Sam M: Biotechnology: what is it and how does it work?

My essential question was suppose to be, “What would be the effects having to many x-rays and MRI’s and would it be hazardous to your health?, but once I got down into Boston and talked with the people at Dyax my mind changed on what I wanted to bring out of this experience. While we were there, I decided that I really did want to pursue a career in biotechnology and biochemistry. By talking with them and seeing how excited they were about their work made me want to see more of why and how the industry works. So my new essential question is, What do the employees at a biotechnology firm really do?

The employees at a biotechnology firm do different jobs according to their departments. One department looks out into the medical industry to se what major illnesses are in demand of a drug for treatment. Then once they decide upon an illness the request DNA from people who are infected. Then the DNA decoders come in and work on sorting through and analyzing the strands of DNA to find a common mutation among the infected. Once they know the sequence they give their information to a group of lab workers who use special enzymes and machines. By using these enzymes and machines they are able to create a new substance. This new substance is then washed away of all unimportant cells. The cells left behind are then tested to see if they attack the certain mutation in the DNA and RNA. When this cell “attacks” the DNA and RNA it stops the reproduction of the mutation in the strand of DNA and RNA. By doing this it stops the spread of the illness.

The way that they explained this made it seem so exciting and it proves my point which I always have to argue with people that you can help and that you can make a different with out being a doctor in a hospital or a surgeon, that there are many more ways of helping with out being in the first line of duty.

To further my knowledge of biotechnology I am trying to see if there is a biotechnology firm with whom I can have an internship with or job shadow people from their firm for each of the different jobs which are in the industry of biotechnology and biochemistry. Unfortunately I am not having any lucky. Dyax and I had emailed each other a few times but I have not heard anything back from them yet about if it possible for me to do this at their firm. I am really hoping to hear back from them soon, whither or not it is going to happen.
I really enjoyed the amazing experience I was able to have and I am very glad we got to interview with so many people. It really was excited and gave me a whole different out look on the medical profession. Thank you Mr. and Ms. Saxe for everything you did!!!