Unit 6 Reflection

     This unit was about was about biotechnology and its purpose. Biotechnology is the study of living things in order to benefit mankind. The four applications of biotechnology are industrial/environmental (converting sugars into acids through the process of fermentation), medical/pharmaceutical (putting in a healthy copy of a gene into cells of a defective gene through gene therapy), agricultural (genetic modified organisms or GMO), and diagnostic (searching for genes or DNA segments indicating risk for diseases through the process of genetic testing).

     The polymerase chain reaction, also known as PCR, is a procedure used to amplify a specific DNA region. Gel electrophoresis uses electricity to separate DNA fragments based on size. Sequencing is a process that determines the exact order of a given DNA strand.
     Recombinate DNA Technology (rDNA) inserts DNA of one organism into DNA of another organism. This process is often described as genetic engineering. 
     Bioethics is the study of decision making as it applies to moral decisions that have to be made because of advances in biology, medicine, or technology.       I really enjoyed this unit because it was very hands on and had a lot of interesting labs. My favorite lab was the pGLO lab because the result was really interesting. 

This is a picture of the container that had LB, AMP, and ARA.

This is a picture of the gel electrophoresis lab with the gels loaded.

     I learned that when arabanose sugar is added to the bacteria E.coli, the bacteria glows green under UV light. The arabonose sugar is the trigger that makes the bacteria glow. The glowing florescent protein (GFP) is extracted from jellyfish.
     I really struggled to understand the last vodcast, the pGLO prelab vodcast. I was not really sure what the outcome of each of the plates were when i was watching the vodcast. After re-watching the vodcast, and doing the lab, I was able to understand the effects of arabanose sugar and its function.
     I wonder about the many jobs in the biotech world. I think some day in the near future, the world will be very advanced in biotech and become too advanced.

My new years goals were:

• Smart Goal #1:

I will start studying at least 5 days before every test I take, and take notes when I am studying. To make sure I achieve this goal, I will set reminders on my phone. Since I like to procrastinate a lot I will have to pretend that the test is the next day so I can actually study.

• Smart Goal #2:

I will try my best in everything I do, and during lectures in class I will actively listen and make sure that I ask questions when I don't understand something. While I am actively listening, I will take notes and review the topics that I learned in class while completing my homework.

     So far, I have achieved smart goal 1 and 2. I have been taking notes while i was studying, and I completed my textbooks early in the unit. Also, I have been paying attention in class and participating. I think that I set good and reasonable goals that will challenge me to do my best throughout this semester.