I can never forget the time I wrapped slices of raw onions onto my grandpa's foot. I looked up at his strained face, and very calmly he said to me, "It burns, can you please take it off?" My dad, next to me, told me to ignore his requests. He studied Chinese medicine, and this was an Eastern remedy to lower blood pressure. My grandpa had recently had a spike in blood pressure, and it was terrifying to realize that I could have easily lost him to a heart attack or stroke. My family has a history of diabetes - all of my grandparents are diagnosed with type II. Before had I left for boarding school, I ate breakfast with them every morning, and noticed that their food was especially bland. They picked at the fruits and never ate them. Even though I had already developed a strong interest in medicine, I never understood their food options. When my mother explained to me …show more content…
It offers me something my school cannot: advanced laboratories and world renowned researchers to mentor me. The program, with its many professionals and experts, can further deepen my interest in the biomedical field, and give me a greater understanding of what my future can be like. It is essential that I grasp an idea of the work of a biomedical engineer, and with the intense working environment and prestige of the program, SIMR will definitely be able to aid me in that aspect. What drives me to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer is not only to help disabled patients, but also my love of the field itself. Biomedical engineering combines two subjects that have left strong impressions on me, biology and physics. Just learning these subjects from classes and textbooks does not suffice to quench my curiosity. I want to learn more through personal experience. At SIMR, I will be able to handle my own research project, and it will really help me gain an even stronger interest, and propel me forward into my career
During the year 1889, two researchers, Joseph Von Mering and Oskar Minkowski, discovered the disease that is known today as diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the insulin levels (a hormone produced in unique cells called the islets of Langerhans found in the pancreas) in the bloodstream are irregular and therefore affect the way the body uses sugars, as well as other nutrients. Up until the 1920’s, it was known that being diagnosed with diabetes was a death sentence which usually affected “children and adults under 30.” Those who were diagnosed were usually very hungry and thirsty, which are two of the symptoms associated with diabetes. However, no matter how much they ate, their bodies wouldn’t be able to use the nutrients due to the lack of insulin.
Stem cells help us to maintain and heal our bodies, as they are undifferentiated cells, their roles are not yet determined. They have the ability to become anything during early life and growth. Stem cells come from two sources, namely: embryonic stem cells (embryo’s formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development) and adult stem cells (see figure 3).
This paper focuses on the benefits of stem cell research in the medical and nursing field. New technology is always being created to help us understand the way the human body works, as well as ways to help us improve diseased states in the body. Our bodies have the ability to proliferate or regrow cells when damage is done to the cells. Take for example the skin, when an abrasion or puncture to the skin causes loss of our skin cells, the body has its own way of causing those cells to regrow. The liver, bone marrow, heart, brain, and muscle all have cells that are capable of differentiating into cells of that same type. These are called stem cells, and are a new medical tool that is helping regrow vital organs in our body to help us survive. Stem cells can come from adult cells, or the blastocyst of the embryo. The cells that come from these are undifferentiated, and can be specialized into certain cell types, making them available for many damaged tissues in the body. While using stem cells in the body is a main use, they are also being used to help doctors understand how disease processes start. By culturing these cells in the lab and watching them develop into muscles, nerve cells, or other tissues, researchers are able to see how diseases affect these cells and possibly discover ways to correct these diseases. While researchers have come very far in using stem cells, there are still many controversies to overcome when using these cells.
Biomedical engineering is a branch of science that connects engineering sciences with biological sciences that started around the 1940s (Citron & Nerem, 2004). Biomedical engineering is the discipline that promotes learning in engineering, biology, chemistry, and medicine. The objective for biomedical engineers is to enhance human health by incorporating engineering and biomedical sciences to solve problems. Some of the accomplishments made from biomedical engineering are prosthetics, robotic and laser surgery, implanted devices, imaging devices, nanotheranostics and artificial intelligence. As we head towards the future, biomedical engineering is anticipated to become an even greater part of the medical industry and bring about innovating
Genetic engineering depends on the location and analysis of genes on chromosomes and ultimately DNA sequencing. The early cartography of the genes used the principles of Mendelian genetics . It is assumed that alleles that are transmitted together side by side are located on the same chromosome : it is said that are connected or linkage . These genes form a bridging group - linkage group : are the same for gametes and are usually transmitted together , so they do not have independent distribution. Crossing-over occurring during meiosis may cause these alleles can be exchanged between the chromosomes of a homologous pair .
Diabetes is a metabolic disease defined by high blood glucose concentration, also known as hyperglycemia (Mertig, 2012). Hyperglycemia is the result of having a problem with insulin release and/or a problem with insulin action. In other words, a person living with diabetes produces little to no insulin (type 1 diabetes) or does not have the ability to utilize efficiently the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes) (Mertig, 2012). Diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States. In an effort to better manage and reduce the incidence of diabetes, researchers dedicate an enormous amount of time each year trying to gain a stronger understanding of the disease (Philis-Tsimikas and Decker, 2011). After all, the long term complications of uncontrolled diabetes (i.e. blindness, renal failure, heart disease, amputations, etc) can be devastating and needs to be prevented and/or controlled (Mertig, 2012). Individuals living with diabetes need to incorporate nutritional management, physical activity, compliance with medications, proper monitoring of blood sugars, self education and most importantly actively participate in their own diabetes care. According to Inzucchi et al, a patient centered approach is best and means, “Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions.” An approach proven to be effective in managing diabetes is the diabetes self-management education (DSME) approach. DSME is a “patient centered” approach that actively involves the client in all aspects of their diabetes care and provides the necessary tools to encourage self-directed growth. A huge part of the DSME approach is the client’s diet,...
Over the past few decades, advances in technology have allowed scientists to actively manipulate the genetic sequence of an organism through a process called 'genetic engineering'. Many believe that this is a technique which we should exploit and take full advantage of as, after all, it may be the key to curing many hereditary diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It may very well be the solution to overcoming evolutionary barriers and allow us to breed new species. However, if you consider the unknown consequences we may have to face as a result of our futile experimenting, you would find that messing with a system as intricate as nature for curiosity's sake is hardly justifiable.
In 2004, at the age of 49, my uncle was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, or late onset diabetes. He had been an unhealthy eater much of his life. At the time of his diagnosis, he weighed two-hundred forty-seven pounds. That may not sound like a lot, but at five-foot two-inches tall, he was ninety pounds heavier than average male of his height should be. Although, possible in the future, he was spared from daily injections of insulin. However, his battle with a new enemy was only beginning. In lecturing him on better eating habits, his doctor indirectly blamed sugary foods such as soda for his weight and overall health. Not knowing any better, my uncle took what he was told as grave warning. For the first time, he was forced to change what he eats. His life-long relationship with fast food and casino buffets were over, and in their place came a new and healthier diet. He is not alone, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are over twenty-six million people living with diabetes, seven million of that the CDC believes are undiagnosed cases. For my uncle’s age group, 40-49, the percentage of people with diabetes increased by fifty-five percent between 1990 and 1999. Furthermore, there were over one-million new cases of diagnosed cases for his age group, in 2010. (National Database 1-12). Does eliminating sugar intake and eating fresh foods equate to better health?
For decades, biologists have been using stem cells to figure out possible cures for different diseases and even prevent them. Stem cells are cells that can become useable in certain tissues in the body (according to an infant), or tissue cells that are already found in blood, bones, the brain, and skin (in adults or children). Stem cells are being used for patients with lymphoma (begins in the immune system), leukemia (cancer of white blood cells), and other types of blood disorders.
Diabetes has recently become a focal point of health care systems around the world due to its high prevalence and the severity of secondary complications caused by the disease. Over the course of my project on diabetes, I have had the opportunity to speak with a group of diabetics to understand from a patient’s perspective how diabetes is managed in a rural community. While I found that while some patients ignored treatment and refused to make any dietary changes, the majority of the patients I interviewed were well-informed and actively managing diabetes in their everyday life.
This paper goes over genetic engineering and how it is used today in the medical field as two types on humans, disabled genetic engineering and trait genetic engineering. This two types of genetic engineering are still debatable since they have to surpass many obstacles and laws. The sources gave statements from professionals and experts on genetic engineering, biomedical science, biomedical engineering, and human anatomy and physiology. The individuals gave their inputs on how they view genetic engineering on human beings.
Informative programs improve diabetics managing skills, treatment objectives, and self-care. “The University of Illinois Extension will offer "I on Diabetes," a series of four 3-hour sessions designed for anyone interested in preventing or managing diabetes… In each session, participants receive recipes, watch cooking demonstrations, and taste foods to meet their special needs” (Herald 1). This informational session instills in diabetics how to manage their food content intake of “carbs, sodium, and cholesterol” (Herald 1) to stabilize their sugar intake and adjust to life with diabetes.
Biology, is quite the expansive field in the world of science. The term itself has its roots in Greek with “bios” meaning life and “logos” meaning study. The term itself refers to the study of all walks of life that occur in nature. It covers all of the grandeur of life from the various structures of cells and the materials that comprise living creatures to the make up of primeval cells of the past. It encompasses the vast strata of the life from the infinitesimally small cells to the the gargantuan blue whales and other leviathans of the world. Underneath the umbrella of biology are a bevy of unique disciplines such as: physiology, genetics, ecology, and morphology.
Biochemists are scientists who study the chemistry that is relate to the biological organisms. According to State university website “Their work includes studying the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity.” Biochemists have a verity of career positions or work environment where they can find themselves in. “Some biochemists study the body’s immune response to germs and allergens or the effectiveness of drugs in treating a wide array of afflictions. Other biochemists work in the commercial food or agricultural field looking for ways to improve products and crops” (Guide to Biochemistry Careers, 2013). Biochemists function in the medical field to help in the diagnosis of various manageable diseases by analyzing body fluids, urine and blood. These biochemists work in a pathological team or as a biochemical scientist in various hospitals and chemical pathology laboratory (Clinical biochemistry, n.d.). Biochemists analyze changes that occur in the biochemical structure of the human body to diagnose the disease and therapy, used to treat the biochemical change. Changes that occur in the human body, as a result of diseases, can be detected with the help of various techniques that find alteration in the blood, level of enzymes and its activities. Biochemists help in analyzing therapies and other clinical methods that can be used by doctors to treat such diseases (Clinical Biochemistry/ Clinical Biochemist, n.d.).
Biological engineering is a type of engineering that uses biological and medical science to create products ranging from medicines to genetically-altered animals and plants in order to solve medical problems that is occurring in the world as of right now in hopes to cure diseases such as AIDs, STIs, and even cancer. A biological engineer’s job is to analyze and design solutions to problems in biology and medicine with intentions to advance the quality of medical care. Biological engineers usually work in places like universities, hospitals, research facilities, and government areas and they normally work full time. In order to pursue this career, you need a bachelor’s degree. Locations of employment occur in at least 30 states such as Texas, Florida, and California (please refer to the second link of the “works cited” page for the full list) in the urban areas. As of May 2012(due to lack of reliable sources for the pay of 2014), the pay people receive from this career varies depending on location and the industry. Hourly pay, according to the “U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics” (BLS), ranges from $41.81 to $43.84 or $86,960 to $139,450 per year with the highest wages coming from Colorado ($104,550) and Minnesota ($103,440) while the lower pay states ($58,380-$74,030) are reported to come exclusively from Arizona, Nebraska, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Oklahoma. It is also shown that the longer you work in biological engineering, the more money you can receive as if you work for less than a year, you are expected to earn between $40,709-$79,631 while if you worked for more than 20 years, expect your salary to be in between $49,833-$127,477.