This document provides an overview of biotechnology, including definitions, scope, and applications. Biotechnology is defined as the application of biology and technology, combining fields such as biology, microbiology, and engineering. The scope of biotechnology includes genetic engineering to produce therapeutic drugs, proteins, and modified organisms. Major applications discussed include using biotechnology in agriculture to increase food production, develop disease-resistant crops, produce biofertilizers, and transgenic plants. Biotechnology is also applied in medicine to produce recombinant therapeutics like insulin and vaccines. Other applications include using biotechnology for environmental remediation, producing biofuels and bioenergy, and in various industries.

1. Biotechnology- Scope & Applications

2. Introduction
Biology + Technology = Biotechnology
The term “Biotechnology” was coined by Karl Erkey in 1919.
Dolly,BT cotton..
Brewing, antibiotics production, cheese production…

3. Definitions
According to IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry), biotechnology
means “the application of biochemistry, biology, microbiology and chemical
engineering to industrial processes and products and on environment.”
The American Chemical Society defines biotechnology as the application of biological
organisms, systems, or processes by various industries to learning about the science of
life and the improvement of the value of materials and organisms such as
pharmaceuticals, crops, and livestock
FDA's working definition of biotechnology is the application of biological systems and
organisms to technical and industrial processes.

4. SCOPE
Genetic engineering in biotechnology stimulated hopes for both therapeutic proteins,
drugs and biological organisms themselves, such as seeds, pesticides, engineered
yeasts, and modified human cells for treating genetic diseases.
Biotechnology is the applied science and has made advances in two major areas, viz.,
molecular biology and production of industrially important bio-chemical.
To produce more food for the growing population using the available land.
To raise disease-resistant, high-yielding varieties of crops,
To introduce harmless bio fertilizers instead of harmful chemical fertilizers,

5. To introduce biocides in agriculture,
To preserve germplasm of plants, animals and microbes,
Automated bio-screening for therapeutic agents.
 Bio-processing alkenes to valuable oxides and glycols.
 Developing immobilized cell and enzyme systems for chemical process industries.
 Engineering of a series of organisms for specific industrial use.
 Genetical improvement of microorganisms for production of pharmaceutical products.
 Human gene therapy.
 Improved production of Vitamin B12.

6. Large-scale production of fructose from inexpensive forms of glucose.
 Microbiological based production of human insulin and interferon’s.
Production and development of vaccines. To produce pharmaceutical products to
treat severe diseases in man and animals,
To produce biofuels - Manufacturing ethanol by continuous fermentation
To make use of various microorganisms in food making and preservation of food
To employ microorganisms in the extraction of minerals from their poor quality ores
To minimize pollution hazards

7. APPLICATIONS OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY

8. AGRICULTURE
To increase food production
To reduce post harvest losses.
Increased efficiency of mineral usage by plants (this prevents early exhaustion of
fertility of soil).
Enhanced nutritional value of food, e.g., golden rice, i.e., Vitamin ‘A’ enriched rice.

9. AGRICULTURE
Manufacture of Biofertilizers
TRANSGENIC PLANTS
Resistance to insects, fungi, bacteria and virus
Highly resistant to herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals.
Drought resistance, Salinity resistance, etc.
High productivity.
Crop plants with improved quality.

10. MEDICINE
30 recombinant therapeutics have been approved for human-use the
world over. In India, 12 of these are presently being marketed.
Recombinant Insulin
Recombinant growth hormones
Recombinant Vaccines
Gene therapy
Molecular diagnostics

11. Transgenic animals
Normal physiology and development
Study of disease
Bioloigcal products
 In 1997, the first transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk
(2.4 grams per litre). The milk contained the human alpha-lactalbumin and was
nutritionally a more balanced product for human babies than natural cow-milk
Vaccine safety

12. Transgenic animals

13. ENVIRONMENT
BIOSENSORS
BIOREMEDIATION
BIOFUEL
BIOENERGY
Detect toxins in the ecosystem
Airborne pathogens

14. INDUSTRIES
Metabolite production (acetone, butanol, alcohol, antibiotics, enzymes, vitamins,
organic acids),
fermentation of food products,
Food industries
, textiles and leather,
Pharmaceuticals