BIOENGINEERING: Creativity + Science + Engineering = Life Changing, Life-Saving Inventions
Bioengineering is the blending together of the principles of biology with the techniques and "tools" of engineering. The INCREDIBLE VARIETY of products that can be produced is staggering...think of biomechanics, that may help an amputee walk on a mechanically sophisticated leg prosthetic with complete knee function...or inventing new medical DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT ( think Covid 19 testing ) ...or new ways to improve our food supply with agricultural engineering. There are also ecological engineering and renewable bioenergy products. However, these new creations may bring important ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS that must be considered when tampering with food supplies, genetic engineering, and natural biological systems. If you enjoy science of any type and enjoy the "putting together" of things, such as in engineering, this career field is DEFINITELY WORTH EXPLORING!
Essential Question
What are the areas within BIOENGINEERING that really interest you, and who are the companies researching and manufacturing these amazing new products? And also, what type of life experiences, academic courses, and part-time jobs will ADVANCE YOU toward a career in this diverse and lucrative field?
Grade(s):
- 10
- 11
- 12
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Student chromebook
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
* notebook & pen/pencil ( for each student)
* 3 sheets colored posterboard, cut each in 1/2
* markers, paints, stencils, stamps & stamp pads ( any assortment of these that student group can gather)
* 12"x12" (or larger) piece of corrugated cardboard
* 1 small package MODELING CLAY
* glue, scissors
* assorted magazines: athletic, house decorating, hiking, farming, science, travel
* small piece cardboard [12" x 12"]
Lesson Progression
VOCABULARY:
[*BIOLOGY - the study of living organisms, including physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin, & distribution.
*ENGINEERING - the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures,& other items.]
Define these terms for a better understanding of bioengineering and careers in this area:
(using your Chromebook or notebook/pen)
1. History of bioengineering ( came into recognition just before WWII / Heinz Wolff, a British broadcaster, named it)
2. genome
3. DNA
4. genetic engineering
5. cellular/ molecular medicine
5.polygraph test /"lie detector test" / Leonarde Keeler
6. Alec Jeffreys - DNA "fingerprinting" [not to be confused with literal FINGERPRINTING]
7. Polymerase Chain Reaction /how does it work? Relevant uses for it?
8. Kerry Muller/ SC native, Nobel Prize Winner 1993
9. polygraph test / "lie detector test" /Leonarde Keeler
10. recombinant DNA (biotechnology, medicine, food chemistry, research)
11. recombinant chymosin /what is it/ what use in the food industry
12.GMO's / what are they / explain pro's & con's of GMO usage
13.recombinant human insulin / explain use
14." synthetic biology" / ?which video resource mentions it? / explain in your own words
15. microfluidics
16. micro-organism
17. symbiosis
18. alchemy
19. chitins
20. 3-D printer
21. photosynthetic wearable
22. CRISPR
23. CRISPEE
24. Sports Biomechanics
25. Environmental Bioengineering
26. Educational Requirements for particular areas of Bioengineering ( such as Sports Biomechanics, Environmental Engineering,
Teacher Notes
This PBL lesson can accommodate
... a group of 3 students [extremely motivated students]
OR
...can be used well for a larger group of 5-6 students [who will work together in sub-groups of 2-3 to cover this challenging topic]
This sample poster shows how a group can illustrate the PRO'S & CON'S of a particular bioengineering project. (Even though we know these particular ideas through the movie script of JURASSIC PARK, it shows one way to construct a group discussion "tool." )
View ResourceDana Moore/Biomanufacturing Associate / Knowitall.org
This bioengineer tells why she enjoys this field, which courses in high school & college led her to it, and why she loves coming to work every day at IMCS, a medicl research and development firm just 15 miles outside of Columbia, SC!
View ResourceTedTalk: Every 6 year old need to learn Bioengineering! ( Amanda Strawhacker/ 10:57
The speaker says: "With engineering, you build stuff. And biologists see and study the code of life. The challenge with bioengineering is WRESTLING WITH THE ETHICAL QUESTIONS of what you might build."
View ResourceThe Future Will be Genetically Engineered (cellular and molecular medicine)/YouTube - 18:11
Just like computer software, a biomedical engineer can load DNA into a living cell. This is a great TIME LINE of genetic engineering, and a good overview of past , present, and future in this area of science.
View ResourceYoutube: Bioengineering: Transforming human health/ 3:50
Bioengineering is a discipline that figures out combining 2 missions:
-Understanding biology and medicine, and
-Utilizing the "toolkit" of engineering designs and solutions
TED TALKS: Design at the Intersection of Technology and Biology/Neri Oxman - 17:32
Have your notebook ready for multiple definitions, and listen carefully to this Ted Talk...it's 17 minutes long, but finishes with ideas, and a product that is MIND-BLOWING! Dr. Oxman states: "Here's to a new age of design and creation that takes us from a nature-inspired design to a design-inspired nature; and that DEMANDS OF US for the first time....the WE mother nature. (Note that "mother" is used as a VERB in that sentence.)
View ResourceTED TALK : We can edit our DNA, but let's do it wisely/ jennifer Doudna - 15:53
Listen to the ethical questions that are implied as CRISPR, the powerful DNA - altering tool, is a reality . ( JENNIFER DOUDNA , the speaker, is one of the creators of CRISPR concept & technique. )
View ResourceTED ED: How CRISPR lets you edit DNA/ Andrea M. Henle- 5:28
FABULOUS and short, this animated film explains CRISPR in a very understandable way. And first and foremost, the acronym CRISPR stands for:
Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats [first letter of each word}
**Do you know what a PALINDROME is? Look it up before proceeding!
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific is "an American provisioner of scientific instrumentation, software, and other services in academia,government, and industry (including in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors).
SEARCH THE WEBSITE for an understanding of how bioengineering, biotechnical, & biomedical research & development can yield a vast array of products and services.
BE SURE TO go to the bottom of 1st screen / APPLICATIONS AND BRANDS...and click under each category, to see the products they are producing & marketing.
YOUTUBE: Interview with Michael Crichton, author of JURASSIC PARK - 5:11
Thirty years ago on NBC's TODAY SHOW, the author of JURASSIC PARK was interviewed about his blockbuster novel & movie about dinosaurs being bioengineered back into living creatures. Even that long ago, he discusses the threat of humankind trying to manipulate natural processes (bioengineering) in ways that might not be positive for us. Listen to his reasoning.
View ResourceStandards
- Heredity – Inheritance and Variation of Traits
- H.B.4 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which characteristics or traits are transferred from one generation to the next via genes.
Assessments
1. On a poster board, all students together will contribute ethical situations that could arise in any specialized area of BIOENGINEERING, whether it's agricultural, genetic, biomedical equipment or processes, etc. READ ALOUD, DISCUSS, EXPLAIN...be RESPECTFUL of viewpoints if you offer a 'challenging' viewpoint. (Let each speaker finish before another speaks.)
2.Revisit the THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC website. Each group in your PBL should list 10 products THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC produces for laboratories, & their uses. (You may also list products that you've seen in any other lesson videos about BIOENGINEERING.)
3. SPEAKING OF AGRICULTURAL GMO's: One group will draw a diagram on posterboard:
* 1/2 of the poster board will contain visuals w/ labeling and explanation of a traditional "corn seed", i.e. what happens after harvesting, seeds are saved for next plantings, etc...
*the other 1/2 of the posterboard will show a diagram of a GMO "corn seed", what happens after harvesting, seeds saved for next plantings, etc.
DISCUSS WITH THE ENTIRE PBL GROUP/ pro's & con's of GMO usage / also, any ethical questions?
4. With modeling clay, stamps, collages from magazines, or utilizing ANY OTHER ART TECHNIQUES, design an advertisement w/ VISUALS AND COPY for this purpose:
* Make up a fictional university that wants to attract students to their BIOENGINEERING department, and design the ad for that purpose...must mention/ illustrate the job possibilities associated with that degree.
* Make an "online employee search" for the perfect BIOENGINEER to work at your fictional company... include the company's MISSION STATEMENT, a list of products of services it offers to its customers, and what the job specifics are for that particular POSITION in the company.( Once again, MUST USE VISUALS!)
5. Share these assessment projects with the entire PBL group.