Have you heard of biotechnology? Well, most people haven’t, so if you have that’s certainly worth admiration. But hearing is not knowing.
Biotechnology is a necessary field of technological development for the improvement of our health and life on this planet. Biological processes have been harnessed for thousands of years (to make cheese or bread, etc). But biotechnology attempts to take that to the next level.
In this article, we will cover what a biotechnology company does, as well as what a biotechnologist is responsible for.
So, if you’d like to learn more about this booming industry, feel free to keep reading.
What Is Biotechnology?
At its core, technology based on biology is biotechnology. This industry makes use of biomolecular and cellular processes to develop technologies to improve our lives.
Modern advances in biotechnology develop breakthrough technologies to combat rare and debilitating diseases. They also help feed the hungry and use cleaner energy. As well as decrease environmental footprint, have a safer manufacturing process.
At this point, there are over 200 biotechnology vaccines and health care products available to individuals with usually untreatable diseases. Millions of farms use biotechnology to improve their yields, to prevent pest and insect damage, and much more.
Not to mention, there is a myriad of biorefineries built all around the world that examines and create biochemicals. But they also develop biofuels that help reduce gas emissions.
To finalize, the recent growth in biotechnology is preparing society for the future. A future that requires an advanced approach to meeting the pressing challenges. Without biotechnology, we might as well return to the stone age. But we know that’s not happening, people strive for more, they want more, they need more.
Without advances in technology, society stagnates. The search for something new has always been the driver in finding the best solutions to our problems.
What Does A Biotechnology Company Do?
Biotechnology helps heal the world by empowering the natural tools and genetic makeup that is at our disposal. For instance, biotechnology can:
- Save children’s lives around the world
- Reduce infectious disease rates
- Create precise tools for disease recognition
- Tailor treatments to individuals
- Combat serious conditions that confront the developing world
Furthermore, biotech also uses biocatalysts and fermentation to develop microscopic plants for manufacturing. It’s helping fuel the world with:
- Reducing the use of petrochemicals
- Decrease water waste and usage
- Tapping into the power of biomass waste
- Cutting greenhouse gas emissions
- Improving manufacturing efficiency
- Lowering clothe cleaning temperatures
Biotechnology enhances crop herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, and encourages environmentally-friendly farming practices. It’s helping the world no longer be hungry by:
- Increasing crop yields
- Producing allergen-free foods
- Enhancing crop nutrition profiles
- Using fewer pesticides and tilling
- Lowering the use of agricultural chemicals
- Improving crop and food oil contents
As you can see, a biotechnology company can choose to be responsible for a variety of much-needed advances in modern life. This is the next step towards the future.
What Does A Biotechnologist Do?
It would be too vague to consider everything a biotechnologist does, so why not concentrate on a specific branch of expertise: the production of protein drugs. In this field alone, many roles can be performed by a biotechnologist.
For instance, in the starting process, biotechnology might mutate or change the DNA to result in increased yield or making the growth of the product more efficient.
They could also optimize protein drug expression in specific conditions or cell lines. Leading them to find the most optimal method of purification. After this development, they will need to scale their production to manufacturing greater amounts of the product.
They might also use analytical chemistry and bioassays to characterize the final product, to ensure the safe and effective delivery of the drug. You can learn more about this directly from Kenneth Chien, a representative in the biotechnology field.
In other fields, a biotechnologist might mutate DNA to develop crops that produce better yield when met with different pests or climates. In cosmetics, they might change the bioorganisms to keep the skin youthful or to produce new pigments.
In each of the examples, the role of a biotechnologist only represents a small part of their entire capacity. There are also non-technical responsibilities. Biotechnologists are not nerds, they have a very vivid and communicative life.
Non-Technical Obligations
Biotechnologists also help direct and lead teams towards a common project goal. They have to write justifications for business decisions and look for additional funding.
Biotechnology will also communicate their findings to various audiences. This is done through presentations, publications, and the general public.
But the most important thing a biotechnologist can do is to solve a problem. It’s not enough for them to be technically efficient, they might also be able to work within the culture of the company.
The good news about this is the rampant growth of this industry. What used to be a very specialized and localized industry, now includes positions all around the world.
From San Francisco to Toronto to Dubai. The diversity of work across many industries, ranging from desk-oriented to hands-on positions. This allows great opportunity for individuals who are looking for a career in this field.
Biotechnology Elaborated
Now that you know what a biotechnology company does, you can finally continue delving deeper into the topic. In any case, biotechnology is a very vast field and there really is no way to define it. Nonetheless, in simple words, biotechnology equals a better world.
If you’d like to learn about similar topics, feel free to check out the recommended articles below or on the sidebar.
