Future of Biotechnology

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What is the one thing that’s common among aspirin, nylon, cheese and beer?

Isn’t it baffling that the one common thread that runs through these unrelated products is actually – ‘Biotechnology’

These are all results obtained through various processes in biotechnology. Although the term ‘biotechnology’ is still relatively new among the masses, it is now a USD 51 billion worth industry in India as on 2018 and is bound to grow even more.

The domestication of animals or selective breeding of plants are nothing but earliest forms of biotechnology known to man, even though the term itself was coined only in 1919. For a branch of science that has been around long enough, biotechnology is still thriving, growing and adapting to changing time and needs.

Genetically modified plants have been the face of biotechnological research for a long time now. While the jury is still out on whether it is indeed the road to food security, the field of biotechnology itself has taken quiet leaps in many arenas. From producing vaccines to counter deadly diseases to coming up with food supplements, it has constantly impacted our daily lives so much that today we can find the traces of biotechnological processes in our shampoos, detergents, food packaging and even fabrics.

With such an indelible presence in our lives, its future is simply exciting. Storing our stem cells, visualizing & printing organs in 3 Dimension, wearable technology that detects heartbeat, smart textiles and lab-on-a-chip are all not science fiction anymore as biotechnology has made this and so much more possible.

The future of biotechnology thus profoundly lies in the hands of students of science, who now have the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild for we have the tools to achieve the future right in our grasp.

New techniques are emerging, newer horizons being explored, what with techniques like CRISPR and many such genetic engineering tools; we have the ability to alter human lives greatly but the moral, ethical and humane values that we diligently uphold is all that matters.

So the future of biotechnology looks impressive with a lot in store to be achieved provided we inculcate the sense of righteousness in our future scientists.

Join me in this journey as we explore various aspects of biotechnological research, its many developments, the ethical implications and a sneak-peek into its industries; through this blog series as we make sense of where we are headed.

Pooja S Madhavan

Lead - Business Process and Planning

Life Teck Research Centre

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poojasmadhavan@lifeteck.net