biotechnologi

Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products and technologies for various applications. It spans traditional practices such as fermentation, bread and beer production, and selective breeding of crops and animals, to modern techniques that manipulate DNA and cellular pathways. Contemporary biotechnology relies on tools from molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, and bioprocess engineering to modify organisms or their components for useful purposes.

Applications are diverse. In medicine, biotechnology enables new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and gene therapies, as well as personalized medicine through genomic data. In agriculture, it supports higher-yield or more resilient crops, improved nutritional content, and sustainable farming practices. In industry, biotechnological processes use enzymes and microorganisms to produce chemicals, fuels, and materials with lower energy use and waste. Environmental biotech focuses on bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and recycling through biological means.

Key enabling technologies include genome editing (for example, CRISPR-Cas systems), high-throughput sequencing, and synthetic biology, which aims to design new biological parts and systems. Research and commercial activity are governed by biosafety and biosecurity norms, and by regulatory frameworks that address risks to health, environment, and ethics. Intellectual property, data sharing, and public engagement also shape development.

Biotechnology is interdisciplinary, spanning biology, chemistry, engineering, and informatics. It underpins advances in health, food security, and sustainable industry, while raising questions about safety, equity, and governance that societies continue to address.