What is Biotechnology Used For?

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Biotechnology is the study of living organisms to develop new drugs or materials. The use of microbes is common in industrial biotechnology. In producing alcohol, brewer’s yeast and enzymes are commonly used. The yeast metabolizes sugars and produces alcohol. Microbes are also used in other industrial processes.

Applications of biotechnology

Biotechnology is used in numerous applications, such as agriculture, forestry, medicine, and biofuel production. Its use has several benefits for the environment and is beneficial to the economy. For example, bacteria can produce biofuels from waste products such as sulfur liquor, a by-product of paper manufacturing. Biofuels can also be used as a source of energy in various industrial processes. Biotechnology can also be used for bioremediation, which uses microbes and plants to clean up oil spills.

The technology can help increase the production of foods while improving their taste and nutritional value. Food produced by biotechnology has fewer chemicals and pesticides than traditional farming methods. It can also produce food with higher amounts of vitamins and minerals and less fat, especially when cooked. It can even remove allergens and other toxins from food.

Sources

Biotechnology is a field of research that builds on basic biological sciences, such as molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, embryology, genetics, and microbiology. It provides new methods for studying life and developing materials and products. Among its uses is the development of therapies for human ailments.

The development of biotechnology requires specific government policies. These policies are generally well articulated, publicized, and implemented. For instance, the government of Egypt developed its National Strategy for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, which identified long and short-term goals for biotechnology research and specific disease targets. Governments have also provided research funding and assistance. In South Africa, for example, the South African Medical Research Council supported an AIDS vaccine initiative in the country.

While biotechnology may have its benefits, critics argue that its power threatens nature’s delicate balance. Critics point to the risks of GMOs, which can contaminate non-GMO crops and threaten biological diversity. In addition, they point to the mass production of biofuels, which has resulted in a rise in food prices. Other critics point to human health issues related to GM plants and animals, including the potential for antibiotic resistance and allergies.

Benefits

Biotechnology is a method of creating new plant varieties. It works to increase the yield of crops and improve medical science. However, this method comes at a price. The process can end up destroying valuable genetic diversity. It could also threaten the survival of certain species. It can be difficult to implement, and the cost of research and development could be prohibitive. As a result, many benefits of biotechnology are not widely available to the general public.

Biotechnology has helped diagnose diseases earlier and improve prognosis in many medical situations. Several tests are available today that are more sensitive and accurate than previous versions. A recent example is a new home pregnancy test that can provide more accurate results in a shorter amount of time. Similarly, new biotechnology-based tests can detect infectious diseases before symptoms appear.

Dangers

There are many concerns about biotechnology and the products it creates. But most Americans have not succumbed to the ideological scare campaigns targeting this field. Many who have questioned the safety of gene-spliced foods have no real understanding of the technology. They do not realize that genetic modification has been around for decades. Farmers, industries, and consumers have plenty of experience with it. Even the word “biotechnology” used to be used in a more general sense.

However, there are many benefits to biotechnology, and there are also some risks. Biotechnology is used in agriculture to introduce useful traits into crops. One example is pest-resistant corn. This type of corn helps to reduce the levels of fumonisin toxins, which are harmful to our bodies. In industrialized countries, fumonisin levels in food products are kept below dangerous levels through stringent testing and processing standards. However, in poorer regions, there is no such quality control.

Costs

Biotechnology companies typically have a small clinical indication for a new drug or technology before expanding it to a wider patient population. This process is essential for breakthrough innovation but also adds to the costs. The costs associated with biotechnology are largely unknown and have not been a focus of payers in the past two decades.

Tufts University’s Center for Study of Drug Development (CSDD) has developed the first comprehensive estimate of the average cost associated with developing a new biotechnology product. This figure includes the cost of failed biotech drugs and the time it takes to bring a new biopharmaceutical to market. The cost estimate includes both the capitalized preclinical and clinical period costs and indicates that a biotech drug takes an average of 97.7 months to develop. That figure is eight percent higher than for pharmaceuticals.

 

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