Biotechnology - the next big revolution
 Biotechnology
is being touted as the next big revolution in India,
after Information Technology.
It promises to make available improved pharmaceutical,
agricultural and industrial products. Discoveries
in biotechnology allow for certain crops to have their
own protection ring against insects and disease. These
crops can thus be grown using less pest control chemicals.
Developments in food biotechnology will help the
enhancement of Nutrition, Quality and taste of food.
Research has helped develop food crops with higher
levels of nutrients that may help reduce the risk
of heart disease and certain cancers.
 Besides
food, biotechnology is making breakthroughs in health
care. Since the initial production of human insulin
to better treat diabetes, biotechnology continues
to create more effective drugs for heart disease,
cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and AIDS
vaccines.
In the future, some applications of biotechnology
will be used to make material such as fiber for clothes
from "renewable" resources like corn. Other
applications may help reduce our dependence on oil
and natural gas and could reduce water and energy
use by as much as 50%.
The focus of Biotechnology is on four segments:
Medical - Animal or Human Healthcare. The
focus here will be on diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics
like insulin and veterinary drugs.
Agriculture - Food.
Environment - The focus will be on bio-pesticides,
bio-fertilisers, animal feeds, biosensors, waste management.
Industrial Products - The key areas are identified
as food and industrial enzymes, fermentation products
and biopolymers.
- Anuradha Sriraman
|
6:48:06 PM 
