of biotechnology, particularly as it relates to genomics and DNA-based discoveries, has grown exponentially over the past 15 years. We are on the threshold of a world where biotechnology influences daily decisions about foods we eat, energy we use, the ways we monitor the world and choices we make about health and well-being. To responsibly evaluate these choices we need a society that is well educated about DNA, the role of genetics in disease and the impact of biotechnology on agriculture, medicine and the environment.

Biotech 101 is an ongoing series developed by Dr. Neil Lamb, director of educational outreach for the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Each lesson is designed to help each of us understand biotechnology basics and the tools and technologies that improve quality of life.

		Copy Number Variation - Another way the genetic recipe differs Imagine you are a member of a book club focused on cookbooks. You and your fellow members agree to try the same set of recipes from a particular volume and meet to discuss the cooking (and eating) experience. When you come together at the next meeting, there is a definite opinion split on the resulting dishes... Read More...
		The Human Genome Project: looking back, looking ahead Five years ago this spring, the “completion” of the Human Genome Project (HGP) was announced with much fanfare. This 13-year collaboration identified the sequence of the 3 billion chemical bases of information that reside on 46 chromosomes... Read More...
		RNAi - understanding the process Much like turning off a light switch, RNA interference (RNAi) offers the ability to selectively silence or “turn off” the activity of a single gene. This technology has the potential to revolutionize our... Read More...
		DNA Microarray - Studying activity of genes “The ability of an organism to live and function depends upon the activity of thousands of genes and the complex interaction between those genes and the proteins they produce. A powerful... Read More...
		Epigenetics - flipping the genetic “switch” Recent discoveries have shed light on how genes alternate between silent and active states. These activity patterns appear to be susceptible to environmental influences, with serious health... Read More...
		Personalized Medicine Imagine, in the not-to-distant future, sitting in the doctor’s office for an annual physical. Your doctor draws a blood sample and adds a panel of genetic markers to the usual list of tests. Some of these... Read More...