A Brief History of Biotechnology and its Uses in Industry

What is Biotech? Do you want a footer ? The use of living organisms to develop or make useful products…

History of Biotech Do you want a footer ? Humans have been involved in Biotech for a long time…  Selective breeding of plants and animals are maybe the earliest examples

History of Biotech Do you want a footer ? Humans have also been using yeast for fermentation for thousands of years…

Modern Applications Do you want a footer ? Biotechnology has applications in numerous industrial areas… For example  Medicine  Agriculture  Bioremediation

Biotech Applications in Medicine Drug production Pharmacogenomics Genetic Screening Gene Therapy

Drug Production Genetically engineered organisms are used to produce important proteins and enzymes used to treat disease  i.e. mass producing human insulin using genetically altered bacteria

Pharmacogenomics Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual’s genetics affect their response to drugs. Biotech applications make it possible for pharmaceutical companies to create drugs based on the proteins, enzymes and RNA molecules associated with specific genes and diseases.

Genetic Screening Examining DNA for mutated sequences associated with genetic disease

Gene Therapy May be used for treating, or even curing, genetic and acquired diseases using normal genes to supplement or replace defective genes or to bolster a normal function such as immunity

Biotech Applications in Agriculture Do you want a footer? Increased crop yields Increased “hardiness” of crops Increased resistance to pests

Biotech Applications in Agriculture Crop genomes can be modified so that they possess genes that make them more productive, hardy, and resistant.

Biotech Applications in Bioremediation Biotechnology is being used to engineer and adapt organisms, in an effort to find sustainable ways to clean up contaminated environments (i.e. oil spills). Biotechnology takes advantage of the versatility of microorganisms and their ability to degrade/convert pollutants/contaminants.

Summary Biotech is a burgeoning field with many industrial applications. The use of biotech in industry offers many exciting opportunities to improve our lives and productivity. The applicability of biotech in industry and its revolutionizing effects on society means increasing demands for individuals seeking careers in biotech.