Technological Advancements in Biology

This course will delve into the marvels of technological advancements in biology and engineering. The class is designed as a seminar, where we will examine the technical aspects of specific inventions as well as the historical narratives. Who were the people who worked on these designs? From what did they take inspiration from? How do these technologies work? The course will cover topics such as:

Penicillin: The discovery of penicillin was groundbreaking in more ways than one. Together we will review the lasting effects of this discovery on human health and discuss the limitations of penicillin for the modern world.

Anesthesia: The history of anesthesia traces as far back as ancient Sumeria and Babylonia. What advancements have occurred to give us the modern version?

Insulin: This hormone was initially extracted from other creatures and purified for human use. In the 1980s, researchers were able to synthesize insulin using recombinant DNA. How does this process work and how has it improved access to treatment?

mRNA Vaccines: The COVID-19 vaccines were the first mRNA vaccines to be approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Agency. What is an mRNA vaccine and how does it differ from previous vaccine technology? How is the course of medicine altered by this advancement?

The Yamanaka factors: These molecules enable researchers to revert adult cells to stem-cells. What is a stem cell and how might they be used in the future?

Optogenetics: This is a field in neuroscience that allows researchers the ability to excite certain regions of the brain on command. We’ll cover how this technique works and what implications it has for research.

The aim of this course is to give historical context to biological technologies and explain how they function. No previous knowledge of science is required, as the more complicated technics will be broken down to a level everyone can understand.

Morgan Brown

Morgan has always been interested in health and science. She had intentions of becoming a nurse, but during university she decided instead to puruse academic research. During her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado Boulder, she studied Human Physiology, diving into the chemistry, physics, and coordination of the different organ systems. She spent two semesters as a teaching assistant for aHuman Anatomy course, where she had the privilege of teaching on real cadavers. For her master’s degree, she wanted to narrow into one organ system and the Nervous System seemed the most mysterious. She now studies at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universtat in Munich, Germany. She is ultimately interested in working on problems related to human disease and contributing to a healthier world. Beyond academics, Morgan enjoys cooking, reading, art, and rock climbing.