What are Examples of Modern Biotechnology?
With time, humans have worked thoroughly on improving technologies, especially modern ones. Modern biotechnologies worked on making valuable products from whole organisms or parts of organisms, such as cells, tissues, molecules, and organs.
Developments in biotechnology contain genetically modified plants and animals, cell therapies, and nanotechnology.
These products are not in everyday use but may benefit us in the future. However, biotechnologies are important to have an essential role in meeting human needs and demands in medicine, agriculture, forensics, bioremediation, biocontrol, and biosecurity.
Some examples of biotechnologies are found below:
Medicine
Gene modification or transgenesis creates human therapeutic proteins in cells or whole organisms. The organism or cell used depends upon how complex and enormous the protein is.
Human insulin, for example, a small protein employed to treat diabetes, is made in genetically engineered bacteria. In contrast, large and more complex proteins like antibodies or hormones are built-in mammalian cells or transgenic animals.
Vaccines and antibiotics are products of microorganisms that are used to treat diseases. Manipulating vaccines is part of biotech, so they are more effective or can be provided by different routes.
Gene therapy technologies are being invented to treat diseases like Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and cystic fibrosis. In New Zealand, gene therapy is being employed to target and kill cancer cells with fewer side effects.
Xenotransplantation is the transplanting of tissue, organs, or cells from one species into another. Cells from a unique, virus-free population of pigs are used to treat people with type 1 diabetes in New Zealand.
Agriculture
Some of the new biotechnology in food are plants and animals that can be improved by selectively breeding for particular traits or genetic modification. Beneficial characteristics can be identified visually or by DNA profiling.
For example, farmers prefer plants with herbicide or insect resistance, tolerance to different growing environments, or improved storage, or they may wish for livestock with better meat and wool or resistance to disease.
Bioremediation Clean Up Pollution in Soil
Organisms or parts of organisms are used to clean up water, soil, or air pollution. Bioremediation was suggested as an effective way of removing the toxin DDT from the ground in New Zealand.
Modern Biotechnology Examples such as human insulin, a small protein used to treat diabetes, are made in genetically engineered bacteria. In contrast, large, more complex proteins like hormones or antibodies are produced in transgenic animals or mammalian cells. Vaccines and antibiotics are products of microorganisms that are used to treat diseases.
Biotechnology uses organisms or parts of them in order to create a product that meets a specific human need. The process raises social and ethical issues that are important to discuss.
Summary
Traditional and modern biotechnology will expand more and more to reach new fields and create new products, as humans are always curious to learn new ways of biotechnology and improve human presence on earth.
This process is essential for the masses to advance in the many fields that make a significant impact on their daily lives.
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