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What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society?

Biotechnology is technology based on biology. Biotechnology generates cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and health of our planet. Biotechnology is helping to heal the world by harnessing nature's own toolbox and using our own genetic makeup.
Research and developmental achievements

  • Stem Cell Research: Stem cells have the ability to keep on dividing infinitely and have the capacity to distinguish into different types of body cells during the early development of an organism. Researchers can program these stem cells to differentiate into specific types of cells.
  • Human Genome Project: It was an international scientific research project coordinated by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy. Officially launched in 1990, it had the goal of determining the sequence of nucleotide base pairs that make up human DNA. It has supported researchers in identifying genes that cause diseases.
  • Targeted Cancer Therapies: The established standard chemotherapies are toxic for healthy cells at present. Targeted cancer therapies are drugs that operate either by interfering with the function of specific molecules or by only targeting known cancerous cells in order to reduce damage to healthy cells.
  • CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a relatively new gene-editing system that has been hailed as a groundbreaking tool in medical research. HIV research is one of its many uses.

Role in uplifting poorer sections of society

  • Biotechnology is assisting to expand the income of marginal farmers by increasing crop yield and making it climate and pest resilient.
  • It has revolutionised the medical science leading to controlled death rate and world class treatment possible in India itself.
  • By genome sequencing, biotechnology helps in accessing health of the people from the corners of India which ultimately proves conducive for the government in framing targeted policy initiatives.
  • It also proves beneficial in expanding the shelf life of food products, which in turn, keeps their price in check for the poor.
  • Pollution attacks poor the most. Biotechnology helps in reducing pollution and, thus, alleviates their suffering. For example, landfills are cleaned through bioremediation techniques.
The document GS3 (Mains Answer Writing): Biotechnology | Science & Technology for UPSC CSE is a part of the UPSC Course Science & Technology for UPSC CSE.
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FAQs on GS3 (Mains Answer Writing): Biotechnology - Science & Technology for UPSC CSE

1. What is biotechnology?
Biotechnology is a field of science that combines biology with technology to develop innovative products and processes. It involves the manipulation of living organisms or their components to create useful products or solve practical problems.
2. How is biotechnology used in agriculture?
Biotechnology is used in agriculture to improve the quality and yield of crops. Through genetic engineering, scientists can introduce desirable traits into plants, such as resistance to pests, diseases, or environmental stresses. This can lead to increased productivity and reduced reliance on chemical pesticides.
3. What are the ethical concerns associated with biotechnology?
Some ethical concerns associated with biotechnology include the potential for genetic discrimination, the unintended consequences of genetically modified organisms on ecosystems, and the patenting of life forms. It is important to carefully consider the ethical implications of biotechnological advancements to ensure they are used responsibly and for the benefit of society.
4. How is biotechnology used in medicine?
Biotechnology has revolutionized the field of medicine. It is used in the production of pharmaceuticals, such as insulin and vaccines, through the use of genetically engineered bacteria or other organisms. Biotechnology also plays a crucial role in the development of personalized medicine, gene therapy, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
5. What are the potential benefits of biotechnology in environmental conservation?
Biotechnology offers several potential benefits in environmental conservation. It can be used to develop sustainable biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and environmentally friendly pesticides. Bioremediation, a process that uses living organisms to clean up pollutants, is another application of biotechnology that can help restore damaged ecosystems.
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