Examples of Medical Biotechnology
Vaccines
Vaccines are chemicals that stimulate the body’s immune system to better fight pathogens when they attack the body. They achieve this by inserting attenuated (weakened) versions of the disease into the body’s bloodstream.
Examples of Agricultural Biotechnology
Pest Resistant Crops
Biotechnology has provided techniques for the creation of crops that express anti-pest characteristics naturally, making them very resistant to pests, as opposed to having to keep dusting them and spraying them with pesticides. An example of this would be the fungus Bacillus thuringiensis genes being transferred to crops.
Examples of Industrial Biotechnology
Biocatalysts
Biocatalysts have been developed by the industrial biotechnology companies such as enzymes, to synthesize chemicals. Enzymes are proteins produced by all organisms. The desired enzyme can be manufactured in commercial quantities using biotechnology.
Fermentation
The crop’s sugar can be fermented to acid, which can then be used as an intermediate to produce other chemical feedstocks for various products. Some plants, such as corn, can be used in place of petroleum to produce chemicals.
Examples of Environmental Biotechnology
Bioremediation
Bioremediation refers to the application of biotechnical methods which help in developing enzyme bioreactors that will not only pretreat some industrial and food waste components but also allow their efficient removal via sewage system without using solid waste disposal mechanisms.