<h5 id="11-historical-perspectives">1.1 Historical Perspectives</h5> <ul> <li> <p>Blue biotechnology involves the application of biotechnology for marine and freshwater organisms, including:</p> </li> <li> <p>Increasing seafood supply</p> </li> <li> <p>Regulation of the reproduction of dangerous water-borne organisms</p> </li> <li> <p>Developing new drugs</p> </li> <li> <p>Green biotechnology focuses on environment-friendly solutions, such as:</p> <ul> <li>Improving the nutritional quality, quantity, and production of crops</li> <li>Developing transgenic plants with improved traits</li> </ul> </li> <li> <p>Red biotechnology, also known as medical biotechnology, is used to manufacture pharmaceutical products like:</p> <ul> <li>Insulin</li> <li>Enzymes</li> <li>Antibiotics</li> <li>Vaccines</li> </ul> </li> <li> <p>White biotechnology applies biotechnology to improve industrial processes and other production processes, including:</p> <ul> <li>Using enzymes as industrial catalysts in an eco-friendly manner</li> <li>Producing valuable chemicals</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="12-applications-of-modern-biotechnology">1.2 Applications of Modern Biotechnology</h5> <ul> <li>Modern biotechnology, based on rDNA technology, has a wide range of applications.</li> <li>The main application areas of biotechnology are pharmaceutical and therapeutic research, disease diagnostics, crop improvement, vegetable oil, biofuels, and environmental friendly products (like biodegradable plastics).</li> <li>Fig. 1.3 provides classic examples of successful application of biotechnology.</li> <li>The applications of modern biotechnology primarily focus on:</li> </ul> <ol> <li>Medicine and health care</li> <li>Crop production and agriculture</li> <li>Food processing</li> <li>Environmental protection.</li> </ol> <p>======</p> <h5 id="121-medicine-and-health-care">1.2.1 Medicine and health care</h5> <ul> <li>Biotechnology is used in medicine for diagnosis through development of diagnostic tools and kits.</li> <li>rDNA technology is used to produce therapeutic molecules, such as human insulin and growth hormones, in heterologous systems.</li> <li>Gene therapy, a concept since 1972, is used to treat diseases caused by gene defects by delivering required genes into a patient’s cell.</li> <li>The first gene therapy product approved for cancer treatment, Gendicine, was in 2003 in China.</li> <li>Genetic testing identifies defects in an individual’s genetic composition, determining their chance of developing or passing on a disorder.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="122-crop-production-and-agriculture">1.2.2 Crop Production and Agriculture</h5> <ul> <li>Biotechnology in agriculture involves genetic manipulations of crop plants to develop biotic and abiotic stress resistance, and better quality products of food.</li> <li>Major traits used for crop improvement are insect resistance, herbicide resistance, virus resistance, delayed fruit ripening, and nutritional enhancement.</li> <li>Transgenic plants or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) exhibit resistance to pathogens, salt, cold, herbicide, etc. For example, Bt cotton has a gene coding for Bt toxin that acts as an insecticide.</li> <li>Biotechnological tools have been used to improve the nutritional quality of food crops, such as Golden Rice with high beta-carotene content.</li> <li>Transgenic plants can be used as systems for expression of therapeutic molecules, such as antibiotics in stock feed plants and edible vaccines.</li> <li>Biotechnology can improve biofuel production, including bioethanol, biodiesel, bio-butanol, bio-ethers, and biogas, from various feedstocks.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="123-food-processing">1.2.3 Food processing</h5> <ul> <li>Biotechnological tools significantly contribute to food processing by improving food’s edibility, texture, and storage, preventing mycotoxin production, extending shelf life, and preserving nutritional components.</li> <li>Around one-third of the global diet consists of fermented food products, highlighting their importance in human consumption.</li> <li>Commercially produced microbial enzymes, engineered for improved fermentation, are manufactured in large quantities through culturing microorganisms in tanks and industrial-scale fermenters.</li> <li>Industrial-scale production of fermented foods with enhanced taste, nutrition, and shelf life, such as cheese, yogurt, probiotics, buttermilk, and other popular fermented products, is now possible.</li> <li>These advancements in food processing technology have led to increased availability, variety, and quality of food products for consumers.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="124-environmental-protection">1.2.4 Environmental protection</h5> <ul> <li>Environmental Biotechnology is a field that uses biotechnology to study the environment, develop green technology, and remediate contaminated environments.</li> <li>Eco-toxicological biomarkers, such as the lux gene in E. coli, can indicate the presence of environmental contaminants, such as mercury.</li> <li>Bioremediation is the use of biological agents to remove environmental pollutants, often through the use of genetically engineered organisms.</li> <li>Hyper-accumulator plants, such as Brassica napus and Helianthus annus, can remove heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, from contaminated soils.</li> <li>The application of environmental biotechnology can help keep the environment safe and clean for future generations, and is supported by multidisciplinary research in fields such as genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="13-biotechnology-in-india-academic-prospects-and-industrial-scenario">1.3 Biotechnology in India: Academic Prospects and Industrial Scenario</h5> <ul> <li>The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad is a premier institution for research in genetics.</li> <li>The Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) in Imphal, Manipur focuses on bioresource utilization and sustainable development.</li> <li>Institute of Life Sciences in Bhubaneswar, National Agri-food Biotechnology Institution (NABI) in Mohali, and Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicines in Bangalore are dedicated to life sciences and biotechnology research.</li> <li>National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) in Gurugram and National Institute for Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) in New Delhi focus on brain research and plant genome research respectively.</li> <li>National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) in Hyderabad and National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) in Kalyani, West Bengal are involved in animal biotechnology and biomedical genomics research.</li> <li>National Institute of Immunology (NII) in New Delhi and Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology in Thiruvananthapuram focus on immunology and biotechnology research.</li> <li>Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) in Faridabad is a center for biotechnology research and education.</li> <li>Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) in Faridabad is focused on translational research in health and medicine.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="131-indian-biotechnology-industry">1.3.1 Indian biotechnology industry</h5> <ul> <li> <p>The Indian biotechnology industry is a rapidly growing sector, ranking among the top 12 biotech powers worldwide and third in the Asia Pacific region.</p> </li> <li> <p>In 2017, the industry generated revenues of US $11.6 billion, with 800 biotech companies categorized into five segments: Bio-pharma, Bio-services, Bioagri, Bio-industrial, and Bio-informatics.</p> </li> <li> <p>Bio-pharma was the highest revenue contributor at 64% in 2016, followed by Bio-services (18%), Agri-business (14%), Bio-industry (3%), and Bio-informatics (1%).</p> </li> <li> <p>India is a major player in the Bio-agri segment, with the fourth largest area under genetically modified crops, primarily Bt cotton, and is a leading producer of recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine.</p> </li> <li> <p>The Government of India supports the industry by collaborating with private companies to boost Research and Development, and establishing biotechnology parks for advanced research infrastructures.</p> </li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="132-achievements-and-innovations">1.3.2 Achievements and innovations</h5> <ul> <li>The text highlights the prominence of the Indian biotech and pharmaceutical industry.</li> <li>Major vaccine producing firms like Serum Institute of India, Bharat Serum and Vaccines Limited, Panacea Biotec, and Glaxo Smith Kline Pharmaceuticals Limited have an international reputation.</li> <li>India has developed vaccines against Covid-19, with Covaxin being the first indigenous Covid-19 Vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech International Ltd.</li> <li>The country is the world’s largest producer of Statin and Immunosuppressants. Stem cell research, monoclonal antibody products, and cell-based therapeutics are other areas of growth.</li> <li>The agriculture sector in India also presents significant opportunities, with the Indian hybrid seed industry growing at 10-17% annually. GM rice, flood, drought, and salt tolerant rice are some of the developments in this sector.</li> <li>The bio-services sector in India, including global contract research organizations and Indian companies, is a significant area of growth due to a skilled labor force, attractive cost, and access to major markets in Asia.</li> </ul> <p>======</p>