Scope & Future of Biotechnology

I believe the world will be able to produce the food needed to feed the projected population of about 8.3 billion in the year 2025but it cannot be attained without permitting the use of technologies now available or without research to further improve and utilize new technologies, including biotechnology and recombinant DNA.
Norman Borlaug, Ph.D. Professor, Texas A&M University Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 1970

24.

Sustainable Development

Food Security

Nutritional Security

Health Security

Environmental Security

Livelihood Security

Route

Biotechnology

Its Scope: Areas to be Focused Upon

Genomics Bioinformatics Agriculture, Plant and Animal Biotechnology Bioprocesses, Product Development, and Bioinstrumentation Environment and Biodiversity

Medical Biotechnology

Bio fuels

Nano Biotechnology

Bio sensors

Bio safety, Ethical and Proprietary Issues

Immunotechnology

Stem cell techniques

New DNA technologies

Biological Warfare

Institutional Development

Human Resource Development

 Genomics
To generate diagnostic and therapeutic products for dreadful diseases like malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, cancer and brain disorders by exploiting the knowledge created by Human Genome Sequencing and also that of some pathogenic organisms and parasites. Identifying genomic factors responsible for genetic disorders. Development of molecular diagnostics and personalised drugs for the treatment, understanding of the biochemical pathways of the diseases leading to a safe and powerful treatment regime. Creation of microarray facilities for defining the expression and functions of genes.

 Bioinformatics
Development of new algorithms, softwares and tools for data mining and data warehousing applications especially related to human, plant and microbial genomes. Establishment of small software groups and companies to develop competence for identification of useful genes. These goals would be realised through an institutional framework of a national-level autonomous bioinformatics centre. Training of personnel would be expanded many fold to train atleast 200 personnel per year to have a core group of 1000 trained experts in five years.

 Agriculture, Plant and Animal Biotechnology

Yield enhancement Nutritional quality improvement Biofertilizers and Biopesticides Bioprospecting and Molecular Taxonomy Plant Tissue Culture Herbal Drugs and Nutraceuticals Animal Biotechnology

(Science (2002) 295:1443)

 Environment and Biodiversity

Collection, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Bio-diversity Bioremediation Waste recycling and wasteland reclamation Development of biosensors, bioindicators. Ecosystem-specific projects with biotechnological interventions - desert, islands, coastal, mangroves and mountain, for damaged ecosystems.

 Medical Biotechnology
Continued efforts on newer vaccines specially for malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, HIV, rabies, and Japanese Encephalitis, which should be ready in the next 2-5 years. Multidisciplinary projects on gene therapy and stem cell research. Suitable, cost-effective diagnostics for infectious, genetic and malignant diseases/ disorders, low-cost kits for steroid and reproductive hormones. Developing strategies for prevention and cure of diseases induced by faulty diet, lifestyle and immunological disorders such as juvenile diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity and anaemia. Molecular medicine approaches for cancers and cardiovascular disorders. Research into reproductive human health and contraception.

 Bio fuels
Biofuels are gaining increased public and scientific attention, driven by factors such as oil price hikes and the need for increased energy security. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases.

 Bioprocesses, Product Development,

and Bioinstrumentation
Bioprocesses have become widely used in several fields of commercial biotechnology, such as production of enzymes (used, for example, in food processing and waste management) and antibiotics. Can be loosely divided into four major areas: (1) large-scale food processing, (2) the manufacture of fine chemicals and small-molecule pharmaceuticals, (3) the production of recombinant protein therapeutics (biologics), and (4) the generation of renewable energy.

 Nano -Biotechnology
Nanobiotechnology, refers to the ways that nanotechnology is used to create devices to study biological systems. Helping modern medicine progress from treating symptoms to generating cures and regenerating biological tissues.

 Bio sensors
A biosensor is an analytical device, used for the detection of an analyte that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector. A common example of a commercial biosensor is the blood glucose biosensor Environmental applications e.g. the detection of pesticides and river water contaminants such as heavy metal ions[. Remote sensing of airborne bacteria e.g. in counter-bioterrorist activities. Detection of pathogens Determining levels of toxic substances before and after bioremediation Determination of drug residues in food, such as antibiotics and growth promoters, particularly meat and honey.

 Bio safety, Ethical and Proprietary Issues

Establishing transparent, expeditious and scientific principles of bio safety and rigorous implementation of the bio safety guidelines to be ensured. Wherever necessary, testing, containment and certification facilities to be established. For safeguarding ethical, legal social and economic issues relating to biotechnology research, product testing of GM food, labeling, policy guidelines to be perfected and regionally implemented. Disseminating knowledge and safeguarding Intellectual Property Rights.

Immunotechnology
Such as monoclonal antibodies (MABs) for diagnosis and therapy. Organ transplantation Stem cell techniques: Which would involve purification and isolation of stem cells from various tissues and develop into the desired tissue which could then be used, for example, for transplantation. Stem cells can be either totipotent (have the capability to produce any desired cell type or organ of the body under specific conditions) or they could be pluripotent (able to develop into several though not all cell types or organs).

 New DNA Technologies

These include DNA fingerprinting, sequencing of genomes, development and use of new molecular markers for plant identification and characterization. Also the development of DNA based probes for diagnosis of inherited disorders, antisense technologies that are aimed at blockage of the function of a particular stretch of DNA and computing using DNA. DNA vaccines: Which would be much cheaper than protein antigen-based vaccines that are generally used today

 Biological Warfare
This is defined as the employment of biological agents to produce casualties in man or animals or damage to plants. Prompt diagnosis and early interventions could reduce morbidity and mortality, and mitigate the effects of a biological attack.

 Institutional Development
Biotechnology parks, repositories, hardening units, genome sequencing facilities, new centres of excellence as per the need to be created. Strengthening of existing infrastructure facilities with expansion wherever necessary. Creation of centres of excellence in frontier areas in existing institutions, and where necessary, start new centres in carefully chosen frontier areas.

 Human Resource Development

A major expansion of human resource development programmed to cover all the universities and in some cases, even colleges to introduce biotechnology education and training. Developing mechanisms for training of the faculty with the provision of 50 teachers per year for a period of 5 years. At least 1000 students per year would be trained to generate a strong work force of 15000-20000 in ten years. Short term and long term training for target groups, young scientists and industry

Research Associate
Academics/ Educational Institutions

Research Scientist

Future
Business development manager

Engineer
(Chemical, Electrical, Environmental and Industrial)

Marketing

Sales represent -ative

Top Companies of Biotechnology in India

Biocon Panacea Biotec Wockhardt Nicholas Piramal GlaxoSmithKline Serum Institute of India Bharat Serum Zydus Pharmaceuticals Cadila Pharmaceuticals Krebs Biochemicals and Industries Limited Indian Immunologicals