Biotechnology: Definition, Examples, Applications, and Benefits

Biotechnology tends to use biology together with technology to solve day-to-day problems and further improve the quality of life. It makes use of organisms, together with biological procedures, to develop new products and technologies that have beneficial uses in human beings, animals, plants, and even the environment. From medicine to agriculture, biotechnology has increasingly come to play a vital role in many industries nowadays.

What Is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a technique of making products or technologies by using living organisms, biological systems or principles of biology. For several centuries, human beings have utilised biological processes in producing ordinary things like bread, cheese, and wine. However, modern biotechnology goes beyond such traditional applications into genetics, medicine, agriculture, and industry to produce novel and ingenious products.

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Types Of Biotechnology

Biotechnology is divided into several types based on their application in various areas. Some major types include:

Medical biotechnology

It is the area of biotechnology in which biological techniques are adopted to improve human health. Living cells are used to form medicine, vaccines, and other drugs by scientists to help prevent and cure disease. Example -

• Biotechnology helps prepare vaccines and antibiotics that keep people away from diseases and infections.

• The scientists of gene therapy repair the faulty genes to restore them so that the patients can be cured of genetic disorders.

• This research provides the opportunity for doctors to replace or repair damaged tissues and organs, offering hope that such conditions as diabetes, heart disease, and injuries might be cured.

• Medical biotechnology has led to a new way of treating patients in correspondence with their unique genetic condition approach better known as personalised medicine.

Agricultural Biotechnology

• Agricultural biotechnology primarily deals with developing resistance in crops and animals through genetic alteration.

• Genetic alteration is the process by which scientists change the type of genes in plants or animals to make them more resistant or adaptive to a particular climate.

• Example: Some genetically modified crops, like Bt-cotton and Bt-brinjal, are developed with genes incorporated from a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, which is responsible for the plant's resistance against pests.

• Other possibilities with crop design are to make them thrive in harsh conditions, whether in drought, high salt, or cold temperatures, making their yield more reliable, especially in extreme weather conditions.

• Golden Rice is further enhanced with Vitamin A, which combats malnutrition in areas where the people's nutrition lacks this vital nutrient.

• With the help of agricultural biotechnology, enhancing crop yields and making plants more disease-resistant promotes higher food production and hunger-reduction.

Industrial Biotechnology

• Industrial biotechnology applies biological processes to manufacture various useful products, such as enzymes, detergents, and cosmetics.

• It also enables the development of biofuels- fuels made from plants and other organic matter that provide a cleaner, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

• One interesting example is the use of biotechnology in the manufacture of products such as spider silk, which is very strong. To this end, scientists have come up with a method of producing silk by extracting genes from spiders and introducing them to goats; therefore, the production of silk can easily be manufactured in goat milk.

Environmental Biotechnology

Environmental biotechnology relates to the use of biology in the protection and improvement of the environment. This includes the utilisation of:

• Bioremediation, whereby polluted areas are cleaned by the use of microorganisms.

• By applying biotechnology to produce degradable forms of plastics that would break down in the environment, thereby eliminating plastic waste.

• Production of renewable bioenergy resources, for instance, biofuels, substitution for the use of hazardous fossil fuels and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Biotechnology Principles And Processes

Alteration of genes, cells, and organisms to arrive at certain outcomes in biotechnology principles and processes falls under. These include skills like the use of recombinant DNA technology, cloning, and genetic engineering. What Karl Ereky is referred to as the father of biotechnology, laid down the foundation. He had envisioned applying biological processes in producing goods for industries.

Biotechnology Applications

Biotechnology has far-reaching applications in life. Some of the applications of biotechnology include:

Nutrition Improved Food

• Biotechnology also fortifies food with added vitamins and minerals lacking in regions where such nutrients are scarce.

• An example is the bioengineered variety known as Golden Rice, containing beta-carotene, a chemical converted by the body into Vitamin A.

• This vitamin helps improve eyesight along with other health problems.

Stress Tolerant Crops

• Biotechnology develops crops that can survive under harsh conditions.

• Such genetically modified crops may overcome drought, cold, salinity and other extreme conditions and ensure food production at places not well suited for farming.

Biofuels

• Biotechnology uses renewable and clean plant materials to produce biofuels.

• Because energy sources are highly sought after and need to be cleaner, they produce very fuel-vital dependence on fossil fuel and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Healthcare And Pharmaceuticals

• Biotechnology helps to develop new medicines and vaccines that improve health and combat the most crippling diseases.

• Many of the drugs and therapies used today, such as insulin to control diabetes, have been made by using biotechnology.

Biotechnology Innovation Organization

BIO being a global leader in promoting biotechnology innovation, advancing biotechnology research and development, and informing policy that fosters growth in the biotechnology industry, it connects companies and researchers providing solutions in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.

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Conclusion

Modern society integrates biotechnology, bringing life-changing solutions to medicine, agriculture, industry, and the environment. Biotechnology has long held much promise for the alleviation of most problems that continue to plague human society. Continuous discovery of principles and processes of biotechnology promises a bright future of innovation and progress.