Medical Biotechnology Project Ideas

How Are Antibodies Used for Blood Typing?
Have you ever heard about different blood types? Do you know what your blood type is? Antibodies help scientists determine different human blood types. This project is a practical introduction to the human immune system in which you will learn about what antibodies are, how they are formed, and how they can be used to identify different types of cells. Read more

Calcium Carbonate to the Rescue! How Antacids Relieve Heartburn
Have you ever experienced heartburn after eating a large, greasy meal? Or have you heard of someone complaining about heartburn pains? It's very common; over 60 million people in the U.S. have heartburn at least once every month. Heartburn pain usually results from stomach acids escaping from the stomach and irritating the esophagus above it. Luckily, there are medical drugs, called antacids, which can help relieve heartburn pain. But how do… Read more

I Love Ice Cream, But It Doesn't Love Me: Understanding Lactose Intolerance
What do pizza, milk shakes, and ice cream sundaes have in common, besides being delicious and loaded with calories? You might be surprised to learn that these foods, because they contain dairy products, cannot be eaten by the majority of people around the world. Dairy products contain the sugar molecule lactose, and the majority of people on the planet slowly begin to lose the ability to digest lactose after the age of 2. In this human biology… Read more

Antioxidants *
Antioxidants have become very popular in the news lately for their potential health and anti-aging properties. Antioxidants work by preventing oxidation reactions that produce free-radicals which can cause harm to the body. Try testing different vitamins for antioxidant activity. How do vitamins A, B, C, and E compare? Do some vitamins have more antioxidant activity than others? What are some other sources of antioxidants? Try testing extracts… Read more

Crime Scene Chemistry: The Kastle-Meyer Test for Blood
Police detectives use various scientific tools to analyze evidence at a crime scene. One of the classic tools is the Kastle-Meyer test for the presence of blood. This test is inexpensive, easy to perform, and provides quick results. The test provides evidence if red spots found at a crime scene are actually blood. But the investigator needs to be careful, since other substances can also give a positive result. In this crime scene chemistry… Read more