Traditional and Modern Biotechnology

Biotechnology

Ø  “bio” stands for biology, the science of life and “technology” – the tools and techniques used to achieve a particular purpose.

Ø  Any technique that uses living organisms or parts of the organisms to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific use.

Ø  Its scope of application covers agriculture, industry, medicine, environment, and other fields utilizing innovative technologies.

Traditional and Modern Biotechnology

Ø  Consists of current well-established and widely used commercial processes based on properties of living organism.

Ø  Includes the following processes:

·         Brewing

·         Silage making

·         Dairy products

·         Food fermentation

·         Animal vaccine production

Modern Biotechnology

Ø  Involves the integration and use of complex techniques and procedures with the well- established approaches of traditional biotechnology.

Ø  Includes the following processes:

1.       Genetic engineering

·         also termed as “genetic manipulation”.

·         involves taking genes from their normal location in one organism and either transferring them elsewhere or putting them back into the original organism in different combinations.

2.       Bioprocessing

·         A type of advanced manufacturing that involves chemical, physical, and biological processes employed by living organisms or their cellular components.

·         Offers new production opportunities of wide ranges of items including:

ü  Alternative fuels such as ethanol, methane, and diesel hydrocarbons,

ü  Commodity chemicals such as enzymes, organic acids, and solvents,

ü  Polymers for films, coating, and other specialty uses,

ü  Foods, such as glucose and glucose-fructose syrups

ü  Improved high-value products, such as naturally-occurring non-toxic pesticides, flavoring agents, and pharmaceuticals.

3.       Antisense

Ø  Involves the use of synthetic segments of DNA or RNA called oligonucleotides to stop the production of disease-related proteins.

Ø  Antisense therapeutics have the potential to treat many life-threatening diseases such as: hepatitis, cancers, coronary artery restenosis

4.       Protein engineering

Ø  Judging from the diversity of function found among enzymes in nature, protein is the good medium to use in the design of molecular devices

Ø  The production of virtually any protein we can dream up to perform specific functions.

5.       Monoclonal Antibody

Ø  A super-specific type of antibody used as process aids in the manufacture of high value biochemicals, and as highly specific diagnostic kits for the determination of diseases, hormone levels, etc.

6.       Biosensor Technology

Ø  Analytical devices which are capable of providing either qualitative or quantitative results

Ø  Involves the “marriage” of the biological world and the physical electronic  world

Ø  In medical field, biosensors allow clinical analysis to be performed at the bedside, in critical care units and doctors’ offices rather than in centralized laboratories.