What is biotechnology?
Use of natural, organic tools — cells, genes, proteins, enzymes and antibodies.
Below is a list of many different areas of biotechnology sectors. Although it is not a complete list, it will give you a good overview of the different sectors of biotechnology..
Ag-Bio
• Plant biotechnology (e.g. tissue culture, embryogenesis, genetic markers, genetic engineering, plant breeding, floriculture, forestry)
• Animal biotechnology (e.g. diagnostics, therapeutics, embryo transplantation, genetic markers, genetic engineering, animal breeding, anti-microbials)
• Biofertilisers, biopesticides, bioherbicides, biological additives, microbial pest control, hormones,pheramones, and other agrichemicals
Aquaculture/Marine Biotechnology
• Fish health and nutrition (e.g. diagnostics, therapeutics)
• Brood stock genetics and animal breeding (e.g. tracking superior traits, genetic modification,triploiding oyster seed)
• Bioextraction and marine bioprospecting (e.g. polymers from seaweed, antifreeze, proteins from fishflavours, food additives from algae)
Environment
• Biofiltration and treatments (e.g. treatment of organic emissions to air/water)
• Bioremediation, waste management, phytoremediation (e.g. clean-up of toxic waste sites using microorganisms, marine bio-fouling, animal wastes)
• Diagnostics (e.g. detection of toxic substances using bioindicators, biosensors, immunodiagnostics)
Food Production and Processing
• Food processing (e.g. food products, food components, enzymes, yeasts, bacteria culture)
• Functional foods, additives, nutrichemicals (e.g. probiotics, unsaturated fatty acids)
Forest Products
• Silviculture (e.g. ectomycorrhizae, tissue culture, somatic embryogenesis, genetic markers, genetic engineering)
• Cleaner industrial bioprocessing (e.g. biopulping, biobleaching, biological prevention of sapstain)
Human Health
• Diagnostics (e.g. immunodiagnostics, gene probes, biosensors)
• Therapeutics (e.g. vaccines, immune stimulants, biopharmaceuticals, rational drug design,combinatorial chemistry)
• Gene therapy (e.g. gene identification, gene constructs, gene delivery, xenotransplants)
• Genomics/ Proteomics/ Bioinformatics/ Bioprospecting – genomics and molecular analysis (e.g.DNA/RNA/protein sequencing and databases for humans, plants, animals and microorganisms,structure function studies)
Industrial Biotech and General Biochemicals/Fine Chemical Feed Stock
• Custom bio-synthesis of biologicals (e.g. peptides, proteins, nucleotides, hormones, growth factors)
• Custom synthesis of fine chemicals (e.g. monomers, fuels, lubricants, fine chemical feed stocks,cosmetics)
Medical Devices, Equipment/Supplies and Bioengineering
• Equipment manufacture, instruments, consumables, reagents (e.g. development of stents, valves, pacemakers, internal defbulatiors monitoring of medical conditions, artificial limbs and structures, cochlear implants)
• Bioengineering, large scale fermentation and contract manufacturing, down stream processing
Mining/Energy/Petroleum/Chemicals
• Microbiologically enhanced petroleum/mineral recovery
• Cleaner industrial bioprocessing (e.g. biodesulphurisation, biocracking, bio-recovery)
Nanotechnology
• New materials design, therapeutics, manufacturing processes (e.g. nanostructured porous silicon, dendrimers for pharmaceutical activity)
Specialist Service Provider
• Contract research and development to the biotechnology industry (e.g. high throughput screening, clinical trials)
• Consulting to the biotechnology industry (e.g. business development, legal and patent attorneys,communication and marketing, manufacturing, finance)