Scope of Biotechnology in the present generation

Biotechnology is as old as human civlization, and an integral part of human life. It is a newly discovered discipline for age-old practices. We have to accept that the present day biotechnology is not something new, but it represents a series of technologies, some of them dating back to thousand of years, i.e, production of foods, alcohols, beers, modification of animals and plants with desired tracts. The fruits of biotechnological research have wide range of applications. Infact, there is no other branch of science which has as many applications as biotechnology.

Biotechnology has benefited medicinal and health sciences (diagnostics, vaccines, therpeutics, foods), agricultural sciences (improved crop yield, food quality, improved animal health) and enviromental sciences (pollution control, environmental monitoring, bioremediation). It includes Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Biochemistry, Immunology, Biochemical engineering etc. Insulin was the first pharmaceutical product of recombinant DNA technology approved for human use. Millions of diabetics worldover are benefited by the biotechnology of insulin production.

Humans are the ultimate beneficieries of biotechnology. This may be through healthcare, transgenic plants and animals, pesticides, fertilizers, in vitro cultures etc. The public perceptions of biotechnology will significantly influence the rate and direction of future growth of biotechnology. The use of recombinant DNA technology has raised safety concerns. The public attitudes to biotechnology are mostly related to matters of imaginary dangers of genetic manipulations. Some people argue genetic engineering, and many times, the public and politicians are misled. There is a need for the biotechnology community to frequently interact with the media and public to clear the unwarranted fears about the genetic engineering and biotechnology.