BIOLOGY
LS1001
2023-24 : AUTUMN
SECTION 5/ SLOT TA
Lecture 2
Introduction to Biology in Engineering
Dr Bijesh K Biswal
Department of Life Science
NIT Rourkela
28th August 2023
Syllabus
1. Introduction to application Biology in engineering science
2. Brief introduction to different organism (only five kingdom classification)
3. Cells
a. Unicellular organism
b. Multicellular organism
c. Cell theory – History, Classical and Modern concepts
4. Cell Morphology
a. Prokaryotic cells and its classification based on shape, nutrition and cell wall
b. Introduction to Archaea: only their habitat and functions in environment
c. Eukaryotic cells and its classification – Animal cells, plant cells, fungi and single celled eukaryotes
5. Cell Anatomy
a. Ultrastructure of prokaryotes
b. Ultrastructure of eukaryotes – Animal and plant cells
6. Cell multiplication
a. Prokaryotic multiplication - Asexual reproduction – Binary fission and Budding (Prokaryotes and few eukaryotes)
b. Eukaryotic cell multiplication – Cell cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis along with introduction the check point names
7. Biomolecules
a. Proteins – amino acid basic structure and types, protein structure and functions of proteins in living organism
b. Carbohydrates – sugar structure and types, polysaccharides types, glycoconjugates introduction, metabolism of
carbohydrates introduction and introduction to glycolysis and TCA, function of carbohydrates in living organism
c. Lipids – Fatty acids structure, type of lipids, function of lipid in living organism – e.g. hormone, cholesterol in cell wall,
lipoprotein in transportation of lipids, energy etc
d. Nucleic acids – Nucleoside, nucleotide, DNA structure and function – Chargaff’s rule, Watson and crick base pairing,
hydrogen bond, DNA melting and DNA as genetic material, RNA structure, types and functions, genome organisation
8. Central dogma of molecular biology
a. Replication
b. Transcription 2
c. Translation
Mechanical Engineering and Biology
Three major areas
Biomechanics
Study of mechanics of how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments
or skeletal system work together to produce movement of a living
body with response to external forces and stimuli.
Sports biomechanics -
assist in improving the level of athletic performance, eliminating
muscle imbalances, and reducing injuries
Occupational biomechanics -
understand and optimize mechanical interaction of workers with the
environment in the industries
Design of artificial implants (hearts, blood vessels)
Engineering of living tissues (such as heart valves and intervertebral discs)
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Mechanical Engineering and Biology
Nanomechanics
Deals with the simulations and measurements of mechanical behaviours of
nanomaterials at nanoscale levels, which is used in biology and medicine.
For example, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are used in drug delivery for
its high precision
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
Engineering tool that connects mechanics to mathematics and software
programming to execute simulation performing how a fluid (liquid or gas) flows
Virtual reconstructions, and simulation of different human organs,
pulmonary system etc through CFD help to predict associated
parameters and functions.
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Electronics Engineering and Biology
Bioelectronics
The electronics engineering principles are applied to biology, medicine, behaviour
or health.
Two Aspects
Application of electronics to Using biological system or
problems in biology, & medicine etc. molecules (pigments, proteins,
DNA etc) in electronics.
Example:
Bioelectrontic implant device used to Example:
reduce chronic pain in the body due to consists of almost 67% of all the
lack of Gamma aminobutyric acid dyes used for denim production
(GABA) that works as a
neurotransmitter in human brain. Indigo, a naturally occurring
Device transmits electric currents into pigment produced by plants
GABA, because of which GABA is possess semi-conductor
dispersed properly to the damaged properties.
nerves, and pain is relieved. Used in making biomaterial-
based devices
Glucometer, a portable device used to organic transistors, diodes
measure blood sugar levels in patients or solar cells etc.
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Electrical Engineering and Biology
Robotics
Example: Bio-bot
6 mm-long living tissue robots (hydrogel, rat cardiac cells)
powered by muscle cells, controlled with electrical and optical pulses
Roam in the body to deliver drugs, detect disease or remove pieces of tissue
Signal and image processing for medical imaging
Examples:
Ultrasound – superficial organ structures
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging)- images of the organs and tissues in the
body.
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Computer Science Engineering and Biology
What are you made up of? DNA bases (biological data)
How many? 3 billion
Bioinformatics integrates
computer science, biology,
statistics, mathematics, and
medical sciences etc to
understand the biological system
or to solve biology-based problems
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Civil Engineering and Biology
Have you ever heard of using biological entities and concepts in civil
engineering? Probably, No.
Bioconcrete
Concrete prepared through the addition of bacteria (e.g. Bacillus),
and calcium lactate that aids in sealing the cracks that appear in it.
When concrete structure has cracks, water seeped into it that
activate bacterial spores to germinate. Then, the bacteria start
consuming the calcium lactate, which gets converted into insoluble
limestone that solidifies on the cracked surface, thereby sealing it up
Environmental engineering
Deals with issues related to the environment and protecting organisms from
the effects of adverse environmental effects, such as pollution (soil, water,
air) and waste materials from industries and other places, as well as improving
quality of the environment by water resource management, bioremediation etc.
Civil engineer contributes to environmental engineering through design,
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construction and maintenance of facilities that are essential in solving
environmental problems.
Chemical Engineering and Biology
Biofuels (biodiesel, hydrogen, ethanol
etc) have been successfully produced
using starches, sugars, or wastes by the
help of microorganisms
Antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin,
and many more which we usually take
when ill are produced in large scale from
bacteria using fermentation technologies
that are part of chemical engineering
Wine production – Fermentation of
cultivated grape Vitis vinifera by Yeast
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
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Ceramic Engineering and Biology
Manufacture objects from inorganic and non-metallic materials which are now
used as components in smartphones, computers, televisions, automotive
electronics, and medical devices etc
Bioceramics
Ceramics used for the repair and reconstruction of human body parts, such as
synthetic bones and dental implants etc.
Hydroxyapatite (HA), a bioceramic reinforced by polyethylene composites,
used as synthetic bone substitute
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Mining Engineering and Biology
Have you ever thought whether microbes help to mine metals?
Biomining
Process in mining engineering that deals with
extraction of metals of from rock ores, mineral
concentrates, or mine waste by using
microorganisms
This was adopted seeing some rock-munching
bacteria, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
iron- and sulfur-oxidizing microbes are usually used
in biomining which oxidizes minerals containing
insoluble metal sulfides such as Fe2S, CuS, NiS,
and ZnS into their soluble sulfate forms, e.g.,
Fe2SO4, CuSO4, NiSO4, and ZnSO4, respectively.
Metals are recovered from the metal sulfates that
are biomined into the water, cleaning up the mining
sites.
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Material Science and Engineering in Biology
Contributes to devising tools for research in biology, and biomedicine.
Examples: capillary electrophoresis used in DNA sequencing
Microfluidic devices used in crystallizing proteins
Designing synthetic devices for replacement of damaged organs
Uses materials of biological sources for making materials for different
purposes. E.g., poly (lactic acid) and chitin are used for synthesizing
nanoparticles and biodegradable packaging materials.
Biomimetic system
Example: bioadhesives from marine mussels has ability to function in
wet environments
works on the same principles as mussels attaching to underwater
surfaces and insects maintaining structural balance and flexibility
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BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
Biological Engineering or bioengineering is an
interdisciplinary discipline that focus on the application of
engineering principles/disciplines (chemical, mechanical,
electrical etc.) to develop solutions (product or process) for
wide variety of problems in biology. E.g., artificial limbs
• Biomedical engineering
Also contributed by many disciplines of engineering including
mechanical, chemical, electronics, electrical etc.
More specialized version or sub-discipline of biological
engineering
Focused on the production of new tools and processes that can
be used to improve human health.
E.g., hearing aids, heart pacemaker, etc.
Biotechnology
uses biological organisms and their products to manufacture
useful materials (sustainable crops, genetically engineered
food, vaccines and antibiotics etc.).
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BIOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Synthetic biology
Combines biology with engineering/industrial design
Considers living systems as programmable at the genetic level and offers the
possibility of applying systematic design approaches to constructing new
biological systems or cells with human-defined functions
Synthetic yet ‘natural’ biomaterials that are sustainable and do not require
animals or spiders/silkworms
Living medicines: engineering of living cells, including bacteria, to perform
therapeutic functions inside or on the surface of the body.
products
designing
automation
components or parts are combined
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based on the design specification
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
Biomimicry or Biomimetics refers to manmade models, systems, processes,
substances, or devices that are inspired from nature.
The engineers have applied lessons from biology to build a more efficient digital camera
inspired by the human retina of the eye.
The design of turbine blades of the windmill mimics the ‘tubercles’ on the pectoral flippers
of humpback Whale that facilitate improvement in lift and energy efficiency in addition to
reducing in drag.
The alliance between biology and different engineering branches give rise to new
solutions or disciplines.
John Bardeen who was awarded the Nobel prize twice in 1956, and 1972 was an engineer
who had done a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.
Bioelectronics uses biological system or molecules such as pigments, proteins, DNA etc
in electronics.
Bioceramics such as hydroxyapatite are used for repair and reconstruction of human
body parts, such as synthetic bones and dental implants etc.
Biological Engineering or bioengineering is an interdisciplinary discipline that focus on the
application of engineering principles/disciplines (chemical, mechanical, electrical etc) to
develop solutions (product or process) for wide variety of problems in biology. 15
Characteristics, Origin, Hierarchy, and
Classification of Life Forms
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Outlines
1. Characteristics of Living Things
2. Diversity and Complexity of Life Forms
Levels of Organisation of Life
Classification of Organisms
Taxonomy
Linnaeus’s Classification and Binomial Nomenclature Systems
Characteristics of Living Things
Cellular organization – made up of cells
Nutrition
Respiration
Movement
Excretion
Growth (size and number)
Reproduction
Homeostasis
Adaptation
Respond to the environment
# Homeostasis
Maintaining the same state
Homeo = same, steady
Stasis = state
Examples:
Water balance inside and outside of cell
Human body temperature
Blood pH is tightly regulated (7.40).
Pancreatic hormones work to regulate blood glucose.
Cells function best when these are in balance
# Adaptation
Changing to meet the needs of the environment
Examples:
Bird migration ? - behavioral adaptation
food, nesting places
Human body temperature - physiological adaptation
Hibernation ?- physiological adaptation
(conserve energy to survive adverse weather conditions
or lack of food; Frog)
# Respond to Environment
• Stimulus - a change in the environment
– Eg. light, heat, pH, vibration, smell, etc.– earthworms respond to all
of these.
• Response - reaction to the change.
– Eg. pupils get smaller.
• Essential for any organisms to-
– Escape predators
– Find food
– Move to light
– Move away from toxins
– Find a mate
In summary, living organisms:
are composed of cells (Cellular Organization)
are complex and ordered (Ordered Complexity)
respond to their environment (Sensitivity)
can Grow, Develop and Reproduce
obtain and use energy (Energy Utilization)
maintain internal balance (Homeostasis)
allow for Evolutionary Adaptation
Levels of Organisation of Life
Classification of Organisms
Unicellular (Amoeba, bacteria, protozoa, and yeast) and
multicellular (animals, plants, fungus)
Prokaryotes (most primitive organisms) and eukaryotes
Autotrophs (synthesise their own food), heterotrophs (cannot
synthesise their own food), and lithotrophs (uses inorganic
compounds, nitrifying/iron-oxidizing bacteria)
Aminotelic (aquatic animals including fishes), Ureotelic
(mammals, adult amphibians, sharks, and marine cartilaginous
fishes), and Uricotelic (birds, insects, land snails, many reptiles)
Disclaimer
All the materials are collected from different sources. The slides
are only for teaching purposes. Do not share in private places.
