Explain briefly about genetic therapy.

Genetic therapy is a technique used to modify an individual's genes to treat or cure disease or to defend against a genetic disorder. These techniques can work following different mechanisms, for example: Replacement of a disease-causing gene with a healthy gene. Inactivation of a disease-causing gene with impaired functions.

How is insulin produced through genetic engineering?

Insulin is prepared by applying the technique of genetic engineering or recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology for medicinal purposes on a large scale. It was first produced in 1983 by an American Biotech company. The trademark name is Humulin® and it is licensed to Eli Lilly, the company which manufactured it for the first time. Genes, which code for functional A and B peptides of insulin, were inserted in the plasmids of non-pathogenic E.coli strains. Both the chains are produced separately and joined afterwards by disulphide linkages.

Define biotechnology. Write the applications of biotechnology in medical science.

Biotechnology is a broad area of biology that deals with using live organisms or enzymes from organisms to produce products and processes useful to human beings. According to European Federation for Biotechnology (EFB), it is an integrated application of natural and engineering sciences with the aim of using living organisms, cells and their component parts for products and services. Mentioned below are some applications of biotechnology in medical science. Recombinant Insulin: Insulin is a polypeptide hormone required by diabetic patients to reduce excessive glucose content in the blood. Nowadays, for the production of insulin on a large scale, cloning of the human insulin gene is carried out by introducing a specific gene sequence that codes for human insulin into E.coli bacteria. After the introduction of genetic sequences into the chromosome of bacteria, recombinant insulin is produced, which is then extracted. Gene therapy: It is a technique used to modify a person's genes to treat or cure disease. This process is carried out with the help of biological vectors such as retrovirus, adenovirus, and herpes simplex virus. Molecular diagnosis: Early diagnosis and knowledge about the pathophysiology are essential for an effective cure. It can be achieved with the help of techniques such as Recombinant DNA Technology (RDT), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), etc. Vaccines: Vaccines are biological preparations that provide active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease. Vaccines contain killed or attenuated pathogens. Hence, cell cultures are produced to prepare the vaccine, which is another application of biotechnology.