Explore every episode of the podcast The HSC Biology Podcast

Explain a range of causes of disorders by investigating the structures and functions of the relevant organs, for example:

• hearing loss
• visual disorders
• loss of kidney function

Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: (ACSBL100)

• hearing loss: cochlear implants, bone conduction implants, hearing aids
• visual disorders: spectacles, laser surgery
• loss of kidney function: dialysis

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Evaluate the effectiveness of a technology that is used to manage and assist with the effects of a disorder (ACSBL100)

Explain a range of causes of disorders by investigating the structures and functions of the relevant organs, for example:

• visual disorders

Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: (ACSBL100)

• visual disorders: spectacles, laser surgery

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Explain a range of causes of disorders by investigating the structures and functions of the relevant organs, for example:

• hearing loss

Investigate technologies that are used to assist with the effects of a disorder, including but not limited to: (ACSBL100)

• hearing loss: cochlear implants, bone conduction implants, hearing aids

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

• Evaluate, using examples, the benefits of engaging in an epidemiological study
• Use secondary sources to evaluate the effectiveness of current disease-prevention methods and develop strategies for the prevention of a non-infectious disease, including but not limited to:
  • educational programs and campaigns 
  • genetic engineering

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

• analyse patterns of non-infectious diseases in populations, including their incidence and prevalence, including but not limited to: – nutritional diseases – diseases caused by environmental exposure
• Investigate the treatment/management, and possible future directions for further research, of a non-infectious disease using an example from one of the non-infectious diseases categories listed above  
• Evaluate the method used in an example of an epidemiological study

  Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

  If you would like to support the show and buy me a coffee head on over to www.buymeacoffee.com/hscbiologypod 

Investigate the various mechanisms used by organisms to maintain their internal environment within tolerance limits, including:

• mechanisms in plants that allow water balance to be maintained 

investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans, including but not limited to:

• genetic diseases
• diseases caused by environmental exposure
• nutritional diseases
• cancer

Collect and represent data to show the incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of non-infectious diseases, for example:      

• nutritional diseases
• diseases caused by environmental exposure

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate the various mechanisms used by organisms to maintain their internal environment within tolerance limits, including:

• internal coordination systems that allow homeostasis to be maintained, including hormones and neural pathways (ACSBL112, ACSBL113, ACSBL114)

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate the various mechanisms used by organisms to maintain their internal environment within tolerance limits, including:

• trends and patterns in behavioural, structural and physiological adaptations in endotherms that assist in maintaining homeostasis

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Construct and interpret negative feedback loops that show homeostasis by using a range of sources, including but not limited to: (ACSBL101, ACSBL110, ACSBL111)

• temperature (ACSBL098)
• glucose

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Interpret data relating to the incidence and prevalence of infectious disease in populations, for example:

• mobility of individuals and the portion that are immune or immunised
• Malaria or Dengue Fever in South East Asia

Evaluate historical, culturally diverse and current strategies to predict and control the spread of disease

Investigate the contemporary application of Aboriginal protocols in the development of particular medicines and biological materials in Australia and how recognition and protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property is important, for example:

• Bush medicine
• Smoke bush in Western Australia

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Analyse responses to the presence of pathogens by assessing the physical and chemical changes that occur in the host animal's cells and tissues

Investigate and analyse the wide range of interrelated factors involved in limiting local, regional and global spread of a named infectious disease

Investigate procedures that can be employed to prevent the spread of disease, including but not limited to:

• hygiene practices
• Quarantine
• vaccination, including passive and active immunity
• public health campaigns  
• use of pesticides
• genetic engineering

Investigate and assess the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals as treatment strategies for the control of infectious disease, for example:

• Antivirals
• antibiotics

Investigate and evaluate environmental management and quarantine methods used to control an epidemic or pandemic

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Analyse responses to the presence of pathogens by assessing the physical and chemical changes that occur in the host animal's cells and tissues

Explain how the immune system responds after primary exposure to a pathogen, including innate and acquired immunity

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate and model the innate and adaptive immune systems in the human body Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate and model the innate and adaptive immune systems in the human body. Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate the response of a named Australian plant to a named pathogen through practical and/or secondary-sourced investigation, for example:

• fungal pathogens
• viral pathogens

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Assess the causes and effects of diseases on agricultural production, including but not limited to:

• plant diseases
• animal diseases

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate the work of Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur, to explain the causes and transmission of infectious diseases, including:

• Koch’s postulates
• Pasteur’s experiments on microbial contamination

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Describe a variety of infectious diseases caused by pathogens, including microorganisms, macroorganisms and non-cellular pathogens, and collect primary and secondary-sourced data and information relating to disease transmission, including:

• Investigate the transmission of a disease during an epidemic
• design and conduct a practical investigation relating to the microbial testing of water or food samples
• investigate modes of transmission of infectious diseases, including direct contact, indirect contact and vector transmission

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

EBola Article: https://www.livescience.com/ebola-lingered-survivor-sparked-outbreak.html

Sea Star Article: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-suffocating-sea-stars-wasting-disease-goo 

 Describe a variety of infectious diseases caused by pathogens, including microorganisms, macroorganisms and non-cellular pathogens, and collect primary and secondary-sourced data and information relating to disease transmission, including:

• classifying different pathogens that cause disease in plants and animals(ACSBL117)

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

This week I read through an overview of research on GM crops on biodiversity by Janet E. Carpenter. Full article here: https://training.fws.gov/resources/course-resources/pesticides/GMOs/impacts_of_ge_crops.pdf

This episode covers the following: Evaluating the changes to the Earth’s biodiversity due to genetic techniques.

Evaluate the effect on biodiversity of using biotechnology in agriculture.

Interpret a range of secondary sources to assess the influence of social, economic and cultural contexts on a range of biotechnologies. Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

This weeks article is about the current state of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and the social and ethical concerns that are being raised.  Link to original article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7129066/ 

Investigate the uses and advantages of current genetic technologies that induce genetic change

Compare the processes and outcomes of reproductive technologies, including but not limited to:

- artificial insemination

- artificial pollination

Investigate and assess the effectiveness of cloning, including but not limited to:

-       whole organism cloning

-       gene cloning

Describe techniques and applications used in recombinant DNA technology, for example:

- the development of transgenic organisms in agricultural and medical applications(ACSBL087) Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

This episode goes through 'Gene Drives'. This is biotechnology designed to ensure favourable traits pass through a population.  Article is taken from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210306113147.htm

Key Point 'Assess the significance of ‘coding’ and ‘non-coding’ DNA segments in the process of mutation.' Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

This article is about the use of a second-generation CRISPR tool called 'gene editors' in order to make changes to single bases in the DNA to cure a condition called progeria. 

Investigate the uses and applications of biotechnology (past, present and future), including:(ACSBL087)

-   analysing the social implications and ethical uses of biotechnology, including plant and animal examples

-   researching future directions of the use of biotechnology

-   evaluating the potential benefits for society of research using genetic technologies Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

In this episode, I read through an article by Avir Mitra, on the role of viral proteins in the development of the placenta.  https://whyy.org/segments/the-placenta-went-viral-and-protomammals-were-born/ Journal Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6177113/ 

Evaluate the effect of mutation, gene flow and genetic drift on the gene pool of populations. Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Compare the causes, processes and effects of different types of mutation, including but not limited to:

-       point mutation

-       chromosomal mutation

Distinguish between somatic mutations and germ-line mutations and their effect on an organism. Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Investigate the use of data analysis from a large-scale collaborative project to identify trends, patterns and relationships,  for example:

-        population genetics relating to human evolution.

Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Inquiry Question: How does mutation introduce new alleles into a population? Explain how a range of mutagens operate, including but not limited to:

-       electromagnetic radiation sources

-       chemicals

-       naturally occurring mutagens Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

An awesome interview with Lauren McKnight from the Garvan Institute on all things genetic sequencing, profiling and genotyping.  Covering the following key point: Investigate the use of technologies to determine inheritance patterns in a population using, for example: (ACSBL064, ACSBL085)

- DNA sequencing and profiling (ACSBL086) Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Model the formation of new combinations of genotypes produced during meiosis, including but not limited to:

–    constructing and interpreting information and data from pedigrees and Punnett squares

Collect, record and present data to represent frequencies of characteristics in a population, in order to identify trends, patterns, relationships and limitations in data, for example:  

–      examining frequency data

–      analysing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Model the formation of new combinations of genotypes produced during meiosis, including but not limited to:

–    interpreting examples of autosomal, sex-linkage, co-dominance, incomplete dominance and multiple alleles.  Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Covering the following points:

• Conduct practical investigations to predict variations in the genotype of offspring by modelling meiosis, including the crossing over of homologous chromosomes, fertilisation and mutations
• Also went through Independent Assortment and Random Segregation Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Transcription and Translation

Importance of mRNA and tRNA

Function/importance of polypeptide synthesis 

Genes/environment affect phenotypic expression 

Structure/function of proteins Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Key points addressed:

• Assess the effect of the cell replication processes on the continuity of species
• Construct appropriate representations to model and compare the forms in which DNA exists in eukaryotes and prokaryotes Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Covering the following points: Model the processes involved in cell replication, including but not limited to:

• mitosis and meiosis
• DNA replication using the Watson and Crick DNA model, including nucleotide composition, pairing and bonding  Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Key points from the podcast:

Analyse the features of fertilisation, implantation and hormonal control of pregnancy and birth in mammals

Evaluate the impact of scientific knowledge on the manipulation of plant and animal reproduction in agriculture (ACSBL074)   Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au

Module 5 Heredity: Covering Point 1

'Explain the mechanisms of reproduction that ensure the continuity of a species, by analysing sexual and asexual methods of reproduction in a variety of organisms, including but not limited to' Thanks to STEM Reactor for sponsoring this podcast. They provide everything you need to do biotechnology at school, check them out at www.stemreactor.com.au