We all know Sally: She is our daughter, our sister, our friend -- her health in the balance. In that moment, we're all looking for a solution, some hope. This 60-second spot begins and ends in Sally's hospital room. It takes us back in time to see the many people who contributed to the discovery, development, and approval of lifesaving medicine. Directed by Steve Dorst.
In this case study, we'll follow the process of developing an edible vaccine for the hepatitis B virus and explore practical details of genetic engineering techniques.
Genetic and biotechnology can improve food security, the environment and public health. Yet dramatic innovation can lead to unintended consequences and present ethical challenges. In theory, the study of genetics and related cutting edge sciences are widely celebrated. But in practice, the words "gene" and "genetic engineering" often stir fear and misunderstanding when applied to biomedicine and farming. Intricate science scares people who don't understand risk and complexity. What is the potential of agricultural and human genetics? The commitment of the GLP is to promote public awareness of genetics and science literacy.
But this tiny sample turned out to hold tremendous scientific value. It was from a person fortunate to survive the deadly Ebola virus outbreak of 2014. Walker and her colleagues wanted to know if they could identify some special antibodies in that person's blood. If this person had special Ebola-neutralizing antibodies, that might help explain why that person lived. The antibodies might also help provide a template for future development of a vaccine. Or, they could be the basis for genetically engineered copies that could be manufactured at large scale, stockpiled and used to rescue people newly infected in an outbreak.
Scientists may debate the accuracy of this equivalency, but most people agree that humans live many times longer than their furry friends. And, as it happens, these friends have features that uniquely qualify them to help us speed biomedical research.