Week 6 BioTech+Art

This week's topic is quite attractive and very applicable in daily lives. Biology, technology and art construct a term called Bioart, which has become a term referring to intersecting domains of the biological sciences and their incorporation into the plastic arts. Of particular importance in bio art is to summon awareness of the ways in which biomedical sciences alter social, ethical and cultural values in society.

According to the lectures, Joe Davis' (the pioneer of bioart) had several prominent projects: First, the audio microscope, which allows the user to image particular living cells while simultaneously listening to their greatly amplified- and species - specific - microacoustic signatures. Done by quite a few of artists. Second, Ecoli (human depend on them for digestion) responds to sound wavelengths, which extends to microbiology and antibiotics to sound waves, and how to produce sound waves that are destructive to bacteria. And third, A map of milky way and a transgenic mouse. Moreover, mice can be in different colors due to transplant of certain protein or genome. These examples remind me of Genetically modified (GM) foods, which are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, through the introduction of a gene from a different organism. For instance, the fast growing salmon.

AquaBounty’s genetically modified salmon grows twice as fast as the conventional variety — the photo shows two same-age salmon with the genetically altered one in the rear. The company says the fish has the same flavor, texture, color and odor as a regular salmon. Genetically modified salmon has an added growth hormone from a Chinook salmon that allows the fish to produce growth hormone year-round. Recently, the FDA has approved its sale in the United States. 

According to the third part of the lecture about the blood war. I remember the lecture about transgenic animals from my high school AP Biology class. We specifically learned about the blood traits and the difference between dominant and recessive genotype and phenotype. The main concept is that any DNA or genome is different from its normal arrangement in an organism, there must be something different about this particular organism comparing to others. Here is a clip for details.

And last but not least, I relate this topic to organ transplant, more specifically called XENOTRANSPLANTATION, the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another, primarily plays a great role in rescuing lives in medical field. Its aim is to use cells or tissues from other species to treat life-threatening and debilitating illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, liver failure and Parkinson's disease. 

In all, I am really interested in this week's topic because I have a great desire to explore the knowledge about biology and technology, especially the interconnection between the two.

Sources:

1. "Food, Genetically modified." World health Organization. (2013): n. page. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. <http://www.who.int/topics/food_genetically_modified/en/>.

2. "Future food." Bionet. (2002): n. page. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. <http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/ff_cont3.htm>.

3. Moscovitch, Keren. "Bio Art." Visual Arts Press, Ltd. n. page. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. <http://www.sva.edu/special-programs/summer-residency-programs/bio-art>.

4. Occupy for animals. N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 8 Nov 2013. <http://www.occupyforanimals.org/uploads/7/7/3/5/7735203/7066002_orig.jpg>.

5. Science, Bonzeman. Genotypes and Phenotypes. 2011. video. YoutubeWeb. 8 Nov 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaovnS7BAoc>.