DAIRY BIOTECHNOLOGY

Module 1. Introduction to biotechnology

Lesson 1
DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

1.1 Introduction

Biotechnology has emerged as a wonder technology with immense potential with innumerable applications in almost all walks of our life by providing a tangible solution to the problems confronting human life. This technology holds a great promise to improve the quality of life on the earth by poverty alleviation and raising the standard of living at the global level particularly in third world countries including India. Biotechnology can help us in meeting our basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health and safety.

1.2 What is Biotechnology?

The literal meaning of Biotechnology as implied from this word is the study of tools from living things based on the split words contained therein i.e.
Bios - life
Teuchos - tool
Logos - Study of or essence

1.3 Definition of Biotechnology

There is no universal and complete definition of Biotechnology due to its wide range of usage. Although, Biotechnology has been defined differently in different countries, the most widely used and comprehensive definition of ‘Biotechnology is any technique that uses living organisms or substances from these organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop micro-organisms for specific uses’ (Office of technology Assessment of the United States Congress).

Biotechnology is a multi-disciplinary concept involving many disciplines or branches of learning including all areas of life sciences such as Microbiology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Fermentation technology or Bio-process engineering and Bioinformatics etc.

Biotechnology is not a new technology as it had been traditionally used by man since time immemorial without knowing the scientific principles involved in the process. The basics and advanced principles behind this powerful technology were unraveled and recognized only during the last few decades due to the tremendous progress and advancements made in the area of genetics, molecular biology that included the discovery of restriction endonucleases, polymerase chain reaction and completion of human genome project etc.

1.4 Scope of Biotechnology

Biotechnology as explained above has the newest roots in the science of molecular biology, genetic engineering and microbiology. Advances in these areas have been exploited in a variety of ways both for production of industrially important bio-chemicals including enzymes and pharmaceutically important proteins, hormones etc. and for basic studies in molecular biology. As a result of its endless potentials, the scope and prospects of biotechnology have widened dramatically for commercial exploitation. By integrating biotechnology in the process and product development at commercial scale, biotech based industries have grown enormously all over the world including India and in the process, have created new job opportunities, human resource development and poverty alleviation. Biotechnology has now become a key issue to boost the economy of different nationalities including both the developed and developing countries.

Further Reading

Books

Basic Biotechnology, 2nd Edition Colin Ratledge and Bjorn Kristiansen (Eds), Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 0521779170

Introduction to Biotechnology Brown, C.M., Campbell, I and Priest, F.G.
Panima Publishing Corporation, 2005. ISBN : 81-86535-42-X

Introduction to Biotechnology, 2nd Edition Thieman, W.J and Pallidino, M.A. (Eds) New York : Pearson, 2009
ISBN : 978-0-321-58903-3

Internet Resources

en.wikipedia.org

biotechnologyhelp.com

www.northcarolinalifescience.com

www.bloomsburyacademic.com

www.brad.ac.uk