University of Alabama Birmingham agricultural science

Biotechnology Programs

Biotechnology uses the DNA of living organisms to bioengineer new products artificially. Depending on the tools and applications, it often overlaps with the related fields of biomedicine, pharmacology, and genetic engineering. Modern biotech methods are used to manufacture existing medicines more easily, in order to treat human diseases. Further, biotechnology has enabled emerging techniques like gene therapy. Stem cell research offers new hope in the areas of cancer treatment as well as life extension. The regulation of genetic engineering aims to assess and manage the risks of developing genetically modified organisms (GMO), including commercial food crops and fish. Although mired in ethical debate, the fast-growing field of biotech offers many employment opportunities.

At the smallest scale, mechanical engineering becomes nanotechnology, one goal of which is to build molecules and materials via microsynthesis. Current areas of mechanical engineering research in nanotechnology include nanofilters, nanofilms, and nanostructures such as microtubules. Self-assembly of these structures may lead to new breakthroughs in artificial tissue generation. Micron-scale mechanical components such as springs, gears, and heat-transfer devices are fabricated from a variety of substrate materials such as silicon, glass and polymers like SU8. Biomechanics applies traditional engineering methodology to the analysis of biological systems. By copying the efficiency of nature, the study of biomechanics aids in creating prosthetic limbs and artificial organs for medical application.