Medical Biotechnology Science Projects (Page 2)

Drugs & Genetics: Why Do Some People Respond to Drugs Differently than Others?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In a survey conducted from 2007 to 2010, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 49% of people in the United States had taken at least one prescription drug during the past month, and about 22% of people had taken three or more prescription drugs. People are prescribed drugs all the time, but prescriptions can be dangerous because people can have different responses to drugs. These responses largely have to do with genetic mutations. Why are some genetic… Read more

Fighting the Flu: How Your Immune System Uses Its Memory

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Being sick is no fun, especially when your friends are doing exciting activities that you have to miss out on. Thankfully, common illnesses usually last for just a few days, and then you start to feel better. Why is this? It is thanks to the immune system, which is a group of special organs and cells in your body that constantly work to keep you healthy. In this science project, you will make a simple model to investigate how the immune system defends the human body from common illnesses, and… Read more

Foldit: Playing a Game While Solving Protein Structures

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Unlocking the three-dimensional structure of a protein is crucial to help scientists understand how it functions in our bodies and how it can cause devastating diseases if it becomes disrupted or interacts in the wrong way. However, figuring out the structure of a protein in three-dimensional space can be very challenging. Proteins are the functional units of our cells, and every protein is made up of a long chain of amino acids. Amino acids come in different shapes and sizes, and they have… Read more

From Genes to Genetic Diseases: What Kinds of Mutations Matter?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Our genes are made up of hundreds to millions of building blocks, called DNA nucleotides, and if just a single nucleotide of DNA becomes mutated it might cause a devastating genetic disease. But sometimes a mutation actually does no damage. What kinds of mutations have to occur to cause a genetic disease? In this science project, you will explore online genetic databases to identify how a mutation in a gene can result in a dysfunctional protein, and how other mutations may have no effect at all. Read more

How Antacids Relieve Heartburn

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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 antacids work, and how effective are they? In this… Read more

How Are Antibodies Used for Blood Typing?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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

How Direct Reprogramming Can Transform One Type of Cell Straight into Another

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In the first decade of the 21st century, scientists found ways to make one adult cell type turn into a completely different cell type. This has huge implications for the medical field, including being able to take some cells that a person could spare, such as skin cells or blood cells, and turn them into another cell type that might be much more important for that person to have, such as cells to make a new kidney. How are scientists able to accomplish this amazing feat of "reprogramming" the… Read more

Modeling the Chances of Getting an Autoimmune Disease

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you know someone who has an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune diseases are fairly common, affecting more than 23.5 million people in the United States, which is about 1 in 13 people! You may have heard of some of them, such as diabetes (type 1), rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. Many autoimmune diseases are poorly understood, but they all have one thing in common: they happen because a person's immune system (which normally fights off germs to keep the person healthy) attacks the… Read more

Ow, My Tummy Hurts! The Biology and Chemistry of Gas Relief

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why bubbles form when you mix soap and water? Is it possible to mix soap and water without making bubbles? Medical doctors actually study similar questions when they treat patients who have too much gas trapped in their digestive system, which can cause pain and bloating and also signal a serious medical problem. Some drugs, including one called simethicone, can help relieve extra gas in the digestive system. In this science project you will find out how simethicone… Read more

The Importance of Making Sure a Drug's Aim Is True

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Scientists recently found that some small drugs can stop infection by the deadly Ebola virus in its tracks. Lab researchers found that these drugs bind to a protein that the Ebola virus uses to enter our cells, and this is how infection is prevented. However, this also means that the bound protein no longer functions in our cells. How might these drugs accidentally disrupt important biological processes in our bodies? What other proteins might these drugs bind to? In this science project,… Read more

Medical Biotechnology Science Projects (24 results)

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