In the middle of the 20th century, it received a great boost and developed rapidly. biotechnologyWhen science started to make a name for itself in the world of science, it was considered more of a sub-discipline. The science of biotechnology, which we are accustomed to hear in medicine, ceased to be a subdiscipline with developments in the late 20th century and became a standalone. science became like this.

Especially in basic science multidisciplinary The science of biotechnology, whose name we often see in studies, is the science that brings together the world of living things and technology. Let’s see what this interesting branch of science is, from gene regulation to microorganisms, where and how it is used.

What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology aims to solve problems and produce useful products using biology. The most widely used area of ​​biotechnology, genetic manipulation It is the production of therapeutic (a clinical pharmacological process for measuring the blood plasma concentration of drugs) proteins and other drugs through

For those who work in the field of biotechnology biotechnologistconducts research on biological organisms to improve the quality of human life and ensure the progress of the other living world. It examines the physical, genetic and chemical properties of cells, tissues and organisms, revealing practical applications and products.

History of biotechnology from yesterday to today:

For nearly 10,000 years, humans have been using biological processes to improve their quality of life, starting with the first farming communities. About 6000 years ago People began to take advantage of the biological processes of microorganisms to make bread, spirits and cheese and to preserve dairy products.

Going back a little further than today’s history, it was founded in 1976 by Robert A. Swanson, Herbert W. Boyer and Paul Berg. DNA Led by Genentech, a pharmaceutical company created to commercialize its technology, a new “Biotech” industry began to develop from the mid to late 1970s. In line with these developments, early companies such as Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, Cetus and Genex were primarily for medical and environmental use. genetically modified substances continued to produce.

When for more than a decade the biotech industry, recombinant DNA technology and genetic manipulation continued in the field. The term recombinant DNA (rDNA) simply refers to the DNA molecule that results from combining the DNA of two different species. That is, during the insertion of a gene into a production cell, a new organism is created.

Initially, biotech researchers and investors were unsure of the regulations to obtain a new patent; it was a new technology after all and scientific ethics Patents on new organisms discovered and described in nature were not allowed.

However, in 1980 the US Supreme Court, Diamond v. In the Chakrabarty case, he solved the problem by “ruling that a living, man-made microorganism is a patentable subject.” This decision brought a wave of new biotech companies and the first of this baby industry. investment caused the explosion.

recombinant in 1982 insulinbecame the first genetically engineered product to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since then, dozens of drugs have been produced worldwide, including recombinant versions of growth hormone, clotting factors, proteins that stimulate the production of red and white blood cells, interferons and clot-dissolving agents. genetically modified The protein drug has been commercialized.

What are the tools of biotechnology?

The biotechnology industry is the source of traditional medicines and drugs that stop the progression of a disease. monoclonal antibodies expanded her research. The successful production of monoclonal antibodies was one of the most important techniques of biotechnology that emerged in the last quarter of the 20th century.

The specificity and quantitative availability of monoclonal antibodies made it possible to design sensitive assays for a wide variety of biologically important substances and to distinguish cells from one another by identifying previously unknown marker molecules on their surface. such claims your genes (genomics), they encode your proteins (proteomics) and the study of the larger biological pathways through which they operate.

Application areas and applications of biotechnology:

• bioinformatics
• nanotechnology
• catalysts
• genetically modified products

Biotechnology has many applications, especially in medicine and agriculture. Examples include the use of biological information by computer technology (bioinformatics), the use of biotechnology in combiningnanotechnology) and possibly the application of stem cell research and cloning techniques to replace dead or defective cells and tissues (regenerative medicine†

In addition to health care uses, biotechnology is the use of biological enzymes that cause chemical reactions.catalysts) has proven to be useful in refining industrial processes through discovery and production. As an example, we can show the solutions developed to prevent or reduce the environmental pollution from chemicals, and the increased efficiency in agriculture with genetic engineering.

Some activists and consumer groups are advocating that genetically modified organisms (GMO foods) forbid or internationally called to be clearly labeled and specified. The introduction of GMOs into agriculture in the United States began in 1993 when the FDA approved bovine somatotropin (BST), a growth hormone that increases milk production in dairy cows.

The following year, the FDA approved the first genetically modified whole food, a tomato designed for a longer shelf life. Since then, dozens of agricultural crops have survived in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, including regulatory approval, crops that produce their own pesticides, and crops that have survived the application of certain herbicides used to kill weeds. GMO won by

If the import of GMOs into our country 1998 based on the year. It has been established that 30 million tons of corn and soybeans that entered our country in 1998 were consumed without labeling. In accordance with the regulation issued in 2009, foods containing GMOs are now labeled.

We talked so much. So, are GMO foods safe?

Research by the United Nations, the US National Academy of Sciences, the European Union, the American Medical Association, US regulatory authorities and other organizations has shown that genetically modified foods it’s safe has decided however skeptical groups have long argued that it is too early to pass judgment. If we look at the world, the countries where such GMO crops are grown almost from 1996 to 2014. increased 4 times.

Overall, US and European biotech industry revenues grew roughly over the five-year period from 1996 to 2000. doubled output. The rapid growth accelerated by new product launches, especially in health services, continued into the 21st century. Biotechnology by 2020 market size It is valued at $752.88 billion worldwide and there are new growth opportunities arising from government and industry efforts to accelerate pharmaceutical and product R&D processes.