Where is biotechnology applied

With biotechnology moving at such a rapid pace, this program equips students with all the tools, including project management, quality control, and leadership to be successful. Although the field is still considered young, scientists have developed many innovative products that have improved our lives in diverse ways, and the field is continually expanding through new discoveries and innovative products brought to market.

Recent innovations include cancer immunotherapies, smart sensors for disease detection, and COVID tests and vaccines. Applied biotechnology graduates have the opportunity to work in a variety of scientific areas with diverse job titles and responsibilities, such as: food, agriculture, environmental, healthcare, and industrial materials and products.

Qualified biotechnology professionals are in high demand , and an advanced degree in biotechnology helps to set you apart from other applicants. According to the BIO Biotechnology Innovation Organization report , bioscience industry employment has grown by around 7 percent since Going forward, the biotechnology field is predicted to continue its expansion.

Careers, including biological technician , agricultural and food scientist , medical scientist , and microbiologist , are projected to grow between percent before , according to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The purpose of biotechnology is to use biological concepts to create technologies and products. It is the practical arm of biology. However, many other scientific fields work in partnership with the biotechnology industry to generate useful products.

We can either use the whole factory or just specific workers to produce what we want, i. In addition to using them as tools to make biotech products, cells and enzymes can also be biotech products themselves. For instance: probiotic yogurts and non-soya veggie burgers contain microbial cells; and enzymes are used in washing detergents, food processing, cosmetics and much more. Traditionally, the industrial sugar used for microbial fermentation is extracted from cereal crops, however only a small proportion of the crop is used, as the majority of sugars are inaccessible to traditional processes.

The remaining fraction is known as lignocellulosic biomass and is generally discarded. Development is ongoing to access the sugars locked up in waste-derived feedstocks such as agricultural residues, forestry residues and post consumer waste. Bioplastics, made from biopolymers are already utilised in plastic food packaging, mobile phone cases, sunglasses, pens and personal care packaging for products such as shampoos and conditioners.

CPI is investigating other potential applications for products such as Dyson vacuum cleaners. Fabrics have been in use for most of this century and the fermentation vat is probably the oldest known dyeing process. Polyester is a synthetic polymer fiber produced from fossil fuel and is used to make clothing, blankets, carpets, and other fabrics. Many biochemicals are also used in the production of dyes, tanning agents, nylon and polyester, all of which are vital materials in the production of textiles for carpets, clothing and upholstery.

In the future, many different consumer products will contain materials derived from bio-based feedstocks. Biochemicals may also be utilised in processes to formulate personal care products such as make up, shampoos and skin care. Extracted Cellulose Fibres are absorbent and tough, and can be extracted from raw materials for use in composites as a replacement for glass, and in many applications where absorbency is needed, such as use in nappies, cat litter and sanitary products.

Gas from biorefineries can be combusted to produce heat and power. Biotechnology in its basic form has existed for thousands of years, dating back to an era when humans first learned to produce bread, beer, and wine using the natural process of fermentation. For centuries, the principles of biotechnology were restricted to agriculture , such as harvesting better crops and improving yields by using the best seeds and breeding livestock.

Early 20th-century biotechnology led to the major discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, which went into large-scale production in the s.

Biotechnology took off in the s, spurred by a better understanding in the post-war period of cell function and molecular biology. Every decade since then produced major breakthroughs in biotechnology. Some of the highlights are the following:. The biotechnology sector has grown by leaps and bounds since the s. The industry has spawned giant companies in the medical space such as Gilead Sciences, Amgen, Biogen Idec, and Celgene.

At the other extreme are thousands of small, dynamic biotech companies, many of which are engaged in various areas of the medical industry, such as drug development, genomics, or proteomics while others are involved in areas like bioremediation, biofuels, and food products. There also have been big product introductions in biopharma drugs. Some of the most frequently used biotechnology medical products recently introduced include the following:.

The top U. Biotech and pharmaceuticals are very different propositions for investors. Biotechnology companies typically have high operating costs because their extensive research, development, and testing takes years to complete. New products can hit regulatory roadblocks; for example, some countries ban the use of genetically modified plants, and gaining approval from the U. In short, investing in biotech is risky. Investors don't have to buy individual company stock to invest in biotechnology, however.

One of the easiest ways is to invest in a biotech exchange-traded fund ETF. These funds have holdings in many biotech companies, offering investors a well-diversified portfolio in a single trade.

It's not easy to value biotech companies because small companies can show no earnings yet have a pipeline of groundbreaking drugs in the works. Why did Gilead buy Kite? Kite was working on a pipeline of CAR-T cell therapies, which treat cancer. According to Rottgen, a new drug typically takes eight years to reach the market post regulatory approval, and total development time for a new drug is ten to fifteen years.

At any time, a drug can fail in clinical trials, so the risk profile of a biotech firm is quite different compared to companies in other industries. Cash flows prior to the approval of a drug are often significantly negative. The added risk associated with biotech investments must be considered in any value analysis. This calls for a discounted cash flow DCF using an appropriate discount rate.

Rottgen recommends using risk-adjusted NPV and including projected cash flows and the likelihood of certain outcomes for various product scenarios. Fundamentally, any valuation should consider the size of the asset pipeline, the development stage of the pipeline e. Starting a biotech company takes significant funding.

A founder must have a commercially viable product. The founder should consider the size of the market and the competition. For example, does the product differ from existing therapies? The startup will also need patent protection, and the founder should consider how long the protection will last. The founder should determine the time, resources, and strategy required to develop the product.

How will costly mistakes be avoided? All of these aspects should be analyzed to determine how much funding will be required, for how long, and who will provide the funding? A comprehensive business plan would need to be developed for investors, and should include plans for fundraising. Biotech professionals typically perform research on advanced therapies; for example, stem cells, gene therapy, or biopharmaceuticals. Most people in the biotech profession have a graduate-level degree.

Professionals with an undergraduate degree in the biotechnology field typically have entry-level roles in a research lab. Biotechnology is a wide-reaching field. Careers in biotechnology include biomedical engineers, biochemists, medical scientists, microbiologists, process development scientists, biomanufacturing specialists, business development managers, and directors of product strategy.