Component 1
Task 1: (200-300 word history about the National Critical Technology technical application that my team has selected to solve a local or national problem)
Our group has teamed up to solve a problem that is well known around the nation, if not, the world. That problem is a disease called Halitosis, or more commonly referred to as “bad breath”. This is a problem that is very well known to most of the people in America, and perhaps throughout the world as well. There have been multiple attempts to combat this condition, but the solutions that have been provided are only temporary ones. This is where our project steps into the spotlight: my team is proposing a permanent fix to Halitosis. We would provide the solution to Halitosis by the use of antibodies that are already inside the human body. Since the antibody’s role in the body is to attack and to prevent diseases, we are looking to make the antibodies attack/prevent the bacteria that causes Halitosis. This would, in turn, suggest a permanent solution to a reoccurring problem. The bacteria that causes Halitosis comes from the foods we eat, what causes the smell is the amount of sulfur residue that is left in our mouths (caused by the bacteria). The antibodies would thus eliminate the bacteria, thus eliminating the sulfur, further on getting rid of the condition as a whole!
Task 2: Cite three detailed examples of research done in the past 3 to 5 years which focused on the NCT technical application your team selected. Include:
To start off, there has been little research done on treating Halitosis with antibodies. To restate earlier, people have only come up with temporary fixes to the problem; not a permanent solution. These two articles above were among the only ones that I could find with information pertaining to the subject of antibody treatment.
Task 3: Based on the research your team has done, explain how the NCT application chosen has advanced scientific knowledge.
Based on the research that my team has conducted, the NCT application that we have chosen has advanced our scientific knowledge by making us explore different fields that some of us have never even heard of. By doing this, we have gained a deeper understanding as to what research has been done of the topic of using antibodies in medicine, and how they can be used to treat people with certain diseases and even present cures in some cases.