This program guides students through advances to biotechnology and genetic engineering that may lead to long-sought medical treatments and cures. Presenting the 19th-century development of aspirin as the first synthetic imitation of a naturally derived medicinal substance, the video demonstrates large-scale present-day experiments on fungi and plant material that make gene-based medical breakthroughs almost inevitable. The creation of smart plastics for surgical applications will further expand students' understanding of where medicine and nanotechnology meet.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.