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Biotechnology is the buzzword of the 21st century. It is the integration of biology and technology. It exploits biological components for large-scale production by manipulating their genetic composition. It is an extensive field that deals with producing substances that aid in uplifting sustainable development. It harnesses all the molecular and cellular processes to create technologies and products that can improve human life. It has a wide variety of applications in the fields of medicine, agriculture, food processing, etc.

Biotechnological applications in the field of medicine

With the advent of time, biotechnology and medicine are the terms that go hand in hand today. After completing the human genome project, the data and information generated from it have led to applications in several aspects of biotechnology in medicine, including: 

  1. Genetically engineered human insulin 

 The hormone insulin is used to treat diabetes mellitus. It was earlier extracted from the pancreas of slaughtered pigs and cattle. The animal insulin produced an immunological response or allergy in certain patients. The first human insulin was obtained from genetically engineered E.coli by an American company Eli Lilly in 1983. Humulin is 51-amino-acids long and organised into two polypeptide chains, A and B, joined together by disulphide bonds. It also has an additional C peptide segment cleaved off to form a single unit of proinsulin.

  1. Medically important proteins

The tissue plasminogen activator is a human protein synthesised in minute amounts to dissolve blood clots. They may prove their efficacy in preventing heart attacks and strokes. Atrial peptides aid in the treatment of blood pressure and kidney failure. Both of these proteins are formed by genetic engineering. Other recombinant proteins and hormones that are genetically engineered include follicle-stimulating hormone for superovulation or anovulation, DNAse I for treating cystic fibrosis, and clotting factors VIII and IX for haemophilia A and B, respectively. 

  1. Gene therapy

Gene therapy involves the treatment of a hereditary disorder caused by a single defective gene. It replaces the defective or lethal gene with a much healthier one. It is of two types:

  1. Germline therapy – a functional gene is introduced into the germ cells such as the sperm, ovum, or zygote for replacing the defective gene. It has not been used by humans till now but is carried out in farm animals.
  2. Somatic gene therapy – the functional gene is introduced into the somatic or normal mitotic cells.

Gene therapy is categorised into two broad divisions:

  1. Ex-vivo gene therapy – in this, the patient’s lymphocytes are extracted and cultured outside the body. A functional gene is introduced into a vector molecule and inserted into the lymphocyte. Now, this genetically modified lymphocyte is returned to the patient’s bloodstream. In due course of time, this functional gene takes over the defective gene.
  2. In-vivo gene therapy – in this, there is a direct gene transfer either locally to a particular organ or intravenously. This method involves directly transferring the genetic components into the targeted cell for treating mutations or missing genes.

  3. Piggyback vaccines

Genetically engineered harmless viruses are used to produce subunit vaccines. They are effective against viral diseases, such as hepatitis B, Herpes, and rabies, to name a few. These recombinant viruses create several copies in the cultured mammalian cells. Upon conversion to the rabbit or mouse body, they produce antibodies against those viruses, providing immunity.

  1. Molecular diagnosis

To check for predisposition to or detection of disease, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and monoclonal antibodies generated by recombinant DNA technology are used. 

  1. PCR is the gene or DNA amplification in a short period. It creates millions of copies to be assayed. This technique is used to detect any traces of DNA or the presence of bacteria or viruses in the initial stages of infection when even the disease symptoms have not started showing. It is used to detect HIV, AIDS, and gene mutations in patients with suspected cancer. 
  2. ELISA is based on antigen-antibody reactions. Infections can be detected from glycoproteins present on the antigens or the antibodies synthesised in response to the antigens.
  3. Monoclonal antibodies are used in the detection of cancer. They are synthesised by the popular hybridoma technology using the B cell or B lymphocyte and myeloma or cancer cells. These cells are then fused via electric pulses or chemical inducers.

  4. Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual’s genetic inheritance affects their body’s response to drugs. It leads to the production and design of drugs or medicines that are adapted to the genetic makeup of an individual. It has applications in illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular or heart-related disorders, HIV, diabetes, and asthma.  

Conclusion

The scope of biotechnology in medicine is vast. The USA itself has more than 200 registered companies that cater to this field. There are also many other aspects of biotechnology application in medicine apart from personalised medical treatments, vaccine productions, gene therapy, hormone, and protein synthesis. They are extended to several streams of biology. These include tissue culture, transgenic plants, and animal production for human welfare, the development of numerous antibodies, the creation of gene libraries, the development of environment-friendly bacteria to enhance soil fertility or reduce non-biodegradable wastes, in forensics for criminal identification, etc.