Biotechnology: A step to something

Biotechnology is now a wide trend in the society. As our world become more civilized, it

seems that technology accomplished a lot of improvements for the betterment of our living. With

the interest of scientists and researchers of improving technology, they now learn how to apply

living organisms and bio subjects for as to achieve more compelling solutions to the existing

problems that we have. By studying different organisms, characterizing, and isolating various,

microbes and enzymes, researchers become more fascinated on what are the things that could

be achieve behind biotechnology.

As for biotechnology, I agree that it provides huge improvements and positive impacts within

our society. Biotechnology based methods can provide accurate results within a relatively short

time frame. Biotechnological developments have resulted into widespread availability of low-

cost rapid methods of identification when compared with the significant cost/time requirements

of conventional techniques. Many accounts proved that biotechnology has been commended in

providing uses in the field, of medicine, agriculture, food processing, microbial improvement,

and even DNA genetic engineering which helps human improve their life expectancies. In the

field of medicine, it is been found out that a gene therapy can now be done in treating spinal

muscular atrophy and certain rare diseases. The use of biotech to drugs provided a more

effective and efficient way of treating bacteria without making them resistant to any drugs.

Some advances also noted improvement within the agriculture. Based on the NC State

University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in the mid 21st century, an expected

population growth of 8.7 populations would be seen. Thus, dealing the effects of population

growth would help in mitigating its effects. By increasing crop yields, through the use of

biotechnology the constant need to clear more land for growing food is reduced. With the help of

biotechnology, increased crop yield, greater flexibility in growing environments, less use of

chemical pesticides and improve nutritional content make agricultural biotechnology, quite

literally, the future of the world’s food supply. Another thing that could be applied to biotech is

within food processing. Certain surveys in the U.S proved that for the past decades, the

application of biotechnology to food is no more an issue. Consumers find biotechnology

acceptable when they believe that it offers benefits and it is safe.

 Furthermore, biotechnology crossed the divide between treatment and enhancement,

between medically indicated use and patient-desired abuse. More distantly, it is also the use of

biotechnology to redesign human nature and thus to enhance the species in the future

(Pellegrino, 2004). Through synthesizing DNA, we have this genetically modified organisms, an

approach of genetic engineering wherein the organisms are capable of producing more yields,

multiply than usual, and increase in size. Truly, biotechnology reached the essential properties

of human needs.

But above all of these advancements, biotechnology is not a one sided process.

Biotechnology is at the intersection of science and ethics. Termed as bioethics, these are the

responsibilities, norms, and rules that must be strictly followed. Given the potential to profoundly

change the future course of humanity, such questions require careful considerations. Rather

than focusing on rights and freedoms, wisdom is needed to articulate our responsibilities

towards nature and other, including future generations. The power and potential of

biotechnology demands caution to ensure ethical progress (Mathuna, 2007). At the verge of

discovery are the conflicts that one might face including the dark faces of biotechnology. I must

agree that certain disadvantages also exist but not to mention.

These benefits are just sample of many improvements brought by biotechnology over the

past years. With these, biotechnology now partake into the societal solutions and continuous

discoveries that would forefront the biggest problems of the world. Overall, for better or for

worse, it is the mankind’s task to tackle the consequences that they might face over these

advancements that have been made. For as long as human beings are living, the search for

solutions would still end up to a problem that would again provide another solution. Thus, it is

the infinite curiosity of human being that leads to the intersection of bio and technology that in

the future would lead to several achievements and failures.