NLM exhibit “From DNA to Beer” now at Dental Library!

The National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit “From DNA to Beer: Harnessing Nature in Medicine and Industry” is now at the LSU School of Dentistry Library!  Come explore the history of biotechnology, and peruse our selection of related books and articles.  The Dental Library is located on the third floor of the Administration Building, and the exhibit will be there from June 20th-July 8th.

This exhibition was developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.  Additional information about this exhibit can be found online:  https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/about/exhibition/fromdnatobeer.html.

MICROBES—tiny organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye—have altered human history. Life forms such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds can cause sickness or restore health, and help produce foods and beverages.

Scientists, in partnership with industry, have developed techniques to harness the powers of these microbes. In recent years, headline-grabbing technologies have used genetically modified bacteria to manufacture new medicines.

A glimpse into the past reveals a history of human enterprise that has adapted these tiny organisms for health and profit. This exhibition explores some of the processes, problems, and potential inherent in technologies that use life.