McCabe Week 6: Biotech + Art

This week's material was very interesting while it demonstrated the connections between art and biotech. Biotechnology is defined as "the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc." (Oxford). Because biotech focuses mainly on genetic manipulations, many debate whether some of the practices and experiments are ethical or not. 


Professor Vesna's lecture videos were the most influential to me this week. She provided many examples of scientists and artists and what they have done or are working on that combine the two fields of art and biotechnology. One that really stood out to me was the Alba rabbit, better known as the "glowing" rabbit. This albino bunny had genes inserted from a fluorescent jelly fish, which made it glow a green color when exposed to blue light. Eduardo Kac, an artist, established Alba as his own art piece. This was a great example how modification of genes and animals can bring about the debate of ethics. In my personal opinion, I don't think testing on animals or any living species is okay if there is a chance of any harm to that test subject.



However, I do see how testing is sometimes necessary because discoveries like the glowing rabbit can lead to advances in science and medicine. In this case, the glowing property could be helpful for exploration of the human bodies. The reason why the Alba example really stood out to me is because my older sister worked in a cancer research lab last summer where they develop and study glowing properties to paint cancer cells. They do this in order to establish where cancer might be located in a person's body. I think that would be awesome if they found a safe and mandated way to use the glowing paint on patients because I know sometimes it is hard to only get rid of cancerous parts of a body during invasive surgeries. While this is only one example, it was exciting to hear about many others and make the connection of how biotech can relate and is embodied in art, and what advances in technology can come from it.




References

“Biotechnology.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/technology/biotechnology.

Magee, Caitlin. “Researchers Develop Low-Cost Cell Free Biotechnology.” Innovation News Network, 27 Feb. 2020, www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/researchers-develop-low-cost-cell-free-biotechnology/3873/.

“Oxford Languages and Google - English.” Oxford Languages, languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/.

“Transgenic Bunny by Eduardo Kac.” GNN - Genome News Network, www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/03_02/bunny_art.shtml.

“What Is Biotechnology?” BIO, www.bio.org/what-biotechnology.

Comments

  1. John SteenstraMay 9, 2021 at 7:20 PM

    I thought you provided very interesting insight into how doctors use special paints to mark cancer cells and aid in non-invasive surgeries. Cancer has proven to be a formidable opponent to scientists who are trying to find ways to stop it, and the publicity given to biotech research by artists in their labs could help raise awareness in the future.

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