Engineers are developing new systems to use genetic information, sense small changes in the body, assess new drugs, and deliver vaccines.
Doctors have always known that people differ in susceptibility to disease and response to medicines. But, with little guidance for understanding and adjusting to individual differences, treatments developed have generally been standardized for the many, rather than the few.
Besides physical appearance, genes give rise to distinct chemistries in various realms of the body and brain. Such differences sometimes make someone liable or inclined to particular diseases, and some dramatically affect the way a person will respond to medical treatments.
Doctors will be able to diagnose and treat people based on their individual differences, a concept commonly referred to as "personalized medicine. “Personalized medicine is about combining genetic information with
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Food and Drug Administration, “can be viewed . . . as a comprehensive, prospective approach to preventing, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring disease in ways that achieve optimal individual health-care decisions.”
Many doctors, researchers, and engineers have been asked, “What prevents you from creating personalized medicines now”? There are many things that interfere with them being able to create personalized medicines, whether it’s because of the expensive material needed or because of the patient’s thought on the process.
One engineering challenge is collecting and managing large amounts of data on individual patients; another is the need to create inexpensive and rapid diagnostic devices such as gene chips and sensors that are able to detect minute amounts of chemicals in the blood. If I had the ability to fix some of the challenges, I would do so immediately. For instance, in order to build inexpensive and rapid devices, I would try and reach out to some people that are willing to donate some money to help us do
Although there is so little that can be done to change those inherited genes that an individual may have, scientific research has proved that for every possible disease affecting humans ' well-being there is a genetic component where the body responds. The main point in genetics reactions is whether we activate a gene response or we keep it inactive by following healthy lifestyle choices. The science and research on genetics is expanding and this field will help in the development and advances of health science, which will greatly contribute to the enhancement of individuals ' well-being (Durch, Bailey, and Stoto
Genetics can predetermine many things for an individual but health and prevention can aid in the prevention of the expression of some genes. This is why it is important for healthcare providers to promote their patient’s awareness of what he or she is at risk for so that they can live the healthiest life possible. It is much easier to prevent a disease than it is to cure one. As healthcare providers it is our responsibility to cure illnesses, sure, but more importantly it is our responsibility to prevent disease and increase our patient’s quality of
With the kind of technology that is available to doctors and scientists, treatments and cures will begin to pop up as we continue to advance in technology. Genetic engineering is going to be the topic to look out for. With the incredible discoveries done from modifying genes, it has resulted to millions of lives saved. Vaccines had come a long way from the first discovery, inching towards the one hundred percent success rate. Fredrick made a ground breaking discovery with diabetes and provided a treatment and saved millions. Gene therapy began to prove itself in medicine as it reversed affects from a previously untreatable disease. Genetic engineering still has long ways to go, however it is a promising treatment that will bring us more treatment and cures in the future.
...hich inherited traits, such as those for genetic disease, can be tracked over generations. Throughout out the course of human development, scientists will continue to find new new ways to help the human race through the discovery of the human gene inside of each of us, its uses, as well as complications, that can help the survival of our species.
Race can be used as a way to link a person to their ancestry, which can lead doctors to critical information that can give their patient the best treatment they can. With all of the advances in medicine there is still no way to determine a patient’s specific genetics and be able to treat each person with respect to their unique genes. Doctors narrow down possible risk factors and medication interactions by categorizing patients, by gender, age, and race. Race is a general way f...
The reality is that we all live in a diverse world where everyone is different and medication will not work for every patient the exact same way.
Family members not only share genes but they also share a similar environment and lifestyle; therefore, a resemblance in traits may suggest a correlation between genetics and the environmental-lifestyle. Most individuals can determine the traits on the outside which are passed down from generation to generation such as eye color and hair color. Individuals do not always recognize the health traits which are not as visible, like being at risk for certain diseases such as asthma, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Traits such as high blood pressure are influenced by both genes and environment or a “nature” and “nurture” process (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). In most diseases, biological factors such as heredity, age and gender can increase the probability of developing chronic conditions.
The age of genetic technology has arrived. Thanks to genetic technological advancements, medical practitioners, with the help of genetic profiling, will be able to better diagnose patients and design individual tailored treatments; doctors will be able to discern which medications and treatments will be most beneficial and produce the fewest adverse side effects. Rationally designed vaccines have been created to provide optimal protection against infections. Food scientists have hopes of genetically altering crops to increase food production, and therefore mitigate global hunger. Law enforcement officers find that their job is made easier through the advancement of forensics; forensics is yet another contribution of genetic technology. Doctors have the ability to identify “high-risk” babies before they are born, which enables them to be better prepared in the delivery room. Additionally, oncologists are able to improve survival rates of cancer patients by administering genetically engineered changes in malignant tumors; these changes result in an increased immune response by the individual. With more than fifty years of research, and billions of dollars, scientists have uncovered methods to improve and prolong human life and the possibilities offered by gene therapy and genetic technology are increasing daily.
Thanks to modernized medicine, there are several different drugs that can be implemented in various ways to help people in personalized means.
But, what most fail to recognize is that the same drug won’t work for all patients because some have other medical problems. For example, some patients might be taking other medications for different illnesses and the combination of the medications won’t make the standard impact it is supposed to. To break it down a little further, the prescribed medication can be toxic and not beneficial to group A, but not toxic and beneficial for group B. So, that is where personalized medicine comes to play. Dr. Handelsman, a researcher from Cornell University puts it this way, “Precision medicine is about moving beyond [the] one-size-fits-all approach to medicine and, instead, taking into account people’s genes, their microbiomes, their environments, and their lifestyles” (p.g 1).
From problem solving skills to micro-implants and MRIs, biomedical engineering has emerged as its own study from the vast worlds of both engineering and medicine. Engineers were not only pioneers of the edifice in the past but also establishers of the thriving technologies in the future. Being one of them requires a great leap from my comfort zone and I believe it would be extremely rewarding to be able to grow in this field while contributing to the industry of engineering. My passion towards learning little things roots from my childhood. I found myself engaged in mental activities such as puzzle solving.
Another area of medical advancement is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering will detect and possibly stop diseases before birth. Many diseases are associated with specific genes that can be checked for disease and replaced if dysfunctional. Genetic testing has already revealed genetic mutations that cause hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, colon cancer, polycystic kidney disease, Alzheimers disease, and others. (5) Replacing missing, altered, inactive, or dysfunctional genes will prevent diseases or even death. Also, progression of a disease can be monitored, and
A number of significant scientific events have occurred in recent years. With the recent changes in globalisation and technology, scientists have been experiencing high number of challenges. This has brought about significant technological advancements in many fields especially in that of biomedical sciences. These lifesaving advancements range from Cancer detecting blood tests to bionic lenses. I want to be part of the development in this scientific field, to be amongst those bridging both the basic and clinical sciences and bringing ground breaking scientific research from bench-to-bedside.
Healthcare for All Healthcare is an essential part of human life. Unfortunately, this is not something all people in our current system get to take part in. There are many arguments as to why all people should have healthcare, but I feel as if the strongest ones have to do with healthcare as a social justice. Healthcare as a social justice gives healthcare to everyone, especially the worst off of us, because it is the fundamentally right thing to do.
To reiterate, bioengineering will bring hope to the people who are in need of organ and body replacements in order to live a completed life. They will no longer need to wait weeks, months, or years for transplants that may or may not be given to them on time. Bioengineering will help solve medical problems of human beings using engineering concepts. Bioengineers will not only help the person’s medical complication, but it will also help their mentality, of feeling better about themselves and avoiding suicidal thoughts. I believe that bioengineering will create a new world where transplant lists will be immensely reduced, a world where there will be fewer disabilities, and a world where many lives will be saved. Bioengineering will change the world.