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Biotechnology is defined as the act of applying natural biological living systems, organisms, or operations by numerous industries for the purpose of learning about life sciences and modification of raw materials in the sector of pharmaceuticals and crops. The research is done in laboratories and the development using the available and current bioinformatics to explore and exploit any extant organisms. Using biotechnology, a high-value product could be formulated and manufactured. It can also be made available in the market after achieving patent rights and necessary approval. This technology is of immense importance to the modern world.
Importance and applications of biotechnology
Biotech has brought a revolution in the world ever since its existence. In the agriculture sector, biotechnology helps improve food quality and quantity. Bio-fertilizers contain living microorganisms that support and promote growth by elevating the availability of basic nutrients. Biotech crops (genetically modified crops) allow farmers to raise the yield and lower production costs. In the pharmaceutical sector, biotechnology is used extensively to create numerous innovative methods for recognising, dealing with, and averting diseases. It assists in inventing and developing novel drugs. It also helps in making vaccines through genetic engineering. In flora and fauna, biotechnology can invent new plant breeding methods with the help of artificial selection for generating many new plant species. These species are of fresh varieties with excellent and expected traits. The important advantages are increased crop production, increased quality, better taste and appearance of food, and less dependence on agrochemicals.
Biotech also has an important application in animal husbandry.
Certain animals were given birth using hybridisation techniques. These animals have DNA of two distinct species and have improved efficiency and production of egg and milk. Biotechnology is also helping humankind in managing pollution. Controlling pollution up to a certain limit is possible through bioremediation, biotreatment, and biodegradation of all the waste. (solid, liquid, or gaseous). Blue biotechnology deals with exploiting resources found in the sea to produce products. Green biotechnology is applied to processes related to agriculture. Red biotechnology is used in biotech in pharmaceutical industries. White biotechnology deals with manufacturing industrial chemicals. Yellow biotechnology is the use of biotech in the food industry.
History of biotechnology
From the very beginning, biotechnology has sustained a close connection with society. The history started with a technology that focused on beer brewing methods (zymotechnology). By World War 1, advancements in industrial fermentation techniques took place, and it gave biotechnology a rise. In the 1940s, the discovery of penicillin was the most noticeable event. Gradually by the 1980s, it grew into a real hopeful industry. By the 1990s, over 125 genetically engineered proteins had been formalised as drugs. In the years 2007-2008, due to global financial crises, investment in the sector declined. By 2011, investment improved again gradually. Genetic engineering reached agriculture in 1994. In the year 1998, around 30% of corn and cotton crops were produced from it.
Conclusion
The future of biotech has immense scope. It is a rough approximation that there will be 50-fold growth in biotechnology in the fourth industrial revolution. The sequencing of a human genome has become easier now due to biotechnology. It will become more advanced and cost-efficient due to biotech and advanced computers in the near future. The concept of gene therapy, where a defective or lost gene gets replaced by a normal one, will become more efficient and feasible due to biotechnology. It is analysed that pediatric cancer will become more preventable and detectable at an early stage using biotech in the future. Biotechnology will act as a tool for survival in the coming years.
