Advantages of Biotechnology

The science biotechnology described as the controlled manipulation of biological systems, including living cells or cellular components, for the processing or manufacturing of various products useful to humans.

Now biotechnology studies are used worldwide to solve issues like disease as well as better detect illnesses and treat them with specifically engineered cures that would not be available in the past. Biotechnology also includes producing enough biofuel in efficient ways. This altered type of fuel that is called biofuel is used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that can harm the ozone layer. Biotechnology is also used to produce high yielding crops that are less susceptible to insects or diseases.

Benefits or pros of biotechnology are:

1.  A solution to the world's growing need for food: By genetic modification and environmental biotechnology, crop yield increases that giving more food for fewer resources. It is estimated that by 2050, the world needs will be increase at least 70% more food. With Environmental Biotechnology, the productivity of crops has already increased, meeting the nutrition needs of our growing population. One example of this technology could be drought resistant crops production. Environmental Biotechnology provides a more sustainable method of farming and agriculture.

2.  Reduced pesticide: Whenever genetically modified organism (GMO) is modified to resist a particular pest is helping to reduce the use of pesticide that often cause widespread environmental damage.

3. Improved nutrition: With the help of modern biotechnology improved nutrition can be reached by introducing vitamins and protein on food and reduce the allergens effect and natural toxins.

4.   Benefit on environmental impact of agriculture: Generally agriculture has negative impact on the environment, through greenhouse gases and the land that it takes up. Biotechnology is not only looking for a more sustainable way to feed our population, but also a cleaner way to grow and cultivate this food and decreasing the environmental impact. Conservation tillage, a technology introduced through biotechnology that allows farmers to plant seeds without having to till the soil. So the organisms within the soil are not disturbed.

5.   Bioinformatics: Bioinformatics makes the rapid organization and analysis of biological data possible, through interdisciplinary approaches which address biological problems using computational techniques. Bioinformatics have beneficial role in various areas, such as functional genomics, structural genomics, and proteomics, and forms a key component in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.

6.  Blue biotechnology: Applications of marine and aquatic biotechnology, used to improve cleanup of toxic spills and improve yields of fisheries.

7. Drug production: Genetically modified mammalian cells, like Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, are also used to manufacture certain pharmaceuticals. Another promising new biotechnology application is the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals. A genetically engineered bacterium produces large quantities of synthetic human insulin at low cost. Biotechnology has also made it possible to cheaply produce human growth hormone, clotting factors for hemophiliacs, fertility drugs, erythropoietin, and many other drugs.

8.  Pharmacogenomics: The study of how genetic inheritance affects an patient’s response to drugs, in order to design tailor-made medicines adapted uniquely to individual’s genetic makeup, based on the proteins, enzymes and RNA molecules associated with specific genes and diseases, to optimize drug dosage, maximize therapeutic effects, and decrease damage to relatively healthy cells.

9. Gene therapy: By using biotechnological process it is now possible treating of genetic and acquired diseases like cancer and AIDS. Here normal genes are used to supplement or replace defective genes, or to bolster a normal function such as immunity.

10.   Genetic testing: DNA “probes” will bind to any mutated sequences in a human's genome and flagging the mutation. Diseased patient’s DNA sequences can also be compared to healthy individuals to determine the genetic cause of a malady such as carrier screening, confirmational diagnosis of symptomatic individuals, forensic testing, newborn screening, prenatal diagnostic screening, presymptomatic testing for estimating the risk of developing disorders.

11.   Improved vaccines: To elicit the immune response without the attendant risks of infection, vaccines can be developed by using  modern biotechnology, and that will be relatively low cost, stable, easy to store, and capable of being engineered to carry several strains of pathogen.

12.  New medical therapies: Biotechnology has treatments for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cancers, arthritis, haemophilia, bone fractures, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disorders.

13. Bioeconomics: Investment in applied biotechnologies to increase economic output for us.