Bio Entrepreneur -- Biotechnology Industry Organization

Summary:

Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is the world's largest biotechnology organization, providing advocacy, business development and communications services for more than 1,150 members worldwide. Biotechnology members expand the boundaries of science to benefit mankind by providing better healthcare, enhanced agriculture, and a cleaner and safer environment. The mission of this organization is to be the champion of biotechnology and the advocate for its member organizations—both large and small.

Corporate members range from entrepreneurial companies developing a first product to Fortune 100 multinationals. BIO also represents state and regional biotech associations, service providers to the industry and academic centers.

Reflection:

Entrepreneurs support the society. Without them, the society will not be able to develop and improve. For instance, BIO represents an industry that has already provided more than 250 million people with benefits from more than 130 commercially approved drugs, biologics and vaccines. More than 75 percent of these medicines have been approved in the past six years. There are more than 350 biotech drug products and vaccines in late-stage clinical trials to treat more than 200 diseases, including various cancers, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

With BIO and other bio entrepreneurs, people can gain medical support and healthcare. Thus, we can continue to live in a healthy and safe environment.

Biotechnology Industry Organization website:

http://bio.org/

Lecture by Dr. Pamela Fong Optometrist

Last Thursday, my class was very honored to have an optometrist to conduct a lecture. The lecture is very interesting! It gives me a lot of information about different parts of eyes and their functions.

First, Dr. Fong gave us a little introduction about eyes. She said that eyes are important structures that connect information received to the brain. So, if a person finds it very hard to concentrate, he should go to see the eye doctor and have an eye check-up to see if his eyes work well.

After that, she explained the different eye parts by using an eye model. The model gave me a better concept of how our eyes look like. It also showed clearly what the inside of the eye contains.

She mentioned that the iris is used to block light and reduce distortion. When it is dark, it dilates because more light needs to get in. Also, the iris is unique. The clear, colorless transparent jelly that fills the eyeball behind the lens, which is vitreous humor, contains nutrients. The back of the eye is the retina. The retina is also unique. It contains a lot of rods and cones. If an eye is compared to a camera, the film will be the retina.

During the lecture, Dr. Fong showed the class a lot of eye photos. It was the first time I knew that an eye can actually tell at least three characteristics of a person. They are color (nationality), age, and distinguishability of myopia.

For instance, blonde people have light eyes and blue iris. People with high blood pressure have narrower arteries and thicker veins. People with diabetes have more yellow eyes. Besides these, I also learned one more thing. The grey ring around the eyeball in old people is actually cholesterol!

For myself, I have serious "near-sighted". The main reason for this is that my parents also have "near-sighted". My optometrist advised me to wear hard contact lenses to push down the degree of "near-sighted". I had worn contact lenses for many years, but I didn't like to wear them because they made me feel really uncomfortable. That's why I stopped wearing contact lenses anymore.

Know more about eyes!