BIOTECHNOLOGY

MD. MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN PH.D.

PROFESSOR
PHARMACY DISCIPLINE
INTRODUCTION
Biotechnology encompasses any technique that uses living
organisms and their products in the production or
modification of products for health, social or economic
purposes.

Biotechnology is widely considered to be the growth

technology of the 21st Century which will lead to huge
growth in the Biotechnology industry.
INTRODUCTION

 Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science including not

only biology, but also subjects like mathematics, physics,
chemistry and engineering.

 It is a blend of various technologies applied together to living

cells for production of a particular product or for improving
upon it.
INTRODUCTION
 Through genetic engineering scientists can combine
DNA from different sources and this process is called
“Recombinant DNA technology”
 The secrets of DNA structure and functions have led to
gene cloning and genetic engineering, manipulating the
DNA of an organism
NATURE OF WORK

The nature of work of biotechnologists, being

interdisciplinary, requires working together of people from
different fields such as

 biology, chemistry, biochemistry,

 microbiology, immunology

 molecular biology, genetics,

 engineering,

 food science, agriculture etc.

 APPLICATION OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Its use and application ranges from fields like agriculture to
industry (food, pharmaceutical, chemical, bioproducts,
textiles etc.), medicine, nutrition, environmental
conservation, animal sciences etc. making it one of the fastest
growing fields.

The work is generally carried out in the laboratories, as it is a

scientific research oriented field.
APPLICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Applications of biotechnology are widespread, including the

following:
 diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.

 improved production of therapeutic agents.

 development of improved crop plant species.

 development of improved pest/pathogen control processes

 development of biosensors for environmental pollutants.
 development of improved waste treatment processes and methods
for remediation contaminated sites.
 production of transgenic organisms for production of new drugs,
improved transplantation success and improved animal and plant.
AREAS WHERE BIOTECH IS
APPLICABLE
Some of the fields where biotechnology studies are applicable are as
follows:

 MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE:

 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:
 AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY:
 ENVIRONMENT:
 MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE

 Biotechnology's application in this area has helped in the

development of various medicines, vaccines for various
diseases and diagnostics.
Transplant Organs for Humans
 Inadequate supplies of human organs for transplantation
result in more than 25,000 deaths annually.
 Researchers are studying ways to develop organs in
animals suitable to be transplanted into humans until
human organs become available.
 Especially promising are pig organs!!!
 Tissue Engineering
 Researchers can transfer human body cells to animal cells to
produce cells capable of forming virtually any cell type,
including tissue (Refer fig below).
 This means that patients with life-threatening illnesses, such
as heart disease, spinal cord injury, or arthritis, could have
healthy tissue grown from their own cells in animals to replace
their damaged tissue without their immune system rejecting
the tissue.
Biopharmaceuticals

 Scientists are close to finding ways to mass produce human

proteins, antibiotics, and vaccines in cow's and goat's milk.
 This would be an economical and reliable way for people
worldwide to receive these beneficial products.
 PHARMACEUTICALS

 During the last decade, over 359 biotechnology products were

developed by more than 40 pharmaceutical companies for
indications ranging from hemophilia, sepsis, skin ulcers, and
rheumatoid arthritis to cancer.

 More than one-third of all biotechnology products are geared toward

cancer therapy

 More than 29 were under development for HIV, AIDS and AIDS-
related diseases.

 About 19 other products were being developed for autoimmune

diseases.
PRODUCTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
 Anticoagulant drug –Lepirudin (Refludan®)

 Antisense drugs – Fomivirsen sodium injection is

approved for local treatment of cytomegalovirus
(CVM) retinitis in patients with AIDS

 Efavirenz (Sustiva®) – A non-nucleoside reverse

transcriptase inhibitor and the first anti-HIV drug to be
approved by FDA for once daily dosing in combination with
other anti-HIV drugs.
PRODUCTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(CONT.)
 Clotting factors - Kogenate®, Recombinate®) –
Recombinant anti-hemophiliac factor indicated for the
treatment of classical hemophilia A in which there is a
demonstrated deficiency of clotting factor (Factor VIII )

 Growth factor – Becaplemin (regranex®)

 Systemic growth hormone - Somatropin recombinant

(Humatrope®)
PRODUCTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(CONT.)…
 Colony stimulating factors -
 Erythropoietin
 Interferon

 Vaccines – Genetically engineered vaccines use a

synthetic copy of the protein coat of a virus to “fool”
the body immune system into mounting a protective
response.
APPROVED BIOLOGICALS (INTERFERONS)
APPROVED BIOLOGICALS (ENZYMES)
APPROVED BIOLOGICALS
(VACCINES AND LIPOSOMES)
APPROVED BIOLOGICALS (TISSUE
AND CELL ENGINEERING)
APPROVED BIOLOGICALS (BLOOD
DERIVATIVES AND NATURAL EXTRACTS)
WHY CLONE ANIMALS?
 The possibility of cloning a valued pet provides its owner with
a degree of hope. Cloning could provide blind persons with
more of the very best ‘sight’ dogs.
 United Kingdom Dairy producers are cloning elite dairy cows
and bulls to increase the supply of superior genetics. Horse
breeders may want to propagate their horses' athletic and
genetic qualities.
Dolly the sheep, the first mammal
to be cloned from an adult cell
Dolly gave birth
to four lambs
CLONED KITTY

The first two cats cloned by chromatin transfer

 HUMAN CLONE
 Britain
grants embryo cloning patent
and became the first country in the
world to grant a patent covering
cloned early-stage human embryos.
The decision ignited new controversy
among biotechnology critics even
though the Geron Corporation, the
company licensed to use the patent,
has no intention of creating
cloned humans.
 Cloning in the public eye: myths and misconceptions!!!
 Bush says cloning human embryos is 'morally wrong.'