CA - S&T - 1224

Biotechnology
1.1 Definition
• Biotechnology- It utilizes biological systems, living organisms or parts of this to develop or
create different products;
• Keywords/Techniques: Recombinant DNA technology, Gene editing, GMO, Gene Therapy,
Stem cell therapy, PCR

1.2 Data
• India accounts for approximately 3% of the global biotech industry; 3rd largest in Asia Pacific
region.
• Biotechnology sector in India →grown from $1.1 billion in 2003 to $64 billion sector in 2019
and by 2025; expected to be a $100 billion industry.

1.3 Applications of biotechnology

Application in agriculture
• GM crops→ Maximize yield, optimize nutrient absorption and fertilizer usage; Hybrid seeds;
o Crops more tolerant to abiotic stresses (cold, drought, salt, heat); Reduced reliance on
chemical pesticides (pest-resistant crops); Reduce post-harvest losses; bio
fortification (Vitamin ‘A’ enriched rice.)
• Marine biotechnology: Fish farming; Seaweed farming → produces fatty acids;
• Forestry: Production of tree clones from tissue culture; Production of wood pulp for the paper
industry.
• Animal Husbandry: Fertilization of farm animals using selected sperm and eggs; food
processing – improving shelf life, taste and texture;
• Recombinant growth hormone: Increase milk and meat production;
• Genetically modified pesticides: Pest resistant plants; Bt toxin→ produced by a bacterium →
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); Eg- Bt cotton;
• Industrial processes: produce biodegradable plastics, bio-fuel, bio-fertilizers;
• Environment- Bioremediation: Micro-organisms or enzymes to neutralize contaminants;
Water treatment

Medicine
• Recombinant DNA technology → mass production of safe and more effective therapeutic
drugs. E.g. Genetically Engineered Insulin
• Gene Therapy: correction of a gene defect that has been diagnosed in a child/embryo.
• Molecular diagnosis: early detection , understanding pathophysiology;
o Recombinant DNA technology; Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); Enzyme Linked
Immuno-sorbent Assay (ELISA); PCR → Diagnosis of HIV; ELISA →based on antigen-
antibody interaction.
• Transgenic animals: E.g. →Transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows and fish; → Study of
disease, vaccine testing;

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 • Cloning: tissue repair; organ replacement;
• Stem cell therapy: regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of diseased,
dysfunctional or injured tissue; E.g. leukemia
• Monoclonal antibody (MAb): Particular protein molecules formed in the laboratory → defense
workers;

Other applications
• Energy/Environment: Bioethanol and biodiesel;
• Biodiversity conservation: Conservation of endangered species using cloning
• Food and beverage: Food products manufactured industrially →fermentation. Examples -
wine, yoghurt;
• Wastewater management: Complex organic and Nitrogenous waste - degraded – Bacteria,
virus, fungi.
• Mining: bacteria work on the particular metallic compounds; E.g. extraction of copper, lead;
• Synthesis of enzymes: used in various processes →Stains removing, fabrics offering,
digestible food preparation, meat processing, and cancer treatment.
• Plant tissue culture: growing tissues of plants in the sterile conditions; producing new plants;
• Degradation of pesticides: Bacteria species, genetically created → pseudomonas sp.,
flavobacterium, azotobacter etc. degrade different pesticide.
• Industrial application: Production of stain remover, detergents, bread, biotic polisher,
vitamins, stone washed denims, bleached paper.

1.4 Challenges
• Ethical Issues: potential for ecological harm, access to new drugs and treatments, and the
idea of interfering with nature, designer babies and playing god;
• Affordability : High cost of healthcare; A common pill costing approximately $1,825 per
annum; biotech drug costing $20,000 per year price tag or something costlier.
• Privacy: Protecting patient privacy → technology advances - decipher human genome.
• GM food adoption: not adopted widely→ not affordable to the farmers, terminator seeds,
market monopoly;
• Risk: Long gestation period: in R&D; Long, tedious and strict regulatory norms → high
expenses in developing drugs; e.g. 36% of drugs fail to make it past the preliminary stage of
drug development.
• Bioweapons: R&D leading to deadly viruses E.g. suspected Covid-19
• Bioterrorism: biological toxins and infectious organisms could be used to attack E.g. Anthrax
• Bio-piracy: Use of bio-resources by MNC’s without proper authorization from the countries
and people concerned without compensatory payment.
• Other Challenges: Patents and patent waivers;

1.5 Government initiatives

• Department of biotechnology (DBT), established in 1986.
o Acts as central agency→ R&D, policy advice and formulation, human resource,
promoting international cooperation and manufacturing activities.

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 • Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)→established under the DBT,
2012
o Objective – bring innovators and funders on to a common table, enabling ideas to
become a reality.
• National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020: 1500 cr over 5 years;
• National Biopharma mission: Industry academia collaboration for accelerating
biopharmaceutical development;
• Make in India: Biotechnology sector→ champion sector under make-in-India program.
• Start-up India: Aim – to establish 2,700 biotech start-ups; expected to touch the 10,000-mark
by 2024.
• Union Budget 2021-22, the government outlaid Rs. 1,660 crore (US$ 227.94 million) for
biotechnology research and development.

Forum Learning Centre: Delhi - 2nd Floor, IAPL House, 19 Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 | Patna - 2nd floor, AG Palace, E Boring Canal
Road, Patna, Bihar 800001 | Hyderabad - 1st & 2nd Floor, SM Plaza, RTC X Rd, Indira Park Road, Jawahar Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500020
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