Biotechnology experts employ chemistry, biology, and computer science methods to study organisms and biomaterials. The promising results of biotech research suggest that it can do wonders for our society. Biotech consulting can be a powerful force for driving innovation, improving human health, and addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our community today. Keep reading to find out fourteen ways biotech can play its part in building a better future!
1. Production of improved medicine
It’s getting increasingly difficult for healthcare experts to produce better medicines. Problems like the ineffectiveness of antibiotics demand us to find new ways of creating medicines that can solve major health problems.
Medical biotechnology utilizes living cells and cell materials for pharmaceutical purposes. Advanced techniques like the pichia pastoris expression system help extract proteins that can be used to produce improved medicines.
Some of the areas where medical biotech helps us include:
- Genetic testing
- Drug treatment
- Tissue growth
2. Availability of better foods
The food crisis is one of the biggest challenges in the modern world. Given the rapid population growth, food insecurity is rising steadily worldwide. Experts believe that biotech could be the solution we are looking for to solve problems like world hunger and food insecurity.
One example of the application of biotech for food production is the production of genetically modified foods. Biotech provides us with a better alternative to traditional plant-breeding agriculture.
Some of the greatest benefits of GM foods include:
- Improved yield
- Better taste
- Disease-resistant plants
- Faster growth
- Limited use of pesticides
3. Prevention of inherited diseases
Inherited diseases or genetic disorders are diseases that are transferred from one generation to the other. Diseases identified as genetic disorders range from birth defects to developmental problems and chronic diseases.
Genetic disorders are caused by:
- Mutation in one or multiple genes
- Damage to chromosomes
- Environmental factors
According to an estimation, around 10% of adults across the globe suffer from a genetic disorder.
It’s important to find a solution that can help us eradicate inherited diseases. Biotechnology is showing promising results in identifying and controlling genetic disorders caused by any of the factors mentioned above.
4. Fabrication of superior chemicals
Biotech can play a huge part in improving the processes of chemical synthesis. For example, it’s easier to produce costly chemicals in bulk quantities from processes like fermentation with biotech advancements.
Biofuels are promising chemicals that are expected to be used in several applications in the future. Improved biotech processes can help us create biofuels in large quantities. Biotech can also speed up the production of synthetic gases.
An amazing application of biotech is the production of chemicals that are not hazardous to the environment. The so-called “green chemicals” made with biotech applications can help us conserve the ecosystem for future generations.
5. Management of biowaste
Improved industrial processes have posed the problem of handling the biowaste. For years, experts have been trying to find ways that can help us eliminate waste without producing hazardous chemicals in the process.
Biotech allows us to break down waste products into useful materials like biofuels and biopolymers. Integration of engineering and biotech processes makes it possible to use organisms for handling biowaste properly.
6. Transformation of carbon dioxide
Rising levels of carbon dioxide are posing threats to the environment. It’s the need of the hour to develop advanced processes that can reduce carbon dioxide levels effectively.
Advanced biotech techniques can help us reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the environment. Biotech enables us to curb the CO2 emissions in three biomes:
- Plant soil
- Deep-biosphere
- Marine
Biotech experts are trying to find the carbon sink potential of nature, so CO2 emissions can be handled effectively.
7. Utilization of seawater
Most of us think that seawater is good for “nothing.” Despite covering almost 70% of the earth’s surface, the bitter taste of seawater has held us back from unleashing its potential.
Biotech procedures suggest that we might be able to use seawater for important applications in the future.
For example, with proper modification, seawater can be used as a source of green energy in the coming years. The microalgae found commonly in seawater can undergo controlled genetic modification, which can help us produce helpful chemicals with minimal effort.
8. Creation of regenerative medicine
In several medical cases, one or many internal organs can fail to perform their tasks, and surgery might be the only option to repair or replace a damaged organ.
The limited number of organ donors makes it hard to find organs for organ transplant operations. Other than that, the limited medical procedures available at the moment stop us from healing organs.
Biotech can give us the solution to the problem of organ treatment. With biotech, it’s possible to create regenerative medicine that can heal organs through a viable process. Advanced biotech procedures can also help us produce organs under lab conditions which can fulfill the demand for organ transplants.
9. Purification of soil
Choosing proper soil is important for sustainable agricultural production. Many problems like the unregulated use of fertilizers, the presence of harmful chemicals, and repetitive cultivation can degrade agricultural soil quality.
Biotech can help us improve the quality of soil through tested methods. For example, biotech can help us produce genetically-modified organisms that can be used to maintain the quality of soil for longer periods.
10. Understanding of genome sequencing
Genome is a scientific term that describes the complete set of genetic data present in a living cell. With genome sequencing techniques, it’s possible to figure out complete information obtained in genetic data, and this info can be employed for useful applications.
Biotech procedures allow us to speed up the process of genome sequencing. Biotech makes genome sequencing cost-effective and reliable for advanced medicinal and industrial research.
11. Advancement in the healthcare industry
It’s important to speed up the development of advanced healthcare processes for the betterment of society.
Out of various research methodologies that can be employed for healthcare research, biotech is the most-reliable framework we can rely on to shape the future of the health industry.
12. Improved life expectancy
The industrial revolution and the availability of improved healthcare have improved human life expectancy compared to the past. However, with gigantic healthcare challenges, scientists still struggle to find a way that can increase human life expectancy.
Biotech may prove the solution we are looking for to increase human life expectancy. By playing its part in detecting and preventing diseases, biotech can effectively be used to improve the human life cycle.
13. Progression in industrial processes
Improve industrial processes move society forward. Stunted growth in the industrial sector will not produce economic problems but will also cease the development of human society.
Biotech can play its part in the steady growth of the industrial sector. Advanced biotech processes can be employed to improve food manufacturing and help us create better, sustainable chemicals.
14. Decreased use of fertilizers and pesticides
Fertilizers and pesticides have helped us improve the yield of crops in the past. However, studies done around the world have concluded that the use of chemicals on crops can also destroy food quality and make it harmful to humans.
Biotech can enable us to get rid of toxic fertilizers and pesticides. For example, biotech can produce genetically-modified plants resistant to pests and plant diseases, which can help us stop using pesticides altogether.