Molecular Medicine

Biochemistry Physiology Microbiology Genetics

Biochemistry• It is the study of chemical processes in living

organisms. • Biochemical processes give rise to the

incredible complexity of life. • Biochemistry include the genetic code (DNA,

RNA), protein synthesis, cell membrane transport, and signal transduction.

Physiology• It is the study of the functions of living

organisms.• This includes how organism’s, organ systems,

cells and biomolecules carry out the functions that exist in a living system.

Microbiology• It is the study of microorganisms, which are

microscopic, unicellular, cell-cluster organisms, viral vectors & plasmids etc.

• It involves the production of enzymes, vitamins, vaccines & the manipulation of microorganisms at the genetic and molecular level to generate useful products.

Genetics• Genetics is the study of genes, heredity,

variation in living organisms, molecular structure and function of genes, patterns of inheritance.

• Medical genetics seeks to understand how genetic variation relates to human health and disease.

Molecular Biology may be referred to as the backbone of the Molecular MedicineMolecular biology

Genomics

Recombinan

t DNA

PCR

DNA Microarray

Proteomics

Antibodies

Proteins

Molecular Medicine• Molecular medicine is a branch of applied biology it involves the use of

living organisms & bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine & other fields requiring bioproducts.

• It involves the identification of fundamental molecular & genetic errors of disease & to develop molecular interventions to correct them

• The understanding, diagnosis & treatment of many clinical conditions have been improved due to advances in molecular medicine.

• EXAMPLES:• Infectious Diseases (AIDS)• Cancer• Cystic Fibrosis• Hypertension• Diabetes mellitus• Organ Transplantation

Genomics (1.1)

• Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and study of interactions between loci and alleles within the genome.

Recombinant DNA Technology

This technology is used to make proteins.

Once the gene for a particular protein has been cloned, it is inserted into the genome of microorganisms.

Cloned proteins can also be inserted into cultured cells.

The first recombinant human protein produced was Human Insulin.

Others include growth hormone, erythropoietin, factor VIII etc.

ADVANTAGE OF RECOMBINANT PROTEINS– Minimized risk of infection transmission as in case of proteins purified

from human or animals.– They are not recognized by the immune system.

Examples of Recombinant Proteins & Therapeutic Uses

Examples Therapeutic Uses Human Insulin Diabetes Mellitus

Human Growth Factor Growth Hormone deficiency in children

Interferon – α Chronic Hepatitis A & C

Tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA) Myocardial Infarction

Erythropoietin Anemia in chronic renal failure

Factor VIII Hemophilia

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) Neutropenia following cancer chemotherapy

DNA Microarray• A DNA microarray also known as gene chip, DNA chip, or biochip is a

collection of microscopic DNA spots attached to a solid surface. These can be a short section of a gene or other DNA element that are used to hybridize a cDNA or cRNA sample (called target) under high-stringency conditions.

• Uses:– DNA microarrays are used to measure the expression levels of large

numbers of genes simultaneously. – To genotype multiple regions of a genome.– To measure changes in expression levels.– Tumor Profiling

Tumor Sampling Tumors are heterogeneous mixtures of different cell types,

including malignant cells with varying degrees of differentiation, blood vessels, and inflammatory cells. Two tumors with similar clinical stages can vary markedly in grade and in relative proportions of different elements (e.g., prostatic adenocarcinoma). Tumors of different grades might potentially differ in gene expression, and different markers can be expressed either by malignant cells or by other cellular elements. So the tumors can be differentiated by using DNA microarray technique.